Graduate Admission

Application procedures described below are for graduate programs- masters degrees and graduate certificates- at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding. CJP operates on a rolling admissions process.

Who Can Apply

Applicants with an Undergraduate degree*.

Preference is given to those with at least two years of experience in mediation, community development or relief work, advocacy, restorative justice, working with traumatized populations or related areas. If you want the practical tools and knowledge to help create a more just and equitable world but have been working in an unrelated field, please contact the Recruitment Specialist so we can have a conversation about how our programs might meet your goals. Email them at cjpadmissions@emu.edu.

Applicants should have an undergraduate GPA of at least 2.75 (on a four-point scale). However, those who do not meet that criteria, but, have extensive experience in the peacebuilding field, are encouraged to apply; if all other admissions requirements are met, the applicant may be conditionally admitted. If the student earns a 3.0 GPA in the first semester of studies, the student’s probation status is removed and will be considered fully admitted.

* In exceptional cases admission may be granted to applicants who meet qualifications for a rarely awarded non-Baccalaureate admission. This is typically done for applicants who have extensive experience in the field and whose undergraduate studies were disrupted by violence.

Application and Scholarship Deadlines

**Priority Deadline (admissions and scholarship*)**

March 15

Subsequent Admission Committee review deadlines:

Fall semester entry:
International students: March 15
Domestic students: July 1 & August 15

Spring semester entry:
International students: May 1
Domestic students: November 15

*Scholarship funds will only be awarded as available for the academic year (fall, spring or summer) after the March 15 review date. Applications that are submitted after March 15 will be considered for scholarship the following year.

Admissions Process

Domestic (U.S.) Applicants

Application
- Submit an initial application for admission with a $50 non-refundable application fee.
  - Payment can be made online through CASHNet (International payments can be made using Flywire).
- After submitting the initial application you will receive two follow-up emails:
  - The first will include a link to your Application portal: here you can upload your resume and also monitor the progress of your application.
  - The second email will include a link to your essay* portal: here you will complete the essay for your application, and have the option to submit an additional essay if you would like to be considered for scholarship support.
*An arts-based option is accepted in lieu of the essay for the application.

Fraudulent Documents
Honesty is a requirement of the programs at EMU and CJP. Therefore, CJP will verify every document uploaded with your application against official documents we receive from the issuing institution. If any material is found to have been altered or falsified, we reserve the right to withdraw offers of admission or expel the student. To uphold the integrity of our programs, applicants who are denied admission due to plagiarism on their essay or writing sample will not be considered for admittance for at least two years.
Transcripts and Test Scores
- Request and send official transcripts directly from each college or university attended.
- Transcripts can be requested from your schools Registrar's Office
- It is preferred to request electronic copies to be sent to graduate@emu.edu.
- If electronic requests are an option, mail to:
Graduate and Professional Programs
Eastern Mennonite University
1200 Park Rd.
Harrisonburg, VA 22802

Transcripts must be in English or accompanied by a certified English translation. Students are required to have non-US transcripts evaluated by an academic transcript evaluating agency, such as World Education Services (WES).
References
Please provide three* references:
- One academic
- One professional
- One character reference
Your references will be contacted via email with a link to a reference form upon submission of your application. Reference forms must be completed in English.

*Only two letters required when applying for a graduate certificate.
Scholarship

If you are interested in being considered for scholarship (and check the box on the application), you will receive an email to complete the CJP Scholarship Form after you submit your application.

All scholarships for the academic year (fall, spring or summer) are due by March 15 for the upcoming Fall term. All applications submitted after March 15 will be considered for the following year.

International Applicants

Application
- Submit an initial application for admission with a $50 non-refundable application fee.
  - Payment can be made online through CASHNet (International payments can be made using Flywire).
- After submitting the initial application you will receive two follow-up emails:
  - The first will include a link to your Application portal: here you can upload your resume and also monitor the progress of your application.
  - The second email will include a link to your essay* portal: here you will complete the essay for your application, and have the option to submit an additional essay if you would like to be considered for scholarship support.
*An arts-based option is accepted in lieu of the essay for the application.

Fraudulent Documents
Honesty is a requirement of the programs at EMU and CJP. Therefore, CJP will verify every document uploaded with your application against official documents we receive from the issuing institution. If any material is found to have been altered or falsified, we reserve the right to withdraw offers of admission or expel the student. To uphold the integrity of our programs, applicants who are denied admission due to plagiarism on their essay or writing sample will not be considered for admittance for at least two years.
Transcripts and Test Scores
- Request and send official transcripts directly from each college or university attended.
- Transcripts can be requested from your schools Registrar's Office
- It is preferred to request electronic copies to be sent to graduate@emu.edu.
- If electronic requests are an option, mail to:
Graduate and Professional Programs
Eastern Mennonite University
1200 Park Rd.
Harrisonburg, VA 22802

Transcripts must be in English or accompanied by a certified English translation. Students are required to have non-US transcripts evaluated by an academic transcript evaluating agency, such as World Education Services (WES).

Applicants whose first language is not English must submit scores for either the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo test. CJP requires a 79-80 on the internet-based TOEFL, or its equivalent, a 6.5-7.0 on the IELTS, or a 104 on the Duolingo (Institutional code: 5181).
References
Please provide three* references:
- One academic
- One professional
- One character reference
Your references will be contacted via email with a link to a reference form upon submission of your application. Reference forms must be completed in English.

*Only two letters required when applying for a graduate certificate.
Scholarship

If you are interested in being considered for scholarship (and check the box on the application), you will receive an email to complete the CJP Scholarship Form after you submit your application.

All scholarships for the academic year are due by March 15 for the upcoming Fall term. All applications submitted after March 15 will be considered for the following year.
Internation Visa (I-20) Process
Before EMU can issue the I-20, students must take the following steps:
- Complete the admissions application file and receive an offer of admission from the university.
- Complete the financial certification form and provide supporting documents such as bank statements and letters of sponsorship, if applicable.
- Pay any deposit if required by the program.
- Pay the SEVIS fee - $350 payment (also known as the I-901 fee for a SEVIS ID)
Additional information for international students can be found on our Graduate International Students page.

Technology Requirements

Your experience in EMU classes (especially, but not exclusively online courses) is highly dependent on the quality and functionality of your computer equipment. Below are the minimum required specifications for your computer equipment and software.

Computer
- A Windows or Mac desktop or laptop computer with speakers, microphone, and a webcam.
- Windows 10 22H2[1] or Windows 11 Build 22H2 or newer • macOS 12.7.5 or newer (Win 10 version 22H2, Win 11 22H2 or macOS 14.5 or higher recommended.)[2] Please note that this data is accurate as of the date stated above for at least one calendar year.
- Audio headset with microphone attachment is required for all online live sessions
System requirements for Zoom
Network Bandwidth/Connection Speed
- Internet Access with a minimum connection speed of 100 mbps (300 mbps download speed or higher recommended). To test speed: Close all applications and other website tabs and conduct test by visiting: https://speedtest.net
- Students have had connection issues in past years using limited data cellular connections and/or lower speed home internet connections. This type of internet access will often have restrictive data caps that could result in unexpected overage fees due to the bandwidth required for online learning.
Software
- PDF Viewer: Adobe Acrobat Reader (https://get.adobe.com/reader/ ) or Preview for macOS (to open PDFs)
- Browser: Firefox – https://firefox.com (recommended); Other browsers may work but Moodle prefers Firefox.

Housing

We are in the process of finalizing graduate housing opportunities for the upcoming school year. As we are working out the details of creating a graduate community, please reach out to your admissions counselor with questions. For additional information on Harrisonburg and EMU housing, visit our Living in Harrisonburg page.