Master’s Degree and Certificate Programs
Admission to all CityU master’s degree and certificate programs requires that applicants hold a four-year or approved three-year bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited or otherwise recognized institution. Applicants must submit an official transcript providing proof that they hold a bachelor’s degree before they will be allowed to register for courses in any master’s program. In addition, U.S. Federal Financial Aid processing is not possible without proof of a posted bachelor’s degree.
International applicants must submit transcripts proving that they hold a bachelor’s degree prior to the issuance of the U.S. Immigration Form I-20 for study in the U.S., or prior to the issuance of the letter of admission for study in Canada.
Applicants holding a bachelor’s degree of less than four years, or who do not have an approved three-year degree, may request special admission from the Dean of the appropriate school. (Please see the policy on special admission to graduate programs for applicants holding less than an approved bachelor’s degree.) In addition to proof of a bachelor’s degree, applicants must provide the following:
- Completed application form.
- Nonrefundable application fee.
- Proof of English proficiency.
- Evidence of completion of program-specific prerequisite courses, as applicable.
- Program specific admissions requirements, as applicable.
If the applicant is seeking financial assistance, additional documents may be required.
No specific undergraduate major or emphasis is required for entrance into most graduate programs. Standardized entrance exams, such as the GRE, MAT and GMAT, are also not required.
Exceptions to these criteria must be approved by the school dean.
Admission Requirements Specific to Doctoral Programs
Students entering one of City University of Seattle’s Doctoral programs must meet the following admissions criteria:
- Hold a master’s degree from an accredited or otherwise recognized institution. Doctor of Business Administration applicants must have a master’s degree in the field of Business
Note: for the Educational Leadership concentration the masters or doctoral degree must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
- Provide a resume/C.V. that demonstrates two or more years in a leadership capacity.
- Provide three references with name, title, email, and phone contact information for professional, academic, or other associates who can attest to the student’s ability to be successful in a doctoral program.
- One reference must be a current supervisor
- For the Principal, Superintendent, and Program Administrator certifications, contained within the Doctor of Education Leadership Education Leadership program, a second reference must be an Executive/District Administrator.
- Submit responses to the Admissions Statement Questions.
- Provide proof of English proficiency according to established University policy.
- Complete an interview with a member of the program faculty. Note: You will be contacted to schedule an interview once all of the application materials have been submitted.
Upon inquiry to the program, the advisor and program faculty will work with the student to facilitate the process of collecting the required information for the application.
Requirements for Special Admission to Graduate Programs
(Applicants Without Approved Bachelors’ Degrees)
Applicants may pursue master’s degrees without four-year baccalaureate degrees from accredited or otherwise recognized institutions in rare instances. Three-year degrees from selected countries are accepted. Other factors may influence acceptance of degrees of less than four years for admission.
If an applicant has neither a four-year nor an approved three-year degree, the school dean will determine whether the applicant may be offered “special admission.” Applicants holding professional designations may also apply for special admission. When such an application is received, it is first evaluated by the Registrar’s Office. It is then reviewed by the appropriate school dean, who makes a determination after the following criteria have been met:
- Applicant has completed 135 or more undergraduate credits from an accredited or otherwise recognized institution and has earned at least the minimum cumulative GPA required by the program;
- Applicant has provided three letters from references in managerial or professional positions who can attest that the applicant (a) has five years or more of relevant leadership experience; (b) has the speaking, writing, and quantitative skills to communicate, analyze, and problem-solve at the graduate level; and (c) maintains high ethical standards;
- Applicant has submitted a written statement outlining a significant project he/she has handled, citing clearly how he/she has exhibited graduate-level skills in communication and problem-solving;
- Applicant has had a personal interview with the dean or designee (by phone or video-conference when an in-person meeting is not practical).
If determined by the appropriate school dean to be eligible for special admission, the applicant is then provisionally admitted, with full admission pending successful completion of two required graduate courses in the degree program (i.e. earning a grade of 3.0 or higher in each course).
Special Provisions within Each School
School of Management (SOM)
Special Admission is not available to applicants of the Doctor of Business Administration program.
Albright School of Education (ASOE)
Special admission is not available for applicants to the Master in Teaching degree program. Applicants to other education programs must have earned a 2.75 cumulative GPA or higher in their undergraduate degree program.
School of Arts and Sciences (SAS)
No special provisions.
School of Applied Leadership (SAL)
Special Admission is not available to applicants of the Doctor of Education in Leadership program.
Admission Requirements Specific to Graduate Programs in the School of Management (SOM)
Graduate Degrees
The following graduate degree from the School of Management has specific admissions requirements:
Master of Science Computer Science
1a. Prerequisites may be met with a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree in Computer Systems, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Information Technology, or an ABET accredited program. (or);
1b. A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in another field and substantial experience working in the areas of computer programming languages, data management and database design, and OS theory (or);
1c. A Bachelor’s degree in another field with evidence of completion of undergraduate courses or their equivalent in:
- Equivalency of 10-quarter hour credits at the intermediate level in at least one computer programming language;
- Equivalency of 5-quarter credits of data management including basic database design and SQL/Queries; and
- Equivalency of 5-quarter credits of operating systems including OS theory, memory management, IO, and process management.
If students cannot provide evidence of completing these courses or their equivalents, then they must take courses in these areas prior to beginning the program. The credits for those courses will not apply to their graduate degree.
1d. Applicants to the Master’s of Science Computer Science program must have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a GPA of at least 3.0.
Graduate Certificate
There are no additional requirements beyond the University’s general admission requirements. Upon completion of the graduate certificate program, credits earned may be applied to appropriate graduate degree programs if all other admissions requirements have been met.
Exceptions to this policy may be made by the school dean.
Admission Requirements Specific to Graduate Education Programs in the Albright School of Education (ASOE)
Graduate Degrees
Every applicant to the Master in Education (M.Ed.) and Master in Teaching (MIT) degree programs and to graduate certificate programs is required to hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution ( for the U.S.) or an institution recognized by the Ministry of Education (internationally). Applicants holding a bachelor’s degree of less than four years or who claim other exceptions to this policy may request special acceptance from the school dean. Please see the policy on special admission to graduate programs for students holding less than approved bachelor’s degrees.
Admissions Requirements for the Master in Teaching (MIT) Degree Program
Additional content specific admissions requirements are located in the Master in Teaching Admissions Packet which may be obtained via Admissions or the Master in Teaching program.
- At least 80 hours of supervised work with children during the past three years (ages birth -8 for BA-ECE; ages 4-14 for BA-ED
- Elementary Ed; grades P-12 for BA-Ed-Special Ed, Reading, ELL, Math.) Time spent in an Introduction to Teaching course may count towards the 80 hours.
- Meet minimum passing score for all required credential tests as established by the Washington State Professional Educator Standards Board,
- Must meet the Washington State law standards of good moral character and personal fitness. This includes fingerprinting and background checks by law enforcement agencies.
- Application materials include:
- Resume
- Documentation of 80 hours of supervised work with children
- Three references
- Written essay completed on-site
- Interview with program administrative faculty
Admissions Requirements for Certificate Program for Master in Teaching (MIT) Alternative Routes
- Bachelor of Arts degree or higher in high needs area
- Must meet criteria established by the Washington Educator Standards Board (PESB)for admission to the program.
- Passing scores on the Washington Educators Skills Test (WEST-E) or National Evaluation Series (NES) in the high needs content area(s), i.e., Special Education, English Language Learners, Middle Level Mathematics, Mathematics.
- Passing scores on each section of the Washington Educators Skills Test-Basic (WEST –B) or passing ACT/SAT sub- scores for Math, Reading and Writing, and National Evaluation Series (NES) exams #102 and #103 for dual endorsements including Elementary Education.
- Eighty hours documented, supervised experience working with children and/or adolescents
- Applicant must not have teaching certification from any state.
Admission Requirements for the Master in Education/Graduate Certificate programs
Professional certification programs may require additional documentation or academic credentials. Exceptions to these policies may be made by the dean.
Master of Education Educational Leadership Program Administrator/Graduate Certificate Program Administrators
- Must have masters or doctoral degree with cumulative GPA of 3.0 or a Bachelor degree with a cumulative GPA of 2.75;
- A hard copy front and back of a valid teaching of ESA certification;
- Completed “Verification of Prerequisite Teaching or ESA Experience” form;
- Provide a resume outline professional history and education;
- Provide responses to the 9 questions listed on the “Educational Leadership Program: Writing Assessment” form.
- Provide three (3) references with name, position/title, school/district/organization, email address and daytime phone numbers for the following:
- Current supervisor (administrator who will serve as your mentor)
- District or executive level administrator
- Personal reference
Graduate Certificate: Executive Leadership Superintendent Certificate:
- A master degree or higher with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
- A hard copy front and back of a valid state license of certification in one or more of the following areas:
- Educational Staff Associate
- Teaching
- Program Administrator
- Principal
- Other License or certification from another state or licensing association.
- Possess three to five (3-5) years of successful experience as an administrator (school, business, government, military, or other profession).
- Provide three (3) references with name, position/title, school/district/organization, email address and daytime phone numbers for the following:
- Current supervisor
- District or executive level administrator
- Personal reference
- Provide responses to the 9 questions listed on the “Educational Leadership Program: Executive Leadership Writing Assessment” form.
Note: Admissions to any program on a Non-degree seeking basis will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Exceptions to this policy may be made by the school dean.
Graduate Certificates
Professional certification programs may require additional documentation or academic credentials. Exceptions to this policy may be made by the school dean.
Admission Requirements Specific to Graduate Programs in the School of Arts and Sciences (SAS)
Master of Counselling – British Columbia, Canada
All applicants for admission to the Master of Counselling program in BC who do not have undergraduate degrees with coursework showing fundamental knowledge of any or all of the following foundational modalities - personality, cognition, learning, and human development , or who through examination procedures do not demonstrate competencies in any or all of these four foundational areas, will be required to complete one or more of the following courses from the University’s Bachelor of Applied Psychology program, or equivalents from a recognized post-secondary institution:
Master of Counselling – Alberta, Canada
All applicants for admission to the Master of Counselling program in Alberta who do not have undergraduate degrees with coursework showing fundamental knowledge of any or all of the following foundational modalities - personality, learning, and human development , or who through examination procedures do not demonstrate competencies in any or all of these three foundational areas, will be required to complete one or more of the following courses from the University’s Bachelor of Applied Psychology program, or equivalents from a recognized post-secondary institution:
In addition all USA and Canadian students in the Master of Arts in Counseling/Master of Counselling must also meet the following:
- A cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 in undergraduate degree program.
- Three (3) confidential letters of professional reference.
- A writing sample defining professional goals and addressing past and current experience relevant to becoming a counselor. Guidelines for writing the sample paper will be sent from the academic advising office. The writing sample will be used to determine whether minimum qualifications have been met for admission to the program.
- CV/resume.
- Completed, signed background information form, with a history free of convictions for criminal misdemeanors and felonies. Applicants who have such a history may be denied a professional credential at the state level (see RCW 18.130 for US program). The background information form must be submitted prior to the interview process.
- Interview with the program director/coordinator or designee. The interview will be used to determine whether minimum qualifications have been met for admission to the program.
- Master of Counselling (Canada) - A minimum of 50 hours of community social service volunteer experience, if the applicant has no counselling experience, is recommended.
Graduate Certificates
No additional requirements are needed beyond the University’s general admission requirements.
Exceptions to this policy may be made by the school dean.
Admission Requirements Specific to Graduate Programs in the School of Applied Leadership (SAL)
Please refer to the section on Admission Requirements Specific to Doctoral Programs, for specific information.
Graduate Certificates
No additional requirements are needed beyond the University’s general admission requirements.
Exceptions to this policy may be made by the school dean.