Admission to our master's of arts and doctoral programs are competitive and we look for candidates whose goals and interests align with the program’s research and scholarship. Program faculty make admissions decisions based on the candidate’s experience and research competencies, along with compatibility of research goals.
Please look at our current faculty members’ research interests.
Our masters and doctoral candidates display
Priority deadline: December 1 for admission to the Fall the following year
Admissions decisions: January.
Applications submitted after this date are considered on a case-by-case basis and may not be reviewed until the following year. Faculty review applications in mid-late December, and the Graduate School will notify applicants about admission decisions shortly thereafter. Final admission decisions are based on complete applications. All application materials (listed in the “how to apply” section) must be included for the application to be released for review.
We have several funding options to support students full-time through program completion. Support is available in the form of:
The GRE is being waived for those applicants applying for Fall 2024.
All master's degree programs in CEHD have the same cost per credit hour. The University of Minnesota tuition operates on a credit band where there is a flat rate for tuition each semester when taking 12 - 24 credits.
MA students must complete at least 60 percent of their coursework (not including thesis credits) within our program. PhD students may transfer no more than 15 credits from an outside institution.
A maximum of 12 graduate course credits taken as non-degree seeking or non-admitted status at the University of Minnesota can be transferred; this is counted separately from the maximum 60 percent or 15 non-UMN credits. For example, a PhD student could transfer a maximum of 27 credits (15 non-UMN and 12 non-degree from UMN).
If you earned a MA at the UMN, please contact the Graduate Studies Coordinator to discuss transfer procedures. Thesis credits cannot be transferred.
After you are admitted, you will work with your adviser to determine which credits may transfer.
International applicants may also need:
Before applying online, go through the application checklist to ensure you have all the required materials. We are here to help! If you have questions, please contact the Graduate Studies Coordinator.
If you are a returning Graduate School student, follow the Readmission guidelines. If you are a current Graduate School student and need to change your program, follow the Change of Status guidelines.