M.Ed. admissions requirements and procedures
The M.Ed. admissions policy is designed to select outstanding students who have demonstrated both academic competence and teaching ability. Each application is considered in light of all completed academic work, undergraduate grade point average, appropriate test scores from either the Graduate Record Examinations or the Miller Analogies Test, letters of recommendation, and a statement of educational and professional goals.
Application materials are available from the Elon Graduate Admissions website at www.elon.edu/graduate.
Application materials should be sent directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions and must include:
- Evidence of an earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
- Minimum GPA of 2.5 for undergraduate work or GPA of 3.0 for the last 60 hours or for all the courses in the major
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate and any graduate studies completed or taken
- Minimum Miller Analogies Test (MAT) score of 380 or combined verbal and quantitative score of 286 on the Graduate Record Examinations (or 800 on the GRE taken before 7/31/11) taken within the last five years
- Recognized teaching license or commitment to achieving licensure. Candidates must have a clear (not provisional) North Carolina initial or higher license before being recommended for graduate licensure.
- Letters of recommendation
- A completed application form with a $50 nonrefundable fee (paid online or with check or money order made payable to Elon University)
- The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required unless English is the student’s native language or the language of instruction. A minimum TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computer-based) or 79 (Internet-based) is required. English translations of transcripts and explanations of grading systems are required.
Exceptions to these requirements may be considered under special circumstances.
Transcript Requests
Contact the registrar of each college or university attended to have an official copy of your transcript mailed to Elon. Transcripts should be mailed directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions, 2750 Campus Box, Elon, NC 27244. Applicants currently enrolled should request a transcript showing completed academic work through the most recent semester of enrollment. A final transcript will also be required.
Recommendations
Applicants will supply recommenders name and email address when completing the online application. When the application is submitted, the recommenders will receive electronic recommendation forms. Those requested to provide recommendations should be aware of the applicant’s academic abilities and professional potential. Supervisors are preferred, not family and friends. Recommendations are confidential.
Testing for M.Ed. students
Applicants to the M.Ed. program are required to take either the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). Elon’s GRE program code is 5183 and MAT program code is 1355.
Transfer credits
A student enrolled in the M.Ed. program may be permitted to transfer up to six semester hours of appropriate graduate credit from another accredited graduate school.
For transfer credits, grades earned at another graduate school must be at least a “B,” and the credit must not be more than six calendar years old at the time of degree completion at Elon. No graduate credit will be allowed for excess credits completed in an undergraduate classification at any institution. No graduate credit will be allowed for correspondence courses, field-based work, or non-accredited institutions. The last six hours of graduate credit in the program must be taken at Elon.
Enrollment status
After formal application to the M.Ed. program, students may be allowed to enroll in one of the following categories:
- Regular admission to the Elon University M.Ed. program is granted to students who meet all the established requirements for entrance. The Application for Graduate Admission form is required for all degree-seeking students.
- Special admission is for the nondegree-seeking student who has completed a baccalaureate degree program and is interested in taking courses for special job- related purposes (including renewal credit for teachers with existing licensure), add- on licensure or transfer credit. A Special Student Application form is required for admission.
International students
Because several months may be required to receive and process forms from international applicants, applications and complete documentation should be submitted as early as possible. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required unless English is the student’s native language or the language of instruction. A minimum TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computer-based) or 79 (Internet-based) is required for admission to any graduate program at Elon. Exceptions to this requirement may be considered under special circumstances. In addition, a completed Certificate of Financial Responsibility (CFR) is necessary prior to approval of application for admission.
M.Ed. student status policy
An M.Ed. student is considered full-time when he/she is enrolled in 6 or more credit hours; part-time, if enrolled in 5 or less.
Continuation standards
Graduate students who fail to maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. Any student who receives an “F” grade or two “C” grades is subject to dismissal from the program. A student may request re-admission to the program by writing a letter to the Dean indicating why re-admission should be granted. The Dean, advised by the M.Ed. Director and faculty committee, will determine whether to grant the request. If the request is approved, a student can only retake a particular course once. The grade in the course that is retaken must be “B” or better, or the student will not be allowed to continue in the program.
Graduation and degree requirements
To earn an M.Ed. degree, the graduate student must:
- Have an overall minimum grade point average of 3.0 in graduate coursework.
- Submit an application for graduation to the Registrar.
- Complete the courses specified under the graduate core curriculum and major area, Elementary, Gifted or Special Education.
- Complete 33 hours within six calendar years.
- Complete in a satisfactory manner the evidence of meeting the five graduate standards required for advanced licensure.
- Complete the last six semester hours at Elon.
It is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with the preceding requirements for graduation.
Grading system for the M.Ed. program
Graduation is dependent upon the quality and completion of course work, as well as evidence of development in professional standards during the 33 hours required to complete the Master of Education in Elementary, Gifted or Special Education. Students will be evaluated using the following grade scale:
| Grade |
Evaluation |
Quality Points |
| A |
Distinguished |
4.00 |
| B |
Average |
3.00 |
| C |
Weak |
2.00 |
| F |
Unsatisfactory |
0 |
A “B” is considered average for graduate work. The expectations should be high for graduate students and B’s accordingly should be expected. The M.Ed. program does not give D’s as final grades, as they are not considered passing.
A - Distinguished Performance
Excellent work that demonstrates not only a clear understanding of the material but also a superior ability to utilize that material in the assignment submitted. All criteria are met. The student’s work goes beyond the task and contains additional, unexpected or outstanding features.
B - Average Performance
A solid piece of work that demonstrates a good understanding of the material under study and utilizes that material well in the assignment submitted. The student meets the assignment criteria, with few errors or omissions, but there are few additional, unexpected or outstanding features. A “B” is average for graduate work. The average expectations should be high for graduate students, and B’s accordingly should be expected.
C - Weak Performance
Work that demonstrates a technical, or basic, understanding of the material under study and which utilizes that material adequately in the assignment submitted. The work meets the assignment criteria. In the graduate program, C’s cannot really be seen as “average.” After all, a student cannot remain in the program if 2 C’s are made. As such, they must be seen as “weak” rather than “average.”
F - Unsatisfactory
Work is incomplete, inappropriate and/or shows little or no comprehension of the class material in the assignment submitted.
Graduate-level licensure
Recommendation for graduate licensure will be given after completion of M.Ed. requirements. This recommendation will be given in one licensure area only: Elementary Education (K-6) or Academically/Intellectually Gifted Education (K-12) or Special Education-General Curriculum (K-12). Prior to receiving graduate licensure, a student must possess an initial North Carolina teaching license. In addition, students applying for a new content area in Elementary or Special Education must take the appropriate Praxis/Pearson specialty area required tests; additionally testing is not currently required for Gifted Education. Please note these test requirements are mandated by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, subject to change through the program, and independent of requirements of the institution.