Individuals who do not plan to pursue a graduate degree or licensure but wish to take one or more courses may be admitted to the Graduate College as a “non-degree seeking student". Prior to applying, prospective non-degree seeking students should reach out to the program coordinator of their intended area of study to verify that that department is currently accepting non-degree seeking students. Non-degree students submit a Graduate Application, and one of the following documents:
Apply online and pay application fee ($25)
Create or log-in to your ApplyWeb account, access the College of Graduate Studies and Research Application, and select “Non-degree” as your program choice on page two. Please follow the instructions to complete the application as indicated.
Requirements for admission
Certification of eligibility for enrollment as a non-degree student in graduate coursework
requires submission of any one of the following documents:
Supporting Documents
Test Scores - None Required *
Recommendations - None Required *
Transcripts - If you are submitting transcripts they must be received to Graduate
Admissions (PO Box 6928, Radford, Virginia 24142) in the original sealed envelope
in order to be official. If your institution provides official transcripts electronically,
please request that your transcript be sent to gradcollege@radford.edu.
* Specific certificates or courses may have additional requirements.
* Additional information may be required by some departments or programs as part of
the approval process to enroll in particular course(s).
Application Deadline
Online applications may be submitted up to two business days prior to the start of
a given term to be considered for enrollment in that term. (The application will
close at that point for that particular term, but you may still apply for admission
for a later term.) Only complete applications may be considered for admission; therefore,
you will want to submit your official transcripts immediately.
Once your application is complete and approved, you will receive a letter from Graduate Admissions with general registration instructions. Specific courses or programs may also provide specific instructions for registration. Please note that not all graduate courses can accommodate non-degree enrollment and degree- and certificate-seeking students receive priority registration in courses.
Contact Information
We look forward to welcoming you to Radford University! If you need assistance or
have questions related to the Graduate Admissions process, email graduate admissions or call us at 540-831-5431.
Complete your application and request your transcripts today. It can take several weeks for transcripts to arrive.
Credit Courses
The university offers courses for professionals in a variety of academic areas—some
offered as open enrollment; others for professionals served by a specific grant or
contractual arrangement. In addition, with the prior permission of specific program
directors, non-degree students may register for many regularly-scheduled graduate
courses at Radford University. In most cases, the student is limited to enrolling
in no more than 6 hours of graduate credit as a non-degree seeking student; however
students with specific needs that require more than the 6 hour limit should confer
with the academic program director prior to enrolling at the university. A full list
of course offerings is available on the Registrar's website.
Professional Licensure and Certification
An individual who wishes to take graduate courses to meet initial professional licensure
requirements may be admitted as a professional licensure student. In addition to the
non-degree requirements, specific individual licensure and endorsement programs may
have additional admissions requirements. Please see the respective course of study
sections under “degree programs” in the Graduate Catalog.
A note about changing from non-degree or professional licensure and certification to a degree program: normally, courses taken under these admissions categories may not be counted toward a degree; however a student who subsequently decides to pursue a degree may petition the Graduate College through the appropriate department to have credits considered for acceptance toward a graduate degree. Non-degree to degree seeking students are allowed to transfer up to 9 graduate level credit hours earned at Radford University with a grade of "B" or better. It is the student's advantage to formally enroll in a degree program as soon as possible after registration in order to protect the potential future value of courses toward a graduate degree.
Non-Credit Programs
Individuals seeking professional development and life-long learning opportunities,
but who do not require academic credit, may take advantage of a variety of workshops
and conferences offered by the University.
Individuals seeking information related to non-degree credit based programs please
contact:
Emily Close, Graduate Student Support and Non-Degree Coordinator at 540-831-6344 or
eclose@radford.edu.