Graduate Programs

Degree Programs

Master of Science
Admissions
Admission to the Master’s Programs

Successful applicants for admission to the master’s programs must demonstrate skills and knowledge in an academic field relevant to the particular master’s program (e.g., biology for bioinformatics). Promising applicants who have deficiencies may, with faculty help, select courses that will provide instruction to overcome deficiencies and meet admissions requirements. However, the courses will not count toward the total number of credits required for the advanced degree.

  • Degree requirement: bachelor’s degree with demonstrated technical skills from an accredited college or university.
  • Minimum overall grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 point scale.
  • Three letters of recommendation from individuals in positions to evaluate the applicant’s professional promise. Indiana University reserves the right to validate the source of the letters received.
  • Scores from the general Graduate Record Examination (GRE), taken within the last five years. Subject tests are recommended if appropriate to the degree.
  • Personal statement or sample of creative work.


Each application for admission is carefully evaluated by the admissions committee for the appropriate
degree. Applicants to all degree programs must do the following:

  1. Submit an application to the School of Informatics, or, if necessary, to the Office of International Affairs.
  2. Pay a nonrefundable graduate application fee to Indiana University.
  3. Submit three Application Reference Forms completed by individuals familiar with the applicant’s activities and potential to succeed in graduate work.
  4. Arrange for official transcripts to be sent from all colleges and universities attended by the applicant. Transcripts indicating “issued to student” are not considered official. An official transcript bears the original signature of the registrar and/or original seal of the issuing institution. Transcripts should be mailed directly by a registrar, or given to the applicant by the registrar in a sealed and signed envelope. International applicants should refer to the guidelines outlined in the International Graduate Application for Admission form. If the student has not completed all undergraduate course work at the time of application, the admission decision will be based on information available at the time of application. However, a final transcript showing graduationmust be submitted before enrollment. Students who have taken course work on any Indiana University campus do not need to submit an Indiana University transcript. 
  5. Submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Only the General Exam is required; however, an appropriate subject exam may be helpful in determining the applicant’s potential.
  6. The school does not specify minimum scores, preferring instead to use the full information available in the applicant’s dossier. The Media Arts and Science program does not require GRE scores. Information concerning these examinations may be obtained from Graduate Record Examinations, Educational Testing Service, CN 6000, Princeton, NJ 08541-6000 (www.gre.org).
  7. Students whose native language is not English must submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The TOEFL is required of all nonnative English speakers. The TOEFL may be waived if a B.S. or M.S. degree has been earned in the United States. Registration information can be requested from TOEFL/TSE Publications, P.O. Box 6154, Princeton, NJ 08541-6154 (www.toefl.org).
  8. Submit a personal statement (300-500 words) describing educational background and reasons for pursuing graduate study. In addition, some programs may require a sample of creative work or professional accomplishment, which may include written work, a computer program, multimedia presentation, portfolio, etc. Submitted materials should support the applicant’s career intentions and plans. Contact the Office of Student Services for further information.