Graduate Admissions Requirements and Policy

Our admissions process is holistic meaning our faculty review each application in its entirety, considering factors such as experience, academic performance, adherence to essay prompts and writing ability, and alignment with the program's objectives. Applications may require one or more of the following items to be considered complete. Select the respective program to see what your program of interest requires.

Official Transcript

All official undergraduate and graduate transcripts from regionally accredited institutions must be submitted directly from the issuing institution to the SUNY Empire admissions office. Transcripts from non-U.S. institutions must be evaluated by a member organization of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Reports must be submitted directly from an approved evaluation service to the admissions office at SUNY Empire to be considered official. A course-by-course evaluation is required for college or university transcripts.

Official transcripts or foreign evaluations should be sent by:

electronic submission from college/university/evaluation service to admissions@sunyempire.edu.
Or mailed to:
Admissions Office
Empire State University
113 West Ave
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

SUNY Empire alumni and current students: List Empire State University as an institution attended. You do not need to request an Empire transcript.

Resume

You will upload a resume/CV including previous experience, education, and other achievements. The file should be a .pdf or .doc.

Personal Statement and/or Application Essay

The application review committee weighs the quality of your essays in their decision about whether you will be admitted to the program. The criteria is considered in their review include: 

whether the program is appropriate, given your interests, needs, and background; 
whether your basic writing skills (grammar, spelling, sentence structure, etc.) are sufficient for graduate-level study; 
whether you are able to write a coherent, well-organized essay in a style appropriate for graduate-level work in your academic field.

The essays must be original to this application and responsive to the specific questions (they are not intended to be writing samples drawn from previous undergraduate or professional writing assignments). The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the creation or substantial editing of admissions essay is prohibited. If you use material from other sources/authors, you must include appropriate academic documentation and citation.

[Link to Essay page] 

Letter of Recommendation

Some programs require recommendations from appropriately qualified persons. A qualifying person is anyone who can speak to your preparedness for doctoral study and/or fit for the particular academic program and career of choice.  That would include faculty, employers, volunteer coordinators, etc. Personal references are not acceptable. The online recommendation must be used (we do not accept mailed letters of recommendation).

Once you have saved an electronic recommendation, an email request will automatically be sent to the recommender on your behalf. Please advise your recommender to look for this email in their inbox, as well as their spam or junk-mail folder, as emails do occasionally get filtered out.

English-language proficiency

Applicants for whom English is not the first language must submit proof of proficiency. The School for Graduate Studies will accept the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Duolingo test scores taken within the last three years. You must score within the range of 79-94 on the TOEFL Internet-based test (iBT), 6.5-7 on the IELTS, or 115-135 on the Duolingo to be considered for admission to the Empire State University graduate degree programs.

Applicants who have completed a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution or from an institution where the instruction was given in English are exempt.

Program Requirements

M.A. in Liberal Studies (MALS)

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Resume

M.A. in Public History

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Application Essay
Resume

American Studies, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

Heritage Preservation, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

Public History, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

Women’s and Gender Studies, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

MBA in Management

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Resume
Prerequisites: 3 credits in accounting, 3 credits in statistics, and 3-6 credits in economics (micro and macro). These requirements can be met by either undergraduate or graduate coursework with similar content completed prior to entering the program Or by completing the Foundational Courses- Applied Business Statistics (3 credits); Financial Accounting (3 credits); Principles of Economics (3 credits) as part of the MBA program.

MBA in Healthcare Leadership

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Resume including previous experience, education, and other achievements. Preferred professional background includes 2-4 years of experience in a managerial or clinical capacity in a health care environment or relevant experience in a related organizational setting.
Prerequisites: 3 credits in accounting, 3 credits in statistics, and 3 credits in economics

M.S. in Finance

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Resume
Prerequisites: 3 credits in accounting, 3 credits in statistics, 3-6 credits in economics (micro and macro).

M.S. in Applied Analytics

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Resume
Prerequisites: 3 credits in statistics, and 3 credits in information technology or related experience

M.S. in Marketing Analytics

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Resume
Prerequisites: 3 credits in statistics, and 3 credits in information technology or related experience

M.S. in Healthcare Analytics

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Resume
Prerequisites: 3 credits in statistics, and 3 credits in information technology or related experience

Financial Management and Analysis, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Resume
Prerequisites: program requires a foundational level of knowledge and/or experience in financial management and quantitative analysis.

Global Brand Marketing, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

Global Finance and Investment, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Resume
Prerequisites: program requires a foundational level of knowledge and/or experience in financial management and quantitative analysis.

Healthcare Management, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

Human Resource Management, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

Information Technology Management, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Resume
Prerequisites: program requires a foundational level of knowledge and/or experience in management information systems or the equivalent.

Marketing Analytics and Brand Management, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Resume
Prerequisites: program requires a foundational level of knowledge and/or experience in statistics.

Nonprofit Management, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

Optometry Business Management, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s) including from SUNY College of Optometry
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

Project Management, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Change

Official Transcript(s)
Proof of Master’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Application Essay
Resume
2 Letters of recommendation
Prerequisites: Graduate-level coursework in History and Philosophy of Higher Education, and Economics and Finance of Higher Education

M.A. in Adult Education

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Resume

M.A. in Educational Technology and Learning Design

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Resume

Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Subjects

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
GPA of 3.0, or the equivalent
Personal Statement
Application Essay
Resume
Prerequisites: 30 credits in subject/content area

M.A.T. in Special Education (initial certification)

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
GPA of 3.0, or the equivalent
Application Essay
Resume
Prerequisites: 24 credits in the liberal arts and sciences (6 credits in Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and English)

M.Ed. in Special Education (additional certification)

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
GPA of 3.0, or the equivalent
Personal Statement
Application Essay
Resume including previous experience, education, and other achievements.
NYS Teaching Certification- copy of your TEACH account showing their active NYS initial certification, or a copy of your current NYS teaching certification Prerequisites: 24 credits in the liberal arts and sciences (6 credits in Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and English)

M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Resume

M.S. in Applied Behavior Analysis

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Video Essay
Resume

M.A. in Higher Education

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Resume

Higher Education Leadership, Certificate of Advanced Study

Official Transcript(s)
Proof of Master’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Resume
Prerequisites: Graduate-level coursework in History and Philosophy of Higher Education, and Economics and Finance of Higher Education

Strategic Higher Education Leadership, Micro Credential

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

Bilingual Education, Certificate of Advanced Study

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Master’s Degree posted on official transcript
GPA of 3.0, or the equivalent
Personal Statement
Resume
NYS Teaching Certification- copy of your TEACH account showing their active NYS initial certification, or a copy of your current NYS teaching certification
Prerequisites: Native-like fluency in a NYSED approved language other than English as demonstrated by an interview

Bilingual Education, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
GPA of 3.0, or the equivalent
Personal Statement
Resume
NYS Teaching Certification- copy of your TEACH account showing their active NYS initial certification, or a copy of your current NYS teaching certification
Prerequisites: Native-like fluency in a NYSED approved language other than English as demonstrated by an interview

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
GPA of 3.0, or the equivalent
Personal Statement
Resume
NYS Teaching Certification- copy of your TEACH account showing their active NYS initial certification, or a copy of your current NYS teaching certification
Prerequisites: 12 credits in a Language Other than English; 3 credits in Literacy Skills

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, Certificate of Advanced Study

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Master’s Degree posted on official transcript
GPA of 3.0, or the equivalent
Personal Statement
Resume
NYS Teaching Certification- copy of your TEACH account showing their active NYS initial certification, or a copy of your current NYS teaching certification
Prerequisites: 12 credits in a Language Other than English; 3 credits in Literacy Skills

Instructional Design and Emerging Technologies, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

STEM Education and Emerging Technologies, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

Teaching and Training with Technology, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

Emerging Media and Technology for the Arts, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

M.S. in Cybersecurity

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Resume

M.S. in Information Technology

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Resume

Cybersecurity, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

M.A. in Organizational Psychology

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Resume
2 Letters of Recommendation

M.A. in Social and Public Policy

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Resume

M.A. in Work and Labor Policy

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Resume

M.P.A. in Public Administration

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript
Personal Statement
Resume

Community Advocacy, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

Child and Family Advocacy, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

Labor Studies, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

Public Administration, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

Workforce Development, Graduate Certificate

Official transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor’s Degree posted on official transcript

M.S. in Nursing Administration

Official Transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) posted on your Official Transcript
GPA of 3.0, or the equivalent
Nursing License- copy of active, unencumbered RN license from any state
Resume
Personal Statement

M.S. in Nursing Education

Official Transcript(s)
Proof of Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) posted on your Official Transcript
GPA of 3.0, or the equivalent
Nursing License- copy of active, unencumbered RN license from any state
Resume
Personal Statement

Nursing Administration, Certificate of Advanced Study

Official Transcript(s)
Proof of Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) posted on official transcript
GPA of 3.0, or the equivalent
Resume

Nursing Education, Certificate of Advanced Study

Official Transcript(s)
Proof of Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) posted on official transcript
GPA of 3.0, or the equivalent
Nursing License- copy of active, unencumbered RN license from any state
Resume
Prerequisites: Graduate level content in advanced health assessment, pathophysiology and pharmacology on transcript

Graduate Admissions Requirements and Policy

Graduate Application Requirements

Program Requirements

Arts & Humanities

Business, Management, and Leadership

Education

Science, Mathematics, and Technology

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Nursing and Allied Health

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