NMU Postgraduate Application Requirements: A Comprehensive Guide

Applying for a postgraduate program at Northern Michigan University (NMU) requires careful attention to detail. This article provides a detailed overview of the application requirements, deadlines, and other essential information for prospective graduate students.

Application Deadlines

To receive full consideration, it's crucial to adhere to the specified application deadlines. For Fall semester admission (and teaching assistantship consideration), the deadline is February 1. For Winter semester admission, the deadline is September 1. Meeting these deadlines increases your chances of admission and consideration for financial aid.

General Admission Requirements

All applicants to a graduate program at NMU must fulfill the following basic requirements:

Complete an NMU application for admission.
Submit official transcripts from all previously attended colleges or universities.
Pay a $50 application fee.

In addition to these general requirements, it is important to review the specific additional requirements for admission to your program of interest.

Categories of Admission

Admission to graduate programs at NMU is granted in one of the following categories, based on the applicant's qualifications and educational objectives:

Regular Degree Admission: Granted to students pursuing a master’s degree with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and a minimum undergraduate grade-point average of 3.0 (A=4.0). Students must meet all admission requirements of the College of Graduate Studies and any additional program-specific requirements.
Conditional Admission: May be authorized for students who don't meet regular admission requirements, need no more than 8 credits of prerequisite undergraduate coursework, and have a minimum undergraduate grade-point average of 2.0 (A = 4.0) from an accredited institution. Students in their final undergraduate semester may be granted conditional admission if their academic record is satisfactory. Failure to meet the conditions of admission within 8 semester hours of graduate credit results in denial of further registration.
Non-Degree Admission: Granted to students who do not wish to obtain a graduate degree but have an interest in work beyond the baccalaureate degree, or who graduated from a non-accredited undergraduate program. This includes students selecting special workshops or those who wish to pursue additional study for educational benefits. Non-degree students can later apply for admission to a specific degree program if they meet all admission requirements.
Certification or Endorsements Admission: Granted to education students seeking professional teacher certification, professional development, or endorsements but not wishing to pursue a master’s degree. Students must meet all admission requirements of the School of Education, Leadership and Public Service and the College of Graduate Studies. Admission for certification or endorsement does not assure subsequent admission to a degree program. A student who wishes to later apply for regular admission to a degree program must complete a degree-seeking application. All admission requirements of the school and the College of Graduate Studies also must be met.
Guest Student: A student enrolled in another accredited graduate school in Michigan may register for a limited number of graduate credits at Northern Michigan University under the Guest Student status. The Michigan Intercollegiate Graduate Studies (MIGS) Program is a cooperative program established by a group of Michigan Universities to provide an opportunity for "guest" graduate students to participate in unique educational opportunities throughout the state without changing their status of enrollment at their present university.

Specific Program Requirements: MA/MFA English

The following requirements pertain specifically to the Master of Arts (MA) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in English programs:

Required Documents for MA/MFA English Application

Applicants must upload the following documents to their online application, ensuring their name is on each document:

MA/MFA English Graduate Program Application Form: Download, complete, save, and attach this form to your application.
Statement of Purpose: This statement should address your interest in the program, academic experience and goals, and (if applying for a teaching assistantship) preparedness for teaching.
Résumé or Curriculum Vitae: Provide a comprehensive overview of your academic and professional experience.
Critical Essay (MA): Submit a critical essay (10-20 pages) that focuses on an English studies (or related) topic. Two essays may be submitted to meet the length requirement.
Writing Sample (MFA):
- Poetry: Submit 10 pages.
- Creative Nonfiction and Fiction: Submit 20-30 pages.
- Mixed Genre/Hybrid: Submit 20-30 pages containing any combination of fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, or experimental/hybrid pieces.
Statement of Professional Purpose (MFA): Addressing your interest in the program, your ability to succeed in graduate school, and (if relevant) your teaching experience. Length should be 500-750 words. In the Statement of Purpose, please note if you'd like to be considered for a Graduate Assistant position. Be sure to include any information in your statement such as teaching or other relevant experience, but keep it brief.

Letters of Recommendation

Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation. These letters should address your academic ability and, if applying for a teaching assistantship, your potential as a teacher. Submit contact information for your recommenders through the application system.

Transcripts

Request official transcripts from ALL previously attended colleges or universities. Northern Michigan University transcripts and transcripts already on file at NMU are not required. If you have not earned your bachelor's degree and are currently enrolled, do not request your transcript until you are in your final semester and your previous semester's grades have posted. Transcripts must be sent from the institution to be considered official. Transcripts from any institution outside the United States must be evaluated by an external transcript evaluation company.

NMU would then receive the verified documents from ECE along with the credential evaluation. Select the "course by course report."

WES (World Education Services): This service lets you submit your official educational documents only once to WES. NMU receives the verified documents from WES with the credential evaluation. Select the "course by course report with ICAP."

SPANTRAN: This service is the least expensive and fastest option.

Other NACES-approved services.

NMU has an alternate procedure regarding acceptable documentation for applicants with extenuating circumstances.

Application Fee and Waivers

Applicants should pay the non-refundable application processing fee unless they:

Qualify for the senior citizen tuition waiver (age 62 or older).
Have already attended NMU at the same degree level for which they are applying (i.e., students pay once before the receipt of a baccalaureate degree and once after, if continuing. NOTE: students that have paid a $35/30 post-baccalaureate fee are required to pay $15/20 to reach the graduate level application fee).
Were a McNair Scholar at their undergraduate institution. McNair Scholars must have a letter sent from their undergraduate institution verifying their McNair status or have the McNair Scholars Fee Waiver Form completed and sent to us.
Require a financial hardship waiver of the fee.

Checking Application Status

If you have submitted your Graduate Application for Admission and would like to check the status of your application, you are in the right place!

We will process your application and documents as we receive them, and they are normally added to your "application checklist" within 3-5 days of their arrival.

NMU assigns each applicant a unique student identification number (NMU IN) to protect your records and privacy. If your application was not complete, you should have received a letter shortly after you applied that contains your NMU IN.

Applications from undergraduate students who have yet to complete coursework for their bachelor's degree can be submitted up to a year before intended attendance. For example, an application submitted in September of the current year would be applicable to the subsequent winter, summer, and fall semesters.

A graduate student's record remains open for three years from the date of last enrollment unless the student graduates, withdraws, or is dismissed.

Letters of Recommendation: Additional Details

Graduate school recommendation letters should come from someone who knows the student in an academic or professional setting. Letters can include information about the student's professional goals, research activity, passion for learning, ability to work as part of a team, or other similar topics. The letter should be addressed to the departmental reviewing committee or to whom it may concern. There are two routes in which letters may be submitted. The Graduate Studies staff will then attach the letter to your application.

Statement of Purpose: Key Considerations

A statement letter is a short document that gives you the opportunity to let the application committee know your plans and aspirations for the future and how attaining the degree you are applying for will help you attain those goals. Each program that requires a statement may be looking for something just a little bit different.

Financial Aid and Assistantships

Applications for donor-funded scholarships open every Winter semester. Find more information on our financial aid webpage! Graduate Assistantships are also available. These are not guaranteed upon admission, but all full-time graduate students are eligible to apply. There are grants and scholarships that graduate students can apply for.

Enrollment Requirements

You need to be enrolled in 8 credit hours to be considered a full-time student. Graduate students are encouraged to take no more than 12 credits per semester.

Academic Standards

To obtain a graduate degree, a student must maintain a cumulative graduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher.

Course Information

You can register for classes through MyNMU, using the Registration tile. Graduate students may take undergraduate courses, however they do not count towards your graduate degree.

Laptop Program

Yes, NMU provides laptops for students. You can find more information about this here. Part-time students may participate in the laptop program for a fee.

International Students

There is no guaranteed funding for international students. International students cannot apply for Federal Student Aid. Graduate assistantships may be available.

English Language Proficiency

Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) or higher from an institution of higher education in a country where English is the official language (listed below). Transcript must show English (composition and literature-based, ESL not acceptable) credits with a C or better grade. English-speaking countries include:

Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada (except Quebec), Dominica, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Liberia, Micronesia, Namibia, Nigeria, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, St. Lucia, St. Vincent Grenadines, St. institution of higher education.

Transfer Students

Yes, you may transfer to NMU during your degree.

Housing

There is limited on-campus housing for graduate students.

Course Requirements for Graduate Degrees

The minimum requirement for a graduate degree is the satisfactory completion of total credit hours required by the department which have been submitted as a Graduate Plan of Study and approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research and by the student’s adviser.

Additional Requirements

A minimum of 16 credits must be at the 500 level or higher.
Only graduate-level credits can be applied to a graduate degree. No course work done in courses less than the 400 level will apply to a graduate degree.
Courses at the 400 level must be approved for graduate credit, be taught by an approved graduate faculty member, and be approved by the offering department for inclusion in graduate degree programs.
A maximum of 8 credits can be earned in Directed or Independent Study (597/598/698) courses, with the except of the Master of Interdisciplinary Studies degree, which has a maximum of 12 credits.
A maximum of 16 credits earned through a combination of courses of unspecified content (including Thesis 599/699) credit can be applied to the total minimum number of hours required to complete the master’s degree. Of these 16 credits, a maximum of 12 credits can be earned through courses of unspecified content excluding thesis. Individual programs may have more restrictive requirements. Graduate courses of unspecified content are defined as courses in which the student or department is not restricted by the Graduate Bulletin to a specific area of subject matter.
A minimum grade of C- will be counted, but no more than a maximum of six (6) credit hours for programs that require less than 50 total credit hours or fifteen (15) credit hours for programs that require 50 or greater total credit hours with a minimum of 75% didactic credits can be a grade less than B. A minimum graduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 is required. A student will be placed on probation if their cumulative GPA drops below 3.0 in any semester.

Graduate Capstone Project

All master’s students must complete a graduate capstone project that is defined by the program of study. The project may be (1) a thesis, (2) a graduate research project report, portfolio, or exhibit, or (3) two file papers.

Certification that the graduate project requirement has been met must be filed at the College of Graduate Studies 30 calendar days prior to graduation. Forms for this purpose are available from the College of Graduate Studies. It is the student’s responsibility to see that the documentation is filed through the department.

Thesis

A graduate student who has 12 or more graduate credit hours and who has been accepted as a candidate for the master’s degree is eligible to undertake a thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree. A student desiring to present a thesis should outline such plans in a thesis proposal for approval by their adviser and the Dean of Graduate Studies. The student will, in consultation with the advisor, select a thesis chair who has Level Three Graduate Faculty Status and two faculty members with Graduate Faculty Status to form a thesis committee (see next section for details) . The chair will have active direction on the thesis. A thesis may carry up to eight semester hours of credit in all programs (unless specified otherwise) with the exception of the master of fine arts (MFA) in which a thesis carries twelve semester hours of credit. The number of credits permitted in non-MFA programs will be determined by the student’s committee at the time the thesis proposal is approved.

Guidelines Regarding Membership of Graduate Advisory and Theses Committees

With the approval of the department head, non-NMU or adjunct graduate faculty may serve as a member on a student’s advisory or thesis committee as long as they have been approved for graduate faculty status.

The chair of the thesis committee must be a faculty member with level three graduate faculty status.

A minimum of half the members of a thesis committee must be NMU faculty with level two or level three graduate faculty status.

Theses at the graduate level at Northern Michigan University must be prepared in accordance with the “Guidelines for The Preparation of Master’s Theses”. The Guidelines are available on the College of Graduate Studies Web site. All theses are submitted to the College of Graduate Studies in electronic format. An original signature page from the thesis must be completely signed and submitted to the College of Graduate Studies. To allow sufficient time for review, the approved document must be electronically submitted no later than 30 calendar days before graduation.

Graduate Project Report, Portfolio, or Exhibit

Students completing degree requirements who do not choose to complete a thesis or two file papers are required to prepare a graduate research project report according to departmental guidelines.

File Papers

Students who do not complete a thesis or research project must write a minimum of two papers according to the following requirements (also check departmental requirements):

These papers shall be filed in the office of the department responsible for the advisement of the student. These papers may be a part of the assigned work of a course provided prior arrangements have been made with the instructor.
At least one of the papers must be from the student’s field of major concentration.
The papers shall be prepared in accordance with recognized manuals of style.
A discipline-related, documented requirement as approved by the department may be substituted for one of the papers, e.g., music recital, exhibit, comprehensive exam, etc.

Continuous Enrollment Credit

All graduate students who are working on their master's project/thesis and have completed all other credit requirements for their degree (not currently enrolled in any other NMU courses) and require access to library and computing resources must remain an "active" student by enrolling in at least one credit each semester of continuous enrollment credit (GD 593, or for those in the Education Specialist program, GD 693) for each consecutive semester until the completion of the project. Students failing to register for these credits will not have access to library and computing resources. GD 593 (or GD 693) credits may not be used as electives, nor can they be used to replace required courses listed on their plan of study. Students must be enrolled in GD 593 (or GD 693) or another graduate credit during their semester of graduation.

Second Master’s Degree

A student holding a master’s degree may earn a second master’s degree in another curriculum or major. With the exception of a Master of Fine Arts in English degree and Education Specialist degree, appropriate courses up to a maximum of ten semester hours may be transferred from the first master’s to the second degree program on the recommendation of the adviser for the second degree.

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