Qualifications for Admission

For a printer-friendly version of the application materials, access this pdf file, CSP Information 2008-2009.

Admission to the BGSU College Student Personnel Program, including the Adult Learner Focus (ALF) component, involves: (1) the submission of all application materials; (2) the determination that the applicant meets the Program's desired combination of skills and experiences; and (3) interviewing for and securing an internship.
Applicants for graduate study in College Student Personnel must have an earned bachelor's degree and show potential for successful completion of a graduate degree. Admission to the Program is based on the following credentials and activities:

1. Career Statement,
2. Employment Experience (resume),
3. Academic Transcript(s) (Two official transcripts from EACH college or university attended (expect BGSU) must be requested and forwarded directly from the institution(s) to the Graduate College),
4. GRE Scores,
5. References (one letter of recommendation must be from a faculty member), and
6. Interview with internship site.

Applicants who are successful in the first round of the admission process are invited to interview for internships in February. All applicants must interview successfully for an internship in order to be admitted to the Program. Admission credentials - please enclose a current resume that highlights your student affairs experience, yet may also be useful for a potential internship employer. Please include your educational history, employment history, current telephone number, email address if available, academic major and GPA.

Please write a 2-3 page (typed and double-spaced) Career Statement that addresses each of the following points:
-What experiences led to your interest in pursuing a career in student affairs?
-What qualities, characteristics and skills do you possess that will make you a strong candidate for the CSP Program?
-What do you hope to learn from the CSP Program and how does that relate to your personal and career goals?

Application Information:

What Happens After All of These Forms Are Submitted and Your File is Complete?
After your Graduate Admissions Application Form and original transcript(s) have been received by the Graduate Admissions Office, they are forwarded to the College Student Personnel Program for evaluation. We will notify you that your file is complete when we have received your Graduate Admissions Application, Career Statement, resume, transcripts, and the three REQUIRED reference forms and letters. You should make arrangements to schedule the GRE exam at your earliest convenience for us to give full consideration to your application. You will not be fully admitted to the Graduate College before your GRE scores have been received.

An invitation to participate in Interview Days (February 10-12, 2008 or February 24-26, 2008) is extended to applicants whose files are complete and who meet the desired combination of skills and experiences. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit all application materials by January 2, 2008 so that full consideration can be given and materials can be reviewed in time for Interview Days. Applications are welcome after January 2 but only those received prior to or by January 2 will be given full consideration.

Applicants who accept the invitation to participate in the Interview Days will be sent a booklet of descriptions for Internships available (anticipated) for the upcoming academic year. The interviews for all Bowling Green campus CSP internships and the initial interview for off-campus internships are held on the Bowling Green campus. Most of the interviews are conducted in a "job fair" format. The last day of the Interview Days is reserved for follow-up interviews on the Bowling Green campus and possible visits to off-campus internship sites.
If you have any questions or concerns about the interview process, the status of your application, or of your file, please call or e-mail: the Program secretary at (419) 372-7382; hesa@bgsu.edu, or call or e-mail Dr. Mike Coomes, Chair of Higher Education and Student Affairs, at (419)372-7157; mcoomes@bgsu.edu.

Financial Aid
For information about financial aid beyond the internship, please visit the Graduate College Financial Aid website. Prospective students who are alumni of the NASPA NUFP program will be considered for the BGSU-NUFP Graduate School Fellowship Award automatically upon admission to the CSP program.

Assistantships
All students enrolled in the Master's Program in College Student Personnel are required to complete a two-year internship concurrent with graduate coursework. Internships are sponsored by BGSU as well as thirteen area two-year and four-year institutions, called cooperating colleges. Generally, the internship office pays the graduate intern's salary and the CSP program arranges for a tuition scholarship covering instructional fees. Students are responsible for their own general fees that come to around $62 per credit hour. For on-campus interns, general fee will have been automatically deducted their stipends. Students who choose to take summer courses are expected to pay their own general fees that summer (about $250). The number and types of internships vary each year. However, every year a wide variety of assistantships are available in numerous functional areas such as residence life, career services, orientation, greek affairs, leadership development, student activities, alumni affairs, and more. Please visit the assistantship page for a more in-depth description of the graduate assistantships offered at BGSU.

Coursework
First-year master's students begin classes in the summer or fall terms depending on a student's internship placement. Please visit the curriculum page for a detailed list and description about the program's curriculum.