Graduate Programs Admissions Information

Graduate Admission Requirements

Dominican University of California welcomes applications from all students without regard to race, age, religion, color, gender, ethnicity, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation. Each candidate for admission is given individual consideration and is evaluated on the basis of a variety of factors, including but not limited to, past scholastic performance, present motivation, and intellectual potential as indicated by all application materials submitted.

An applicant can be considered for a Master’s Degree program if they have successfully completed at least one Bachelor’s Degree or its equivalent from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning.

Admissions requirements, application deadlines, and notification processes change regularly and vary by program. Generally, students must submit an application, statement of purpose or intent or other writing sample, letters of recommendation, and academic information (such as official transcripts showing all undergraduate and graduate college coursework completed, attempted, and in progress). International students should refer to the international student admissions website for current admissions information including visa and immunization requirements.
For the most up-to-date information, please visit the Office of Admissions website at www.dominican.edu/admissions. Space is limited in some graduate programs, so early submission of application materials is advised.

Note: Scores on the GMAT (Graduate Management Aptitude Test) and/or GRE (Graduate Record Examination) are not required for all programs, but will be considered in the evaluation of an applicant’s admissibility if submitted.

Conditions of Admission Decision

Dominican reserves the right to rescind an offer of admission if documents (such as final official transcript(s)) submitted after a decision is made changes admissions eligibility or if any application materials are found to be false, misrepresented, forged, plagiarized, or the like or if Dominican learns that key information (such as attendance at another Institution) was not included in the academic record considered for admissions.

Students are admitted to Dominican based upon a set of admission and graduation requirements determined by Admissions policies and University Catalog policies in effect at the time the student matriculates (initial enrollment) at Dominican. Admitted students who do not matriculate for the semester indicated in their admission acceptance letter may defer their matriculation for up to one admission term, with certain conditions in place.

Admission Deferral Policies for Graduate Students

Offers of admission to Graduate Programs are valid for the semester in which they are offered and can be deferred once to the next admission term for the program. Should a student choose not to enroll in the original term of acceptance, they may defer their admission once to the next admission term for the same program without having to submit a new application upon approval from the Graduate Office of Admissions. Updated transcripts are strongly recommended, though not required. If the program only has a Fall admission cycle, then the student may defer admission for the current Fall to the following Fall. If the program offers both a Fall and Spring admission cycle then the student may defer admission for the current Fall to the following Spring or for the current Spring to the following Fall. If the program offers both a Summer and Spring admission cycle then the student may defer admission for the current Summer to the following Spring or for the current Spring to the following Summer.

Continued Enrollment Conditions upon Matriculation

Continued enrollment at Dominican University following matriculation is contingent upon sustained academic performance and receipt of final official transcript(s). Dominican reserves the right to deny registration for future terms if the final transcript(s) change(s) admission eligibility.

Students must be continuously enrolled every Fall and Spring from matriculation to graduation to retain the admission, scholarship, and graduation requirements in effect at the time of their initial matriculation to Dominican. If continuous enrollment is not maintained, the students may be required to apply for re-enrollment to the University. For more information, please see the Leave of Absence and Re-Enrollment at Dominican sections of the catalog.
 

Additional Requirements Specific to Some Graduate Programs

MBA Admission Requirements

1. The following criteria may be used, at the discretion of the admissions committee, to determine admissibility in lieu of a 3.0 GPA for the last 60 units of coursework:
   • A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher, achieved at a regionally accredited institution of higher learning.
   • A cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher, achieved at a regionally accredited institution of higher learning (requires conferral of graduate degree)
   • GMAT (Graduate Management Aptitude Test) or GRE (Graduate Record Examination) scores
   • Work experience
2. Statement of purpose or intent: a brief essay (3-5 pages, double spaced) describing professional and/or personal goals and reasons for obtaining a graduate degree

MS in Biological Sciences

1. Official, sealed Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Score Report
2. Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, or its equivalent, from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning
3. In addition, all candidates for admission are expected to have satisfied the following requirements:
   • Two semesters of calculus
   • Two semesters of physics
   • Two semesters of organic chemistry
   • One semester of biochemistry
   • One semester of statistics
4. A personal statement describing why the student is interested in pursuing a graduate degree, what he/she hopes to gain from it, his/her research interests, and his/her future goals

Competency in the above subjects may be demonstrated by either completion of a college course with a grade of ‘B’ (3.0), successfully testing out of a course through challenge exams, or completion of Dominican core competency courses. The department chair will make the determination regarding a candidate’s core competency requirements.

Students who need the core competencies may be concurrently enrolled at Dominican in the MS program and in a core competency course. The following courses are considered co-requisites: MATH 1700, PHYS 2100, CHEM 3900, CHEM 4100 and MATH 2400. These must be taken in the first two semesters of the program.

 

MS in Counseling Psychology

1. Autobiography that tells of your life up to now and includes a description of those who have been of significant influence in your life. Include experiences you believe to be related to your interest in counseling, your desire to be a counselor, and your ability to understand and help others (maximum length: 5 typed, double-spaced pages).
2. A written description of what you believe might be happening in the following situation and how you might handle it:
   • Someone who has recently moved into your neighborhood has become quite friendly with you, sharing personal feelings and problems. She tells you of a very strained relationship with her partner and difficulties she is having with her teenage daughter who she feels is on drugs. She seeks your advice and lets you know how much she depends on you. One day she calls you on the phone to say that she is thinking of committing suicide.

Students who have not successfully completed an undergraduate or graduate course in Theories of Personality must take this course prior to the completion of their first year in the program.

MS in Occupational Therapy

1. Official, sealed Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Score Report
2. A minimum of 60 hours of volunteer work. At least 40 of these hours must be under the supervision of a licensed OT. 20 of the 60 hours may be done in a human services setting under a non-OT supervisor. These hours must be completed within 2 years of the program start date.
3. All prerequisite courses must be taken at a regionally accredited institution of higher learning, such as a community college or four-year college or university. In addition, the student must receive a grade of ‘C’ (2.0) or better in all prerequisite courses and a cumulative GPA of ‘B’ (3.0) or better.
4. Students must complete the following prerequisites before beginning the MSOT Program:
   • Lifespan Human Development or Developmental Psychology (3 units)
   • Conceptual Physics (3 units)
   • Three Dimensional Art (e.g., ceramics) (3 units) (may be satisfied via portfolio process)
   • Statistics (Math or Psychology) (3-4 units)
   • Human Anatomy (4 units with lab, completed within the last five years)
   • Human Physiology (4 units with lab, completed within the last five years)
   • Introduction to Psychology (3 units)
   • Abnormal Psychology (3 units)
   • Medical Terminology (1 unit)
   • Introduction to Sociology or Cultural Anthropology (recommended, not required) (3 units)
5. Statement of Purpose, describing interest in Occupational Therapy as a profession
6. Professional resume, emphasizing OT-related work experience

MS in Education: Curriculum & Instruction

Teacher preparation program requirements prior to admissions.

1. Bachelor’s degree and official transcripts from each college or university attended.
2. A grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 is required for the last 60 units of graded undergraduate or graduate course work.
3. Completed Certificate of Clearance (COC) or valid Credential.
4. Tuberculosis (TB) examination: Skin test or Chest X-ray. Results must be current within 4 years of entering student teaching.
5. Scores on an approved basic skills exam (CBEST). The basic skills requirement for admission may be met by submitting scores from one of the following:
   1. The CBEST.
   2. The Multiple Subject CSET plus the CSET Writing Skills subtest.
   3. The College Board SAT (English score of 500 or above and a Math score of 550 or above).
   4. The ACT (English score of 22 or above and a Math score of 23 or above).
   5. College Board AP Examinations (Scores of 3 or above, contact Admissions for approved exams).
   6. CSU EAP (“College Ready” or “Exempt”).
   7. CSU Placement Exams (EPT score of 151 or above and an ELM score of 50 or above).
6. Current resume.
7. Two letters of recommendation
8. Statement of Intent: Please respond to each of the following in a typed essay: 
   1. Why have you chosen teaching as a profession? Include qualities that you believe make you personally suited for teaching in the credential area (i.e., single subject, multiple subject, education specialist) in which you intend to teach? Please describe them.
   2. Recognizing that public school students are diverse in their cultures, languages, and learning needs, what do you think will be the implications for you as a classroom teacher?
   3. What are your specific strengths and areas for growth as a prospective teacher?
   4. What paid or volunteer experiences have you had working with students in the credential area (i.e., single subject, multiple subject, education specialist) in which you intend to teach? Please describe them.
   5. What is your current knowledge and skill with computer-based technology? Describe your skill level.
9. The subject matter competency requirement for admission may be met in the following ways 
   1. Completion of an approved academic content course of study.
   2. Passing scores on the CSET examination or confirmation of registration for the examination.

Requirements prior to the end of the first semester

• All students must verify completion of prerequisite coursework in Child and Adolescent Development (CAD) prior to the end of their first semester. Please contact the Admissions Office, Credential Analyst or your Program Director for additional information.
• All Graduate candidates are required to take all sections of the CSET by the end of the 1st semester in their credential program. The majority of the CSETs must be passed before enrolling in the Preparation for Supervised Teaching Seminar, and all subtests must be passed prior to Supervised Teaching or an Internship.

Requirements prior to a Preliminary Credential Recommendation

• Subject Matter Competence by CSET or waiver. All Graduate candidates are required to take all sections of the CSET by the end of the 1st semester in their credential program. Undergraduate candidates are required to take all sections of the CSET by the end of their junior year. The majority of the sub-tests must be passed by August 1st prior to entering a Preparation for Student Teaching in the fall. All sub-tests must be passed prior to Student Teaching or an Internship. Candidates should request that their scores be released directly to Dominican. Alternatively, scores must be verified through http://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com by a Dominican staff or faculty.
• All candidates must verify that they have met the U.S. Constitution requirement by receiving a passing grade in a course (at least two semester units or three quarter units) or passing an examination in the Provisions and Principles of the U.S. Constitution given by a regionally accredited college or university. This requirement must be met before a candidate can be recommended for his/her preliminary or intern credential. (Education Code Section 44335)
• All candidates must verify that they have received training and have current certification in CPR for adults, children and infants, which meet the criteria of theAmerican Heart Association or American Red Cross(Education Code 44259)
• Multiple and Education Specialist credential candidates are also required by California Education Code to pass the Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA).
• All candidates must successfully pass the California Teaching Performance Assessment (CalTPA) prior to their preliminary credential recommendation.

Requirements prior to an Internship:

• Admission into the Teacher Preparation Program.
• Completion of an approved academic content course of study (waiver program or passing scores on the CSET examination).
• Completion of a US Constitution course or examination.
• 120 hours pre-service teaching experience.
• Concurrent intern placement in a cooperating school district.

Additional Requirements for International Applicants

See the International Graduate Students section of this catalog for details.

International Graduate Students

Dominican University of California welcomes international students who wish to pursue a graduate degree. International students must provide additional documentation beyond the program specific requirements in order to be considered for admission and to obtain the necessary documents to apply for a student visa.

International Graduate Students Admissions Requirements

International students must complete both program specific graduate admission requirements and the international admission requirements (outlined below). In addition to the program specific admissions requirements, international candidates must submit the following:

1. Application Form: Apply online at admissions.dominican.edu/apply. Note there is a $50 application fee. 
2. Credential Evaluation: Foreign transcript(s) must be evaluated by an accredited evaluation company. Dominican accepts credential evaluations from any NACES approved member organization (www.naces.org).

   The list below gives the addresses of private organizations that provide international credential evaluation services. This list is for informational purposes only.

   Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE)* 101 W. Pleasant Street Milwaukee, WI 53212 Telephone: (414)289-3400 www.ece.org	World Education Services (for graduate and transfer students only)** P.O. Box 5087, Bowling Green Station New York, NY 10271-5087 Telephone: (212) 966-6311 Fax: (211) 739-6100 www.wes.org

   *Designates approved evaluation services for MS in Education and Teacher Preparation programs.

   **Candidates who select World Education services (WES) as their NACES member organization may elect to submit a WES ICAP (course-by-course) evaluation. The WES ICAP evaluation can fulfill the official transcript requirement, as long as the WES ICAP evaluation is delivered to the Office of Admissions directly from WES and includes a copy of the official transcripts you had evaluated. It should be noted that official transcripts are delivered electronically with the evaluation through WES.

   Candidates who completed a three-year undergraduate degree in India are encouraged to use WES as their NACES approved member organization. Dominican only accepts three-year degrees from India that have been recognized by WES. For more infomation on the evaluation of three-year degrees from India, please visit: https://www.wes.org/.

3. Test results/English Proficiency: International students from countries where English is not an official language must demonstrate English proficiency. Proficiency can be demonstrated with one of the following:
   • TOEFL: 550 Paper, 213 Computer, or 80 IBT
   • IELTS: 6.5
   • PTEA: 53
   • Completed Level 112 English for Academic Purposes (EAP) with a 3.0 GPA at an ELS Language Center
   • An official transcript demonstrating that the applicant completed one academic year at a U.S. college or university.
4. Bank Statement: All international students must submit a bank statement that demonstrates that sufficient funds are available to support the student for one year. Please see the Cost of Attendance for the program to which you are applying, available on the Dominican website at www.dominican.edu.
5. Affidavit of Financial Support: If the bank statement is not in the student’s name, the account holder must support an Affidavit of Financial using the form found here:
6. Photocopy of the passport photo page
7. Visas: Processing student visas may take additional time. Please contact the program counselor for the latest possible date to submit an international application. Such dates may be different than other posted application deadlines. 

Transfer of Credits

Up to eight (8) semester units of credit with a ‘B’ (3.0 grade point average (GPA)) or higher may be allowed for work taken in Graduate status at another regionally accredited institution toward the master’s degree at that institution. This is handled on a case-by-case basis and the Graduate Program Director and appropriate Dean will determine acceptability of the work presented for transfer credit on a case-by-case basis. No course may be taken off campus during the semester in which the student expects to receive a degree.

Program Specific Notes:
- No credit can be transferred into the MS in Occupational Therapy program from other institutions.
- No credit can be transferred into the MS in Physician Assistant Studies program from other institutions.
- Online courses are generally not accepted for transfer into the MS in Counseling Psychology program due to the program’s emphasis on face-to-face experiential learning as best practice for therapist training.

Credit Hour Policy

Definition: A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:

• One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of (a) two hours of out-of-class student work for undergraduate students, or (b) three hours of out-of-class work for graduate students, each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester hour of credit or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
• At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practicum, studio work, community-based learning, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.

For the purposes of this policy, one hour of student work is assumed to be 50 minutes of classroom time or an equivalent amount through personal instruction or supervision. This work can be fulfilled in a variety of ways, but not limited to direct faculty instruction and systematic outside reading; experiments or research under the supervision of an instructor; studio, field, clinical, or laboratory work; and internships, service learning, or directed study.

Alternative and Compressed Time Frames: For courses offered in alternative or compressed time frames, in-class instructional time and outside-of-class student time in total will be equivalent to that required in a 15-week semester.

Technology-enhanced, Hybrid, or Online Courses: Courses offered through these modalities are to be delivered so that the sum of faculty instruction and student preparation time is equivalent to the relevant credit hour calculations above.

Periodic Review

Application of the Credit Hour Policy will be reviewed during the Academic Program Review process to ensure that credit hour assignments are accurate, reliable, and appropriate to degree level. Supporting evidence includes syllabi, learning outcomes, assignment schedules, and course schedules identifying the times that courses meet (if applicable).

New courses, or changes in the unit value of existing courses, should be reviewed and approved by the school dean for compliance with the credit hour policy.