Important Notes for Applicants
The Ohio State Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership (ACEL) extends an invitation to qualified applicants to apply for a master’s or doctoral degree program in ACEL. The Master’s degree program offers a traditional, on-campus M.S. (thesis and non-thesis options), an M.Ed. as well as an online M.S. (thesis and non-thesis options). Prior to beginning the application process, persons interested in the program should take note of the following items:
- ACEL only admits one time per year for all graduate programs. Applications to all programs open in August of each year and close on December 1 for admission the following autumn.
-
Applicants are expected to meet the minimum threshold of a cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale to be admitted to an Ohio State graduate degree program. Applicants who do not meet the GPA requirement may be considered for conditional admission based on other admission criteria. The Ohio State Graduate School must approve the admission of any students with less than a 3.0 GPA.
-
Doctoral program applicants should have a minimum of two years of professional experience in the area of specialization for their graduate program.
-
Prospective students with any questions about the application process or requirments are encouraged to reach out to our graduate program coordinator at FAES-acelgradprogram@osu.edu.
Applying
In order to have a complete application to any in-person ACEL graduate program, an applicant must have a conditional agreement with an ACEL faculty member (or ACEL Graduate Faculty Member with the approval of the Graduate Studies Director) should they be admitted to their program. This agreement DOES NOT constitute a decision of admission.
Below are some helpful tips to assist you in identifying a faculty member to serve as a conditional advisor:
- Do not email the entire department faculty. You should carefully read the research interests of ACEL faculty and how they align with your own. Once you’ve done so, you should reach out to the faculty member you would most want to work with as your advisor and describe your academic background and research interests, and why you believe that your interests would be best developed by working with this particular faculty member.
- Remember that many faculty are not as available during the summer as they are during the autumn and spring terms. It’s best to reach out to faculty during the autumn or spring semesters, preferably a couple weeks after the term begins. It’s best to not wait until the last minute to approach prospective advisors, as the application deadline of December 1 is a very busy part of the term for faculty.
- If you reach out to a faculty member and do not receive a reply, it’s perfectly fine to reach back out after a couple of weeks. Please do not send repeated emails in a short period of time.
The OSU Graduate School application process is entirely electronic; we will not accept paper documents for any part of the application (except for transcripts).
Applications must be submitted to OSU Graduate Admissions electronically at http://gradadmissions.osu.edu/
Official copies of all college transcripts must be submitted as part of the OSU Graduate School online application.
The official transcript(s) you submit as part of your application for admission:
- Must include documentation of all post-secondary course work completed for which college credit was awarded, including course work completed during high school (except for AP credit).
- Must be sent directly to Ohio State from each institution where credit was received.
- When you apply, submit official transcripts. At this stage, scans of official transcipts are permitted.
- If you are admitted, you will be asked to submit official, complete transcripts from all institutions.
For more information regarding the submission of transcripts, please visit the Office of Graduate Admissions Transcript description page linked here: http://gpadmissions.osu.edu/resources/transcripts.html
Three letters of recommendation are required for the application packet to be processed. The letters of recommendation should be prepared by persons qualified to evaluate the applicant's academic potential to succeed in a graduate degree program. Letters for online program applications should also speak to the applicants potential to succeed in an online program. Letters from former professors or other persons who have supervised the student in a class or research project are the most relevant. At least two letters of recommendation should focus on academic qualifications.
Recommendations should be submitted electronically from references identified by the applicant as part of the online application process.
A current resume or curriculum vitae should be submitted as part of the OSU Graduate School application and should summarize your educational background, work experiences, and other pertinent accomplishments. The contents of the CV may include:
- Education (institution, major, degrees earned, and dates attended)
- Professional experience (employer, position, dates)
- Research experience and publications
- Honors/awards received
- Service
A Statement of Purpose should be submitted electronically and consist of a one-two page narrative statement from the applicant. The following points should be addressed:
- Highlights of your background, qualifications, and career goals
- Rationale for seeking a graduate degree in ACEL
- Life experiences, skills, and personal attributes that will contribute to the applicant’s success
- Your research interests and how these interests align with the research interests of the department
A resume or curriculum vitae will not substitute for the Statement of Purpose. Your Statement of Purpose should be submitted as part of the OSU Graduate School online application.
TOEFL or IELTS Scores: IELTS Scores are relevant to the application process if undergraduate degree was from non-English speaking institution. Please see language requirements from the Office of Graduate Admissions linked here: http://gpadmissions.osu.edu/intl/additional-requirements-to-apply.html
Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Scores: ACEL no longer requires the GRE for admission to any graduate program.
This is only required if the applicant would like to be considered for funding. Associateships are not available for online program applicants.
ACEL offers associateships in the form of Graduate Teaching Associateships (GTA) and Graduate Research Associateships (GRA). This essay will be used by ACEL department faculty to match funding opportunities with the appropriate applicant.
Please provide and essay detailing:
- Your career goals
- Your experiences and skillset related to 1) teaching and facilitation, 2) research, data collection and/or data analysis, and 3) extension and outreach, such as giving presentations, educating non-formal audiences, and preparing and/or translating scientific work for lay audiences.
- How your experiences and skillsets can contribute to ACEL’s departmental initiatives and mission.
Please note this essay is separate from the Statement of Purpose and should not exceed two pages.
Application Timeline
The deadline for ACEL Graduate Applications is December 1 of the current year. The ACEL Graduate Faculty review all graduate applications as a whole beginning in January following the December 1 deadline. The review process is detailed and takes some time for all faculty to be able to review all applicants. Admission deliberations are done in January and February with the goal of notifying applicants of a decision by mid to late February.