MCR Admissions

Application Deadlines

This program admits students three times per year for each Autumn, Spring and Summer semester.

  • Spring semester:
    Opens: March 2
    Deadline: July 31
  • Summer semester:
    Opens: August 15 
    Deadline: November 30
  • Autumn semester:
    Opens: December 1
    Deadline: March 1

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for admission to the Master of Clinical Research program you must have the following:

Complete Bachelor’s degree

You may have a Bachelor’s degree in any area. Your degree must be from an accredited Bachelor's program. You may apply to the Master of Clinical Research program while your Bachelor’s degree is still in progress, but you must receive the degree prior to beginning enrollment in the Master’s program.

Minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale in the last degree earned that is relevant to the program of study

GPAs are reviewed by Ohio State's Graduate and Professional Admissions Office. Applicants whose GPAs fall below 3.0 may still apply and be considered for admission.

How to Apply

To apply for the Master of Clinical Research program, you must complete the following steps prior to the application deadline:

1. Apply online

You can complete an application online through Ohio State’s Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions website. A $60 fee is required at the time of submission of the application.

At the time you apply, you must select from either the Clinical Research Management or Regulatory Affairs specialization. This selection is made within the online application.

2. Submit all college transcripts

Applicants must submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities that you have previously attended at both either the undergraduate or graduate levels. This includes transcripts for any post-secondary courses taken during high school or of coursework that appears as transfer credit on another transcript. Transcripts from The Ohio State University do not need to be submitted.

Transcripts should be submitted directly by the sending institution by mail or electronic transfer to be considered official. Please request your transcripts be sent early so they arrive before the deadline. Transcripts can be sent to:

The Ohio State University
Graduate Admissions Office
P.O. Box 182004
Columbus, OH 43218-2004

or

gpadocs@osu.edu

Applicants may upload a copy of an official transcript at the time of application or after by way of the Admissions Uploader. However, documents submitted in this manner are considered unofficial, but will suffice for the purposes of application. Web based documents, online grade reports, and related materials are not acceptable. If an applicant is admitted, they will be required to supply official transcripts sent direct from your previous institutions.

For details regarding these methods of submitting transcripts, please visit The Ohio State University Graduate and Professional Admissions office’s website. Please direct all transcript related questions to the Graduate and Professional Admissions office at 614-292-9444 or to gpadmissions@osu.edu.

3. Current resume/curriculum vitae

Your resume or curriculum vitae (CV) should be in a similar format to what you would use for a job application. You should include your previous education, professional experiences, and any community service, volunteer activities, publications, research and leadership experiences on your resume or CV. You may submit this document at the time of application or after by way of the Admissions Uploader.

4. Purpose and goals statement

The purpose and goals statement is an essay describing your purpose for undertaking study in the Master of Clinical Research program, including a narrative discussion of your professional experience and career trajectory. Consideration will be given to both the quality of your writing sample and the congruence between your stated goals and the Master's degree program. Consider addressing the following questions or similar ideas in your statement:

  • What specifically are your career goals?
  • What are your motivations for seeking advanced education in your designated specialty area?
  • How did you come to your decision to seek graduate education in this specialty area?
  • What life experiences have drawn you to this program and how will those experiences help to support your success as a clinical/preclinical research professional?

Your statement should not exceed two pages and should use a standard format of single-spaced, 12-point font, with one-inch margins. You may submit this document at the time of application or after by way of the Admissions Uploader.

5. Three letters of recommendation

During the application you will be asked to provide the names and email addresses of three recommenders. Once the application is submitted, an email will be automatically generated and sent to your recommenders with further instruction on how to submit their letters of recommendation. We encourage you to submit your application far in advance of the deadline so that your recommenders have ample time to upload their letters. Letters of recommendation should not be mailed and you may not personally submit letters of recommendation.

It is suggested that you select recommenders who are familiar with your academic ability, work experience, contributions to clinical and preclinical research (if any), and potential to succeed in the program. Recommendations should be requested from professors who are able to comment on your qualifications for graduate study. Recommendations from non-academic professionals are acceptable if you have extensive work experience with that individual and/or you have been away from academic institutions for some time.

6. Test of English proficiency – international applicants only

Details regarding what English Proficiency tests are acceptable, the scores required, and how to submit scores may be found on The Ohio State University Graduate and Professional Admissions office’s website.

7. Supplemental application for current or former Ohio State graduate students.

If you are currently or have been previously enrolled in a degree granting graduate program at The Ohio State University for any length of time, you would be considered a Graduate Intra-University Transfer Student. Be sure to choose the appropriate application for "current or former" Ohio State students after following the Apply link found here. In addition to that online application, you must complete a Supplemental Application. This separate application must be submitted to the College of Nursing directly at CON-gradrecords@osu.edu or can be uploaded to your application after submission by way of the Admission Uploader. Choose any of the following options to access this application:

Failure to complete all required steps of this application process by 11:59 pm EST on the day of the posted deadline will result in your application not being considered for admission, with no exceptions. 

Most applicants may review the status of their application anytime at appstatus.osu.edu. If you are currently or have been previously enrolled in a degree granting graduate program at Ohio State for any length of time, you are considered a Graduate Intra-University Transfer and can contact nursing@osu.edu to review your application status.

 

Admission Timeline & Deferrals

All required materials listed above must be submitted by the posted application deadline to be considered for admission. Please allow up to five business days for the status of materials to be updated on your application status webpage. 

You can view an overview of the admissions timeline here. This admissions timeline covers what you can expect throughout the application process, including an anticipated timeline for when admissions decisions will be released and next steps if you are offered admission.

You are not able to defer admittance. If you are unable to begin your studies in the term to which you applied, you will be required to reapply in the future.


For questions regarding our admissions process or requirements, please contact our Student Affairs team at mcr@osu.edu. For in-person assistance or for more information on how to strengthen your application, please click the Schedule a Visit link above to attend one of our monthly Overview Sessions here at the College of Nursing.

In accordance with the non-discrimination policy of The Ohio State University and the College of Nursing, we strictly prohibit any discrimination based upon age, color, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, religion, pregnancy, or veteran status in its application, admission, or enrollment practices.

Ohio State is committed to treating applicants fairly and with dignity and respect. Please review Ohio State’s new post-admissions policy.

Contact us

Emily Rice
Emily Rice, graduate

“I learned how to interact with patients from an ethics and safety perspective, as well as how to make sure that research is compliant with domestic and international regulations. You can learn a lot while working in the field, but you won’t learn it to the extent that the MCR program will teach you.”