Graduate Studies

Graduate Studies

If you are interested in higher education at Northwestern, we offer master’s degree programs in Education, Counseling Psychology, General Psychology, American Studies, and Heritage Tourism and Conservation, Business Administration, one doctorate program in Nursing Practice (BSN-to-DNP online), and a Thesis Option.

Graduate Studies Information

Step One:  Application for Admission Or Application for Readmission – (only if you are currently not enrolled or have sat out more than one semester excluding summer)

Step Two: Send in official transcripts (for new or transfer students)

  •  All official E-Transcripts must be submitted by the issuing institution to Sheri Lahr at sklahr@nwosu.edu or Teri Warren at tlwarren@nwosu.edu to be considered official
  • Mail official transcripts to NWOSU-Registrar 709 Oklahoma Blvd. Alva, OK 73717


Step Three:  Complete the Immunization form

For International Students, please visit the International Students page for additional requirements. 

Step Four:  Complete the Application for Specific Program of Study


Required documents needed for the application process will include the following:

  • Unofficial transcripts
  • Any current teaching certificate or letter from the Department of Education you may hold (for Master of Education students only, exempt Adult Ed students)
  • Statement of aspiration and self-evaluation (Master of General Psychology and Master of Counseling Psychology students only)
  • Sample of scholarly written work (Master of General Psychology and Master of Counseling Psychology students only)
  • Three letters of recommendation (Master of General Psychology and Master of Counseling Psychology students only)
    • Master of Psychology Reference Form for Master of Psychology applicants
      • NOTE: Submission of three (3) letters of recommendation attesting to academic ability, professional competency, and personal character is required.  Individuals providing a recommendation must complete the online Reference Form wherein they will upload your letter of recommendation.  It is your responsibility to ensure that your recommenders receive the Reference Form link and submit the Reference Form by the application deadline.

Admission Requirements

Degree-seeking students must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and must meet one of the following standards for unconditional admission:

  • A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale or
  • A 3.0 GPA in the last 60 hours of course work or
  • A score that places the individual at the 25th percentile on two of the three areas (verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing) of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)


Master of Counseling Psychology (MCP) degree applicants also must have:

  • 18 credit hours in psychology
  • Undergraduate or graduate statistics course (C or better)
  • Undergraduate or graduate research course (C or better)


All students applying for admission to the graduate program will receive a letter of acceptance or non-acceptance from the Office of Graduate Studies once an approval decision has been made. Those who have been approved will be notified if they have been admitted conditionally or unconditionally. Students applying for the MCP program also will receive an acceptance or non-acceptance letter from the Psychology Department.

Students who already hold a master’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education will be admitted unconditionally upon providing an official copy of a transcript stating the degree.

Degree-seeking students who are not eligible for unconditional admission based on the above criteria may seek conditional admission if they meet minimum conditional admission criteria, including a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.3 on a 4.0 scale, or a GPA of 2.5 in the last 60 hours attempted. Additional prerequisite course work may be required of conditional admission students. Students admitted conditionally are ineligible for Federal Financial Aid.

Students who are taking courses for personal or professional enhancement rather than seeking a degree must hold a baccalaureate degree and meet minimum conditional admission criteria, including a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.3 on a 4.0 scale, or a GPA of 2.5 in the last 60 hours attempted.

Admission Requirements

  1. Application and acceptance to Northwestern Oklahoma State University at Application for Admission (A separate application to Graduate Studies is not required for our doctoral program.)
  2. Baccalaureate degree with a major in nursing from an ACEN (NLNAC), CCNE, or CNEA accredited program
  3. Grades and/or Grade Point Average info:
    • The applicant must have earned a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.75 out of a possible 4.00 for college/university work.
    • An overall grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is necessary for the last 60 hours for the courses required for the undergraduate nursing degree (BSN).
    • Application may be made for conditional admission by students having an overall undergraduate GPA of at least a 2.50 with five years having passed since the date of completion of the BSN degree.
    • Completion of an undergraduate or graduate course in descriptive and inferential statistics with a grade of “C” or better.
  4. Completed DNP Application with written essay and current Curriculum Vitae
  5. Three Reference Forms using DNP Applicant Reference Forms
  6. Current unrestricted license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Oklahoma.
    • Out-of-state students must provide proof of unrestricted licensure to practice in their resident state as a registered nurse.
  7. Students with a native language other than English must submit evidence of English language proficiency. Evidence may include:
    • Completing a four-year bachelor’s degree in Nursing from a U.S. institution
      • Meeting the English language requirements of an official TOEFL score
      • The TOEFL must have been taken within the last two (2) years.
    • 520 for paper-based test, 190 for computer-based test, 68 for an internet-based test)
    • Meeting the English language requirements of an official IELTS score
      • 6.5 or higher is required
  8. A phone, video, or in-person admission interview may be required. Applicant will be notified by the Admissions Committee.


Applicants will be notified of the Admission Committee’s decision regarding their respective applications prior to the end of the spring semester. The number of applicants accepted will be dependent on the number of qualified applicants, the availability of faculty, and clinical sites.

BSN-to-DNP Program Additional Information

  • Master of Arts in American Studies degree option geared toward social sciences and humanities
  • Master of Business Administration online degree program available in management or health care can be completed in as little as 12 months
  • Master of Counseling Psychology can lead to Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC)
  • Master of Education degree offers several certificate options within the program
  • Doctor of Nursing Practice program is nationally accredited, one of four DNP programs available in Oklahoma
  • Non-Oklahoma residents are eligible to receive the GO OK! tuition waiver for a portion of out-of-state costs

Please note that original signatures of the student and the members of the advisory committee are required prior to submitting the plan of study to the Graduate Office.

No hand-written forms will be accepted by the Office of Graduate Studies.

If you have questions, please contact the Graduate Office at (580) 327-8410 or send an email request to gradstudies@nwosu.edu.

 

Summary of Procedures for Graduate Students

 

 

General Forms

 

Graduate Advisory Committee Selection Forms
Students complete the form, requires original signatures of student and committee members

 

 

Master of Education  Disposition Forms (Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Leadership, Reading Specialist, School Counseling and Superintendent Certificate only) 

Due concurrently with Milestone 1, 2, and 3 portfolio assessments- can be found in ALCA in your candidate file. 

The graduate candidate chooses a faculty member from their current schedule to complete the disposition evaluations. If the current faculty members have previously completed a disposition evaluation on the candidate, then the graduate candidate may go back one (1) semester to ask a different faculty member. 

The first disposition evaluation is a self-evaluation by the candidate during EDUC 5010 Graduate Seminar for Milestone 1.

The second disposition evaluation are completed by a faculty member of the graduate candidate’s choice.  After completing the disposition assessment, the faculty member will submit it electronically. The second disposition evaluations coincide with Milestone 2. 

The third disposition evaluation is completed by:

Educational Leadership – Mentor – Request link from Graduate Office

Reading Specialist – Mentor – Request link from Graduate Office

School Counseling – Mentor – Request link from Graduate Office

Curriculum and Instruction –A faculty member of the graduate candidate’s choice

The third disposition evaluation will be part of Milestone 3.

Additional Disposition Evaluations may occur at any time during a graduate candidate’s education program and are kept in by the Chair of the Education Department.

  • NOTE: Only ONE copy is required, but it must have original signatures of advisory committee members.

  • The forms are fillable PDFs and require Adobe’s Acrobat Reader, available free from Adobe.com. The University website, plus fillable PDFs work best using Google Chrome.

  • No hand-written Plan of Study forms will be accepted by the Office of Graduate Studies.

  • If you have questions, please contact the Graduate Office at (580) 327-8410 or send an email request to gradstudies@nwosu.edu.

  • You need to SAVE the fillable PDF before filling it out. PRINT, SIGN, and DATE a copy and gather the signatures of the advisory committee, then forward the completed form to the Office of Graduate Studies.

  • How to Download and Use an Editable PDF File for Graduate Studies (PDF)

Plans of Study

Master of Arts

Master of Business Administration

Master of Psychology

Master of Education

Alternative Pathway Certification

Comprehensive Exam

Each master’s degree student must pass a comprehensive examination at the conclusion of his or her graduate program in order to receive the appropriate master’s degree.

Master of Arts in American Studies Candidates are required to pass a multi-question essay exam about the core and elective courses that each candidate has taken. Specific questions will be composed by members of the candidate’s graduate advisory committee in consultation with the candidate. The exams will then be graded by committee members with a consensus vote of pass/fail. Approximately one month after the exam, candidates will orally defend their answers at a mutually-agreed-upon date and time with their graduate advisory committees.

Master of Counseling Psychology Candidates are required to pass a multi-question essay exam. The exam is pass/fail, graded with a consensus vote of the advisory committee and/or the psychology department faculty. Candidates must also orally defend their exam answers at a later scheduled date after the exam was taken.

Master of Education candidates must develop and defend an Action Research Project according to guidelines developed by the Division of Education and approved for the graduate program by the Graduate Committee.

Details about the M.A. in American Studies exam, the M.C.P. exam, and the M.Ed. Action Research Project defense can be found in Section 3, pages 13 in the Graduate Catalog.

Graduate Advisory Committee Membership Grid

Revised June 27, 2024

PDF Grid

M.A. in American Studies

Chair:
S. Holliday, A.
Mason, D.
Scarborough, E.
Schmaltz

Members:
T. Brown, S. Frye, S. Holliday, R. James, M. Jordan, A. Mason, J. Pittman, K. Rogers, D. Scarborough, E. Schmaltz

M.A. in Heritage Tourism & Conservation

Chair:
S. Holliday

Members:
T. Brown, J. Pittman, K. Rogers, D. Scarborough

Master of Business Administration

Chair:
G. Lahr (Management)
L. Collins (HCA)

Members:
B. Evans, J. Stockmeyer, R. Brown, T. Allen, W. Zhou

Master of Counseling Psychology

Chair:
T. Randolph, B. Lancaster
W. McMillin (Enid students only)

Members:
W. McMillin, T. Randolph, B. Lancaster

Master of Science in General Psychology

Chair:
T. Randolph, B. Lancaster
W. McMillin (Enid students only)

Members:
W. McMillin, T. Randolph, B. Lancaster

M.Ed., Adult Education Management and Administration

Chair:
S. Mackie

Members:

  1. M. Young
  2. Choose one member from the graduate faculty in the discipline (or)

For Sports Administration pathway:

S. Hansen

M.Ed., Curriculum & Instruction

Chair:
J. Oswald

Members:
M. Braten-Hall, S. Foster, C. Riley, P. Buckhaults, R. Kiser

M.Ed., Educational Leadership

Chair:
J. Oswald, C. Riley (Alva only)
M. Braten-Hall (Enid/Ponca only)
R. Kiser

Members:
M. Braten-Hall, J. Oswald, C. Riley, D. Trabuc, W. Stovall, R. Kiser

M.Ed., School Counseling

Chair:
C. Riley

Members:
S. Foster, B. Lancaster

M.Ed., Reading Specialist

Chair:
J. Oswald

Members:
M. Braten-Hall, S. Foster, D. Trabuc, W. Stovall

Action Research Project- Plan of Improvement Form

Nomination for Graduate Faculty

Oral Defense Form

Proposal for Graduate Course

Information Request Form

Learn More

Graduate Catalog

Learn More

Graduate Program Costs

Learn More

ALCA

Learn More

Student Services

Learn More

Graduate Studies Contacts

Shawn Holliday, Ph.D.

Shawn Holliday, Ph.D.
Associate Dean of Graduate Studies

Ryerson Hall, Office 212 
(580) 327-8589
spholliday@nwosu.edu​ 

Melissa Brown,Ed.D.

Melissa Brown,Ed.D. 
Graduate Studies Enrollment and Retention Coordinator
Ryerson Hall, Office 212
(580) 327-8410
mbrown@nwosu.edu

Please contact Dr. Brown with questions concerning applying to graduate school, enrolling in courses, etc.

Affirmative Action Compliance Statement

This institution, in compliance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, and other applicable federal laws and regulations, and to the extent required by law, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices, or procedures. This includes, but is not limited to, admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services. Inquiries concerning the application of these programs should be made to Calleb Mosburg, Vice President for Student Services and Enrollment Management, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, 709 Oklahoma Boulevard, Alva, OK 73717, (580) 327-8415.