General Information

Click on any of the following links for information:

• Hamline University campus map
• About Hamline
• Accreditation
• Graduate Programs at a Glance
• Admission Information
• Financial Aid and Scholarships

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Rigorous academics and innovative programs attract and challenge a diverse and talented student body in Hamline University’s undergraduate college, graduate schools, and law school. Guided by faculty who are leaders in their fields, Hamline’s more than 4,400 students experience an intimate environment of small classes and personal attention along with the opportunities of a comprehensive university.

Ranked first in Minnesota among comprehensive universities by U.S.News and World Report, Hamline is also Minnesota’s first university, founded in 1854. 

Hamline University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Associations of Colleges and Schools. The Commission is located at 30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, Illinois 60602-2504, and can be reached at 312-263-0456 or 800-621-7440.

Hamline University is also accredited by the:

• American Bar Association;
• Association of American Law Schools;
• American Chemical Society;
• University Senate of the United Methodist Church;
• Minnesota Department of Education/Board of Teaching; and
• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education

Hamline’s four schools may have additional accreditation in specialized areas. Please contact the dean’s office of each respective school for a complete listing.

College of Liberal Arts

Celebrating more than 25 years of rigorous, interdisciplinary study, the College of Liberal Arts’ graduate programs (formerly the Graduate School of Liberal Studies) have developed a national reputation in creative writing and liberal studies.

• Graduate degrees offered include the master of arts in liberal studies (MALS), the master of fine arts in writing (MFA), and the master of fine arts in writing for children and young adults (MFAC).
• The interdisciplinary master of arts in liberal studies (MALS) program offers students the opportunity to range freely among academic, artistic, spiritual, and professional issues and ideas.
• The Creative Writing Programs offer two MFA programs to choose from.
• The MFA program is Minnesota’s first graduate degree program in creative writing. It is distinguished by its interdisciplinary emphasis and its support of work in more than one genre.
• The low-residency MFA in writing for children and young adults is a full-immersion program boasting a five-to-one student to faculty ratio. The program brings students and distinguished faculty from across the country to campus twice a year for eleven days. Afterward, students work independently from home with a faculty advisor throughout the semester.
• 2010-11 enrollment: 250 degree-seeking students.

School of Business

Hamline’s School of Business offers master’s degrees in all three economic sectors of government, business, and nonprofit. In addition, students can earn a doctorate in public administration, dual degrees, and professional development certificates.

• Degrees offered: master of arts (MA) in public administration or nonprofit management; master of business administration (MBA); doctorate in public administration. Joint master’s and juris doctor degrees, as well as dual master’s degrees.
• The doctorate in public administration was the upper Midwest’s first such program.
• International student body provides a distinctive learning atmosphere in which cross-cultural, as well as cross-sector, exchanges occur.
• Concentrations in business include international management, conflict management, human resources, and finance.
• Continuing studies seminars and certificate programs focus on current and relevant subjects to professionals in businesses, government, and nonprofit organizations.
• 2010-2011 enrollment: 650 degree-seeking students.

School of Business
Admissions: 651-523-2900 or 1-800-753-9753
gradprog@hamline.edu

School of Education

For more than thirty years, Hamline’s School of Education has inspired, challenged and transformed educators to improve learning for all children. More than 10,000 students have grown professionally through Hamline’s quality educational coursework taught in a community of adult learners who value intellectual challenge and scholarship in an environment of mutual respect.

• Degrees offered: doctorate in education (EdD); master of arts (MA) in education; MA in education with an emphasis in natural science and environmental education; MA in English as a second language (ESL); and MA in teaching, which provides initial licensure for new teachers.
• Home to nationally recognized programs and centers, including second language teaching and learning, literacy, the Center for Global Environment Education, and the Center for Excellence in Urban Teaching.
• The school’s ESL program, the largest in Minnesota, is internationally recognized.
• Licensure (including principal, superintendent, and special education director), certificate, and continuing education programs serve more than 8,000 educators annually.
• 2010-2011 enrollment: 1,100 degree-seeking students.

School of Education
Admissions: 651-523-2900 or 1-800-753-9753
gradprog@hamline.edu

Office of Graduate Admission
1536 Hewitt Ave., MS-A1710
Saint Paul, MN 55104-1284
651-523-2900 or 800-753-9753

Admission information and applications can be found at www.hamline.edu/graduate.

Students wishing to enroll in degree program coursework must be either fully admitted to the degree program or admitted with conditional or special status. Students wishing to pursue an additional teaching license or an administrative license must apply for admission to the appropriate licensure program. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of individual programs. Admission requirements, application instructions, and deadlines are published in each program’s materials.

Admission decisions are made by each program’s admission committee. The admission committee will not review an application file until all required documents have been received. When a decision is made, the applicant will be notified by mail.

Upon admission, degree-seeking students will be asked to accept their admission and they will receive registration materials, financial policies and procedures, and instructions for accessing student information through Hamline University’s secure website, Piperline.

Conditional Status: Conditional admission may be granted, upon the approval of the program director or the admission committee, in those instances where the applicant has not submitted all the required materials to complete the application process. Students must submit all admission requirements prior to the completion of their first semester.

Provisional Status: Provisional admission is granted in situations where a student does not meet all academic standards but through the review of application materials demonstrates the ability to be successful in graduate studies. After completion of the first semester, program personnel will review to determine if the student has satisfied the requirements for full admission.

Special Status: Students who wish to take graduate courses for credit but do not wish to be degree candidates may be allowed to register on a space-available basis. To do so, students must apply for Special status. Application forms for Special status are available from the Office of Graduate Admission or on the program’s Website.

A Special student must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. Special students are expected to participate fully in all classes. Courses taken under Special status may later be applied toward degree requirements, provided that satisfactory grades are achieved. A student may take up to three courses under Special status. Special students are not considered degree seeking and are not eligible for financial aid.

Inactive Status: Students who have not enrolled in Hamline course work for one year from the term of their last registration will be placed on inactive status. Students who wish to have their record reactivated may do so by contacting the program in writing and requesting to be placed on active status. The period of inactivity will be counted as a part of the time frame to complete the program.

Reactivation, Readmission, Deferral: Students who have been admitted for a specific term may defer their admission to a following term by contacting their program office. Students who have been made inactive or who have withdrawn and wish to resume their graduate program must go through a review by program staff. Additional documentation for readmission may be requested by the program.

International Students Additional Requirements: Applicants with a degree from a non-U.S. institution must submit official or certified-true academic records along with a course by course credential evaluation from a NACES approved evaluator (www.naces.org). An explanation of the grading system should be submitted if it differs from the U.S. 4.0 system. Students are responsible to cover all fees of such evaluation as well as to make their own arrangements with the Credential Evaluation Company to send their documents to Hamline University directly.

A minimum TOEFL score of 550 (written exam) or 213 or above (computer-based exam) must be achieved and submitted to Hamline University directly from the Educational Testing Service The exception to this is the Master of Arts in ESL which requires a minimum TOEFL score of 600 (written). Visit www.ets.org/toefl for more information about the TOEFL exam.

An Affidavit of Support needs to be completed and signed by the person who will be paying for your expenses during your studies here at Hamline and in the United States. The person that signs the Affidavit of Support must also include his/her bank statements as a proof of the said funding.

Hamline University graduate students are generally not eligible for need based or institutional grants. However, graduate students may choose to apply for Federal Stafford Loans to help defray their education costs. To be eligible for Federal Stafford Loans, graduate students must maintain at least half-time status (four credits per semester). In addition to Federal Stafford Loans, some graduate students are eligible to borrow Federal Graduate PLUS loans and/or private alternative educational loans up to the cost of their education.

Hamline University’s graduate programs offer the following annual scholarships:

Another important source of financial aid for Hamline University graduate students comes from outside scholarships. These are scholarships that students procure on their own from resources outside of Hamline. Graduate students are encouraged to register at www.fastweb.com, a major national scholarship database/resource. In addition, graduate students should also regularly check the Hamline University scholarship list that is maintained by the Financial Aid Office. This list is available in paper format in the Student Administrative Services Office, and in electronic format on Hamline’s Financial Aid website at www.hamline.edu/outsidescholarships.