Admission and Registration
Graduate Admissions Office
Miller Building, Room 106
607-753-4800
Fax: 607-753-5998
Email: graduate.admissions@cortland.edu
The State University of New York 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, master of science for teachers, and certificates of advanced study. 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. Among the many services provided to prospective and current students are:
- Admissions information and processing
- Fellowship and assistantship information
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
At the State University of New York at Cortland, we seek a diverse and academically strong student body. Our admission policy and practice will not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, national origin or marital status.
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 need to provide evidence of conferral of bachelor's degree which must be received prior to the first day of classes.
2. An application for admission to graduate study, the $65 application fee and all supporting documents must be submitted by the deadlines. Applicants are encouraged to submit their online application and all supporting documents as early as possible. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until a program is filled. If a deadline has passed, contact the Graduate Admissions Office at 607-753-4800 to inquire about program availability. For summer and fall term entry, application review for most programs begins in January. For spring term entry, application review begins in August. Some departments review applications even earlier. Most applicants are notified of their admission decision within three to four weeks after the application is considered complete, unless otherwise specified by the department.
Entry term and application due dates:
- Fall: July 1
- Spring: Dec. 1
- Summer: 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 university 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
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.
- 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 Foundations and Social Advocacy Department. These requirements are listed in this catalog under the Foundations and Social Advocacy Department.
Teacher education programs:
- An undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale is required.
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.
In addition to the program-specific required materials, prospective international graduate students must submit the following materials to the Graduate Admissions Office:
- Graduate Admissions Application
- Official English translation and original college transcript for any transcript not in English
- Documentation of English proficiency if English is not the applicant's native language (acceptable tests and preferred scores: TOEFL, 79; IELTS, Band 6.5; EIKEN, Pre-1; Duolingo, 100; PTE Academic, 55)
- International Student Financial Statement and the required documents to verify financial support
- A photocopy of the biographical page from the applicant's current passport
- SUNY Cortland I-20 Request Form
Forms can be found on the SUNY Cortland International Admissions webpage.
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 SUNY Cortland.
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 will be mailed to the permanent address indicated on the application.
Part-time and Non-degree Status
Graduate students may enroll in courses on a part-time, non-degree basis by registering through the Registrar's Office. To work toward a degree, students must be admitted formally to degree status. Details may be obtained from the Admissions 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. Non-degree seeking students may be approved for a maximum of 15 graduate credits.
The five-year clock for graduate coursework at SUNY Cortland begins with first course regardless of student status.
Pre-graduate Status
Applicants with deficiencies in their undergraduate preparation may be granted pre-graduate status. 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 at SUNY Cortland.
Pre-graduate students become matriculated graduate students when 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.
Students with pre-graduate status may choose to also enroll in graduate courses as they attempt to complete the required undergraduate courses for admission to their program. The graduate tuition rate is charged for graduate courses. Pre-graduate status students may complete up to a maximum of 15 graduate credits hours.
Identification Cards
All students who register for courses at the university 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 office's homepage 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. Non-matriculated graduate students may register if course availability permits, beginning approximately two weeks before classes begin — registration information is available on the university 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.
Summer and Winter Session
Extended Learning Office
Miller Building, Room 208
607-753-5643
Fax: 607-753-2959
elo@cortland.edu
SUNY Cortland offers courses during the winter and summer breaks. These courses allow current SUNY Cortland students to catch up or get ahead on their course work. They also allow non-SUNY Cortland students to earn credits and experience SUNY Cortland.
Winter Session
Winter Session features two terms, including a four-to-five-week session beginning in December and a two-week session beginning in January.
Students may take up to five credit hours of course work during Winter Session. There are a limited number of courses offered at the graduate level during Winter Session.
The Winter Session preliminary course schedule is posted online early in the fall semester. Registration begins mid-fall, typically around the time that students register for their spring semester courses. Registration remains open until the first day of each session.
Winter Session tuition and fees are paid on a per credit hour basis. Financial aid is typically not available for Winter Session courses.
Visit the Winter Session website for more information.
Summer Session
Summer Session features multiple terms, including a ten-week session, two five-week sessions and four two-week sessions. Most courses fall into the five-week sessions. Students may take up to a total of 16 credit hours during Summer Session, with credit-hour limits during each individual term.
Graduate course offerings vary by department and program. Summer is also a popular time to complete internships and independent studies. Students should work with their academic departments to finalize the details for these opportunities.
The Summer Session preliminary course schedule is posted online by late January. Registration begins in mid-spring, typically around the time that students register for their fall semester courses. Registration remains open until the first day of each individual session.
Summer Session tuition and fees are paid on a per credit hour basis. Students should consult with the Financial Aid Office to determine if and how aid can be used for Summer Session course work.
Visit the Summer Session website for more information.
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