Admission Requirements

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. Transcripts for all undergraduate and any graduate work must be submitted. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements.

• Baccalaureate Field No restrictions.
• Grade Point Average A minimum 2.75/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours of undergraduate study, and a 3.00/4.00 grade point average on all postbaccalaureate or graduate coursework combined.
• Tests Required No tests required.
• Minimum English Competency Test Score
  • TOEFL iBT 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21 (Note: Total score is higher than the sum of the subscores), OR,
  • IELTS Academic 6.5, with 6.0 in each of the four subscores, OR,
  • PTE-Academic 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.
• Letters of Recommendation Two letters of recommendation required.
• Personal Statement Required; the statement must address the applicant's program and professional goals.
• Other Requirements Admission is restricted to Fall and Spring term.
• Deadlines Application deadlines for this program are listed on the Graduate College website.

Degree Requirements

In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, students must meet the following program requirements:

• Minimum Semester Hours Required 36 beyond the baccalaureate. At least 18 hours, or one-half of the minimum number of semester hours of graduate work required for the degree, whichever is greater, must be earned as a degree candidate at UIC.
• Coursework

• Thesis, Project, or Coursework-Only Options Coursework only. No other options are available.
  • 4 semester hours in the course EDPS 530 will serve as a culminating experience that will help students bring together their coursework, professional experience, and internship opportunities. As part of this final required seminar, students will develop and complete a project that aligns with their professional goals and that builds off of the themes of the program and coursework. This is not a thesis project, since the program is coursework only; however, this seminar will ask students to complete a concluding project. Students will present their chosen projects to the class and to a committee of faculty from the program, department, and college. This presentation will serve as a final examination for the seminar and the program overall. As part of this presentation, they will set their project within the framework of the program and their additional coursework. The presentation and the project will become part of a larger portfolio of their work collected from all of their prior courses. This portfolio will serve as a final assessment of their work in the program and the degree to which they have addressed the program learning objectives.
• Comprehensive Examination Not required, but the final project and presentation (as detailed above) will serve in place of a comprehensive examination.
• Time Limits All of the requirements must be completed within six consecutive calendar years after a student's initial registration in the Graduate College. Students pursuing more than one degree at the same time will be given an additional two years. Students who do not graduate by these deadlines will be dismissed from the Graduate College for failure to progress. Time spent on a leave of absence approved by the program and the Graduate College is not counted toward the degree time limit. 

Interdepartmental Concentrations

Students earning a graduate degree in this department may complement their courses by enrolling in select concentrations after consulting with their graduate advisor. Interdepartmental concentrations available for this degree include:

• Black Studies