The admission process is initiated by submitting the completed application form to the Office of Graduate Studies. The office notifies applicants whose files are incomplete. When the file is complete, transcripts of previous undergraduate work and any graduate courses are examined and factors affecting either admission to the graduate program or acceptance of transfer credits are noted.

The file is reviewed by the Admissions Committee of the program specified on the application form. The Associate Vice Chancellor for Graduate Studies, on the advice of the committee, either admits, provisionally admits, or denies the applicant admission.

Students denied admission may request reconsideration by writing to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Graduate Studies. The request should include a rationale for reconsideration. Applicants who have been denied admission may reapply for a subsequent semester.

Letter of Admission

A letter of acceptance is sent to each student upon admission to the graduate program. This information appears on the letter:

Student Number

The permanent student number of each applicant is a University-assigned identification number.

Starting Term

Indicates fall, January, spring, or summer term admission.

Type of Entry

Indicates the graduate degree program.

Tuition Status

Indicates resident or nonresident status.

Conditions

Indicates admission status such as provisional admission.

Graduate Special Student (GSP)

Persons holding baccalaureate degrees or higher who wish to enroll in graduate courses or a certificate program at UW-Green Bay but who do not wish to pursue a graduate degree or participate in the graduate program may enroll as a special student.

Graduate credit will be awarded provided the student registers in graduate-level courses as a graduate special student and pays graduate fees. Credits for which neither graduate fees were paid nor graduate credit awarded cannot be retroactively converted to graduate credits. Graduate special students are not eligible for Independent Study, Internships, or Culminating Experiences (e.g. thesis or capstone projects). A graduate special student who decides to pursue a UW-Green Bay graduate degree must submit an application form to enter the degree program. Often the credits earned as a graduate special student may be applied toward the M.S. degree; however, this is not guaranteed.

Graduate Degree Residency Requirement

A minimum of 50% of a program's graduate credits must be earned in residence at UW-Green Bay.

Admission With Advanced Standing

Graduate course work completed at UW-Green Bay or at other accredited graduate schools prior to admission to a UWGB graduate degree program is evaluated by the student’s adviser or graduate faculty committee. No more than 50% of credits may be accepted from other institutions. A maximum of 50% of a program's credits may be earned as a graduate special student (GSP classification) at UW-Green Bay prior to matriculation into the degree program.

Transfer Credit Policy

Transfer credit is defined as credit earned at an institution other than UW-Green Bay that is to be applied to UW-Green Bay graduate degree requirements. Acceptance of transfer credits is determined by a credit review by the Registrar’s Office and development of a program plan which includes the credits as part of a coherent program of study. Acceptance of the transfer credits is subject to review and approval by the Associate Vice Chancellor for Graduate Studies. General guidelines for evaluating potential transfer credits are:

• No more than 50% of a program's required credits of graduate work may be accepted as transfer credits.
• A letter grade of A or B must be earned in each course transferred.
• The courses must contribute to a coherent program of study.
• All credits transferred must be graduate credits. 
• The institution granting the credit must be regionally accredited at the master’s degree level or higher.
• The credits must be reasonably recent, usually earned within the five years prior to admission.
• Credits earned through extension courses offered or sponsored by universities outside of the state of Wisconsin will be subject to particular scrutiny.
• Credits earned under conditions that make them unacceptable toward a degree at the institution where the credits were earned will not be accepted by UW-Green Bay.
• Credits earned at the graduate level through Credit for Prior Learning process (e.g., standardized examinations, challenge exams, portfolio development), may not be used to satisfy UW-Green Bay Degree Residency Requirements. 

Use of Special Petition

Requirements sometimes may be modified or adapted to take into account a student’s special educational or program needs. A request to waive or modify a graduate program academic requirement is submitted to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Graduate Studies on a special petition form. The forms are available online at www.uwgb.edu/graduate/forms. If a change in a program requirement is being requested, the petition should include a statement from the major professor or graduate adviser and the graduate program chair explaining the change.

Active/Inactive Status

Matriculated students are considered inactive if they have not enrolled for four or more consecutive semesters without notifying the Office of Graduate Studies. They must be formally readmitted before they can re-enroll in classes. Inactive students required to reapply must meet the admission standards in effect at the time of readmission and are expected to meet degree requirements in effect at that time as well. The application fee does not apply to students seeking readmission after a period of inactivity.