Major Admission Requirements

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Last updated: May 26, 2020 by Barbara Byer (Deactivated)
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Business & Leadership

To graduate with a departmental major, students must first earn admission to the department. This typically occurs during the spring semester of the second year, and late-entry transfer students apply for admission after their first semester at EMU. Students must have department admission to apply for an internship and several senior-level courses. Students seek admission to the department by completing an application and an interview with their advisor; they must meet the GPA requirement of 2.00 overall and 2.50 for major courses taken at EMU. Students must maintain these GPA standards to retain admission and to graduate from the department.

Many courses in the department have prerequisites; this requirement is met by earning a letter grade of C or higher on the prerequisite course before enrolling in subsequent courses (a grade of C- does not meet this requirement).

Education

All students seeking licensure to teach shall make application for admission to teacher education and to student teaching. Application for admission to teacher education is made at the end of the fall semester of the sophomore year and application for admission to student teaching is made at the end of the fall semester of the junior year. Transfer students are required to attend an education department transfer orientation meeting their first semester on campus.

Entrance and exit requirements including cut-off test scores for all teacher education programs are found in the Teacher Education Handbook which is available in the education office or online at www.emu.edu/education or www.emu.edu/education/test-scores.

An entry assessment in reading, writing, and mathematics is required for admission to the teacher education program. Students with qualifying SAT/ACT scores or a Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators: Mathematics score of 155 and the Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA) meet the requirement. The Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA) is required for teacher licensure.

The Reading for Virginia Educators (RVE) is required for early/primary education (PreK-3), elementary education (PreK-6), and special education (K-12). Admission to teacher education requires a 2.5 cumulative GPA, submission of an admissions portfolio and a teacher education interview. Admission to student teaching requires a 2.7 cumulative GPA. In addition, students must have a C or better in all education courses (courses with ED or EDS prefix and content area methods courses) to be admitted to student teaching. Exit requirements include meeting the Virginia cut off score requirements for the Praxis Subject Assessment (consisting of specialty area components); submission of a student teaching portfolio as part of ED 411; and an earned GPA of 2.7. Students may obtain an additional endorsement without completing an approved licensure program by passing the Praxis Subject Assessment in the content area (Biology, Chemistry, English, History and Social Science, Mathematics, Visual Arts, Health and Physical Education, Foreign Language, and Music) with the exception of PreK-3, PreK-6, and Special Education.

Music 

Students must audition for the department in order to be formally admitted as a music major, except for the interdisciplinary studies and musical theater concentrations, where no audition is required.

Nursing

Any student admitted to the university may declare a nursing major. Nursing requires a strong background in the natural sciences, mathematics, and the social sciences. Nurses work with complex concepts and ever-changing technologies.

Admission to the clinical sequence (Level 1) of the program for all traditional tracks is contingent upon the following:

  • being at least 18 years of age.
  • having completed 58 semester hours prior to beginning Level 1 unless completing a semester cross-cultural while in the clinical level.
  • obtaining a C or above in all prerequisite courses.
  • not repeating more than two prerequisite courses.
  • maintaining a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 or above at the time of application to the clinical level.
  • Kaplan nursing entrance exam prior to application to the clinical level with overall score >50th percentile and Science subscore >50th percentile. The test may be repeated once during a subsequent application cycle.

Students entering EMU directly after high school graduation with significant college credit must complete a minimum of one full-time semester at EMU prior to entering the clinical level (Level 1). These students may apply for Level 1 prior to entering EMU if they have met all admission criteria.

Admission to Level 1 is subject to approval by the nursing department's admissions committee. A separate application for Level 1 is required. Applications for fall semester are due by February 15. Applications for spring semester are due by June 15.

Psychology

All students seeking to graduate with a major in psychology must achieve candidacy with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher in order to be accepted into their senior year. Psychology students must maintain that GPA through the senior year. Students are also expected to submit a resume, complete a practice GRE, and participate in an interview conducted by department faculty at the start of their senior year.

VACA

Incoming students may declare a major in art, digital media and communication, or photography. Visual and communication arts faculty will conduct a portfolio review after incoming first-year students have been at EMU for three semesters. Transfer students (who have completed the equivalent of at least three semesters in a similar major elsewhere) will usually complete the review process after one semester at EMU. The VACA department chair may approve exceptions to the timeline. The chair will also approve an appropriate timeline for EMU students who change majors or for students who transfer in from a non-related program.

Students who do not pass the portfolio review will need to drop the major. They may continue to take VACA classes but will not have priority for course enrollment. Only VACA majors may enroll in "Senior Thesis/Senior Exhibit," internships, and independent studies.

Students who do not pass the review may re-apply to the major by requesting a new portfolio review after one year.

Formal admission to the marketing major typically occurs at the end of the student's second year. Students must have minimally a 2.50 GPA in major courses. Students complete an application form that includes a CV, essay and two design projects. Students present the essay and design projects in a short pitch before a group of departmental faculty. Admitted students remain in good standing if their major GPA remains above 2.50. Students do not graduate with a major within which their GPA fails to reach 2.50.