Special Admissions Categories

Undergraduate Students Enrolling in Graduate Courses:

A student of junior or senior status (as defined by the students program of study) completing the requirements for the Bachelor's Degree may take up to 9 credit hours of graduate credit provided:

1. The student’s record gives indication that the student could achieve Full Standing (3.0 GPA) at the conclusion of the undergraduate program and

2. The student’s advisor, graduate course instructor(s), chairperson of the department(s), and Associate Dean of the College of Graduate Studies approve the student’s request.

3. A senior student within 18 hours of finishing their undergraduate degree program who does not meet the Full Standing criteria may take up to 9 hours of graduate level courses. Credit earned in this manner may be used for either undergraduate or graduate credit but not both.

Undergraduate Fast Track Programs

The Fast Track program is designed to enable Tennessee Tech undergraduate students to accumulate up to six (6) credit hours of graduate coursework, to satisfy both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements, while still pursuing their undergraduate degree. All courses must be taken at Tennessee Tech. The department of the student’s major must approve the courses as appropriate substitutions in the undergraduate curriculum. A student meeting the minimum Fast Track requirements as defined by the department, must apply for admission to the Fast Track program department in which the Fast Track program is offered. To transfer Fast Track credits into a graduate degree program, the student shall apply for admission and be admitted to the College of Graduate Studies. A grade of B or better must be earned to transfer graduate credit. Fast Track coursework will be applied to the graduate degree program after graduation admission and graduate enrollment has taken place.

Admission of Transfer Students

An applicant for admission who earned graduate credit at another college or university may be considered for admission to the College of Graduate Studies on a transfer basis consistent with Tennessee Tech Policy 283 General Graduate Transfer Credit Requirements.

A transfer applicant shall be in good standing at the institution previously attended. The coursework transferred or accepted for credit toward a graduate degree must have a minimum grade of “B” in each course. Tennessee Tech will exclude grades earned in transferred courses in the calculation of grade point averages.

For all graduate degree programs, the department will determine, in its sole discretion, the number of Transfer Credits it will accept, provided the department’s decision is in compliance with SACSCOC Accreditation Principle 9.5 (at least one-third of the credit hours required for a graduate degree or a post-baccalaureate professional degree are earned through instruction offered by the degree granting institution) and any other applicable accreditation requirements.

Admission of Non-degree Graduate Students

Admission to some graduate courses is available to persons who do not seek a graduate degree. Each applicant must submit to the College of Graduate Studies an application, application fee (if applicable), and transcripts reflecting the completion of a bachelor’s degree with an overall GPA of 2.5. Official transcripts are required for any graduate coursework completed at another institution.

Admission is approved by individual departments, divisions, or their representatives. International students on an F1 visa are not eligible for admission as non-degree students.