The majors below have special admissions requirements beyond the IUP university application.
We encourage you to apply to any major you have an interest in. If you don’t meet specific program requirements listed here, you may still be eligible for university admission into a different program and will be given the opportunity to choose a different major to be considered for, without submitting a new application. All SAT minimums indicated here are based on a combined score of the critical reading and math sections only (IUP doesn’t use the writing section for admission purposes). All GPA requirements are cumulative.
Transfer student? See Special Admission Requirements for Transfer Students.
Due to the structured nature of the programs and the requirements set by the Pennsylvania Department of Education for teacher certification, students applying to the following majors must meet minimum requirements {900 SAT (450 CR & 430 M minimums) or 17 ACT, 3.0 GPA} to ensure full consideration:
- Business Education
- Early Childhood Education/Reading Specialist Certification
- Early Childhood (PreK-Grade 4)/Special Education (K-Grade 8)
- Early Childhood (PreK-Grade 4)/Special Education (K-Grade 8)/Urban
- Middle-Level Education (Grades 4-8)/English and Language Arts
- Middle-Level Education (Grades 4-8)/Mathematics
- Middle-Level Education (Grades 4-8)/Science
- Middle-Level Education (Grades 4-8)/Social Science
- Special Education BSED, PreK-12
Some freshman applicants who are close to meeting requirements may be reviewed by the College of Education and Communications in order to be considered for admission to one of the majors above. Learn more about education majors on the Education website. These admission restrictions do not apply to secondary education majors for freshmen, but do apply for transfer students.
- Studio Art
- Art Education
- Interdisciplinary Fine Arts/Dance Arts
- Music (all tracks)
- Theater
- Theater/Musical Theater
Students who intend to major in the fine arts are required to submit a portfolio (art/theatre) or perform an audition (music/theatre) after they have been admitted to IUP academically. All admitted students are invited to attend Experience IUP: Fine Arts
days, held throughout the year for students to audition or provide portfolios. Admission to the major of choice is determined by the appropriate department and will be communicated via mail.
Students who wish to earn a BFA in studio art first must be admitted into the BA program in studio art; during their sophomore year, students must submit a portfolio for review by the Art and Design Department in order to be eligible for the BFA program.
Learn more about these majors at the Art and Design Department, Music Department,
and
Theatre, Dance, and Performance Department.
Because it is common for admission to nursing to close well before the general May 1 deposit date, students interested in nursing are encouraged to apply as early as possible. New nursing students are only considered for fall term admission. In order to be considered for nursing, students must meet minimum requirements for program admission. Students must have no less than a 3.25 GPA with a 1030 combined SAT score or 20 ACT score for program consideration.
The Department of Nursing and Allied Health has an internal process for enrolled IUP students interested in program admission; however, we cannot guarantee admission into the program for enrolled students wishing to change their major to nursing due to size restrictions. Specific requirements and contact information regarding the internal process can be found on the Nursing website.
The following preprofessional majors in the Kopchick College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics have minimum requirements for program admission (900 SAT minimum or 19 ACT).
- Pre-Audiology
- Pre-Chiropractic
- Pre-Dentistry
- Pre-Engineering
- Pre-Medical
- Pre-Optometry
- Pre-Pharmacy
- Pre-Physical Therapy
- Pre-Physician Assistant
- Pre-Podiatry
- Pre-Veterinary
All students interested in the Safety, Health, and Environmental Applied Sciences program must meet minimum requirements for program admission: 900 SAT or 19 ACT, 2.5 gpa. Admission to this program takes place each semester. Learn more about this program at the Safety, Health, and Environmental Applied Sciences website.
Students interested in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology should have 1000 SAT/19 ACT and a 3.25 to receive full consideration for admission to this major. Some freshman applicants who are close to meeting requirements may be reviewed by the College of Education and Communications in order to be considered for admission to Speech Language Pathology and Audiology.
All physics majors are required to have a minimum 900 SAT/17 ACT for program admission.
- Physics, BS
- Physics, Nanomanufacturing Technology Track, BS
- Physics Education, BSEd
- Physics, Pre-Engineering Track, BS, Dual Degree
- Physics, Applied Track, BS