Admissions Lifecycle
Typical process for applicants seeking admission to a graduate program
1
Graduate School Application
All applicants must submit an application for admission with the Graduate School and all required materials as published by the graduate program by the published application deadlines.
2
Graduate Student Success (GSS) Office Receives Alert
It can take 24-48 hours for your application and submitted contents to go 'live' in the system for the GSS Office to have access to your materials.
The GSS Office will review the materials you've submitted and will confirm with you via email: your application, received and pending documents.
It is the applicant's responsibility to make sure all application materials are submitted on time. Incomplete applications may be rolled over to a future admission cycle with program and applicant approval.
3
Program Evaluates Applicants
Evaluation of applicants can take between 2-8 weeks, depending on the program.
Some programs have a rolling admission and they will evaluate an applicant for admission as soon as the application is deemed complete by the GSS Office.
Some programs wait until after the official application deadline has passed before they begin to review their applicants for admission.
In addition to the application materials, some programs require an interview, in addition to the application materials, before an admission decision is decided.
4
GSS Office Issues Admission Decision
Once the program informs the GSS Office of their admission decisions, the GSS will submit an admission referral for each applicant to the Graduate School for review and approval.
Final approval of the admission referrals by the Graduate School can take 3-5 business days because the Graduate School and affiliated offices need to authorize the referral, create your UofL username and email, and registration window.
5
Applicant Receives Admission Notification
Once the Graduate School has reviewed and apporved the admission referral and created the necessary access points, the GSS Office will send the applicant their admission letter via email.
The letter will state the admission status (which may require additional action on behalf of the newly admitted), admission semester, faculty advisor and contact information, and associated links for activating your username, email, and student portal for class registration. The letter will include additional reminders about graduate policies and pertinent links for a newly admitted student.
6
Applicant Accepts or Declines Offer
Upon receiving the admission letter, the newly admitted student will need to confirm or decline their admission offer by emailing the GSS Office at cehdgss@louisville.edu
If the student accepts the offer of admission, they should connect with their advisor, enroll in courses, and follow up with the GSS Office regarding any additional documents or conditions that we are stipulated as requirements of admission letter.
Master Student Lifecycle
Our master's programs are delivered in in-person and online settings, so getting used to your program and class structure can vary among students. You should meet with your faculty advisor at least once every term to check-in and discuss your progress. This is a good time to join professional organizations related to your field or organizations to help you expand your network. Get to know the other students in your classes.
Important form(s) to submit in first semester of Year 1:
- Program of Study (POS)
- The POS outlines the required courses needed to earn your degree. You and your advisor will discuss in what order to take them and when. You, your advisor and the GSS office will need an official copy by the end of the term. The POS can be adjusted based on your changing or course offerings, but an updated copy should always be submitted.
- Transfer of Credit Form
- Have this conversation early with your advisor so that we can start the process immediately. Approved transfer of credits may be added when grades are posted at the end of the first semester of study.
You've taken at least two semesters of classes and you've come to know what works best for you in terms of class preparation. Be aware that you may need to adjust some of these habits from term to term as classes and instructors change.
Depending on your program, you may also find yourself at an internship site completing field or clinical hours required by your program.
Important form(s) to submit in Year 2:
- Updated Program of Study, if any changes have been made.
You're about to graduate! This is a major accomplishment! You will need to apply for your degree via Ulink no later than published deadlines.
Important form(s) to submit in Year 3 (or, if finishing earlier, in your last semester of coursework):
- Degree application in Ulink -> Graduation -> Apply for Degree.
Once you apply for your degree, your academic record will be reviewed by a member of our office. If there are any issues, you and your advisor will be emailed with an explanation of the situation and steps that need to be taken to resolve the situation. The earlier that you apply for your degree, the more time that we have to take care of any outstanding issues that may arise.
If you intend to walk in the graduation ceremony, you will also need to purchase your cap and gown. This serves as your RSVP to attend the Commencement ceremony. Information on Commencement and cap & gown orders can be found here.
Doctoral Student Lifecycle
You're figuring out how this whole doctoral life works. You may be a full-time student, a part-time student or even holding down a job while balancing school. It can be tough. So, know where your resources are located.
Important forms to submit in Year 1:
- Program of Study Sheet
- This form outlines all of the courses needed to complete your program. Your advisor will provide you with a copy to complete.
- Doctoral Advisory Committee
- This form lists the faculty members in your department who are part of your 'squad' for the first few semesters. They're there to help guide you through your coursework and to help you polish your research idea into something that you can actually investigate. They will also be responsible for your comprehensive examination requirement.
- Transfer of Credit Form
- You may have some previous graduate coursework that may be eligible for transfer toward your doctoral program. Have this con
Year 2 is about taking more classes. You should also be narrowing down your intended dissertation proposal idea and working with your advisor to seek out opportunities for professional development. This could be getting involved in pilot research studies, presentations, publishing articles, joining academic or on-campus organizations, or expanding your network.
Important forms to submit in Year 2:
- None!
Generally, Year 3 is about wrapping up classes and scheduling your comprehensive exam. For financial and time efficiency, the best practice is to take your comprehensive exam in your last semester of coursework. However, this is not a requirement. This exam can take many forms, but typically it involves a series of lengthy papers on topics set by your advisory committee based on your intended dissertation topic. The exam should help you set the stage, from a literature and methodological standpoint, to make the case for your dissertation idea. Important forms to submit in Year 3:
- Comprehensive Exam Declaration Form
- This form signals that you're declaring your intention to sit for your exam. You should indicate the date and time range and members of your examination committee.
- Results of Comprehensive Exam
- Your advisor will submit this form, but it tells us whether you passed or need to retake your exam.
- If you passed - congratulations! You are now a doctoral candidate. This will be noted on your UofL transcript and it also starts your 4-year completion clock to defend your final dissertation.
- If you failed - it's not the end of the world. It really isn't and you can bounce back. But, you will need to have a frank discussion with your advisor about what needs to improve and when you can sit for the exam again. Generally, you are permitted only one retake.
- Your advisor will submit this form, but it tells us whether you passed or need to retake your exam.
Now that you've defended your comprehensive exam, and passed, you move toward your proposal-writing stage. This is where you set the pace, so a proposal could be defended either sooner or later depending on what's happening with your topic (and life in general, because you may move, take on a new job, end or start a new relationship, etc.) and this can all affect your writing time. Ideally, your comprehensive exam should have helped you have a clearer idea of intended topic and what you need to adjust in order to have a strong proposal.
Important forms to submit in Year 4:
- Dissertation Advisory Committee Form
- This form tells us who your 'squad' will be to guide you to the end of your dissertation. It could be the same faculty as your overall advisory squad, that were responsible for guiding you through the course completion stage, or you could change-up the lineup to better suit your dissertation topic and goals.
- Proposal Approval Form
- This form tells us that you defended your proposal successfully.
This is it! You've defended your proposal and now you're working on your dissertation. Again, this is a self-paced endeavor and time management is critical. We do suggest dedicating at least two hours of writing time at least 4-5 days a week. There may be hiccups along this road in terms of working with the Institutional Review Board to get approval for your study, finding enough participants, dealing with revisions and maintaining energy to get to the end. You'll be tired, but you'll get there. This is also the time to apply for your degree!
Important forms to submit in Year 5:
- Notification of Dissertation Final Defense
- This form tells us when you plan to defend your dissertation. We need the form to submit to the Graduate School at least 2 weeks before you defend your dissertation.
- Dissertation Approval Form
- This is the cover page for your dissertation. The official cover page will go to the Graduate School, but we also keep a copy in your student file.
- Degree Application
- You need to apply for your degree via Ulink in addition to submitting your final dissertation by the deadline established by the Graduate School.
You've done it and you should be super proud of yourself. So, celebrate to the fullest in whatever way works for you. You may want to catch up on sleep first because we all know we've lost many hours to this process. But, after that, savor the moment.