Admission and Registration
The State University of New York College at Cortland offers courses leading to a master of arts, a master of science, a master of science in education, a master of arts in teaching, a master of science in teaching, and a certificate of advanced study. The certificate of advanced study in American civilization and culture is for international students only. The certificates of advanced study in educational leadership with concentrations in school building leader, school district leader and school district business leader are post-master’s programs.
The Graduate Admissions Office is open daily and available evenings by appointment. Among the many services provided to prospective and current students are:
- admissions information and processing
- fellowship and assistantship information
- program support to current students
- non-Web registration and change of status
Students may enroll in graduate-level courses on a full-time or part-time basis. Most courses are offered in the late afternoon and evening, Monday through Thursday. Graduate students with a SUNY card, attending full time or part time, are entitled to all campus privileges, including the use of library and recreational facilities. Personal and career counseling are available as well.
Admission to Graduate Study
The following items are required of students who plan to apply for a master’s degree or certificate of advanced study program:
1. A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Applicants who apply for graduate school before obtaining their undergraduate degrees may be accepted into a program but will not be allowed to register for classes until the degree is obtained and a final, official transcript is received by the Graduate Admissions Office.
2. An application for admission to graduate study along with the $65 application fee must be submitted by the following deadlines:
Entry Term
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Application Due Date
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Fall
Spring
Summer |
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July 1
Dec. 1
April 1 |
Completion of application requirements by the stated deadline is the responsibility of each applicant. To be assured of timely review of applications, students will need to submit them by the deadline. Completed applications received after the deadline will be considered as time and available enrollment space permit. Admission to any graduate program may close before the above published deadline.
3. Fulfillment of the specific admissions requirements of the department of the College in which enrollment is sought. Departmental requirements are listed with the descriptions of graduate curricula.
Exceptional applicants who do not meet all of the listed admission requirements for a graduate program may be considered on an individual basis. If admitted, these students may be required to complete additional requirements for the degree (M.A., M.S., M.A.T., M.S.T., M.S.Ed., C.A.S.) beyond those stated in the catalog. These additional requirements will be determined by the graduate coordinator of the degree program and may include specific courses, limited in number, based on the students’ academic background. Applicants seeking financial aid are strongly encouraged to discuss the financial impact of such additional course work with the Financial Aid Office.
Additional admission requirements for degree programs leading to New York state teacher certification:
- All applicants must complete the SUNY Cortland Teacher Education Program Application.
- In degree programs leading to professional New York state teacher certification, applicants must have initial certification before they are eligible for admission to degree status.
- The Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) and the Master of Science in Teaching (M.S.T.) programs do not require certification.
Additional admission requirements for certificate of advanced study in educational leadership (school building leader, school district leader and school district business leader):
- A master’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
- A completed the SUNY Cortland Teacher Education Program Application.
- For the school building leader and school district leader programs, permanent or professional New York state teacher certification. The school district business leader program does not require teacher certification.
- Satisfaction of the specific admission requirements of the Educational Leadership Department. These requirements are listed in this catalog under the Educational Leadership Department.
Additional admission requirements for international students:
SUNY Cortland welcomes applications from foreign nationals seeking matriculation into graduate programs. Prospective international graduate students must meet the general admission requirements for graduate study as described above and also must meet the specific requirements for the program to which they are applying.
Prospective international graduate students must submit the following materials to the Graduate Admissions Office:
- Graduate Admissions Application
- Autobiographical Essay
- Documentation of English proficiency if English is not the applicant's native language (acceptable tests and score minimums: TOEFL, 79; IELTS, Band 6.5; EIKEN, Pre-1)
- Foreign Student Financial Statement and the required documents to verify financial support
- A photocopy of the biographical page from the applicant's current passport
Forms can be found on the SUNY Cortland on the Graduate Admissions International Student Web page.
Applicants will be reviewed for admission based on academic accomplishments, English proficiency and ability to finance the education.
Immigration form I-20, which the applicant will use to secure an F-1 visa, will be issued to the applicant once all required information has been received and the applicant has been accepted to the College.
Confidentiality Notice
Information concerning applications for admission, application materials, application status or any other associated records is considered confidential and will be discussed only with the applicant.
Graduate Admissions Deposit
An admission deposit of $50 is required to confirm enrollment. The deposit is applied to the first semester tuition and fees. It is not refundable to students who fail to enroll. Failure to acknowledge acceptance and pay the $50 deposit by the required date may result in deactivation of the application.
Deposit Due Dates
- Fall applicants: the $50 tuition deposit is due April 15. Fall applicants accepted after March 15 will have 30 days from the date of the acceptance letter to submit the deposit.
- Spring applicants: the $50 tuition deposit is due Sept. 15. Spring applicants accepted after Aug. 15 will have 30 days from the date of the acceptance letter to submit the deposit.
- Summer applicants: the $50 tuition deposit is due Feb. 15. Summer applicants accepted after Jan. 15 will have 30 days from the date of the acceptance letter to submit the deposit.
Deposit Refund Policy
If the request for a refund is received by the Graduate Admissions Office before April 15 for fall applications, Sept. 15 for spring applications and Feb. 15 for summer applications, a full refund will be made within 30 calendar days of the date the request was received.*
Deposits are not refundable beyond the deposit due date.
*All refunds for deposits paid by check or money order will be mailed to the permanent address indicated on the application.
Part-time and Non-degree Status
Graduate students may attend day or evening classes as part of a degree program on a part-time or full-time basis. In order to work toward a degree, students must be admitted formally to degree status. Details may be obtained from the Registrar's Office.
Students who have not been admitted to a graduate-degree program may enroll in courses as non-matriculated students by registering through the Registrar's Office. Graduate nonmatriculated students may not register for more than nine credit hours and will only be permitted to register just prior to the opening of the semester, based on course availability.
Before non-matriculated graduate students have earned nine graduate credit hours at SUNY Cortland, they must apply through the Graduate Admissions Office for matriculated status, change their status to non-degree seeking or discontinue course work at Cortland. The Financial Aid Office should be consulted for information on financial aid and student loans.
Pre-graduate Status
Applicants with deficiencies in their undergraduate preparation may be admitted as pre-graduate students. These pre-graduate students must complete specific undergraduate courses to make up for these deficiencies. Pre-graduate students pay the undergraduate tuition rate for these undergraduate courses.
Pre-graduate students become matriculated graduate students when the their advisor notifies the Graduate Admissions Office that they have successfully completed the specified undergraduate courses. The Financial Aid Office should be consulted for information on financial aid and student loans.
Identification Cards
All students who register for courses at the College are required to have a SUNY Card.
Registration
All graduate and non-matriculated graduate students register for courses through the Registrar's Office. Registration information for each academic term is available on the College’s website and on the registrar’s home page under Course Schedule. Matriculated graduate students register online during the Web registration period. Detailed information about registration and billing is available on the Web at myRedDragon.
Eligible students who do not register during the official Web registration period may enroll and pay at the time of registration on a continuous basis up until the beginning of the term. Nonmatriculated graduate students may register if course availability permits, beginning approximately two weeks before classes begin — registration information is available on the College website for specific dates. Matriculated graduate students may register on myRedDragon without payment until the deadline date for billing privileges is established.
Students who do not pay their tuition bill for the courses for which they have registered by the payment deadline will be de-registered.
Undergraduates in Graduate Courses
Graduate courses are numbered 500-699. Courses numbered 600-699 are exclusively for graduate students. Courses numbered 500-599 are open to juniors and seniors in good academic standing — cumulative grade point average of 2.0. Undergraduate students enrolled in graduate 500-level courses will receive undergraduate credit for these courses.
Senior undergraduate students in their final semester may request permission to register for a 500-level course for graduate credit. A form for this purpose is available from the respective associate dean. Approval must be obtained from the school associate dean for the major.
The total course load, including undergraduate and graduate credit, may not exceed 16 credit hours during the semester or six credit hours during a five-week summer session. Students are cautioned that graduate credit hours thus earned may not be transferred toward meeting the requirements for the master’s degree at another institution.
Mohawk Valley Graduate Center
SUNYIT
Donovan Hall, Room G 107
100 Seymour Road
Utica, NY 13504
(315) 792-7828
The Mohawk Valley Graduate Center (MVGC) is operated by SUNY Cortland at SUNY Institute of Technology (SUNYIT) in Utica, N.Y. The center offers graduate courses leading to master’s degrees in literacy education and the post-master’s degree program leading to the certificates of advanced study in educational leadership (school building leader, school district leader and/or school district business leader). All courses are offered at the MVGC except for the culminating experience in each program. A complete listing of courses is available at www.cortland.edu/registrar/coursescheduleregistration.html.
Summer Session
Registrar's Office
Miller Building, Room 223
(607) 753-4702
A Summer Session schedule of courses and registration information is available in early spring on the website on the registrar’s home page.
Graduate courses are typically available in two consecutive five-week sessions. Some short (intensive) courses may be offered over two-week sessions. The maximum number of credit hours a student may take each Summer Session is eight, for a total of 16.
A student taking a three-or-four credit hour short (intensive) course during one five-week term may not take a class that meets the full five-week term, but may register for another short (intensive) course or, if the schedule permits, two short (intensive) courses with exclusions made for physical education activities and clinics. None of the courses may overlap.
The financial aid rules for Summer Session differ slightly from those for fall and spring. An advisor in financial aid should be consulted for details.
Winter Session
Registrar's Office
Miller Building, Room 223
(607) 753-4702
The Winter Session office provides a variety of courses in a two-week session in January that starts shortly after New Year’s Day. Students may take a maximum of five credit hours during Winter Session.
All policies and procedures related to Winter Session are implemented by the Registrar's Office, including cancellation of classes, scheduling of classrooms, faculty contracts and pay arrangements. The complete Winter Session course listing is available on the SUNY Cortland website in October. |