Graduate Admission Requirements | American Public University Skip Navigation Graduate Student Admissions Returning to school for an advanced degree is a smart investment in your future. Quality graduate education in an online, flexible format. Our online graduate programs are developed with input from industry advisors to bring you relevant curriculum in the most popular fields. Courses are taught online by dedicated professionals who bring real world experience and passion into the classroom. To learn more about doctoral admission requirements, please view our doctoral program pages. Admission Requirements for Master's Degrees, Graduate Certificates, and Graduate NanoCerts Bachelor’s degree (or higher) required from an institution whose accreditation is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) If you have a non-U.S. transcript, please view our international admissions page for more information. You will be asked to submit a legible color copy of your valid government-issued photo ID. Military students, except Air Force, can submit a government issued JST transcript. Master’s Degree Master’s degrees are a good choice if you want a more in-depth study of your undergraduate degree, or to pursue new academic study in another field. Average 36-47 credit hours Takes about 2 years to complete full time 7 years total time allowed to complete 15 max transfer credits accepted The following master's degree programs have additional admissions requirements: Accounting (M.S.) Cybersecurity Studies (M.S.) Educational Leadership (M.Ed.) Health Information Management (M.S.) Higher Education Administration (M.Ed.) Information Technology (M.S.) Nursing (MSN) Nursing RN to MSN Online Teaching (M.Ed.) Psychology (M.A.) Public Health (MPH) Sociology (M.A.) Student Affairs in Higher Education (M.Ed.) Teaching (M.Ed.) View All Master’s Degrees Graduate Certificate A certificate program provides a 6 to 8 course focus on a particular topic or set of issues. Average18-27 credit hours Takes about 1 year to complete full time 3 years total time allowed to complete 12 max transfer credits accepted, depending on length of certificate program The following certificate programs have additional admission requirements: Accounting Cybercrime Digital Forensics IT Project Management Information Assurance Information Systems Security K-12 Online Learning K-12 Reading and Differentiated Instruction K-12 Virtual School Administration View All Certificates Graduate NanoCert® A NanoCert program provides a 3-course focus on a particular topic or set of issues. View All NanoCerts Steps to Get Started Choose Your Program Select your desired academic program from our 200+ degrees and certificates. Use our program finder to compare programs or call us for help if you’re not sure which program is right for you. Program Finder Apply Online There is no fee to apply for undergraduate or master's-level programs .* Our online application takes just minutes to complete. *A $100 fee is required for all doctoral applications. Complete Admissions Requirements After you submit your admissions application, review the graduate degree-seeking or non-degree seeking admissions ecampus tutorial and relevant tuition checklists (i.e., financial aid ). An admissions representative will walk you through the follow-up steps you need to get started. Register for Courses Our classes start monthly, so you can begin soon after being admitted to the University. We're here to help. Call Us! 877-755-2787 Mon - Thurs:  8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Fri: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET Sat: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET Sun: Closed [email protected] Learn More About... Choosing a Major Here you’ll find 200+ programs to explore. Learning Online Get the flexibility your world demands. Transfer Credits Don’t leave your hard-earned credits behind. Paying for School We’re committed to making a quality education affordable. Next Steps Courses Start Monthly Next Courses Start May 4 Register by May 1 Apply Now Request Info Call: 877-755-2787 Chat: Live chat