FAQs

Q: How do I get an application for the Liberal Studies program?

A: Visit the office of Graduate Admissions, room 2104 Morgan Hall, or call their office at (585) 395-5465. The Liberal Studies office at (585) 395-2262 will also be able to help you get a graduate application.

Q: May I take graduate courses before I’m accepted into the program?

A: Yes. Contact the Office of Graduate Admissions if you haven’t taken graduate classes at SUNY Brockport before. After submitting a form and required fee, you may register (on an availability basis) for elective courses that you wish to take.

Q: If I take graduate courses prior to acceptance into the Liberal Studies program, will they count toward the degree?

A: Maybe. The program requires a central theme or focus for the courses comprising each student’s individualized Plan of Study. This theme, and the particular courses that will actually be accepted for the Plan of Study, are determined through advisement as part of the matriculation process. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee that any particular course taken prior to matriculation will be accepted toward the program. In any case, the following restrictions apply:

No more than nine credits earned in non-degree status at SUNY Brockport may be accepted toward the Liberal Studies degree.
No more than 12 credits earned at other institutions may be accepted.
No more than 18 credits earned prior to matriculation (regardless of where earned) may be accepted.
Credits already earned cannot be applied toward the program if doing so would violate the rules of the program (e.g., restrictions on maximum allowable credits for independent study, “professional” courses, or in a single discipline).
Only courses in which a grade of “B” or better has been earned will be accepted.

Q: I wish to strengthen my application by taking some graduate courses prior to sending in my application. Are there particular courses I should take?

A: Courses designed exclusively for graduate students (600-level rather than 500-level courses at SUNY Brockport), and those that carry liberal arts credit (usually designated as “A” courses rather than “B” courses at Brockport) are likely to be better predictors of an applicant’s success in the Liberal Studies program; therefore, they are generally given more weight in the application review process.

Q: When are applications reviewed? When will I be notified about the status of my application?

A: Applications are reviewed three times each year. Application deadlines (for receipt of all application materials) are October 15, March 15, and June 15. Students will be notified about acceptance decisions by mail, approximately three weeks after the deadline for each review period.

Q: What are my chances for acceptance into the program?

A: Applicants must have at least a 3.0 undergraduate or graduate grade point average to be considered for admission. However, admission is competitive and meeting the minimal criteria for consideration by no means assures admission. As space permits, promising students may be given a “conditional” acceptance contingent on successful completion of specific requirements.

Q: In addition to one’s academic record, what other factors are important to the admission process?

A: All the required application material is carefully reviewed. Letters of recommendation, the quality of one’s Statement of Objectives, and the fit between the applicant’s educational objectives and the program’s philosophy all are important considerations. Availability of space in the program and of elective courses appropriate to the applicant’s proposed curricular focus are also critical factors in the review process, and may vary with different review periods.

Q: What should be included in my letters of recommendation?

A: It's essential that your letters of recommendation address your capacity to be successful at the graduate level of study. Your academic instructors from your undergraduate (or graduate) study may be able to make assessments in this regard. Other recommenders may be appropriate provided that the assessment criteria stated on the recommendation form are addressed.

Q: When will I be able to meet with an advisor regarding the program?

A: All students offered admission to the Liberal Studies program are assigned the program director as advisor, and meet with the director as part of the matriculation process.

For answers to other questions, call the Liberal Studies office at (585) 395-2262 or click to E-mail: cgiblin@brockport.edu.

For more information about the admissions process, visit the SUNY Brockport Graduate Admissions Web site.