Admissions

North Park University encourages the application of all qualified persons interested in the study of business and nonprofit management. Prior study in business or economics is not a requirement for admission.

The Admissions Committee places a high value on full-time work experience. Most of the students entering the North Park graduate programs have had professional experience that adds maturity, career awareness, and insight to a student’s potential for success. The Committee attempts to evaluate an applicant’s potential for graduate study based on the careful review of academic background, professional experience, military service, community service, personal achievements, standardized test scores, and personal interests.

Requirements for Admission for Non-degree Seeking Students

Professionals wishing to apply to the SBNM Certificate programs must submit a completed application, essay, current resume, and transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Non-degree seeking students may complete a maximum of 12 semester hours, at which point they must be accepted into a SBNM graduate degree program to enroll in further courses.

Requirements for Admission for International Students

International students wishing to apply to the SBNM must submit the following documents:

Completed application
A Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution
Current resume
Two letters of recommendation are required from individuals who can comment upon academic and/or professional work histories.
Official evaluation of transcripts if degree was completed at a university outside of the United States. Acceptable evaluation companies are: World Educational Services or Educational Credential Evaluators, One Earth Evaluations or Educational Perspectives.
Applicants whose undergraduate degree GPA is below a 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) may be granted provisional admission status. See criteria for provisional admission in the Provisional Admission section.
Short essay commenting on the student’s academic and professional goals and approach to promoting ethics within their organization. This essay is to be written by the applicant unassisted and will be assessed both with respect to content and communication skills. If communication skills are not up to graduate standards, a professional writing course will be required.

Minimum TOEFL score of 80 (iBT) or IELTS score of 6.5 is required

All international students are required to take an English proficiency test when they arrive on campus. The results of the test may impact course selection and scheduling.

Requirements for Admission for Graduate Degree Programs

Completed application
Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution
Official undergraduate or graduate transcripts
Current resume
Short essay commenting on the student’s academic and professional goals and approach to promoting ethics within their organization. This essay is to be written by the applicant unassisted and will be assessed both with respect to content and communication skills.
Two letters of recommendation from individuals who can comment upon academic and/or professional work histories.
Applicants whose undergraduate degree GPA is below a 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) may be granted provisional admission status. See criteria for provisional admission below.

Provisional Admission

Provisional admission may be granted by the Provisional Acceptance Committee no fewer than 10 days out from the start of the term with the possible additional requirements of:

Submission of an official Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMA) or Graduate Records Examination (GRE) score within the last five years
Interview
Additional criteria specified by the Dean of the School of Business and Nonprofit Management

Provisionally-accepted students are granted full admission as a degree-seeking student upon completing their first three SBNM graduate courses with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.

Provisionally-accepted students are limited to enrolling in one course per quad, and each course must be completed prior to beginning the subsequent course in the following quad or term.

Provisional candidates are strongly encouraged to take only one course per quad. Consideration will be given to two courses in one quad if both are face to face.