Graduate Admission

Applicants for admission to master’s level graduate courses must meet at least two minimum requirements: (1) possess a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university and (2) demonstrate potential for graduate work, ordinarily by having maintained a “B” average during undergraduate study. Additional prerequisite standards for admission and evidence of suitability for advanced study may be set by particular departments or for specific degree concentrations within departments. Students seeking admission should review the particular section or sections of the graduate catalog referring to the degree program of their interest.  As part of our commitment to maintaining a secure and trusted admissions process, all applicants to online programs must complete an identity verification requirement. Students seeking admission should contact the Office of University Admissions as soon as possible. If a program requires GRE scores and they are not submitted, your application will be considered incomplete and may not be reviewed. Test results are valid for five years from the test date. An applicant who has not completed an undergraduate degree at the time of application can gain provisional admission. The student will not gain full admission until the Office of University Admissions has received an official transcript showing the undergraduate or graduate degree and date conferred. Students who do not complete the admission process cannot gain full admission status to a graduate program and are not eligible for financial aid. Without gaining full admission status, students will be subject to all policy and rule changes affecting their degrees beyond their initial date for commencing coursework. Since degree requirements frequently change over a three-to-five-year period, the lack of full admission status could prolong a student’s time and credit hours necessary for degree completion. Until a student fulfills all entry requirements to the department, a student is not fully admitted to graduate studies. Accumulated credit hours are evaluated by an academic adviser at the time of full admission to determine applicability to the degree program being pursued. After admission into an academic program at Marywood, the student will receive notification to pay a non-refundable confirmation deposit. This will secure enrollment for the student and allow the student to register for classes. Tuition deposits are waived for all current and returning Marywood students. Marywood students in turn are only required to complete an intent to enroll form to confirm their seat.

Applicants for admission to the Ph.D. program must hold a master’s degree or a completed professional degree from an accredited institution.

Applicants for admission to the Psy.D. program must present at least 18 credits of Psychology coursework at the undergraduate level. A small number of students can be admitted post-master’s. Refer to the section of this catalog related to the Psy.D. program for details.

Admission of International Students

Prospective students who are citizens of other countries, whether they are or have been enrolled in a school in the United States or abroad, are welcome at Marywood. An academic record of all college and university work previously completed will be required to secure admission to any field of study. Graduate students are admitted with the understanding that their work is subject to review and re-evaluation upon arrival. In some cases, additional undergraduate work will be required before acceptance as a regular matriculating graduate student.

The student should complete the application for admission, including references and official transcripts, and submit them to the Office of University Admissions. The applicant must also arrange to have the scores of any required tests, including the TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or the Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic), sent directly to Marywood by the testing agency. Based on the documentation provided, students might qualify for an English Proficiency Exam waiver through one of the three primary pathways below:

• Standardized Test Scores
• Marywood-Recognized Bridge/ESL Program Completion
• Education in English-Speaking Institutions

All English Language Proficiency examinations must have been taken within two years at the time of application. All application materials should reach the Office of University Admissions at least three months in advance of the beginning of the term of anticipated enrollment to allow time for correspondence and the evaluation of the application. Translated, true copies should accompany original documents which are in a language other than English.

The student must submit forms documenting means for payment of tuition, fees, and living expenses. These forms must be returned to Marywood. Upon receipt of the deposit at Marywood, a U.S. Immigration I-20 form will be forwarded to the applicant.

New international students should contact the Office of Global Education upon arrival in Scranton. All international students should feel free to consult the Office of Global Education at any time concerning special problems.

Designated School Officials (PDSO/DSO) relating to U.S. Immigration affairs are located in the Office of the Registrar which is in the Liberal Arts Center.

International students should be aware of the following:

1. Admission to graduate standing does not imply that any financial assistance will be given. Admission means only that the student may take graduate courses. Accordingly, to be admitted, a student must be able to prove financial support availability. Program specific scholarships are available to international students; however, they do not cover the cost of tuition.
2. Full-time enrollment is required. In order for an international student to maintain their visa status as a full-time student, they must take a minimum of 6 credits per academic semester (fall/spring).
3. To be informed about the student’s competence in reading and writing English, the University requires that the student demonstrate mastery of the English language by performing satisfactorily on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (administered by the Educational Testing Service of Princeton, New Jersey), the International English Language Testing System, Duolingo, or the Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic). Normally TOEFL scores above 79 on the internet-based test, a band of 6.0 on the IELTS, a score of 100 on Duolingo, or a score of 53 on the PTE Academic will be accepted as evidence of mastery. International students must submit TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic scores taken within the last two years. For students wishing to pursue the M.S. in Biotechnology, a band of 6.5 on the IELTS, 81 on the TOEFL, score of 105 on Duolingo, or 54 on the PTE Academic is required.
4. In addition to sending official transcripts, all non-English transcripts must be translated by a certified translator such as World Education Services, Educational Credential Evaluators, and International Education Evaluations, LLC. All information on the transcript must be translated verbatim. 
5. Students are required to carry health insurance or purchase health insurance upon arrival to campus.

Application Process

Students seeking admission to a doctoral or master’s degree, certificate, or certification program must apply for admission through the Office of University Admissions. All applicants must submit the following information:

1. Applications submitted online do not require an application fee. The International students are required to pay a non-refundable application fee regardless of the application method.
2. An official transcript from all previously attended academic institutions. Transcripts should be sent directly to Marywood by the institutions. In most cases, Marywood academic transcripts can be retrieved internally to meet the Marywood application requirements.
3. For some programs, two letters of reference from persons familiar with the student’s educational background and work are required. Some additional programs are required to submit three letters of recommendation.
4. Specific departmental requirements may apply, as outlined in the department’s description of the intended course of study.

Students seeking state certification must also contact the University’s Certification Office at 570-961-4731 for specific additional requirements.

Once all required materials have been received by the Office of University Admissions, they will be forwarded to the applicant’s department of specialization for review. The review process typically takes up to 15 days from the final application submission or the published application deadline, whichever is later. However, for programs with specific deadlines and interviews, the review period may be longer. After the department completes its review and assessment, the applicant will be notified in writing by the Office of University Admissions regarding the admission
decision. Definitions of various graduate student statuses can be found later in this catalog.

Late applicants who cannot or do not submit complete credentials within their applications for departmental review may take classes only under the personal enrichment or the admission-in-process categories. Students who take classes under these categories are not eligible for financial aid or loans. Such students are limited in the number of credit hours for which they may enroll. Students who are denied admission to an academic area are not permitted to pursue personal enrichment within that area of study.

Marywood University operates on a rolling admissions basis. However, certain programs have specific deadlines for admission applications. A number of programs only review applications during certain times of the year. Please contact the Office of University Admissions or the academic department to which you are applying to find out if this applies to your field of study.

Please contact the University Office of Admissions for details specific to your program.

An admitted graduate student may defer their enrollment one time for up to one year from the original semester accepted. The deferment request must be made before the start of the original semester accepted. If a student wishes to defer enrollment for a second time or if the deferment falls outside of the one-year period, the student must apply to the graduate program again.

Final Transcripts

Admitted students who are still completing their degrees must submit a final official transcript after completing all degree requirements and prior to the start of the semester. Failure to provide a final transcript may result in dismissal from Marywood.

Admission to Marywood is based on the information provided in transcripts and other materials submitted with the application. If transcripts received after acceptance indicate academic performance below the level on which the original admission decision was based, Marywood reserves the right to modify or revoke the offer of admission. Any fees paid to date are non-refundable.

Admissions in Process/Enrichment Credit Limitations

Full admission to a course of study takes effect in the semester specified in the admission letter to the degree applicant from the Office of University Admissions. Admission to a program does not guarantee that financial aid will be available for that semester. Students may not take more than nine (9) credit hours (or as otherwise dictated by a department) prior to full admission. Individual programs of study may further limit a student to as few as six (6) credits before full admission. Credits taken under admission-in-process or enrichment status do not guarantee acceptance into a specific program, nor does it guarantee fulfillment of required coursework. Upon completion of an admissions application, completed coursework will be evaluated. Acceptance of applicable credits is completely at the discretion of the Department Chair or Administrator and the Dean of the specified college. In addition, students taking courses under admission-in-process or enrichment status are considered non-matriculating and therefore are not eligible for financial aid. Students should be advised that courses taken under either status and applied to a degree program will be considered within the seven-year completion time limit.

Students pursuing coursework under these statuses will be required to file an application for non-matriculating students each term of study.

Application materials can be submitted online or via mail. If submitted via mail, materials can be sent to:

Marywood University

Office of University Admissions

Liberal Arts Center 120

2300 Adams Avenue

Scranton, PA 18509-1598

Questions regarding application status should be directed to the Office of University Admissions: GoGrad@marywood.edu

Retention of Application Files

Applications for admission to a master’s or doctoral degree, certificate, or certification program will be retained for two years from the original date of submission. If the application is not completed within this period, it may be discarded without prior notice to the applicant. If the applicant later chooses to pursue a graduate program at the University, they will be required to submit a new application and provide all necessary materials. Physical hard copy transcripts will be retained for one year.

All documents submitted as part of the application process become the property of the University.

• Student Status Categories
• Other Academic Regulations and Rules
• Registration, Scheduling, and Program Change
• Grading, Records, and Transcripts