How to Apply: Graduate Admissions Requirements

M.A. in English

• Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation from academic professionals who have taught or supervised you and can attest to your academic capability.
• Applicants must submit a formal essay of at least 2,500 words on some aspect of American or English literature.

M.A. in Teaching (MAT)

• Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation from academic professionals who have taught or supervised you and can attest to your academic capability.
• MTEL Exam required for all applicants

Master of Fine Arts in Interactive Media (MFA)

• Applicants must submit a portfolio that includes examples of traditional and/or digital works of visual art or interactive media. Portfolio pieces may represent classroom assignments as well as independent projects. The portfolio should be purposeful, demonstrate originality of concept, visual literacy, and an understanding of current industry standard software.
• No letters of recommendation are required for MFA admission.

GRE/GMAT Scores: GRE/GMAT scores are required for all School of Management (SOM) programs. Students may qualify for a GRE/GMAT waiver if they meet at least one of the following criteria:  

1. You have earned an undergraduate GPA of at least a 3.0/4.0 (3.2/4.0 for MBA) 

1. You have a prior master’s degree in a related field 

1. You have at least 3 years of postgraduate work experience (2 years for the MS in Management) 

If you qualify for a GRE/GMAT waiver, the requirement will be automatically waived during the application review process. If you do not meet any of the above criteria for a GRE/GMAT waiver, you must submit GRE/GMAT scores for your application.  

Prerequisite Requirements: Some programs in the School of Management (SOM) have additional prerequisite requirements. These prerequisites must have been completed through an accredited undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate degree program. If you completed any prerequisites during your degree program, they will automatically be waived during the review process. If you did not complete them during your degree program, they must be completed prior to your first day of classes.  

To complete your prerequisites, you have several options:  

1. You can complete your prerequisites through Clark University. The School of Management offers prerequisite courses online throughout the academic year. The courses last 4-6 weeks. You must achieve a passing (C) grade in the prerequisite course to enroll in your respective program. Please contact gradadmissions@clarku.edu for more information.  

1. You can complete your prerequisites through an accredited university. Please submit a copy of your transcript showing completion of your prerequisites to gradadmissions@clarku.edu.  

1. You can complete your prerequisites through a Clark-approved online course (listed below). Once completed, please email your completions certificate to gradadmissions@clarku.edu. Please note that if you have multiple incomplete prerequisites, you may only take one online course; the others must be completed through Clark University or an accredited university.  

Programs with prerequisite courses are listed below. You may complete one of your prerequisite courses using the online links listed below:  

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

• Economics: https://www.udemy.com/course/the-market-forces-of-demand-supply-equilibrium/

M.S. in Business Analytics (MSBA)

• Statistics: https://www.udemy.com/course/statshelp/ 
• Programming: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/python-essential-training-18764650?u=72020170 OR https://www.udemy.com/course/python-programming-beginners/  

M.S. in Finance (MSF)

Traditional Finance concentration 

• Calculus: https://www.udemy.com/course/calculus1/  
• Economics: https://www.udemy.com/course/the-market-forces-of-demand-supply-equilibrium/  

• Statistics: https://www.udemy.com/course/statshelp/ 

Fintech concentration 

• Calculus: https://www.udemy.com/course/calculus1/  
• Economics: https://www.udemy.com/course/the-market-forces-of-demand-supply-equilibrium/  
• Programming: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/python-essential-training-18764650?u=72020170 OR https://www.udemy.com/course/python-programming-beginners/ 
• Statistics: https://www.udemy.com/course/statshelp/ 

M.S. in Management (MSM)

• Economics: https://www.udemy.com/course/the-market-forces-of-demand-supply-equilibrium/ 

International applicants must submit official test score results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Duolingo, or the Pearson Test of English (PTE-Academic). Applicants should check with the testing agency to ensure that their scores are still valid and that the agency will be able to send an official score report.

All master’s programs have the following requirements:

• TOEFL (ETS code 5969): 85 overall, sub-score minimum of 20, or
• TOEFL: ITP Plus Scores, or
• IELTS: 6.5 overall, sub-score minimum of 6, or
• PTE: 61 overall with no band below 55, or
• Duolingo: 120, sub-score minimum of 100, or
• Completion of ELS 112, or 
• Completion of EC English B2+ Pre-Advanced Level

EXCEPTIONS Students who are citizens of the following countries, or who have graduated from an accredited degree program at a university in these countries are exempt from the English language requirements:

Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada (except Quebec), Cayman Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guam, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Liberia, Lesotho, Malta, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Montserrat, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Rwanda, Scotland, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, St. Helen, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Kingdom, The U.S. Virgin Islands, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.

If you are not from an above-listed exempt country or do not meet the minimum English language requirements, you may be offered admission into the English for Academic Success Program or the Graduate Pathway Program before starting your graduate degree program. These programs have specific language requirements, noted here:

English for Academic Success

Students will be placed into the English for Academic Success program if scores meet or fall under the below mentioned scores. This program offers up to five levels of learning, each level taking one semester to complete, with some programs offering GPP for their final semester instead of level 5. The scores required for entering Level 4 can be found below. However, the American Language and Culture Institute may use a student’s speaking and writing samples found in application materials to place them in the level most appropriate to their ability.

EAS Level 4:

• TOEFL 65
• IELTS 5.5
• Duolingo 80 – 95

Scores that fall below the above-mentioned will be evaluated and the student could be placed into EAS levels 1, 2, or 3.

If ALCI is unable to determine your placement after reviewing your application materials, you will be required to take a Duolingo placement test, at cost to you ($65). It should be noted that speaking and writing samples will be taken into consideration in addition to your Duolingo numerical score. Taking the placement test may be done before submitting your application. If the Duolingo test is not part of your application and is required, an email will be sent to you with details about how to take the Duolingo test, including deadlines for submission.

Graduate Pathway Programs

• Applicants must meet the academic admission requirements to their chosen master’s program.
• English requirements for Graduate Pathway Programs: TOEFL 75, IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 95 – 120, ELS 110, and EC English B2 Upper-Intermediate Level. (This will be reviewed holistically and will take into consideration writing and speaking skills before a final decision is made.)

A fee of $75 must accompany the application for admission to the University. This fee is not refundable.

On a case-by-case basis, the application fee may be waived. We grant waivers for the following populations:

• Applicants from organizations partnered with Clark (e.g., AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, City Year, Fulbright, Teach for America, McNair Scholars, National Association of Black Accountants, among others)
• Clark alumni
• Current Clark employees

The GMAT/GRE are NOT required for application to master’s programs in the School of Professional Studies, the department of International Development, Community, and Environment (IDCE), or the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (MAT and M.A. English). GMAT/GRE scores may be required for certain scholarships.

For School of Management test waivers, please review the following criteria:

MBA: 3.2+ (or equivalent) GPA in bachelor’s degree, prior earned master’s degree in a related field, or 3+ years work experience

MSBA, MSF, MSMK, MSMKA, MSA, MSAA (STEM-designated programs): 3.0+ (or equivalent) GPA in bachelor’s degree, prior earned master’s degree in a related field, or 3+ years work experience

MSM (non-STEM designated program): 3.0+ (or equivalent) GPA in bachelor’s degree, prior earned master’s degree in a related field, or 2+ years work experience

Waiver Requests

Applicants do not need to complete a waiver request prior to application. If your application meets the waiver criteria, the test will be waived, and your application will move to committee. If your application does not meet the criteria, you will be notified, and your application will be placed on hold until your test score is received. Please note that Graduate Admissions has the final determination of waiver eligibility.

Unofficial transcripts can be uploaded for application review. Official final transcripts, including confirmation of earned degree, are required prior to enrollment, and can be sent via official electronic delivery service to gradadmissions@clarku.edu OR mailed directly from the institution to:

Clark University
Graduate Admissions
950 Main Street
Worcester, MA 01610 USA

All transcripts submitted must include an English translation in addition to the original document. Submissions that do not include the original language and its English translation will not be considered.

Deposits are non-refundable unless the student receives a rejection to their visa application in the term of their original application. All refund requests must be submitted by the end of the semester’s add/drop period. After that date, refunds will not be issued, and applicants must re-apply and re-deposit if interested in attending Clark in a future term.

Deposit refunds are not granted if a student chooses to defer their admission. All deposit refunds are at the discretion of the Office of Graduate Admission.

Admitted students may defer admission for up to one full year from their term of admission (i.e. Fall 2023 admitted students can defer to Spring or Fall 2024). Only students that have accepted an offer of admission are eligible to defer. Clark University does not require students to submit an enrollment deposit when accepting their offer of admission.

All deferral requests must be submitted by the end of the semester’s add/drop period. After that date, applicants will need to re-apply to their program of interest if interested in attending Clark in a future term.

Students may begin their studies at Clark by taking one or two courses as a non-matriculated student.  If you’re interested in taking a course, please contact gradadmissions@clarku.edu.