Master's Admissions Procedures

Ottawa University's Arizona campuses offer Master of Business Administration, Master of Arts in Professional Counseling, Master of Arts in Education, and Master of Arts in Human Resources. Admission to the graduate programs at Ottawa University is limited; only the most qualified candidates are accepted. The minimum requirements for regular admission include the following (additional requirements and exceptions may vary by program or location as noted):

• Official transcript indicating an earned bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum junior/senior grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Evidence of second language competence as demonstrated on a transcript or other acceptable form of evidence also required for the BLE/ESL concentrations in the MA in Ed program.
• Completed application form and fee - the form can be completed online.
• Official transcripts of graduate coursework, if applicable.
• Three letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the applicant's academic and professional abilities.  If you are applying to either the MA in PC or MA in HR-SAC programs, please download this form.
• Current resume'. Preference is given to applicants with at least two years of relevant employment or volunteer experience. A copy of a current state certification or teaching license is also required for all concentrations in the MA in Ed program with the exception of School Guidance Counseling and Montessori studies.
• Essay of 300-500 words describing the applicant's professional development and expectations for graduate study and demonstrating the ability to organize thoughts in a clear, concise manner. Please note the MA in PC and MA in HR-SAC programs require a two-page essay on career development.
• On a separate page list awards, honors, volunteer work, committees you may have served on, community services, or any other type of activities that tell us a little more about you.
• A copy of your teaching certificate (for Master of Arts in Education only)
• Knowledge of introductory statistics as demonstrated by a course grade of "C" or better, standardized examination score, or similar type of acceptable evidence. (MA in Ed and MA in PC applicants only).
• MA in PC only: Undergraduate courses in Theories of Personality, Abnormal Psychology and Human Growth and Development. Successful completion of PYF 7001 will meet this requirement.

Applicants with a junior/senior year GPA between 2.5 and 2.9 and applicants with a bachelor's degree from Bible-accredited institutions may be granted provisional admission. Provisional status changes to regular admission when the student has completed 12 semester credit hours of approved coursework with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Applicants without knowledge of introductory statistics may also be granted provisional admission but must satisfy the statistics requirement within six months of entering the program. Successful completion of HRC 7000, HRC 7911, or another acceptable statistics course will meet this requirement.

A maximum of 9 applicable semester-credit-hours of graduate study completed at a regionally accredited institution with a grade of "B" or better may be accepted for transfer credit.

Individuals with a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university may apply to take individual courses as a special student. Completion of coursework as a special student does not guarantee admission to a graduate program or the transfer of the coursework into a program. Individuals enrolled in a graduate program at another school may also apply to take courses as a special student with a written request from the school at which they are pursuing their degree. Please note that Special Graduate Students are not eligible for financial aid programs.

For questions, please contact the Office of Admissions at 602-371-1188 or contact us online.