Application Requirements

Minimum criteria for admission for all degrees are as follows:

Grade Point Average: The College of Education and Graduate School require a minimum GPA of 3.0 at the undergraduate level. At the master's level, a minimum GPA of 3.5 is required by the College of Education (on a 4.0 scale).
Test scores: A minimum of the 40th percentile on all subtests (verbal, quantitative, and writing) of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is required by the Department and the Graduate School .
Letters of Recommendation: Three (3) letters of recommendation including evidence of academic potential from university faculty references.

Statement of Purpose.

The statement of purpose is very important for assisting the Graduate Admissions Committee in determining whether there is a match between potential students and a faculty advisor in the program, and who, among the faculty, would be best able to serve as the student's advisor. Students should indicate their research interests, describe any relevant research experience they have had prior to applying for the doctoral program, and how their experience and interests can be met by the Department of Human Development.

Applying Electronically

The University of Maryland requires all students to apply electronically at: http://www.gradschool.umd.edu/gss/admission.htm. The following information will be requested online:

Application form, which is then sent to the Graduate School .
Application fee, which can be paid online or by check or money-order.
Maryland In-State Status Form
Statement of Purpose
Official Transcripts.
One copy from each institution should be submitted to:
University of Maryland College Park
Enrollment Services Operations
Application for Graduate Admission
Room 0130 Mitchell Building
College Park , MD 20742
Official GRE scores. Examination scores should be sent to the University via the Educational Testing Service. The University of Maryland , College Park institutional code for the GRE is 5814.
At least 3 letters of recommendation. After completing their online application, students will be sent an email with instructions on how to request letters of recommendation online.

If you wish to be considered for a Departmental fellowship, please make sure that transcripts and GRE scores are sent to the University before the December 15 deadline.

To apply electronically, please visit http://www.gradschool.umd.edu/gss/admission.htm. Additional information about the Graduate School and admissions policies can be found at http://www.vprgs.umd.edu/.

Deadlines for Applications

Deadlines for receipt of these application materials are as follows:

Fall Preferred: December 15
Fall Final: May 1; February for International Students
Spring Preferred: September 1
Spring Final: October 1

*The deadline for consideration of departmental financial aid is December 15.

Advanced Special Student Status

Students who miss the above deadlines for admission to a degree seeking program in Human Development but wish to register for courses as a non-degree seeking student may apply to the Graduate School for possible Advanced Special Student Status. (See line #19 on the application form in the Graduate School Booklet). The Advanced Special Student status allows a student to take courses in the Department of Human Development but implies no commitment to accept a student into the regular program at a later date. If a student applies and is accepted to the degree seeking program in Human Development in a subsequent semester, however, a maximum of six (6) credit hours taken as an Advanced Special Student may be applied towards a degree in Human Development.

*NOTE: Further information about Advanced Special Student criteria may be obtained from the Graduate School Admission Application.

International Students

Applications and a $50 application fee should be sent to the Graduate School at least ten months prior to the semester in which the international student wishes to be admitted. Official academic credentials (beginning with secondary school records) should be submitted along with the standard application materials. Also, international applicants must supply scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) if English is not their native language (For complete instructions for application, see the section for International Students in the Graduate Admissions Booklet beginning on page #3). The University of Maryland mandates the screening and evaluation of all international students by the International Education Services before releasing application materials to individual colleges and departments. An international student's application is received by the College of Education and the Department of Human Development only after computation of equivalency of grades and degrees, and evaluation and clearance by the IES office. THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IS NOT ALLOWED TO WAIVE UNIVERSITY REGULATIONS REGARDING INTERNATIONAL APPLICATIONS.

PROCESSING AN APPLICATION

Complete instructions about processing an application to the Graduate School and to the College of Education are provided in the "Programs in Graduate Studies" brochure.

Once the student's application materials are complete, the Student Services Office in the College of Education sends the file to the Admissions Committee of the Department of Human Development. The minimum criteria are used in determining eligibility for acceptance into the Human Development program. Students are admitted on a competitive basis and usually require credentials that are above the established minimum levels of GPA and GRE. This is particularly true for students applying to the Doctoral program.

Following the final deadline for each semester, the Admissions Committee examines all applications from students and submits those whom they vote to admit to the entire faculty for their consideration. Following faculty consideration, one of the following actions will be reported to the College Graduate Admissions Office, who in turn will forward their recommendation to the University Graduate School where a final decision will be made:

Full acceptance into the program and assignment to an advisor.
Rejection: Reasons for non-acceptance into the program will be indicated to the student in the letter reporting the decision.

*NOTE: No student will be allowed to enroll who has not completed the baccalaureate degree. Final official transcripts must be submitted before the end of the first semester of enrollment.

Notification

A written offer of admission is made to successful applicants. The offer specifies the date of the semester of entrance which will normally coincide with the date requested in the application. If a student is unable to register in the semester for which entrance was granted, a written request to defer admission must be submitted to the College of Education. If the College is not notified about deferral of admission (in writing) by the specified date, the offer of admission lapses. An individual whose offer of admission has lapsed must submit a new application and fee in order to be reconsidered for admission at a later date.

Program Planning/Advisement

If the student is recommended for admission, an advisor will be assigned by the Admissions Committee. The student should seek an appointment with their advisor as soon as possible (the advisor will be specified in the offer of admission). The advisor will assist in explaining and planning the program of studies. All graduate students are required to have advisor approval for course selections prior to registration. Registration forms are available in the main office of the Department of Human Development. They must be stamped with Departmental approval before the student will be allowed to register with the Graduate School. For further information about registration, contact the main office at: (301) 405-2827.