Admission
Application Deadline
Applications for the Global Ph.D. doctoral cohort that begins in August 2013 will be reviewed as received.
Priority Deadline: February 1, 2013
Normal Deadline: May 1, 2013
Admission Requirements
Note: Successful applicants to the Department of Doctoral Higher Education normally have several years of full-time work experience in a college or university setting when applying. The theory-to-practice design of coursework assumes that students are working in a Higher Education setting throughout their doctoral studies.
The university graduate and program admission requirements below must be met before an application is considered complete. Each application is evaluated as a whole.
Applicants must possess:
- A master’s degree
- A minimum graduate 3.0 GPA
A 3.0 graduate grade-point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale is required. (Provisional admittance may be granted to individuals who do not meet this criterion if competency can be shown.) - Demonstrated proficiency in English
Evidenced by an IELTS score of 8 or a TOEFL score of 25 or above on each subsection.
Applicants must submit:
- Application for Graduate Admission (Apply Online | Download PDF).
- $45 nonrefundable application fee.
- Official transcripts (Download PDF) for the applicant’s post-baccalaureate study. An official transcript is one which APU receives unopened in an envelope sealed by the former institution and which bears the official seal of the college or university. Applicants may also deliver the transcripts in person.
- Minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 in master’s-level work on a 4-point scale.
- Two recommendation forms (Download PDF). (Additional letters of recommendation on letterhead are also accepted). At least one reference letter should address the applicant’s ability to undertake doctoral-level academic work; at least one should serve as a reference of the applicant’s professional abilities and potential.
- A current resume.
- A personal statement (also known as a Letter of Intent), double-spaced, describing educational goals as well as short-term and long-term professional goals. The Letter of Intent should also articulate one’s current job setting and responsibilities, current interests, why and how APU’s Ed.D. or Ph.D. program fits the applicant’s personal and professional goals, potential research interests, and what the applicant anticipates contributing to the incoming cohort of 15–20 doctoral students.
- A writing sample that demonstrates the applicant’s ability to think critically and write cogently, using research and professional literature effectively in developing ideas and arguments (e.g., a master’s thesis, a scholarly article published in a journal, or a comprehensive course paper).
All materials should be sent via commercial mail carriers EMS, DHL, FedEx, or UPS to:
Graduate Center: Admissions
Azusa Pacific University
701 E. Foothill Blvd.
Azusa, CA 91702-7000
Fax: (626) 815-4545
graduatecenter@apu.edu
What to Expect
Once all admission materials have been received by the appropriate office, the Office of Graduate Admissions and Doctoral Higher Education faculty review the applicant’s file. The applicant is then notified of the committee’s admission decision.
