Admission Policies

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Student Profile - School of Graduate and Professional Programs

The students attending the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs are as diverse as the programs offered. The vast majority of students are working adults who are balancing the demands of career, family, and civic responsibilities. While the gender ratio and age vary within each program, overall, 69% percent of the students are female and 31% percent are male. The median age is 33 years with an age range of 19 to 70 years.

Admission

Saint Mary’s University adheres to the principle that all persons have equal opportunity and access to admission, employment, facilities, and all programs and activities of the university regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or status with regard to public assistance.

Office of Admission

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
2500 Park Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404-4403
Phone: (612) 728-5100
Toll-free: (866) 437-2788
Fax: (612) 728-5121
E-mail: tcadmission@smumn.edu

Graduate Professional Development Initiatives for Educators (GPDE/PDI)

GPDE Program Office
700 Terrace Heights #74
Winona, MN 55987-1399
(877) 218-4755
http://gpde.smumn.edu

Undergraduate Certificate Programs Admission Requirements

Applicants may apply for admission to undergraduate certificate programs at any time during the year and, if accepted, begin the program during any one of the six 8-week terms.  Applicants must demonstrate the language proficiency necessary for successful completion of undergraduate coursework.

Bachelor of Science Degree Completion Programs Admission Requirements

Applicants may apply for admission to undergraduate degree programs at any time during the year and, if accepted, begin the program during any one of the six 8-week terms. Applicants must demonstrate the language proficiency necessary for successful undergraduate coursework. Applicants must demonstrate an overall grade point average of 2.00 on a 4.00 scale with evidence of at least 30 transferable semester credits*. These credits must include completion of one basic English composition course with a grade of C or better I**.  Applicants may complete an interview with a program administrator as part of the admissions process.

Applicants must submit:

1. Completed application form with the nonrefundable application fee (fee not required for alumni or students seeking readmission or veterans and active military personnel and their immediate family)

2. All official transcripts issued to Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota from all previous institutions attended with a minimum of 30 semester credits with a basic English composition course.  (An official transcript is one that is sent to the university by the credit-granting institution. Transcripts from countries other than the U.S. must be evaluated on a course by course basis by a university accepted evaluation service, such as World Education Services, Educational Credential Evaluators, Educational Perspectives, or One Earth International Credential Evaluators and be deemed equivalent to accredited U.S. university standards).  Evaluations from an approved member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES.org) will also be accepted.

*These credits may be made up of:

• Industry Training and Military Separation Paper carrying American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendations or,
• Past College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or Dantes Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) exam credits or,
• International credits evaluated by a source accepted by Saint Mary’s University or,
• Any credits transferable from a regionally accredited or non-regionally accredited institution.

For more on transferable credits, please see section on Transfer Credits.

**The English composition course requirement helps the student prepare for college level coursework. The applicant may be conditionally admitted if he or she cannot prove competency in this area, in which case the CLEP College Composition exam with essay or a similar university course must be taken within the first semester of study at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

See policy on Awarding a Second Bachelors degree. 

See individual programs for additional application requirements.

Master Degree and Graduate Certificate Programs Admission Requirements

Applicants may apply for admission to master degree programs at any time during the year with the exception of the M.S. Nurse Anesthesia, and M.A. Marriage and Family Therapy programs. Applicants may have completed an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution and maintained an overall grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale. Applicants must demonstrate the language proficiency necessary for successful graduate coursework. Applicants may be required to complete an interview with a program administrator as part of the admission process.

Applicants must submit:

1. Completed application form with the nonrefundable application fee (fee not required for alumni or students seeking readmission or veterans and active military personnel and their immediate family) and,
2. An official transcript issued to Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota from the institution posting the applicant’s completed bachelor degree and other relevant transcripts documenting program prerequisites and potential transfer credits. (An official transcript is one that is sent to the university by the credit-granting institution. Transcripts from countries other than the U.S. must be evaluated on a course by course basis by a university accepted evaluation service, such as World Education Services, Educational Credential Evaluators, Educational Perspectives, or One Earth International Credential Evaluators and be deemed equivalent to accredited U.S. university standards).  Evaluations from an approved member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES.org) will also be accepted. 
3. A personal statement which includes:
   1. brief description of the applicant’s background, training, and experience and,
   2. statement indicating the career goals of the applicant and his or her reasons for seeking admission to the program and,
   3. description of the areas the applicant considers to be his or her strengths and areas in which the applicant wishes to develop greater strengths and abilities and,
   4. personal information the applicant wishes to share.
4. Letter(s) of recommendation that verify professional and/or volunteer experience and academic ability.
5. A current résumé listing educational background and work experience.

See individual programs for additional application requirements.

Specialist Degree Program Admission Requirements

Applicants may apply for admission to specialist degree at any time during the year. A master degree from a regionally accredited institution, for which applicant maintained at least a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, is required for admission. Applicants must demonstrate the language proficiency necessary for successful graduate coursework. Applicants must complete and interview with a program administrator as part of the admission process.

Applicants must submit:

1. Completed application form with the nonrefundable application fee (fee not required for alumni or students seeking readmission or veterans and active military personnel and their immediate family) and,
2. An official transcript issued to Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota from the institution posting the applicant’s completed master’s degrees and other relevant transcripts documenting program prerequisites and potential transfer credits. (An official transcript is one that is sent to the university by the credit-granting institution. Transcripts from countries other than the U.S. must be evaluated on a course by course basis by a university accepted evaluation service, such as World Education Services, Educational Credential Evaluators, Educational Perspectives, or One Earth International Credential Evaluators and be deemed equivalent to accredited U.S. university standards).  Evaluations from an approved member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES.org) will also be accepted.
3. All applicants must submit a personal statement which includes:
   1. brief description of the applicant’s background, training, and experience and,
   2. statement indicating the career goals of the applicant and his or her reasons for seeking admission to this program and,
   3. description of the areas which the applicant considers to be his or her strengths and areas in which the applicant wishes to develop greater strengths and abilities and,
   4. personal information the applicant wishes to share.
4. Letter(s) of recommendation that verify professional and/or volunteer experience and academic ability.
5. A current résumé listing educational background and work experience.

See individual programs for additional application requirements.

 Doctoral Degree Programs Admission Requirements

Applicants may apply for admission the doctoral degree programs at any time during the year with the exception of the Doctorate of Business Administration and the Doctorate of Psychology. A master degree from a regionally accredited institution, for which applicant maintained at least a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, is required for admission. Applicants must demonstrate the language proficiency necessary for successful graduate coursework. Applicants must complete and interview with a program administrator as part of the admission process.

Applicants must submit:

1. Completed application form with the nonrefundable application fee (fee not required for alumni or students seeking readmission or veterans and active military personnel and their immediate family) and,
2. An official transcript issued to Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota from the institution posting the applicant’s completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees and other relevant transcripts documenting program prerequisites and potential transfer credits. (An official transcript is one that is sent to the university by the credit-granting institution. Transcripts from countries other than the U.S. must be evaluated on a course by course basis by a university accepted evaluation service, such as World Education Services, Educational Credential Evaluators, Educational Perspectives, or One Earth International Credential Evaluators and be deemed equivalent to accredited U.S. university standards).  Evaluations from an approved member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES.org) will also be accepted.
3. All applicants must submit a personal statement which includes:

a.  brief description of the applicant’s background, training, and experience and,
b.  statement indicating the career goals of the applicant and his or her reasons for seeking admission to this program and,
c.  description of the areas which the applicant considers to be his or her strengths and areas in which the applicant wishes to develop greater strengths and abilities and,
d.  personal information the applicant wishes to share.

4. Letter(s) of recommendation that verify professional and/or volunteer experience and academic ability.
5. A current résumé listing educational background and work experience.

See individual programs for additional application requirements.

Application Criteria for Students with International Transcripts

Students with transcripts from universities located outside of the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and Canada (except for the Quebec Province) are required to take and pass English Proficiency testing. Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota accepts the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 72, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum score of 6.0 the Michigan Language Assessment Battery (MELAB) with a minimum score of 74%, the International Test of English Proficiency (ITEP) with a minimum score of 4.0 or Pearson Test of English with a score of 51.

Additionally, students that have completed 30 undergraduate or 12 graduate credits from an accredited U.S. institution or the equivalent of these credits from an institution in the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and Canada (except for the Quebec Province) will be exempt from English Language Proficiency test.

Those who do not successfully pass the English Proficiency test as outlined above but score higher than 58 in TOEFL, 5.5 in IELTS 63% in the MELAB, 3.5 in ITEP or Pearson Test of English with a score of 45 are eligible for conditional acceptance into graduate programs with the following conditions. During the first semester, students may take up to 6 graduate credits in predetermined courses as approved by the program director or dean in their selected program in addition to the English language courses.  Students are required to take the courses offered through the De La Salle Language Institute on the Winona Campus or other recognized and approved provider for our Twin Cities Campus. Students are required to take a language assessment at the end of their first semester and if not at the full acceptance level, then during their second semester students would be required to take only English language courses.  No additional graduate program courses could be taken until the full language acceptance requirements is met an institutional TOEFL exam or approved equivalent English Language Proficiency exam will be issued at the end of each semester. Students have one year to meet the English Language Proficiency requirement for regular admission.

WES/ECE and TOEFL/IELTS must be sent officially to Saint Mary’s through the respective testing organizations, along with the Saint Mary’s school code*: 6632

Deferred Admission and Reapplication

Students are expected to begin their coursework in the semester for which they applied. Students may request to delay beginning their coursework by providing written notification to the admission office. If approved, students will be required to meet the degree requirements effective at the time they matriculate into the program. If students do not enroll in courses within one year of admission, they will be withdrawn and will be required to reapply.

See individual program pages for program specific requirements.

Readmission

Students who have been withdrawn and wish to resume their studies must reapply and be readmitted. If readmitted, students must meet degree requirements effective at the time of readmission.  Students seeking readmission to the bachelor’s completion program must resubmit an application, resume’ to initiate the readmission process. Students seeking readmission to the masters, graduate certificate, specialist or doctorate programs must submit application, resume’, and personal statement to initiate the readmission process.  The office of admission will determine if additional materials are needed to complete the application process.

Additional transcripts with credits earned since last attendance at Saint Mary’s will be evaluated for transfer, based on the Transfer of Credit policy.  See Transfer Credit Policy and program for program specific transfer credit policy.

Immunizations

Minnesota law (M.S. 135A.14) requires all students born after 1956 and enrolled in a public or private post-secondary school in Minnesota to be properly immunized against diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, whooping cough, and rubella. There are allowances for disease, medical, and conscientious exemptions. An electronic form is provided for students to complete within 45 days after the start of the semester.  If the form has not been completed at that point, a registration hold is placed on the student’s account. The form is then made available for review by the Minnesota Department of Health and the local community health board. This form confirming proper immunization must be submitted within 45 days of attending class. Absent submission of the form, students may not remain enrolled.

Medical Clearances/ Background Checks for Students in Health Care Programs

Students in health care programs who are involved in patient care are required to submit further proof of immunity to certain communicable diseases. A physician’s statement stating that the student is physically able to function as a student in the field of study may also be required. Students in programs who are involved in caring for vulnerable persons are required to submit to state criminal background checks.

Please see program student handbooks for specific information.

Admission Status

At the time of admission, students are assigned an admission status.

Regular Admission

Regular admission status is assigned to all students who have completed the application process and meet all standards required by the individual program.

Conditional Admission Requirements

Students may be admitted conditionally if they do not meet all the academic requirements of their academic program. Students who are conditionally admitted must meet all requirements for regular admission within the first semester of their conditional admission.

Students required to complete prerequisite coursework prior to matriculation into a face-to-face program may request to take the necessary prerequisite coursework via online courses. 

See program pages for specific requirements.

Students requiring English Language Proficiency may have one academic year to complete requirement of conditional admission. Students missing prerequisites may have additional time to complete the requirements, upon approval of the program director. Financial aid is available for students admitted conditionally.

Undergraduate Conditional status students must:

1. English Composition course or CLEP exam must be taken within the first semester of study at Saint Mary’s University.        
2. Earn a GPA of 2.0 cumulative after attempting and completing 6 undergraduate credits following admission.

Graduate Conditional status students must:

1. Earn a GPA of 3.0 cumulative after attempting and completing 6 graduate credits following admission and/or
2. Complete requirements as specified by the program director and/or
3. Participate in specially designed communications and/or skill-building activities.

Students may reapply for the same program or another program at any time after being administratively withdrawn. Students may be re-admitted conditionally upon program director approval. Readmission may include additional academic requirements.

Special Admission

Students who are non-degree seeking, but wish to enroll for academic credit in courses within a degree program, are admitted as special status students. Special status students are admitted to courses on a space-available basis and must meet all course prerequisites. The Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota online programs do not accept students with a special admission status.

An applicant will be considered for admission as a special status student when these materials are received (some programs may have additional requirements):

1. Completed application form and,
2. Nonrefundable application fee and,
3. An official transcript of undergraduate or last degree earned. (An official transcript is one that is sent to the university by the credit-granting institution.)

An applicant will not be admitted as a special status student prior to the receipt of an official transcript.

If a non-degree seeking student is seeking regular admission status into the program, he or she should submit a written request for regular admission and submit the additional materials needed for regular admission to that program. Credits earned and grades received as a special status student may apply toward the degree with approval of the program director.

Pre-Admit Admission

Applicants who wish to be admitted prior to completion of their degree may be admitted with pre-admit status. An in-progress transcript must be submitted upon application. Once completed, a transcript posting a degree must be submitted for the pre-admit status to be changed. Students with pre-admit status are not eligible to register for classes. Students currently enrolled and within one semester of completing a Saint Mary’s degree are eligible to register for classes.

International Student Services

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs welcomes the diversity international students add to the university community.

I-20 Forms

Upon admission, the student must notify the international student adviser located in Student Central of his or her intent to request a Form I-20.

The university will issue a Form I-20 to an international student only after the following conditions have been met:

1. Formally admitted to the university and,
2. Completed application for Form I-20 along with a photocopy of his or her passport and,
3. Proof of financial responsibility and other supporting documents as requested by the university. (Financial responsibility will be proven by the student’s submission of official documentation of cash resources in an amount equal to or greater than the cost of tuition, fees and books for one academic year and the cost of living for one academic year as determined by the Designated School Official. The documentation from the student must demonstrate the student has sufficient financial resources to live in the United States and attend the university without the benefit of additional funds.) and,
4. A tuition deposit of $300.00 is required before the release of a student’s Form I-20 however, if the student is denied a visa, the tuition deposit may be refunded.

If the student needs to apply to the U.S. Embassy in his or her home country for a visa, the student may prepay tuition. If the student elects to prepay tuition, a check should be sent to the international student adviser at the university so that the prepayment can be reflected on the student’s Form I-20. If the student does not receive a visa, he or she will be reimbursed the tuition payment.

The university will mail the Form I-20 via regular mail unless the student covers the cost of an express delivery system, so students who reside outside the U.S. must complete the Form I-20 issuance process no later than two months prior to the semester in which they plan to attend the university. Upon receipt of the Form I-20, the student must submit the Form I-20 to a U.S. Embassy or consulate to apply for an F-1 Student Visa.

All international students must maintain adequate health insurance while attending Saint Mary’s.

Transfer

To affect a transfer of schools, the F-1 student must complete the steps after admission:

1. Inform the school he or she is currently attending of his or her intent to transfer. Request the release of the Form I-20 record in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), and return a completed transfer recommendation form to the international student’s adviser.
2. Submit a completed application for Form I-20 along with a photocopy of his or her passport and,
3. Submit proof of financial responsibility and other supporting documents as requested by the university. (Financial responsibility will be proven by the student’s submission of official documentation of cash resources in an amount equal to or greater than the cost of tuition, fees and books for one academic year and the cost of living for one academic year as determined by the Designated Schools official. The documentation from the student must demonstrate the student has sufficient financial resources to live in the United States and attend the university without the benefit of additional funds.) and,
4. Submit a required, tuition deposit of $1,300 (when the university receives the tuition deposit, student’s Form I-20 is released).

International Student Housing

Twin Cities Campus

The Twin Cities Campus is a nonresidential campus. There is no on-campus housing available to students. The Twin Cities Campus has limited on-campus employment available.

Winona Campus

Saint Mary’s University does offer limited housing and a variety of meal plan options for graduate students enrolled on the Winona Campus. Residence halls offer single rooms only. The university does not have family housing available. Space is limited and rooms are assigned on a first come basis.

Transfer Credits

Academic credit is accepted based on the degree requirements of the individual program. Degree level policies apply for bachelors, masters, and doctoral programs. General policies for transfer credit include:

Accreditation Status

While accreditation status may signify a standard of excellence in course design and delivery, no single accreditation body is identified as the only source of this quality assessment. Credit may be accepted from institutions that hold specialty or national accreditation if they are recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the United States Department of Education (DOE). Saint Mary’s University may accept courses that do not meet the CHEA and DOE recognition if the program offering the transfer course has been approved by a Saint Mary’s University internal review process. Individual degree levels and programs review the type of accrediting bodies most applicable to their academic outcomes.

Conversion of Credits

All transfer credit awards are made in semester credits. Transcripts for evaluation that use a system other than semester credit are converted to semester credits and rounded to the nearest hundredth.

Duplicate Credit

Since credit for specific learning is awarded only once, courses that duplicate learning in content and level will receive credit only once. The program director will review the similarity of learning in the courses and are approved by the registrar.

Substitutions and Waivers

If a course is accepted in transfer that duplicates the learning of a required course, a substitution is identified. The substituted course facilitates completion of the required number of program credits.

Program prerequisites may be waived if a student meets the course content requirements with transfer credit or at another degree level. A waiver of a requirement does not result in the award of academic credit.

The office of the registrar approves substitutions and waivers upon the recommendation of the program director.

Bachelor of Science Completion Programs

Transfer credit is accepted from traditional, course-based sources and from non-traditional learning mechanisms. The Bachelor of Science degree requires a minimum of 62 credits to be earned from course-based learning, including the Saint Mary’s University coursework required for the degree major. These credits must be from regionally-accredited and specialty-accredited institutions according to the following credit restrictions. The remaining 60 credits may be based on alternative modes documenting learning including training, examinations, or documentation of life experience.

Course-based Credit Restrictions

A limit of 24 credits may be transferred into the Bachelor’s degree from an academic program for which accreditation was not available at the time of enrollment either by type of school or pre-regional accreditation.

If the accreditation status is within the approved organizations for the individual program, each course is evaluated and transferred separately with the following restrictions:

• A grade of C or higher must be earned.
• A maximum of 2.0 semester credits will be awarded for physical education activity courses.
• No credits will transfer for course which are pre-freshman level or remedial (usually numbered under 100).

American Council on Education (ACE) Credits

Credit allocations for transfer of learning from the military, online sources such as StraighterLine, and other sources providing education and training are made using the recommendations of the American Council on Education (ACE).  Only ACE recommended credit is accepted unless it has been approved by a Saint Mary’s internal review process. An official transcript from the entity must be presented in order to obtain transfer credit.

Credit by Standardized Examination

Transfer credit is accepted from college-level examinations offered by the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Dantes Subject Standardized tests (DSST), International (Baccalaureate (IB), and Advanced Placement (AP). An official transcript of the passing score must be submitted for the award of credit.

Credit for Prior Learning (PLA)

Saint Mary’s University recognizes that many students come to the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs (SGPP) with college-level learning that has occurred outside of the traditional college classroom.  Students may obtain college credit for this learning by participating in the Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) process. 

Students seeking credit through the PLA process must first obtain approval from their program director.  Once approved, students take CM325 – Prior Learning Exploration during which they create a portfolio that documents evidence of their learning.  PLA assessors then review the portfolio for college credit.  Students may be granted up to 35 credits for their PLA portfolios. 

Students cannot duplicate credits transferred as part of the PLA process.

General Policies for Bachelors Programs

Semester credit values are rounded to the nearest hundredth. In situation where fractional credit values are being used to fulfill specific requirements, the values must be within one-half of a credit to fulfill the requirement.

A maximum of 86 semester credits will be accepted in transfer toward the 122 semester credit degree requirement.

Transfer students who have completed the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum or an Associate of Arts degree from a regionally accredited institution with grades of C or higher are considered to have met Saint Mary’s University general education requirements.

Certain courses may be taken more than once without duplicating learning. These courses include, but are not limited to:

• practical music courses
• writing and composition courses
• practical and other experiential courses such as residencies or internships

Graduate Degree Programs

Credits earned prior to matriculation at the university may be accepted in transfer upon the recommendation of the program director and approved by the registrar. These transfer credits may fulfill program requirements or elective coursework. Independent study courses or dissertation credits are not eligible for transfer. See program handbooks for additional transfer credit policies. Limits on transfer credits are:

• six credits for masters degrees
• six credits at the graduate certificate level for educational administration certificates
• twelve credits for doctoral degrees

Students must seek transfer of credit during the first semester of graduate study. To be considered for transfer, credits must meet all of the following criteria in addition to program-specific requirements as listed in program handbooks or documents:

1. Credits must be listed on an official transcript. (An official transcript is one that is sent to the university by the credit-granting institution.)
2. Credits must have been earned at a regionally accredited institution, at CHEA and DOE recognized institutions, or evaluated according to the criteria for students with international transcripts.
3. Credits must be clearly designated as graduate credits.
4. Credits may not have been used as part of a conferred master’s or doctoral degree.
5. The grade earned must be a B, Pass, or higher.
6. Credits must be applicable in content to the Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota program. The recommendation on appropriateness will be made by the program director and approved by the registrar.
7. Credits must have been earned within five years preceding matriculation.
8. Syllabi or detailed course descriptions may be required.

Specialist Degree Programs

A maximum of six post-master semester credits earned prior to matriculation at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota may be accepted in transfer upon the recommendation of the program director and approved by the registrar as fulfilling program requirements or as electives.

Independent study courses are not eligible for transfer into the program.

Doctoral Degree Programs

A maximum of 12 graduate level semester credits earned prior to matriculation at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota may be accepted in transfer upon the recommendation of the program director and approved by the registrar as fulfilling program requirements or as electives. Independent study courses are not eligible for transfer into the doctoral program. No transfer credit will be allowed for dissertation credits.

Transfer Credit Appeal

Students can appeal transfer credit equivalencies to the office of the registrar within 60 calendar days from date of evaluation.  Students must appeal in writing and provide a course description and syllabi to support the nature of the appeal.  The office of the registrar will respond with a decision within 15 calendar days.