About Master’s Program,
Graduate certificate programs require a minimum of 12 credit hours. Many graduate certificate programs require more than 12 credit hours.
No more than one 400-level NAU course (3 – 4 units) may be used on a graduate certificate program.
No more than twenty-five percent of the units required for the certificate program may be transferred from another university.
A 400-level course (undergraduate course) completed at another university is not eligible for transfer credit.
A minimum grade point average of 3.0 must be achieved to obtain a graduate certificate. No more than three units of coursework with a Grade of “C” may be used in a certificate program.
A graduate student may pursue a graduate certificate concurrently with a graduate degree. Each graduate degree program must decide which, if any, certificate courses can be counted toward the graduate degree.
Students who are admitted to a graduate certificate program will be eligible for the official posting of the graduate certificate to their transcripts when all applicable coursework has been successfully completed and approved by the academic unit and the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.
Please be aware that federal financial aid is not available for some certificates if the certificate is pursued and completed as a stand-alone certificate (i.e., not completed concurrently with a degree program). See the “Details” tab for additional information.
Master’s Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
Academic programs, departments, or colleges may have admission requirements in addition to those of the Office of Graduate & Professional Studies. These may include, but are not limited to: the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), a portfolio, scholarly papers, letters of recommendation, or a personal statement. For these specific requirements, contact the specific academic program and/or refer to the academic catalog.
Applicants must have earned a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 out of a 4.0 scale for their bachelor’s degree to be considered for regular admission. Admitted students are expected to have undergraduate educational experiences, including general education studies, that are similar to those required for a baccalaureate at Northern Arizona University. Students holding a cumulative GPA below 3.0 may be considered for conditional admission with a recommendation and rationale from the admitting academic program.
Master’s Funding Coverage,
MA Applied Linguistics and Teaching English as a Second Language students are eligible to teach English composition courses in the English Department. Furthermore, a limited number of tuition waivers are available to out-of-state or in-state students who can demonstrate financial need. More information on graduate teaching assistantships and tuition waivers is available on our “Graduate Assistantships” page under “Resources.”
Application Requirement,
Transcripts.
Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale (“A” = 4.0), or the equivalent.
Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
Personal Letter of Intent (2 – 3 pages in length)
2 letters of recommendation required only for those MA TESL applicants applying for Graduate Teaching Assistantships
Application Deadline,
Jan 02, 2026
Application Fee,
Master’s degree or Graduate Certificate applicants – $75.00
