GENERAL GUIDELINES

You can prepare for admission to graduate school, in a wide variety of disciplines, at Lewis-Clark State College.  Students seeking a master’s or doctoral degree first earn a bachelor’s degree, often in a major that provides a strong foundation in the area they wish to specialize in graduate school. Students choose to enroll in graduate school for a variety of reasons: to get required advanced learning/credentials for a profession, to be eligible for advancement in business and industry, to be eligible to teach or lead in higher education, to change careers, or to achieve a personal goal.

Getting into graduate school is a challenging and competitive process, but like other LCSC graduates who have been admitted to graduate school, you can meet the challenge by working with your advisor; taking required and recommended courses; earning good grades; doing well on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or other required graduate school admissions test; and participating in undergraduate research, internships, and certain service activities.

PREREQUISITES FOR ADMISSION TO GRADUATE SCHOOL 

Pre-requisites are what you need to complete as an undergraduate to apply for admission to graduate school. Pre-requisites will vary widely depending on the area you wish to earn an advanced degree in and the specific program to which you seek admission. Please check the websites for the specific schools in which you are interested for eligibility requirements.

Recommended Major: BA/BS in a major that is closely related to the area you wish to enter in graduate school, or a major that provides you with the knowledge and skills you will need for advanced study.  For instance:

  • BFA, Creative Writing, to apply to MFA, Creative Writing, programs
  • BA, English, to apply for MA/PhD, English
  • BSN, Nursing, to apply for MSN, Nursing
  • BSW, Social Work, to apply for MSW, Social Work
  • BA/BS, History, to apply for MA/PhD, History
  • BA/BS, Communication Arts, to apply for MA/MS/PhD, Communication Arts
  • BS, Business Administration, or BAS, Business Management and Marketing, to apply for MBA, Business
  • BS, Biology or Chemistry or Mathematics to apply for MS/PhD in Science or Mathematics

In many cases, there are multiple paths to graduate study in a particular area. For instance, you may be eligible to apply for a master’s or doctoral program in organization leadership with a degree in business, or communication arts, or English, or social science, or others. You may be able to apply for a master's in counseling with a degree in education, psychology, social work, or social science. Seek information about preferred credentials and experience for specific programs on graduate school websites.

Required and Recommended Coursework:
Varies widely by graduate school discipline and program. Check especially for requirements in these areas:

  • Foreign/heritage language
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Writing
  • Oral communication
  • Humanities
  • Social sciences
  • Internships
  • Undergraduate research

Other possible requirements:
Varies widely by graduate school discipline and program.

  • Completion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
  • Strong GPA
  • Experience in your proposed field of graduate study through internships, practicum, job shadowing, service learning
  • Personal statement
  • Essay
  • Letters of recommendation

Recommended Extra-Curricular Activities:

  • Join clubs or organizations that allow you to develop and document leadership experience.
  • Participate in community service

LC State agreements with graduate programs:
To view LC State's transfer and articulation agreements visit www.lcsc.edu/admissions/apply/transfer-student/articulation-agreements

GET STARTED

To begin your path toward admission to graduate school, contact the division chair of the program most closely related to the graduate school area you wish to study today.