Admissions Criteria

U.S. Citizens or Permanent Resident Aliens (domestic) who are first time, or transfer graduate applicants to USF St. Petersburg and who have earned a bachelor's degree or will have earned a bachelor's degree or U.S. equivalency prior to enrollment if accepted. If you have not yet graduated, a photocopy of your current transcript is acceptable to get the application process started. However, any admissions decision will be provisional until your official transcript is received.

Current domestic graduate students who wish to enter a new graduate degree program upon completion of their current degree program.

International applicants must use the International Application. Please contact the USF St. Petersburg International Admissions Office at the following web site.

http://www.stpt.usf.edu/International/index.htm

Applications must be submitted online. For online instructions, click here (http://www.stpt.usf.edu/spgrad/Graduate_Admissions/graduate_application.htm).

The M.A. degree in Journalism and Media Studies is a direct receipt program at USF St. Petersburg. All supplemental materials (writing samples, etc.) for that program should be mailed directly to: Department of Journalism and Media Studies, USF St. Petersburg, 140 Seventh Avenue South, FCT 204, St. Petersburg, FL 33701-5016.

See section on Application Procedures below for additional instructions.

The following are 2008-2009 fees per credit hour for graduate students at USF St. Petersburg. Please be sure to complete the Florida Residency Classification (included in the application) in order to be considered for Florida Residency. All fees are subject to change. In addition to the per hour tuition charge, all New Graduate Students are assessed a one time $35.00 Comprehensive New Graduate Fee.

For a listing of all fees per credit hour for all USF system institution and campuses, please

visit the following web page:http://usfweb.usf.edu/controller/cashaccounting/tuition.

Multiple sources of information are used when assessing a graduate application. These can may include an applicant's undergraduate grade point average, standardized test scores such as the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), letters of recommendation, and samples of academic work. Each graduate program sets the criteria for measuring the potential for success by each applicant. For specific admissions requirements to USF St. Petersburg programs, please visit the programs page at: http://www.stpt.usf.edu/spgrad/Graduate_Programs.htm.

Each applicant to a graduate program at USF St. Petersburg is required to meet the following minimum requirements:

Each applicant to a graduate program at USF St. Petersburg is required to meet the following minimum requirements:

1. An applicant must have one of the following:

a. A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution, and satisfying at least one of the following criteria:

i. A "B" average or better in all work attempted while registered as an undergraduate student working towards a baccalaureate degree, or

ii. a "B" or better average in all work attempted while registered as an upper division undergraduate student working towards a baccalaureate degree

b. A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution and a previous graduate degree from a regionally accredited institution.

c. The equivalent bachelor's degree and/or graduate degree from a foreign institution.

2. Submission of a GRE* or GMAT unless specifically waived by the program taken within five years prior to submission of your application. GRE and GMAT minimums are set by the graduate program.

*Some programs will waive the GRE minimum score requirement if another measure can be used to determine the potential for success in the program. Some College of Education programs that require Florida Department of Education tests may also waive the GRE requirement. Links to specific program requirements can be found by accessing the programs page http://www.stpt.usf.edu/spgrad/Graduate_Programs.htm.

3. All specific and additional requirements of the graduate program to which admission is sought (including requirements to submit standardized test scores) consistent with the above statement.

International Students: Students who are not United States citizens or who have not already been granted Permanent Resident Alien status must apply using the USF St. Petersburg Office of International Affairs applications and criteria outline on the International Affairs web page: http://www.stpt.usf.edu/international/New_Students.htm.

Applications are accepted up to one year in advance of the desired term of entry and therefore, prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early. Applicants are responsible for submitting applications before the appropriate program or university application deadlines. Applications are considered "on time" if they are received by the Office of Graduate Admissions or the desired program (if that program is a Direct Receipt program) on or before the appropriate deadline.
Current program deadlines are available in the application and on the application web page here: http://www.stpt.usf.edu/spgrad/Graduate_Admissions/graduate_application.htm.

PLEASE NOTE: Priority is given to those applications that are received before the application deadline and are complete when submitted. Complete applications received after the deadline date will be processed for the next available semester.

The Office of Graduate Admissions considers applications complete if they include:

1. the $30 application fee (payable by credit card or e-check online) during the online application process.

2. one official transcript showing receipt of your bachelor's degree or significant progress (6 semesters or more) towards completion of your bachelor's degree. Unofficial transcripts or photocopies are acceptable for beginning the application process - any admissions decision made will be provisional until official copies are received. Applicants who received their bachelor's degree from any USF institution or campus are not required to submit an official transcript.

3. GRE/GMAT test scores, as applicable. Scores are electronically sent to USF St. Petersburg from the testing agency. To request your scores to be sent to USF St. Petersburg, provide the testing with the following institution codes: for GRE, use the institution code: 5828; for GMAT, use VP9-M4-25 (for USF St. Petersburg's MBA program). Unofficial GRE and GMAT scores may also be submitted for provisional admission to expedite the application process while awaiting official electronic downloads by the testing agencies.

All transcripts must be in English. If an applicant's transcript is not in English, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide an English translation. For more information, please visit the USF St. Petersburg International Affairs web page:
http://www.stpt.usf.edu/international/Transcripts_Graduate_Level.htm.

International applicants may need to provide proof of English proficiency. For more information: http://www.stpt.usf.edu/international/English_Proficiency.htm.

Applications that remain incomplete two weeks after the start of the desired term of entry will be cancelled and destroyed after one calendar year.

The University of South Florida St. Petersburg is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097; phone 404-679-4500) to award degrees at the baccalaureate, master's, specialist, and doctoral levels.

The USF St. Petersburg Graduate Catalog is available on line at the following web site.

http://www.stpt.usf.edu/spgrad/Graduate_Catalog.htm.

For the USF Tampa Graduate Catalog (includes USF Polytechnic and USF Sarasota-Manatee):

http://www.grad.usf.edu/newsite/catalog/main.asp

Contact the desired program early in the admissions process. Prospective students should ascertain both that they are eligible for admission and that the program fits their academic needs. Contact information for USF St. Petersburg graduate program advisors are available on the graduate programs page: http://www.stpt.usf.edu/spgrad/Graduate_Programs.htm.

Secure test scores, transcripts, and any other required items at least 60 days in advance of the appropriate application deadlines. You may submit unofficial test scores and transcripts with the application in order to expedite the processing of your application but you will still be required to submit official documents in order to have the admission file complete.

Scores are electronically sent to USF St. Petersburg from the testing agency. To request your test scores be sent to USF St. Petersburg, provide to the testing agency the following institution codes: For GRE, use the institution code: 5828; for GMAT, use VP9-M4-25 (for USF St. Petersburg's MBA program).

Read the application instructions carefully before completing. Remember, poorly prepared applications not only prevent accurate processing but also create a negative first impression.

Make copies of all documents submitted for your records. To safeguard against possible mishaps, applicants should know exactly what they have submitted and have copies of their own for verification. Whenever possible, applicants should mail applications via certified mail for tracking purposes. If applying online, be sure to keep your confirmation page.

Many programs require supplemental application materials such as resumes, writing samples, or letters of recommendation. These items should be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions by the application deadline. These materials will be forwarded with the application to the appropriate program but do not become part of the applicant’s permanent file; therefore, the Office of Graduate Admissions does not track them.

NOTE: Applicants who want to apply to more than one graduate program must submit an additional application, application fee, one additional transcript, and any required departmental documents.

All supplemental application materials (resumes, letters of intent, writing samples, etc), except for the M.A. degree program in Journalism and Media Studies should be mailed to the following address:

University of South Florida St. Petersburg
Office of Graduate Admissions
140 Seventh Avenue South, BAY 204
St. Petersburg, FL  33701-5016

The M.A. degree in Journalism and Media Studies is a direct receipt program at USF St. Petersburg. All supplemental materials except GRE and TOEFL scores for that program should be mailed directly to: Department of Journalism and Media Studies, USF St. Petersburg, 140 Seventh Avenue South, FCT 204, St. Petersburg, FL 33701-5016.