91ÖÆƬ³§

Part of the application to 91ÖÆƬ³§ includes an official transcript from the educational institution that conferred the degree. Additional official transcripts will be required for those seeking to transfer credits, and/or at the request of a program director.

To make the application process as smooth as possible, please ensure that official transcripts are sent directly from the academic institution(s). There are two options for sending transcripts:

• Electronic transcripts should be emailed to gradprograms@messiah.edu. Please remember that electronic transcripts are considered official only if they are sent via an official transcript service like Parchment or eSCRIP-SAFE.

• If using traditional mail, send transcripts in a sealed envelope to: Admissions, 91ÖÆƬ³§, One University Ave, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

91ÖÆƬ³§ welcomes transfer students across many graduate programs. Applicants should review the transfer policies and procedures to determine if a program accepts transfer credit. 

Process for transfer credit approval

There are multiple admissions decisions offered to applicants:

Degree Seeking Admission

Applicants who have met all requirements for admission and are moving toward candidacy for a master’s or doctoral degree with full graduate status as described in the official letter of acceptance are considered to be degree seeking students.

Provisional Admission

Applicants who have submitted all graduate program application materials except official transcripts or letter(s) of reference may be provisionally admitted to 91ÖÆƬ³§, pending graduate program director approval. Those with provisional status have one semester to submit all of the required admissions materials. The student will not be eligible to register for a second semester until the provisional designation is removed. Any request for an exception to this registration block must be submitted to the graduate program director. This information will be detailed in a letter from the director or admissions committee of the applicant’s chosen program.

Conditional Admission

Applicants whose application does not meet the criteria for degree-seeking or non-degree seeking status, but who appear to have the capability to successfully complete graduate courses may be admitted to 91ÖÆƬ³§ on a conditional admittance status. A conditionally admitted applicant must satisfy the conditions of admittance in order to continue in the program. The specific conditions and length of time permitted to meet the stated conditions will be detailed in a letter from the director or admissions committee of the applicant’s chosen program.

Non-Degree Seeking Admission

Applicants who meet all requirements for admission to a specific graduate program, but who do not intend to pursue an advanced degree at 91ÖÆƬ³§ may enroll as a non-degree seeking student.* This classification includes students who may be taking graduate courses for transfer credits, personal enrichment, professional development credits, Act 48, continuing education or licensing requirements, etc. Students may take up to 9 credits as a non-degree seeking student. Any student changing from non-degree seeking to degree seeking must fulfill the admission requirements for degree seeking students prior to proceeding beyond the 9 credit limit for non-degree seeking students.

*Note: not all programs admit non-degree seeking students.

Deny

Applicants may be denied if the candidate does not meet the admissions criteria and the program faculty has concerns about the candidate’s ability to be successful in the program. This decision will be detailed in a letter from the director or admissions committee of the applicant’s chosen program.

A candidate who applies and/or interviews, but whose admission is denied, has the right to appeal the decision. Appeals must be made in written form to the director of enrollment, graduate and professional studies within 30 days of the original decision. The letter should clearly state the grounds for appeal. Applicants whose appeal is accepted will be reconsidered for admission by the respective graduate program. A final decision will be detailed in a letter from the director or admissions committee of the applicant’s chosen program.

Application for admission to the School of Graduate & Professional Studies at 91ÖÆƬ³§ is limited to the semester indicated on the application. If an applicant's plans change, a one-time option for deferring admission for up to two semesters from the initial semester of acceptance is possible. If an applicant defers, there is no guarantee that all coursework will be available upon their enrollment. Therefore, it is recommended that accepted students who are considering deferring admission consult with Graduate Admissions prior to declaring their intentions. 

Note: Applicants accepted into the Doctor of Physical Therapy, Master of Occupational Therapy, Master of Science in Athletic Training and Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics/Dietetic Internship programs may not defer their admission. Contact Graduate Admissions with questions about deferring admission.

If a student does not register to take any courses in a particular semester (fall, spring or summer) but plans to take one (or more) the following semester, the student is eligible for a one-semester leave of absence. In order to be granted the leave, students must communicate their plans to the University by completing a notification of leave of absence form, available on  (search for Graduate Notification for Leave of Absence/Withdrawal). Students are responsible for understanding the implications of a leave of absence on financial aid, as well as registering for appropriate future course work.

*Please note that students will be withdrawn from the University if they do not register for a course in the semester following leave.

Students who have withdrawn from the University (not enrolled in at least one course at 91ÖÆƬ³§ during the past semester - fall, spring or summer) must file an with graduate admissions at least twenty (20) days prior to the beginning of the semester for which re-enrollment is being sought. 

Students applying for re-enrollment who have earned graduate credits at another institution since their most recent enrollment at 91ÖÆƬ³§, and who want those courses to be considered as transfer credits and/or for enrollment decisions, must submit official transcripts from each institution attended before a re-enrollment decision can be made.

To be eligible for re-enrollment, applicants must be in good standing with the University and the academic program must have the capacity to accept additional students. Additional conditions of re-enrollment may be imposed by the specific graduate program for which the applicant seeks re-enrollment.

Students are required to complete the curriculum and graduation requirements in effect at the time the re-enrollment application is filed, which may result in different courses, credit amounts, or other requirements from their initial registration.

Students who have not been enrolled in graduate courses at 91ÖÆƬ³§ for two years or more must re-apply for admission to the graduate program by completing the required of the requested program.

Though most applicants have attended regionally accredited institutions, 91ÖÆƬ³§ will review applications for admission from students who have earned an undergraduate degree from a U.S. institution that is not regionally accredited. The application will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

During this review process, applicants may be asked to provide additional information, such as:

• Documents that include the undergraduate institution’s history, faculty credentials, relationship to state or national educational agencies and accreditation status from all current, proposed and previous accrediting agencies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
• A list of regionally accredited institutions that have accepted students for graduate studies from their institution (as provided from an institutional representative)
• Syllabi and/or course descriptions that demonstrate the student’s academic preparation
• GRE, GMAT or other standardized tests
• Other information as requested by the program director

91ÖÆƬ³§ has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (). As a member institution, 91ÖÆƬ³§ is authorized to deliver distance education courses and programs in all SARA-member states and territories.  Although a non-SARA state, 91ÖÆƬ³§ is also authorized to deliver distance education to students residing in California.

SARA has no effect on state professional licensing requirements.  However, licensing requirements vary from state to state.  See below for more information.

Complaint Process

In accordance with SARA policy you can find our process here: Student Complaint Process

91ÖÆƬ³§ is approved to offer programs that may lead to licensure or certification in the state in which you reside or plan to reside.  It is important to note that licensing requirements vary by state; and therefore completion of a 91ÖÆƬ³§ program does not guarantee professional licensure.  It is recommended that students utilize our for specific information listed by state. 

Please note: states revise their licensure requirements without notice. 91ÖÆƬ³§ will update information as it is known.  In addition, the University will perform an annual check of licensure requirements by state.