Information for

Graduate Admissions

We try to make the graduate admission process as streamlined as possible. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the appropriate Columbia College campus:

Each graduate program has miscellaneous admission categories which require varying application materials. (Follow the respective program links to the left for details.) To be considered for full admission to any graduate program, applicants must submit the following:

Admission to graduate study at Columbia College requires evidence of personal integrity and responsibility, academic preparation and leadership potential. General admission requirements include an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution with a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average. Recommendations and a personal narrative also are substantive components in the admissions criteria.

Additionally, the Master of Arts in Teaching and Teacher Certification Programs require the submission of a notarized affidavit of moral characterPDF document icon. Consideration for admission will be at the discretion of the respective department.

In addition to academic information reflected on undergraduate transcripts, graduate program directors seek a wide range of subjective information through the recommendation forms such as communication skills, critical and creative thinking and problem solving. Recommendations are most commonly submitted by employers, supervisors, professors and co-workers but any individual who can speak to the applicant's ability to be successful in a graduate program may be chosen.

The personal goal statement also provides additional subjective information about the applicant. Careful development is important in this critical component in the application materials. The statement should establish a correlation between the goals of the graduate degree program and the applicant's personal and professional goals.

Students not meeting graduate program admission standards may petition for admittance. Petitions must be accompanied by a compelling letter of intent and any supplemental application material requested by the department.