Graduate Admission Requirements | American Public University

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:

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:

View All Certificates

Graduate NanoCert®

A NanoCert program provides a 3-course focus on a particular topic or set of issues.

View All NanoCerts

Personally, my master's degree has meant a great deal to me. My biggest takeaway has been an understanding of entrepreneurship and the ability to take ownership of projects. That's been very helpful.

Aaron Brodniak

MA, Management

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.

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 coach will walk you through the follow-up steps you need to get started.