HDFS Undergraduate Advising
Columbus Campus Master of Education (M.Ed.) Program Application Information
The deadline for admission to the Columbus campus M.Ed. program in Early or Middle Childhood is November 1st. This means that all materials must be received by Graduate Admissions and the School of Teaching and Learning by this date. Please make sure to thoroughly review the application process information.
Please note that if you are interested in applying to a regional campus M.Ed. program (Lima, Mansfield, Marion, or Newark) rather than the Columbus campus program, you will need to contact your regional campus of choice for application information. Please visit the following links for more information about the regional campus M.Ed. programs:
Below is a brief overview of the items that must be submitted and are considered in the admissions process to the M.Ed. program on the Columbus campus. Please review the School of Teaching and Learning's Application Checklist (pdf) for more specific information as to where each of these items must be submitted.
Items Considered in Columbus Campus M.Ed. Admissions Process
Be aware that the following information is reviewed yearly and is subject to change
Online Application
Begin the process by completing the online Graduate Admissions Application. You will be required to pay the application fee at this time. Your statement of intent and letters of recommendation cannot be entered into the system until you have submitted this application.
Undergraduate GPA from Every Institution Attended (Official Transcripts)
Graduate Admissions will review and merge your undergraduate GPA from all higher education institutions you have attended (not just OSU). You will therefore need to submit official transcripts from every institution you attended besides OSU. Please note that since you are a current OSU student, you do not need to submit OSU transcripts. The Graduate School at OSU requires a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least a 3.0 to be considered for admission. Limited exceptions are made to this rule.
Graduate Record Exam Scores
Much like the ACT or SAT was required for admission to OSU's undergraduate program, Graduate Admissions requires scores on the General Test of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) to evaluate your application. We recommend that you prepare for the GRE using a study guide available at any bookstore (choose a book with a CD-ROM so you can take computerized practice tests). Plan to start preparing for the GRE several months prior to actually taking the exam.
As the deadline for the Columbus campus M.Ed. program is November 1st, it is advisable to take your GRE for the first time during the spring of your junior year or early in the summer between your junior and senior year. This will allow you to have enough time to retake the exam if necessary and will also ensure that the scores arrive on time. If you are interested in taking this exam at OSU, you can call (614) 292-2241 (menu option 1) to schedule an appointment at the OSU Testing Administration Office. Please review the OSU Testing Administration website for more information on this exam process.
The majority of the students accepted to the M.Ed. program score around a 500 on the Verbal section, a 500 on the Quantitative section, and a 4.0 on the Analytical Writing section. However, students who are hoping to be considered for a University Fellowship must score in the 75th percentile or above on the Verbal and Quantitative sections (better than 75% of the people who take the exam), have at least a 4.0 on the Analytical Writing section, and have a minimum of a 3.6 GPA.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (international students only)
International students whose native language is not English are required to submit an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score. The minimum acceptable TOEFL scores are: 550 on the paper version; 213 on the computer-based version; or 79 iBT TOEFL.
Statement of Intent
The School of Teaching and Learning requires you to submit a 2 to 3 page, typed, double-spaced personal statement which allows them to not only learn about you as a person, a student, and a potential teacher but also to better evaluate your writing skills and abilities. For information on what questions should be addressed in the statement, please follow the guidelines provided in the School of Teaching and Learning's application materials. Please include your social security number on your statement.
As this statement is a critical part of your application, plan to spend a significant amount of time writing your statement making sure to construct thoughtful and mature responses to each question posed (please make sure to fully answer all the questions). In addition to having thoughtful content, your statement should also reflect your best writing abilities. Therefore it is always a good idea to have one or more people you trust review your statement to provide constructive criticism.
You may also want to consider having the OSU Writing Center or Career Connection review your statement and offer suggestions for improvement.
For more information and tips on writing personal statements, visit the Career Connection website.
Letters of Recommendation
The School of Teaching and Learning requires a minimum of three letters of recommendation but prefers that students submit four letters. At least two letters need to come from instructors/professors who have had you in class and can comment on your abilities/potential as a graduate student and at least one letter needs to come from someone who has observed you working with children and can comment on your potential as a teacher. For those students who are wishing to be considered for a University Fellowship (minimum 3.6 GPA, 75% percentile on the Verbal and Quantitative sections of the GRE, and a 4.0 on the Analytical Writing), you must submit at least three recommendation letters from professors who have had you in class and can discuss your academic abilities and at least one from someone who has observed you working with children and can talk about your potential as a teacher.
Please plan to ask your potential recommenders far in advance of the November 1st deadline so that you are respectful of their time. It is a good idea to provide your recommender with an updated resume and a copy of your Advising Report so that they are aware of all your experiences, accomplishments, and activities. You will also need to provide your recommenders with the OSU Reference Form available at the Graduate Admissions Supplemental Applications Material page. Make sure to write your social security number on the OSU Reference Form. The recommenders will complete this form and attach a letter written on their organization's letterhead.
The School of Teaching and Learning does not require its applicants to waive their right to view their letters of recommendation. Therefore, whether or not the letter is confidential is generally up to the preference of the recommender. If the letter of recommendation is to be confidential, it should be sealed and the recommender should sign across the sealed flap. It is strongly suggested that you send your Statement of Intent and letters of recommendation to the School of Teaching and Learning all together in one envelope, although each document may be submitted separately.
For more information about letters of recommendation, Career Connection offers some helpful tips.
Required Prerequisite Content Courses and/or Plan to Complete Them
There are many courses that are prerequisite requirements for admission to the various M.Ed. programs. Please see your HDFS advisor if you have any questions about these content requirements.
Although students who are missing no more than two or three of these prerequisite courses are sometimes admitted, students who have completed all courses may be given priority in admissions decisions. It is best to complete all content coursework prior to starting the M.Ed. because if you do not have all the prerequisite coursework completed you will have to add additional courses to an already rigorous M.Ed. program.
To show that you will have all prerequisites completed by the time you would be starting the program, you are required to submit a document which lists the prerequisite courses that you still need to complete in the remaining quarters before starting the M.Ed. (typically Winter and Spring). This document should list the course department and number, when you plan to take the course, and where it will be taken.
If you are planning to apply to a regional campus rather than the Columbus campus, make sure to contact your campus of choice to determine if any other courses need to be completed at the undergraduate level prior to starting their M.Ed. program. These courses may include EDU P&L 370, EDU P&L 600, and EDU T&L 674 or EDU PAES 677.
Resume
The School of Teaching and Learning asks applicants to submit a resume which lists their work and volunteer experiences with children, awards or honors earned, academic accomplishments, and co-curricular involvement (be sure to include the dates of your involvement with these various activities). For those students wishing to be considered for a University Fellowship, this resume should be no more than two pages. Please make sure to construct a resume that is specifically geared toward your future as a potential teacher and relate your experiences to education or the subjects you are planning to teach—do not just submit a resume that you have used for other purposes.
For help in writing a resume, please consult the OSU Writing Center or Career Connection.
List of Awards and Honors
Students who wish to be considered for a University Fellowship should submit a list of academic awards and honors in addition to their resume.
Experiences Working With Children
Your Statement of Intent, letters of recommendation, and resume are all chances to showcase the experiences you have had working with children in learning situations. In particular, it is important to have experience with children in the age range you are wishing to teach. Although there are no set guidelines for a minimum amount of experience, in general, the more applicable experiences you have, the stronger your application will be.
Many HDFS students will complete the First Education Experience Program (FEEP) and HDFS 465.01 (experience in the pre-school room of the A. Sophie Rogers Laboratory School) but it is advisable to seek out other experiences in addition to these. Past students have volunteered with after school programs, tutoring programs, pre-school programs, etc. In addition, experiences with diversity are highly valued by the School of Teaching and Learning, as these experiences will help to make you a more culturally competent teacher.
Can I apply directly to both the Columbus campus M.Ed. program and a regional campus M.Ed. program in the same admission period?
No, you may not. Be aware that you are not allowed to apply directly to more than one OSU campus in the same admission cycle. Therefore applying to the Columbus campus M.Ed. program and one of the regional campus M.Ed. programs (Lima, Mansfield, Marion, or Newark) in the same admission period is not permissible. However, if you apply to the Columbus campus, meet the minimum guidelines but are not admitted, the School of Teaching and Learning will ask if you would like your application forwarded on to one or more of the regional campuses. The regional campuses will then review your application to determine if you are eligible for one of their remaining spots. If you are interested in applying directly to a regional campus instead of the Columbus campus, please contact your regional campus of choice for more information about their application process.
Please visit the following links for more information about the regional campus M.Ed. programs:
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