Graduate Academic Programs

Admission

Application for Graduate Study

Application

Apply on the Internet for admission to graduate degree programs by visiting http://graduate.indiana.edu/admissions.php. The online application requires completion of an "Educational Objectives" section. In the drop-down box for "Academic Program," select either Health—Physical Education and Recreation MS for master's degree program admission, or select Health—Physical Education and Recreation Ph.D. for doctoral program admission. Many of the components of the application are received by our office electronically. However, some materials are in paper form. For United States citizens, paper recommendation letters (if recommendations were not submitted online) and official transcripts from all attended institutions are required and should be sent to the following address:

Records Office
School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation
Indiana University HPER 115
1025 E. Seventh Street
Bloomington, IN 47405-7109

For those unable to apply for graduate program admission online, paper applications may be obtained by either writing to the address above, or calling (812) 855-1561. Please be aware that processing of a paper application will take up to four weeks longer than processing of the online application. If possible, apply online.

Visit the School of HPER home page at www.hper.indiana.edu to view more information about the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation.

Application procedures differ for those who are not citizens of the United States and/or those who have had their previous schooling outside of the United States. International applicants may also apply online by visiting www.gradapp.indiana.edu.

Send paper recommendation forms (if recommendations were not submitted online) to the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation address above. International applicants must mail all paper academic records and financial documents to the address below.

International Admissions
Indiana University
300 N. Jordan Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47405-7700
U.S.A.

For international applicants who are unable to apply for graduate program admission online, paper applications may be obtained by either writing to the International Admissions address above or calling (812) 855-4306.
International applicants should read the information about the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as described below.

Steps for Admission

Admission to certain graduate degree programs may require additional steps; however, admission procedures for all graduate programs in the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation include the following:

  1. The online application for graduate program admission is submitted electronically. Applicants who are unable to submit the online application must submit the paper-based application to the School of HPER Records Office, Indiana University, HPER 115, 1025 E. Seventh Street, Bloomington, IN 47405-7109.
  2. The applicant must submit official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work taken at institutions other than Indiana University. Although a student may not have completed undergraduate course work at the time of application, admission to a master's degree program may be granted on the strength of the student's work up to the time of application. An official, final transcript from an accredited institution attesting to the award of a bachelor's degree must be submitted before the student can graduate.
  3. The applicant should request three people to submit Application Recommendation Forms on his or her behalf. Writers of references should have sufficient knowledge of the applicant's abilities to make informed judgments about the applicant's ability to succeed in a graduate degree program. Online recommendation forms are included 6. in the online application. If you prefer, you may download and print paper copies and distribute them to your recommenders, who should complete them and send them to the School of HPER Records Office.
  4. Graduate Record Examination scores (aptitude portion only) must be submitted by all of the following prospective students:
    • All international applicants regardless of degree being sought.
    • All applicants for a doctoral degree.
    • All applicants for the Master of Science degree in the Departments of Kinesiology and Recreation, Park, and Tourism Studies.
    • All applicants for the Master of Science in Applied Health Science degree with an emphasis in nutrition science.
    • All applicants for the following master's degree programs in the Department of Applied Health Science whose undergraduate grade point averages are lower than 2.8 on a 4.0 scale:
      • Master of Public Health degree program
      • MS in Applied Health Science with a major in health promotion
      • MS in Applied Health Science with a major in human development and family studies
      • MS in Applied Health Science with a major in safety management
      • MS in Applied Health Science with a major in school and college health programs.
      Therefore, scores from the GRE are not required for applicants with an undergraduate GPA of 2.8 or higher, if they are applying for admission to the Master of Public Health degree program, or any of the four emphases under the Master of Science in Applied Health Science degree listed above.
     
    Applicants who want to be considered for fall admission to a degree program that requires submission of these scores are advised to take the Graduate Record Examination no later than December. Approximately four weeks are required before GRE scores will be known. Admission decisions begin in February, so applicants should take the GRE early. For information concerning the Graduate Record Examination, write to the Educational Testing Service, Box 6000, Princeton, NJ 08541-6000. Applicants may visit the GRE Web site at www.gre.org. For students who are already on the IU Bloomington campus, information can be obtained from the Records Office, School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, Indiana University, HPER 115, 1025 E. Seventh Street, Bloomington, IN 47405-7109; phone (812) 855-1561.
International Student Application

International applicants whose primary language is not English must submit TOEFL scores. A minimum TOEFL score of 550 on the paper-based test, or 213 on the computer-based test, or a 79 on the Internet-based test, is normally required for admission to all graduate degree programs. For students from countries where the TOEFL is not available, other evidence concerning English proficiency may be considered.

Another option exists for a limited number of international masters degree program applicants who do not meet minimum English proficiency standards for admission to a masters degree program.  The academic department offering the masters degree may admit such students based on their academic qualifications under the condition that they 1) first enroll in a nationally recognized and accredited Intensive English Program (IEP) at their own expense and 2) provide documentation of appropriate English proficiency following Intensive English Program completion. Applicants may contact the department which offers the masters degree to request this option.

As is the case for all entering international students whose native language is not English, those students who have completed an Intensive English Program at an accredited U.S. college or university will be required to take the Indiana University English language examination before registering for course work. Appropriate additional remedial English courses will be prescribed on the basis of test results.  Documentation of sufficient English proficiency must be provided to the applicant’s academic advisor before registration in any academic degree course(s) is approved.

All entering international students whose primary language is not English will be required to take the Indiana University English examination prior to registering.  Prepared by IU and designed to test a student’s ability to use English in an academic setting, the exam consists of three parts: an essay on a general topic, a listening comprehension exercise, and a grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension section.  There is little that one can do to prepare for this exam other than to continue using written and spoken English at every opportunity. International students whose primary language is not English must agree to take any English language courses prescribed from the results of this examination. Fees for special part-time English courses are the same as for other courses; however, credits earned do not meet degree requirements.  If the results of the proficiency examination indicate that full-time work in English is required, the student will be assigned to the Intensive English Program (IEP). Students enrolled in IEP do not take academic courses until they achieve adequate English proficiency.  If a student has serious doubts about English ability and is not financially prepared to undertake the additional time and expense of an intensive English program here, the student should consider completing English study in the student’s home country.  In addition, the student may consider delaying admission to a future session.

Students who will be teaching but who are non-native English speakers must successfully complete the Associate Instructor exam.  This exam consists of a 15-minute interview followed by a written exam.  Contact Karla Reynolds at the Center for English Language Training (CELT), 313 Memorial Hall, (812)855-7951 for further information on the AI exam.

Application Process Details

Online applicants will pay a nonrefundable application fee by credit card when submitting the electronic application. Those submitting the paper application must pay the same fee by check or money order, using the graduate application fee return envelope provided. Applicants should be aware that applications are not reviewed until all required materials are received. Note: Credentials submitted for admission become the property of the university and will not be returned to the applicant.

Each applicant receives notification of the admission decision. Admitted students are permitted to enroll in courses for the entry term stated in the student's application for admission. An admitted student who wishes to begin course work during an entry term that is different than the entry term stated in the student's application must contact the Records Office in HPER 115, telephone number (812) 855-1256, to request such a change. Some graduate programs may require permission of the program director to change entry semesters. Initial registration for courses must occur within 18 months after the applicant has been accepted for admission.


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