Navigating Master’s Degree Requirements

1. Choose Your Focus: Selecting a Master’s Degree Field of Study

When it comes to choosing a master’s degree field of study, there are at least two initial questions to consider. First, what academic field aligns with your educational goals? There may be more than one. For example, health services managers commonly hold a degree in health administration, health information management, nursing or business.³ (The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook, which provides information on many different occupations, is one resource you could use to help answer this question.) Second, can you satisfy the prerequisites/meet the qualifications for that master’s degree program? And, if the answer to the second question is no, then you will need to ask a third: are you able to satisfy these prerequisites/meet the qualifications another way, for example, by taking additional courses at the start of the program to help bring you up to speed?

2. Research Master’s Degree Admission Requirements

Applying to a master’s degree program is generally a multi-step process. Because every institution sets its own master’s degree admissions requirements, these steps can vary widely, both in type and number. Qualifications for a master’s degree program may include the following (this list is not exhaustive):

• Bachelor’s degree: Holding a bachelor’s degree is a universal prerequisite for graduate school, i.e., there is no way around it—you need a bachelor’s to pursue a master’s. Additionally, some master’s degree programs may require that you hold a bachelor’s degree in the same field of study as the master’s degree program you are applying to.
• Minimum undergraduate GPA: While all graduate schools have a minimum undergraduate GPA requirement for prospective students, there is no universal standard. Some graduate schools require a 3.0 undergraduate GPA for eligibility, while others set a higher or lower threshold.
• Standardized test scores: Examples of common graduate entrance exams are the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), Graduate Record Examination (GRE), Medical College Admission Test^® (MCAT) and Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Submission of standardized test scores may or may not be required.
• Updated resume: A resume provides an overview of your academic history, work history and volunteer activities. Submission of a resume may or may not be required.
• Essay(s): Essays are an opportunity to showcase your writing ability and to tell the admissions team more about you. Essay questions may ask you to describe something specific, or they may be open-ended. These may or may not be required.
• References/recommendations: These are typically provided by former instructors, managers or colleagues and highlight your academic or professional accomplishments or readiness. These may or may not be required.
• Admission interview(s): Admission interviews are an opportunity for you to discuss your background and why you are interested in and think you are a good fit for the program you are applying to. These may or may not be required.
• Application fee: This is what it sounds like—a fee that is paid at the time the application is submitted. An application fee may or may not be required.
• FAFSA: Graduate school applicants must complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to see if they qualify for federal financial aid assistance, including loans, grants and scholarships.

Admissions Requirements for AIU Master’s Degree Programs

AIU’s graduate admissions process is designed to be simple:

1. Complete the admissions application online (there is no application fee).
2. Submit an official undergraduate transcript verifying an earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
3. You may be required to provide additional documentation (resume, certifications, etc.) and/or complete an informational admissions interview.
4. Non-native speakers of English must provide proof of English proficiency (e.g., TOEFL or other English proficiency assessment) prior to admission.

Additional Prerequisite for Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Healthcare Management (MHCM) Degree Programs: Prospective master’s degree students in the School of Business who do not hold an undergraduate degree in business must complete a Management Competency Assessment and achieve a score of 70 percent or higher before starting courses. The Management Competency Assessment is offered free of charge, and it may be waived if the prospective student can submit proof of a GMAT score of 500 or higher.

Additional Prerequisites for Master of Education (MEd)—Leadership of PreK-12 Educational Organizations Degree Program: Prospective candidates in this program meet AIU’s general graduate school admissions requirements as well as the following criteria:

1. Hold a teaching certificate that is current at the time of enrollment.
2. Have at least three years of teaching experience.
3. Hold current employment with an Arizona PreK-12 educational institution that has signed (or will agree to sign) a practicum partnership agreement with the University.
4. Have identified a supervising practitioner with an Arizona Administrative Certification and a current classification of highly effective or effective pursuant to ARS §§ 15-341(A)(41), 15-189.06.

Additional Master of Education (MEd) prerequisites specific to the Leadership of PreK-12 Educational Organizations specialization can be found in the University Catalog.

3. Understand Master’s Degree Course Requirements

Before committing to any master’s degree program, you should make sure you know what you are getting into. That’s why, at the same time you are researching admission requirements, you should also be researching course and credit requirements for the master’s degree program. You need to be able to answer questions like: How many total credits is the master’s degree program? How many credits is each course worth? You should also investigate whether you are eligible to receive transfer credit for courses that you successfully completed at another accredited post-secondary institution. Transferring-in credit is a way to potentially save both time and money.

Furthermore, you’ll also want to know about any additional graduation requirements for the master’s degree program. For example, does the program require you to submit a master’s thesis or complete a capstone project? Is there a practicum hours requirement? If it is an online master’s degree program, are there any in-person requirements?

4. Understand Tuition, Fees and Financial Aid Options

Finally, make sure that you have a thorough understanding of the master’s degree program’s requirements regarding tuition, fees, and payment. Filling out the FAFSA (discussed above) is the first step toward determining what types of financial aid you may be eligible for, including federal loans, state loans, institutional scholarships and grants, and private loans.

It’s also important to investigate whether you might qualify for prior learning credit or military tuition assistance. Benefits such as these could help to lower your overall graduate degree program costs.

Finding the Right Master’s Program for You

Applying to any master’s degree program is a multi-step process. Before you even get to filling out the application, you have to decide which field of degree you want to pursue (e.g., business administration, information technology, education, healthcare management), understand the admission requirements for the master’s degree program, familiarize yourself with its graduation requirements (e.g., total master’s program credit hours required, completion of a practicum, submission of a thesis) and decide how you are going to finance the whole thing. It can feel like a lot. But you don’t have to do it alone.

AIU admissions advisors are here to help. They can speak with you about your educational goals and interests, guide you through the admissions process, provide you with information on our various degree programs, suggest next steps and more. Request more info today.

¹ Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment Projections Program, “Earnings and Unemployment Rates by Educational Attainment, 2023,” https://www.bls.gov/emp/chart-unemployment-earnings-education.htm (last visited March 26, 2025).
² Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment Projections Program, “Table 5.2 Employment, Wages, and Projected Change in Employment by Typical Entry-Level Education” https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/education-summary.htm (last visited March 26, 2025).
³ Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, “Medical and Health Services Managers,” https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm (last visited March 26, 2025).

AIU cannot guarantee employment, salary, or career advancement. Not all programs are available to residents of all states. REQ2120887 3/2025