Preparation for 
Post-Baccalaureate Study

Students who are interested in post-baccalaureate study should, as early as possible in their academic career, take advantage of two valuable sources of information: the graduate catalog of the school/schools to which they intend to apply and a KSU academic advisor in their area of interest. The catalog will outline specific entrance requirements and necessary prerequisites, and the advisor can provide assistance with curricular decisions at KSU. Students should be aware that graduate programs do not necessarily require an undergraduate degree in that specific discipline and that prerequisites may often be completed as elective courses in another major.

Professional Program Preparation

Some students are interested in applying to graduate or post-baccalaureate professional programs not offered at KSU (dentistry, engineering, law, medicine, social work, for example). Although KSU does not offer pre-professional programs, many of our major programs of study and course offerings provide students with the opportunity to obtain recommended course work that will satisfy the entrance requirements for professional programs. These students are encouraged to see their advisor or contact a pre-professional program advisor as early as possible in their degree. These advisors can assist students in selecting appropriate course work, suggest strategies for including the course work into a specific program of study, and provide guidance on applying to professional programs. Information and advisement about pre-professional preparation can be obtained from the department listed below. Information for some programs is also available on KSU's Web site at science.kennesaw.edu/chem/prepro.

Integrated Graduate Studies: Bachelor's-Master's Degree Option

Integrated graduate studies provide qualified undergraduate students the opportunity to begin graduate studies at KSU in their senior year and simultaneously satisfy some remaining requirements for the bachelor's degree and the beginning requirements of an advanced degree.

A student may use up to nine credit hours of graduate-level courses offered within a single degree program in meeting the requirements of both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree.

Requirements for this option include:

1. completion of at least 90 semester hours toward the undergraduate degree;
2. GPA of 3.5 or better for the preceding 45 hours, with at least 24 of these hours in 3000-4000 level courses;
3. written permission of the chair of the department of the undergraduate major to use the graduate level courses as acceptable substitutes to fulfill related requirements of the bachelor's degree (Students must satisfy all prerequisites for those graduate courses.);
4. completed application including all required documentation (except for receipt of an undergraduate degree) and acceptance to the graduate program.

For students who work closely with their advisors in planning their course of study at KSU, this option offers the opportunity of simultaneously satisfying partial degree requirements for a bachelor's and a master's degree in an accelerated program of study. Upon completion of the undergraduate degree, the student may move to full graduate status in the same graduate program, and the courses taken as an undergraduate can be applied toward the graduate degree.

Many combinations of undergraduate and graduate programs are possible and are not restricted to the confines of a single discipline or major. For example, integrated undergraduate/graduate programs have been developed for a Bachelor of Science in Psychology leading to a Master's Degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs leading to a Master's Degree in Business Administration. Students interested in this option must meet with the department chair who oversees their undergraduate major.

This option is not available for students wishing to take courses in the M.Ed. and MSN programs unless the student has the required certification or licensure for admission to the graduate program.

KSU Graduate Programs

Kennesaw State University offers a number of Master's degrees, which are described under Programs of Study. Complete descriptions of the admission and degree requirements are detailed in the Kennesaw State University Graduate Catalog. Additional information can be obtained from the Graduate Admissions Office and the Graduate Program Directors.

Graduate Entrance Examinations

Most graduate programs require graduate entrance examinations similar to the undergraduate SAT tests. Although KSU does not actually administer these tests, students may obtain registration information about the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT in the CAPS Center.