• Submission of a completed application
• $25 application fee
• Valid teaching certificate from the State of South Carolina or equivalent out-of-state certification.
• Current employment as a teacher such that the teacher’s classroom can serve as a “laboratory” for the completion of course requirements.
• Two recommendations from persons qualified to judge the applicant's moral character, professional expertise, and capacity for graduate-level work. One recommendation must be from School Administrator.
• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
• GPA of 3.0 on all undergraduate course work or on the final 60 hours of undergraduate course work. (If less than 3.0, student must have satisfactory scores on the GRE and/or approval of the Graduate Admissions Committee.)
• Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work
• Applicants for whom English is a second language, applicant must submit an official TOEFL score of at least 550 (paper test), 213 (computer test) or equivalent evidence of proficiency in English.

If you have any questions regarding admission requirements for your degree program, please contact an admissions representative at 877-644-5557 or .

In compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendment of 1972 and with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Southern Wesleyan University does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, sex, or physical handicap in any of its policies, practices, or procedures. The university reserves its right to operate as a church-related institution and to develop policies consistent with the religious tenets of its sponsoring denomination, The Wesleyan Church.

Additional information related to SWU’s non-discrimination policies include:

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Gender Non-Discrimination Policy (Title IX)

Southern Wesleyan does not advise students on what will or will not be accepted by the South Carolina Department of Education. Students are encouraged to contact SCDOE to ensure the degree offered by Southern Wesleyan University meets state requirements. Additionally, Southern Wesleyan cannot determine credentials for individuals desiring to teach at the collegiate level as this varies by accreditor and is based on each individual's collegiate credit history.

(For those students who hold a Georgia teacher certification, Georgia has implemented new guidelines for the pay upgrade for the Master degree. At this time, Southern Wesleyan University’s M. Ed. in Classroom Leadership will not lead to an upgrade. This is because our program major does not meet the in-field or new field upgrade requirement. Individuals that desire to complete advanced degree programs in the transitional fields of Curriculum and Instruction, Instructional Technology and Teacher Leadership must meet the new field upgrade criteria. Please access this PDF for more information.)