Admissions

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Telephone: 905-688-5550, extension 4439/4490

http://www.experience.brocku.ca/Graduate

All prospective students are encouraged to apply and will be considered on the basis of evidence of probable success in their chosen program. Enrolment has been limited in order that our students may continue to benefit from the University's traditions of personal contact and individual attention. Applicants must be formally admitted to the University before they can register in degree credit courses.

The regulations for admission specify minimum requirements only. Possession of the minimum entrance requirement is not a guarantee of admission. The University reserves the right to refuse admission to any candidate.

Assessment of academic background and eligibility for admission to graduate programs is the responsibility of the specific graduate program which will make recommendations for acceptance of applicants to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The Dean of Graduate Studies is responsible to ensure the quality of the admission of students to the doctoral, master's and graduate diploma programs of the University on the recommendation of the Graduate Program Director and/or Faculty Dean. The admission is based on an assessment of the student's qualifications for the proposed program of study and entails specific credit, residence, course, thesis, and examination requirements, which vary from program to program.

Policy Statement

Brock has had and will continue to have a racially non-discriminatory policy and therefore does not discriminate against applicants and students on the basis of race, colour or national or ethnic origin. Such a non-discriminatory policy applies to staff and extends to non-discrimination on grounds of creed or sex.

It is the policy of Brock University that all students must therefore submit a declaration on their application for admission and on their confirmation of registration attesting to their citizenship. Each student should be aware that documentation of citizenship may be required and that a penalty for a false statement is deregistration. In addition, any changes in status, e.g., from visa student to permanent resident or Canadian citizen require proof of the new status with appropriate document(s).

Application Procedures

The Faculty of Graduate Studies recommends that all applicants review the program literature of the graduate program they are interested in through the program calendar entry (http://www.experience.brocku.ca/Graduate_Study/Calendars.ezc), the program website (http://www.brocku.ca/gradstudies/programs/), and by contacting the Graduate Program Director, faculty members, or the Faculty of Graduate Studies for additional information.

It is particularly important for those students applying to research graduate programs that they familiarize themselves with the research profiles/interests of the program faculty members and that they make initial contact with a potential graduate supervisor. For many graduate programs, agreement from a faculty member to supervise the student is required for admission to the program.

Application instructions and the link to the Graduate Web Application can be found at: http://www.experience.brocku.ca/Graduate_Study/instructions.ezc Only a complete application package is forwarded to the program for consideration. Many graduate programs require the submission of additional application materials. Review requirements at: http://www.experience.brocku.ca/Graduate_Study/addmat.ezc

All documents become the property of the University and will not be returned.

Application Deadlines

Application for admission should be made as early as possible. Potential students should refer to the Application Deadline Chart found at: http://www.experience.brocku.ca/UserFiles/File/Forms/DeadlineChartFebruary09.pdf

to determine the application deadline for the program to which they wish to apply. The review of applications by the program's admission committee will commence following the application deadline and will continue until the program is full for each entry point.

The responsibility rests with the applicant to ensure that all documents are submitted by the deadline date as indicated on the Application Deadline Chart.

International Applicants

Applications for admission from outside of Canada should be completed at least six months before the desired date of admission in order for students to make the necessary visa arrangements. Official documentation is required in order to consider applications, please see application instructions at: http://www.experience.brocku.ca/Graduate_Study/instructions.ezc

Degrees and grades from foreign institutions are evaluated for their equivalency to those at Brock University.

Students entering Canada from other countries are required to comply with Canadian immigration requirements. Student Study Permits are issued abroad by Canadian diplomatic, consular or immigration officers. Where there is no Canadian representative, prospective students may apply to representatives of the British government. An original letter of acceptance from Brock University must be presented at that time.

Registration in co-operative programs is available only to students eligible for employment in Canada in their chosen field.

Upon acceptance of the offer of admission to a graduate co-op program, the students name will be sent to the Co-op Office at Brock. A work permit will be processed following the guidelines of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. This permit will be issued at the time of employment and may only be used for a work placement that benefits the academic program.

A pamphlet outlining immigration requirements is available from Canadian immigration officers, Canadian embassies, consulates, high commissioners' offices, and British consular offices or directly from the Immigration Division, Citizenship and Immigration department, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada http://www.cic.gc.ca

In addition to the information outlined above for domestic applicants, international applicants must also submit proof of English Language Proficiency. Original or certified true copies of all English Language Proficiency test results undertaken to date must be submitted.

Proof of English Language Proficiency

Applicants who have not completed three or more years of post-secondary work at a Canadian institution or at an institution at which English was the primary language of instruction will be required to provide certification of English language proficiency through one of the accepted program/examinations listed below:

Successful completion of Level 5 of the Brock Intensive English Language Program; or

A minimum score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) plus a 4.0 minimum for the TWE, or a TOEFL CBT score of 213 plus 4.0 minimum for the essay rating, or TOEFL iBT (Internet based) minimum overall score of 80 with no sub-test score under 19; or

A minimum score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), with no section under 5.5; or

A minimum overall score range of 520-545 (Range 2), with a minimum writing score of 225-235 on the Brock University International Test of English Language Proficiency (ITELP); or

Achievement of an overall Band Score of 60, with 60 in writing, and no other under 50 on the Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL); or

An average of at least 4.5 with no band score lower than 4.0 on the CanTest (Canadian Test of English for Scholars and Trainees).

Applicants who have completed three or more years of post-secondary work at an institution where English was not the only language of instruction must provide confirmation from the institution that their program of study was taught exclusively in English.

Please note that some graduate programs may require higher English language test scores or additional English language proficiency verification.

Students admitted on the basis of an English Language Proficiency test score are required to take the Brock University ITELP test upon arrival at the university as a condition of admission (cost of test $50.00). Test results and recommendations will be forwarded to the Faculty of Graduate Studies, the Graduate Program Director, the student and the student's graduate supervisor.

An applicant requesting a waiver of the English Language Proficiency Test submission requirements must do so in writing, providing verification from the university at which they completed their most recent degree (undergraduate or graduate) that the language of instruction for that degree program was English. It should be noted that, in order to maintain a high academic standard, very few waivers are granted. It is recommended that all applicants for whom English is not their first language submit an English Language Proficiency Test result with their application. In all cases of requests for a waiver, the Faculty of Graduate Studies, in consultation with the graduate program, will make the final determination.

Reinstatement of students who withdrew or were required to withdraw

Students who have previously been accepted to and registered in a graduate program at Brock University but voluntarily withdrew or were required to withdraw may apply for reinstatement to their graduate program by completing the Request for Reinstatement Form found at: http://www.brocku.ca/gradstudies/forms/. The Request for Reinstatement Form will be forwarded to the graduate program for consideration and the student will be informed of the program's decision. The Request for Reinstatement must be accompanied by a $75.00 fee.

University Admissions Requirements

Master's Programs

To be admitted to a Master's program, a student will normally hold an Honours Bachelor's degree, or its equivalent, with a minimum overall grade average of 75% (mid-B) from an accredited institution. Some graduate programs may have additional or higher admission requirements. Check the specific admission requirements for the graduate program to which you wish to apply. See Graduate Program Admission Information found below and program entries within the Graduate Calendar: http://www.experience.brocku.ca/Graduate_Study/GradProg.ezc

Doctoral Programs

To be admitted to a PhD program, a student will normally hold either an appropriate Master's degree, or its equivalent, with a minimum overall Master's grade average of 80% (low-A) from an accredited university. Alternatively, students with an Honours undergraduate degree already registered in a Brock University Master's program, may be approved to transfer to Doctoral studies by no later than the end of term six of their Master's program. Such students should have attained an 80% average in their Master's courses and significant research progress as determined by their supervisory committee and graduate program. Check the specific admission requirements for the graduate program to which you wish to apply. See Graduate Program Admission Information found below and program entries within the Graduate Calendar: http://www.experience.brocku.ca/Graduate_Study/GradProg.ezc

*Admission is not guaranteed by the attainment of the minimum of either university or graduate program admission requirements. Admission is a competitive process.

Conditional admission

Applicants may be admitted to a graduate program contingent upon the successful completion of specified additional academic requirements.

Non-degree admission to graduate studies

A non-degree student is one who is not proceeding towards a Brock University degree. The non-degree students are identified as:

Offers of Admission

The official offer of admission will be issued by the Dean of Graduate Studies or his/her designate. Students not recommended for admission will also be notified by the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Applicants who are offered admission pending receipt of final transcripts must submit official final transcripts, indicating degree awarded, to the Faculty of Graduate Studies before registration in the graduate program is allowed.

Some offers of admission may be made with specific conditions attached. Pre-registration conditions must be met before registration in the graduate program is allowed.

The University may nullify an offer of admission and revoke registration if it finds that an applicant has in the application process provided false, plagiarized or incomplete information.

All students admitted to a funded graduate program will as part of their admission package receive a Graduate Student Funding Package Form that outlines the graduate funding package they will receive in year 1 of their graduate program. Additional years of funding will be confirmed prior to each anniversary of the student's start date.

Transfer Students

Students admitted to a graduate program may be granted transfer credit, at the time of admission, to a maximum of one-third of graduate degree course requirements, for graduate courses completed at another university that are approved by the graduate program. (For the MBA the maximum number of transfer credits is 5.0.) Only graduate courses completed with a grade of B+ or higher, within the last five years, will be considered for transfer. Credit will not be granted for courses that have been credited toward another degree or diploma at Brock or another university. Candidates must submit official transcripts, course descriptions, and other supporting documentation before consideration will be given to granting transfer credit.

Students admitted as transfer students must be in good standing with their previous institution and eligible to enroll at that institution at the time of admission to Brock.

Advanced Standing

The MBA program will automatically assess a student's transcripts for completed undergraduate credits that would be considered to be equivalent to those normally completed in the first year of the MBA. Subject to the student's performance in the undergraduate courses, up to a maximum of five credits (ten half-credit courses) may be granted as advanced standing credits.