About Graduate School

We have affordable and convenient online options as well as traditional on-campus classes.

The university-wide FSU Graduate Council provides oversight to all graduate programs at the university, and the Graduate School provides support to all graduate programs at the university. The Broadwell College of Business and Economics, College of Education, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Lloyd College of Health, Science, and Technology are responsible for the graduate programs within the college. The graduate faculty, program coordinators/directors, department chairs, assistant/associate deans, and the dean of each college are directly responsible to ensure that each degree program is of the highest quality. Each college has a Graduate Programs Committee.

Graduate Programs and Contacts

Fayetteville State University offers nine master’s degree programs, a doctoral degree program in Educational Leadership, and a Master of School Administration Add-on Licensure program. Students must complete an online application from the university website to request admission to a degree or add-on licensure program.

Business Administation (MBA)

FSU's distance education Master of Business Administration (MBA) program offers a flexible, affordable way for busy professionals to pursue their academic goals. The priority deadline for completing an online application for admission is ten days prior to the first day of classes in any given semester. For additional information, please consult the MBA FAQ, explore the MBA program options, and contact the MBA program.

MBA Program Options

MBA Program Contacts

Criminal Justice (MS)

The Master of Science (MS) in Criminal Justice degree is designed to produce graduates who have the research skills and theoretical knowledge to obtain professional, managerial and research positions in a variety of justice-related fields and/or to pursue doctoral degrees in criminal justice or criminology. To ensure an admission decision prior to the desired semester of entry, applicants must submit all application materials online by the April 15 priority deadline for the fall semester and the October 15 priority deadline for the spring semester. For additional information, please contact the MS in Criminal Justice program.

Education (MEd)

FSU's Master of Education (MEd) programs focus on the needs and subject areas of today's students. The Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle Grades, Reading, and Special Education Department's MEd programs provide candidates with in-depth knowledge to plan appropriate programs for students. The Health, Physical, and Secondary Education Department's MEd programs prepare graduates to teach grades nine through twelve. To ensure an admission decision prior to the desired semester/term of entry, applicants must submit all application materials online by the June 30 priority deadline for the fall, November 30 priority deadline for the spring, and April 30 priority deadline for the summer. For additional information, please contact the Office of Teacher Education or relevant graduate program coordinator. 

Office of Teacher Education Director: Dr. Jenny Washington, (910) 672-1587, jwashington@uncfsu.edu

Office of Teacher Education Administrative Assistant: Mrs. Shantirio Crankfield, (910) 672-1266, scrankfield@uncfsu.edu

Educational Leadership (EDD)

The Department of Educational Leadership and School Administration at FSU offers an EdD in Educational Leadership and provides programs designed to prepare PK-12 school and higher education administrators as facilitators of learning for all students. The Educational Leadership program is focused on transformative leadership and will prepare you to address some of the most pressing challenges in PK-12 and Higher Education. The EdD program admits a cohort of students annually for the fall semester. To ensure an admission decision prior to the desired semester of entry, applicants must submit all application materials online by the April 1 priority deadline. For additional information, please contact the EdD program.

Nursing (MSN)

The online Master of Science in Nursing: Patient Safety and Quality degree (MSN) will give you an in depth understanding of the current issues impacting healthcare, principles of patient safety, types of healthcare errors and the associated impacts on patient outcomes. Applications for the MSN program are accepted on a rolling basis (no set due dates) for the fall and spring semesters. Applicants will be notified of the admission decision promptly after completion of the online application. For additional information, please contact the MSN program.

Psychology (MA)

The Department of Psychology offers an online graduate program in general psychology leading to the Master of Arts (MA) degree in Psychology. The MA in Psychology program admits students for the fall and spring semesters. To ensure an admission decision prior to the desired semester of entry, applicants must submit all application materials online by the March 15 priority deadline for the fall semester and the October 15 priority deadline for the spring semester. For additional information, please contact the MA in Psychology program.

School Administration (MSA)

The Department of Educational Leadership and School Administration at FSU offers an advanced degree in the Master of School Administration (MSA). The program is designed to prepare PK-12 school and district level executives as facilitators of learning for all students. The cohort based, multimodal MSA program begins each fall. In addition to the MSA degree, FSU offers an MSA Add-on Licensure program that is designed to prepare a select group of experienced educators for positions of school executive leadership in K-12 settings. To ensure an admission decision prior to the desired semester of entry, applicants must submit all application materials online by the April 1 priority deadline. For additional information, please contact the MSA program.

Social Work (MSW)

    The Master of Social Work Program (MSW) prepares students for advanced social work practice and leadership with a focus on issues concerning children, families, the military, mental health and substance abuse. Advanced standing, full-time, and part-time Children and Family Services and Mental Health Concentrations are available. To ensure an admission decision prior to the desired semester of entry, advanced standing applicants must submit all application materials online by the February 28 priority deadline, and full-time and part-time applicants must submit all application materials online by the March 31 priority deadline. For additional information, please contact the MSW program.

    Sociology (MA)

    The online Master of Arts (MA) in Sociology provides a solid foundation for flexible career development. The MA in Sociology program admits students for the fall and spring semesters. To ensure an admission decision prior to the desired semester of entry, applicants must submit all application materials online by April 30th for fall semester and November 30th for spring semester. For additional information, please contact the MA in Sociology program.

    Teaching (MAT)

    FSU offers Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) programs with multiple speciality area options. Candidates in the Department of Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle Grades, Reading, and Special Education’s MAT programs and in the Department of Health, Physical, and Secondary Education's MAT programs are trained to become professionals who are competent to meet the content knowledge needs of students. To ensure an admission decision prior to the desired semester/term of entry, applicants must submit all application materials online by the June 30 priority deadline for the fall, the November 30 priority deadline for the spring, and the April 30 priority deadline for the summer. For additional information, please contact the Office of Teacher Education or relevant graduate program coordinator.

    Office of Teacher Education Director: Dr. Jenny Washington, (910) 672-1587, jwashington@uncfsu.edu

    Office of Teacher Education Administrative Assistant: Mrs. Shantirio Crankfield, (910) 672-1266, scrankfield@uncfsu.edu

    Graduate Certificates

    FSU offers more than twenty graduate certificate programs. A student wishing only to apply to a certificate program must complete an online application from the university website to request admission to a specific certificate program. A degree-seeking student wishing to add a certificate program to a master’s degree program must submit the Adding Certificate to Master’s Degree Form. An involuntarily or a voluntarily discontinued master’s degree student wishing to change from a master’s degree program to a certificate program must submit the Master’s Degree to Certificate Change Form (Involuntary Discontinued/Voluntary Discontinued).

    Data and Materials Science Graduate Certificates
    Education Graduate Certificates
    Humanities and Social Sciences Graduate Certificates
    Professional Studies in Business Graduate Certificates

    Professional Studies in Business Graduate Certificates: Mrs. Berrak Walters, (910) 672-1218, kwalter3@uncfsu.edu

    Professional Development And Special Visiting Students

    FSU welcomes professional development and special visiting students. Professional development status is reserved for an applicant who is not applying to earn a degree from FSU but desires to enroll in undergraduate and/or graduate courses for his/her own personal and professional development. A graduate special visiting student is defined as a graduate level student who attends another accepted accredited college or university and desires to take a course at FSU to transfer back to their home institution.

    Professional Development And Special Visiting Students

    The Office for Adult Learners, Transfer, and Military Students advises graduate professional development and special visiting students. For additional information, please contact the office’s executive director or program coordinator.