Admissions and Application Process

Through continuing program admission, students may enter the program during any of the four quarters of the academic year.  Deadlines for receipt of applications by the Graduate School are:

Submit the online application with application fee; then send all supporting materials (except test scores) in one packet addressed to:

Western Washington University-Graduate School
516 High Street, Old Main 530
Bellingham, WA 98225-9037
Phone: (360) 650-3170
Email: gradschl@wwu.edu
Website: http://www.wwu.edu/depts/gradschool/index.html

Admission to the Continuing and College Education program requires the candidate to fulfill the admission requirements of WWU’s Graduate School and demonstrate professional goals consistent with those of the program. The Graduate School provides the application forms online in Portable Document Format (.pdf). You need to have a copy of Adobe Acrobat Viewer in order to download or print the forms.  Application forms and requirements are:

• A completed application form and application fee
• Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university
• Minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 in the last 90 quarter or 60 semester credits of undergraduate and graduate study
• Two sets of official (sealed) transcripts from each previous institution attended
• Three current references - the reference form is available online through the Graduate School, or alternatively, letters of reference that address items on the reference form can be submitted
• Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test scores - current within the past 5 years - are due by the application deadline (applications cannot be reviewed until test scores are received).  No test scores are required if the applicant holds an advanced degree.  Refer to the Testing information below
• Current resume
• A 300 - 500 word Statement of Purpose - Describe your past experience working with adults as a volunteer or an employee, particularly in an education capacity; your understanding of and commitment to the field of continuing and college education, why you are interested in pursuing this particular degree, and how you see this degree program fitting with your career goals.
• Computer competence is expected.

For questions about the application process, refer to the WWU Graduate School website, email gradschl@cc.wwu.edu or call (360) 650-3170.

While a standardized exam score is a required part of the application materials, it usually provides a limited picture of the ability of applicants to do well in the Continuing and College Education program.  Other variables are more important, such as the applicant's goals, prior work or volunteer experiences, and  demonstration of continued lifelong learning. 

The Miller Analogies Test is usually preferred by adults who do not have recent experiences doing math.  According to the MAT information booklet, "The MAT is a high-level mental ability test requiring the solution of problems stated as analogies.  It consists of 100 partial analogies that are to be completed in 50 minutes."  For information on testing times and cost, contact the WWU Testing Center at (360) 650-3080 or http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~assess/mat.htm.  The test is also given at the University of Washington - (206) 543-1170.  If you are still anxious, contact a faculty advisor.

An alternative assessment is the Graduate Record Exam.  According to the GRE information bulletin, the general GRE "measures verbal, quantitative, and analytical skills that have been acquired over a long period of time and are not related to any specific field of study."  The test can be taken as either a paper-and-pencil test or a computer-based test.  For more information, refer to http://www.gre.com/ or phone (609) 771-7670. 
 

For graduate tuition, refer to the Graduate School website at:  http://www.wwu.edu/depts/gradschool/funding/tuition_and_fees.shtml. 

To apply for financial aid, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Forms are available WWU's Student Financial Resources office, and on the web.  To contact the Student Financial Resources office, call (360) 650-3470 or email Student Financial Resources.  For graduate scholarships available from the Woodring College of Education, refer to:  http://www.wce.wwu.edu/Resources/Scholarships/GradStudents.shtml.

For financial aid purposes, full-time graduate student enrollment is a minimum of 8 credits, half-time is 4 credits and 5-7 credits is three quarters time.  The majority of CCE students are part-time students because they are balancing work, family, and other life activities with their graduate school work. 

Western Washington University links for financial aid are as follows:

• WWU Department of Student Financial Resources
• FAFSA on the Web  
• Student Financial Resources Scholarship Center
• U.S. Department of Education's Student Financial Assistance Website