Prospective students are cordially invited to visit Ferrum College. Appointments for interviews and tours of the campus may be arranged by calling the Office of Admissions, which is located in the Spilman-Daniel House, at (540) 365-4290 or 1-800-868-9797 or online at admissions.ferrum.edu/experience-ferrum/visit/. Staff are available weekdays for campus tours at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., and by appointment, on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m., except during holiday weekends.
Admissions Standards (all programs)
To apply to Ferrum College’s graduate programs a student must submit the following to the Graduate Admissions Office:
- Official Transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate coursework, with a minimum of 2.75 on all undergraduate work required for general admission to graduate studies (specific departmental requirements may vary), and
- Application for graduate study either online or in hard copy, and
- Application fee of $50.00.
The application fee may be waived for active military personnel, veterans, and current Ferrum College employees.
Students wishing to enroll in the online graduate program need to meet all criteria established by our graduate school as listed in the Graduate Catalog in addition to:
- A Master’s degree in education or related field,
- A 3.0 overall GPA in graduate course work,
- Minimum of 3 years of teaching and/or leadership experience,
- Submission of 2 Letters of Recommendation, and
- Submission of a Statement of Professional Goals.
Students wishing to enroll in the online graduate program need to meet all criteria established by our graduate school as listed in the Graduate School Catalog in addition to:
- Completion of at least 15 credits in undergraduate coursework in psychology or a related field with a 2.75 or higher,
- Submission of an essay describing how their previous coursework/life/career experiences have prepared them for a graduate program in psychology, and their intended goals based on successful completion of the program
Admission to graduate programs is rolling, and a student may enter at the beginning of any academic semester, including summer. Admission to graduate study is granted to those who meet the academic requirements and who hold a baccalaureate degree from Ferrum College or other regionally accredited institution of higher education, and to certain qualified Ferrum College seniors. Upon admittance, a student may take up to 12 hours of coursework, which may be used toward a program of study.
Students may be admitted to graduate study in any one of several categories:
- Admitted Degree Seeking – a student who meets the requirements for admission to the chosen program.
- Conditionally Admitted – a student who fails to satisfy one or more of the requirements for admission to a graduate program. This is a temporary classification and will be changed as soon as the specified conditions are satisfied. Most graduate students will be limited to twelve graduate credit hours unless they are unconditionally admitted to a graduate program. Reasons for conditional admittance could be, but are not limited to, the following:
- Not all application materials have been received. All materials necessary to remove conditional status must be submitted by the end of the semester in which the student is first enrolled.
- Grade point averages below the minimum specified for these programs. Students must earn at least a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) upon completion of the first 12 semester hours of graduate credit. Failure to achieve the 3.0 GPA level within the allowable 12 hours shall result in the student’s dismissal from the program.
- Admitted Non-degree Seeking – A student who meets the requirements for admission to graduate study but does not wish to work toward a graduate program. Students admitted as unclassified will be permitted to take 12 hours in a program which may later be applied toward a program upon formal admission to that program.
- Visiting Student – Students who are pursuing a degree at another institution may wish to take courses at Ferrum College. These students must submit a letter from the graduate dean of the home institution indicating that the student is in good standing and has approval to take the specified courses for transfer. Visiting students must submit an application for admission but no other transcripts or credentials are required. Application as a visiting student is not to be considered as an application for admission to a graduate program.
- Not Admitted–An applicant who does not meet the requirements for admission to graduate study and has been denied admittance. The applicant will be notified of the denial and the reason for the denial in writing.
When to Apply for Admission
Fall – Candidates for the fall semester at Ferrum College may apply for admission upon completion of their post-secondary or graduate education and at least 15 days prior to the start of the Fall 1 Term (see Academic Calendar ).
Spring – Candidates for the spring semester should apply upon completion of their post-secondary or graduate education and at least 15 days prior to the start of the Spring 1 Term (see Academic Calendar ).
Summer—Candidates for the summer semester at Ferrum College may apply for admission upon completion of their post-secondary or graduate education and at least 15 days prior to the start of the Summer 1 Term (see Academic Calendar ).
How to Apply for Admission
Visit www.ferrum.edu to apply online or request a paper application by calling 1-800-868-9797, or in writing to the Office of Admissions. Applications should be sent to the Office of Admissions with a nonrefundable fee of $50 to:
Office of Admissions, Spilman-Daniel House
Ferrum College
P.O. Box 1000
Ferrum, VA 24088-9000
Applicants should:
- Request that an official transcript of his/her undergraduate and graduate school record be sent to the Office of Admissions. This interim record will be used in making the admissions decision. Upon graduation from high school, applicants must request a final transcript be sent certifying graduation with a standard or advanced studies diploma.
How to Accept an Offer of Admission
An accepted student will give their intention to enroll at Ferrum College by signing and returning their student curriculum contract. In addition, all course fees should be paid in full at least one week prior to the start of the academic term. The payment is refundable in full until the first day of class of the academic term (also see the Institutional Withdrawal Policy below). Once the full payment has been received, the student will have online access through Panther Portal to register for courses and obtain access to courses via the College Learning Management System (LMS).
Special Admissions Categories
Admission as a Special Student
Individuals registering for fewer than 9 semester hours per term and not intending to complete a specific program of study may be admitted as special students.
Admission as a Transfer Student
Ferrum College welcomes transfer applicants. Transfer students should follow the same admissions procedure as outlined for all graduate student applicants. In addition, transfer students must request that an official transcript of their college work be sent to the Ferrum College Office of Admissions for review of credit.
Students with transferable credit will not be required to repeat equivalent course content at Ferrum College. Only credit hours, not grade point average, transfer to Ferrum College. Therefore, transfer credit does not enter into the grade point average for honors.
Transfer Credit Policy
Ferrum College Graduate Transfer Credit policy holds that a maximum of nine semester hours from a recognized and regionally accredited graduate school may be transferred toward a graduate degree. Graduate student transcripts must list all course work transferred from another institution used toward the completion of an individual program of study.
Requests for transfer credit must be appropriate to the student’s planned program, carry a grade of at least “B”, and be approved by the appropriate Graduate Program Director. The Dean of the School of Graduate and Online Education Studies may be consulted as well for approval of transfer credit. Acceptance of transfer credit does not imply completion of any portfolio tasks associated with that course. Students are to consult with their academic advisor and Graduate Program Director concerning deficiencies that may result as a part of the transfer process.
Further, graduate program students must earn at least 20 hours of course credit at Ferrum College in their online program. Graduate student transfer credit allotment is monitored through periodic degree audits of student files. These audits are conducted by the Office of the Registrar.
Time Limit on Transfer Credits
The time limit for transfer graduate credit is 5 years.
Readmission for Former Ferrum Students
Former Ferrum College students who have not enrolled at the College for a semester or more may apply for readmission. Interested students must submit a written request for readmission to the Dean of Admissions. Students must provide official transcripts if they have taken any courses at another institution since leaving Ferrum.
In order for readmission to be granted, graduate students must be in good academic, disciplinary, and financial standing. The deadline to reapply for readmission is two weeks before an 8-week module begins. Full-time students who leave Ferrum College and are readmitted will be subject to meeting the requirements of the current catalog (refer to the Academic Policies section of this catalog under the “ Regulations Governing Catalog” for additional clarification). Admission as an International Student
International students desiring admission to Ferrum College are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Students must submit:
- Copy of undergraduate transcripts from non-U.S. institutions translated into English.
- Score results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (T.O.E.F.L.) exam, or the English Proficiency Exam (E.P.E.), International English Language Testing System (I.E.L.T.S.), or the Scholastic Aptitude Test (S.A.T.) are required.
- Personal Financial Information sheet (provided by the Office of Admissions).
The I-20 Form is provided only after a student is accepted and has demonstrated the ability to pay tuition, room, board, and fees, and has submitted the $250 confirmation deposit indicating intent to enroll.
Admissions Appeals
Admissions applications are reviewed and evaluated by the appropriate academic program before an admissions decision is made. Applicants will be notified when an admissions decision has been made. Graduate applicants will be notified as to which admission category they have been assigned (See Admissions Standards).
Applicants who wish to appeal an admission decision regarding admission requirements, categories of admission, independent study, time limits to degree or other concerns, must submit a written letter of appeal to the appropriate graduate program and the Dean of the School of Graduate and Online Education Studies.
New Student Programs
Orientation
Ferrum College offers an online graduate orientation to ensure that all new students begin their college careers as smoothly and pleasantly as possible. All new graduate students are introduced to Ferrum College and the School of Graduate and Online Education through the Online Graduate Orientation course through the College LMS, Brightspace/D2L. Graduate students attend an online orientation with the Dean of Graduate and Online Education prior to the start of the academic term. All graduate students must attend the online orienation, which include an introduction to the College LMS, information about Ferrum College academic and student policies, information about academic and student resources, an introduction to the College proctoring service, SmarterProctoring, and more.
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