Catalog 2025-26

Application Requirements (Graduate)

Application Requirements (Graduate)

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

  • A master’s degree, in any major, from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • For Ed.D. plus Superintendent Credential:
    • Valid Washington State teaching, administrator, or ESA certificate
    • Three years of building or district level leadership experience
  • For Superintendent to Ed.D.:
    • Washington State Superintendent Certificate completed at a Professional Educator Standards Board approved superintendent program
      • Applicants who have completed superintendent credentials in other states may be able to transfer courses based on a course-by-course review
  • Online application
  • Application fee (non-refundable)
  • Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Résumé
  • Personal statement

Doctor of Nursing Practice

BSN to DNP

  • A Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher

MSN to DNP

  • Master of Science in Nursing degree from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher

Additional Requirements for both pathways

  • Current, unencumbered WA State RN License or Multistate License (MSL) from home state through Compact agreement
  • Prerequisite Course: Introductory Statistics (including inferential and descriptive) with a minimum grade of 3.0 (B)
  • Online application
  • Application fee (non-refundable)
  • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Résumé
  • Statement of professional goals

Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy

  • A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with
    • A major in Family Studies, Human Services, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, or the equivalent OR
    • A minimum of 15 semester hours (22.5 quarter hours) in Family Studies, Human Services, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, or the equivalent
  • Online application
  • Application fee (non-refundable)
  • Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Résumé
  • Personal statement
  • Interview, if invited
  • Official TOEFL, Duolingo, or IELTS score report (for international applicants only)

Master of Arts in Education: Teacher Certification (Residency), Alternative Routes to Certification (ARC), and Non-Certification

  • A bachelor’s degree, in any major, from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Online application
  • Application fee (non-refundable)
  • Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
  • Two letters of recommendation, one of which speaks to the applicant’s work with young people
  • Résumé
  • Personal Statement
  • Score reports on the WEST-B or equivalent
  • Interview, if invited
  • Post-admission requirements (if admitted):
    • A passing score (240) on the WEST-E and (220) on the NES (or equivalent)
    • Completion of all content coursework
  • Official TOEFL Duolingo, or IELTS score report (for international applicants only)

Master of Business Administration

  • A bachelor’s degree, in any major, from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Online application
  • Application fee (non-refundable)
  • Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
  • One letter of recommendation
  • Résumé
  • Personal statement of educational and professional goals
  • Official TOEFL, Duolingo, or IELTS score report (for international applicants only)

Master of Fine Arts - Low Residency Creative Writing

  • Online application
  • Application fee (non-refundable)
  • Personal statement
  • A creative writing sample
  • A 500-word literary critique
  • Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
  • Recommendations (optional)

Master of Science in Kinesiology

The Master of Science in Kinesiology program is on hiatus for the 2025-26 academic year.

  • A bachelor’s degree, in any major, from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Online application
  • Application fee (non-refundable)
  • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Résumé
  • Personal statement
  • Official TOEFL or IELTS score report (for international applicants only)

Master of Science in Marketing Analytics

The Master of Science in Marketing Analytics program is on hiatus for the 2025-26 academic year.

  • A bachelor’s degree, in any major, from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Online application
  • Application fee (non-refundable)
  • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • GRE or GMAT scores (Optional)
  • Résumé
  • Personal statement of professional goals and quantitative skills
  • Official TOEFL or IELTS score report (for international applicants only)

Master of Science in Nursing

Entry-Level MSN

  • A bachelor’s degree, in any major, from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Completion with a minimum grade of 3.0 (b) or better in each prerequisite course (see program website for requirements)

BSN to MSN

  • A Bachelor of Science in Nursing from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Current, unencumbered WA State RN License or Multistate License (MSL) from home state through Compact agreement
  • Completion of college-level statistics (both descriptive and inferential) with a 3.0 (B) or better on a 4.0 scale

Additional Requirements for both pathways

  • Online application
  • Application fee (non-refundable)
  • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Résumé
  • Statement of professional goals
  • Official TOEFL, Duolingo, or IELTS score report (for international applicants only)

Master of Social Work

Regular Standing

  • A bachelor’s degree, in any major, from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher

Advanced Standing

  • A bachelor’s degree in social work from a CSWE accredited program; CASWE-accredited baccalaureate social work degree (from the Canadian social work accreditor, recognized through an MOU with CSWE and CASWE); or an internationally earned ISWDRES-evaluated degree comparable to a baccalaureate social work
  • GPA in social work courses of 3.0 or higher and cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Applicants with a GPA below 3.0 may also be considered. Applicants with less than a 3.0 GPA are encouraged to provide additional information related to the context of their GPA in the application.

*Applicants who graduated from a CSWE-accredited BSW program within 7 years from the time of application to the MSW program may opt to waive the bridge course (SOCW 535) offered in the first summer of the program. Those who earned their BSW degree 8+ years upon the time of applying for the MSW degree, and who have not been working at least part-time in a social services-related field for every year since earning the BSW degree, must take the bridge course (SOCW 535) the first summer term. These applicants may also be asked to schedule an interview with program faculty members.

Additional Requirements for both pathways

  • Online application
  • Application fee (non-refundable)
  • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Résumé
  • Personal Statement

Transfer credits: With the approval of the M.S.W. director, a maximum of 9 graduate credits may be transferred from other universities. The courses must fulfill PLU M.S.W. course requirements and learning outcomes.

Post Graduate Nurse Practitioner Certificate

  • Current, unencumbered WA State RN license or WA Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (APRN) certification
  • For Family Nurse and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificates
    • For candidates with an APRN certification, a master’s degree or above from a nationally-accredited school of nursing
    • For candidates with a RN license, a doctoral degree in any field from a nationally-accredited school
  • For Emergency Nurse Practitioner certificate – the ENP certificate program is on hiatus for the 2025-26 academic year
    • Current, unencumbered WA State Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) license or eligible to obtain WA state licensure
    • A current Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) certification
    • Completion of prerequisites (see program website for requirements)
  • Online application
  • Application fee (non-refundable)
  • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Résumé
  • Statement of professional goals

All records become part of the applicant’s official file and can be neither returned nor duplicated for any purpose.

An offer of admission is good for one term in all graduate programs. Admitted students who have not enrolled in any coursework for the admitted term must reapply for another term or request permission for deferral. Approval for deferral is subject to the discretion of each program.