Graduate Admission

Web site address is www.xavier.edu/graduate-admission/

Admission Status

Graduate students who have been admitted to Xavier University are designated as:

1. Degree students - those students officially accepted into a graduate degree program.
2. Non-degree students - those students who have not been officially accepted into a graduate degree program. No more than six semester hours earned while classified as a non-degree student may be transferred to a degree program. Please note: some graduate programs require the director’s permission to enroll as a non-degree student. Not all programs permit non-degree studies. Check with the respective office for details.
3. Licensure/Endorsement seeking - those students officially accepted in a licensure/endorsement program.

Admission-Degree Students

Materials for admission to most graduate programs should be submitted to the Office of The Graduate School. Master of Business Administration (MBA) applicants should submit all materials to the Operations Center, ML 5131. Master of Health Services Administration (MHSA) applicants should submit all materials to the MHSA Office. Admission materials for graduate programs in psychology (MA, & PsyD) should be submitted to the Department of Psychology. Admission materials for graduate programs in nursing (MSN) should be sent to the School of Nursing. 

To be considered for admission, a student must do the following:

1. Submit a completed degree application form http://www.xavier.edu/graduate-admission. .
2. Send one official transcript from all colleges or universities previously attended. The bachelor’s degree must have been earned from a regionally accredited institution.  In some instances, three year bachelor degrees are not acceptable for admission consideration.
3. Arrange for applicable official test scores to be sent:
   1. Occupational Therapy - Graduate Record Exam (GRE) - waived beginning Fall 2024;
   2. Doctor of Psychology  - Graduate Record Exam (GRE) general knowledge required and Psychology Subject Test recommended. Psychology Subject Test required for those without psychology as their major or minor. GRE test scores are waived for applicants seeking admission Fall 2024.
   3. Other Graduate Programs: The Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is accepted for the following programs: The MA programs in counseling and theology; the MEd programs; and the MS in criminal justice. In most cases, the test requirement is waived for students who currently hold a graduate degree.
4. A student for whom English is not the primary language may be asked to demonstrate proficiency in the English language by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or similar English language proficiency exams.
5. Submit other required documents as specified for individual programs.

Credentials received become the property of the University. Notification of acceptance or denial is sent to each applicant as soon as possible after receipt of all required materials. Official acceptance for graduate study is valid for a one-year period from the date of acceptance. Failure to enroll within the one-year period invalidates the acceptance and the individual must be readmitted to the program. Contact the Office of The Graduate School to inquire about readmission.

Admission-Non-degree Students

(does not include MBA)

To apply for admission as a non-degree student, one must submit a completed non-degree application form and current application fee to the Office of The Graduate School. Credentials received for admission become the property of the University. Non-degree admission is not available for the MBA program. Non-degree students are subject to the following restrictions:

1. Some courses are not available to non-degree students. Contact the Office of The Graduate School 513 745-33957 for information about specific courses. MHSA courses may not be taken without permission of the director of the Graduate Program in Health Services Administration. Psychology courses may not be taken without permission of the chair of the Psychology Department. MBA courses may not be taken without permission ofd the Assistant Dean of the Graduate Business Program.
2. Although there is no limit to the number of courses that may be taken as a non-degree student, no more than six hours taken in non-degree status may be applied toward a graduate degree.
3. A non-degree student may apply to a degree program by completing the application process for degree status.
4. Non-degree students are subject to all University policies described in the catalog.

Teacher Licensure/Endorsement Admissions

The Licensure/Endorsement admission is used for the following programs: Traditional Early Childhood, Middle Childhood, Secondary, Special Education, Montessori Early Childhood, Educational Administration, Reading and Teaching of English Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). To be considered for admission in one of these licensure or endorsement programs, a student must do the following.

1. Submit a completed licensure/endorsement application form. Applications can be obtained through the Office of The Graduate School. 
2. Send one official transcript from all colleges and universities previously attended. The bachelor’s degree must have been earned from a regionally accredited institution.
3. Before you may be considered for the traditional Early Childhood Licensure Cohort, you must be admitted into the Master of Education program. Meet with an advisor to determine any prerequisite courses that might need to be taken before consideration is made for the early childhood cohort group that is selected during the spring semester each year.
4. To be considered for the licensure programs in early childhood education, secondary education, Montessori, middle childhood or special education, you must first meet with an advisor in that program.
5. A student for whom English is not the primary language may be asked to demonstrate proficiency in the English language by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
6. A statement of moral character must be signed.
7. Some programs also require three letters of recommendation.

Credentials received become the property of the University. Notification of acceptance or denial is sent to each applicant as soon as possible after receipt of all required materials. Official acceptance for a licensure program is valid for a one-year period from the date of acceptance. Failure to enroll within the one-year period invalidates the acceptance and the individual must be readmitted to the program. Contact the Office of The Graduate School to inquire about readmission.

Admission-International Students

international@xavier.edu

To apply for admission, the student must submit the following items to the appropriate graduate admission office. Credentials received for admission become the property of the University.

1. An international student application form.
2. Evidence of proficiency in the English language. A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 550, or a computer based test score of 213, for graduate students is required.  Internet based score should be 80 or higher with sub-scores of 20 or higher in each of the four subsections.
3. Official transcripts of the total college or university academic record (not just a diploma) from all schools attended (mark sheets should be provided where pertinent). Transcripts must have original signature and institution seal. Attested or “true” copies are not acceptable unless certified by an authorized official. An official evaluation of undergraduate transcripts by the World Education Service or equivalent agency placing the foreign education into the American system.
4. Recommendation letters are required by some programs.
5. Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), Graduate Record Exam (GRE), or other necessary test scores as required by the program.
6. Certified English translation accompanying all documents not issued in English.
7. (a) All documents must be received by the appropriate admission office for an admission decision to be made and hence for an I-20 form to be issued. (b) a separate statement from an official source to show that the student or sponsor is able to meet the expenses.

All documents must be received by the appropriate admission office before a Form I-20 will be issued. International students who have been admitted to the University must meet the University’s campus housing requirement (see Residence Life ). Prior to the start of classes, students must submit immunization records and personal health history. International students must have health insurance equivalent to what is offered through Xavier University.

Graduate Reactivation

A degree-seeking graduate student who previously attended Xavier and has not been registered for one full academic year must complete a Reactivation Form before attempting to register for classes again and continuing in the course of study.  Applicants who want credit for coursework taken at another university during their absence from Xavier must submit an official transcript to their respective program director for credit review. See the entry Transfer Students below for time limitations on the acceptance of coursework. Students are reactivated under the current catalog year, unless an exception is made by the dean.

Students suspended from Xavier or from other institutions for poor scholarship will not be eligible for reactivation before the lapse of at least one fall or spring semester. In all cases, reactivation and the conditions for such will be determined by the dean of the appropriate college. All prior financial obligations must be settled with the Office of the Bursar prior to reactivation and the student must be in good standing with the Division of Student Affairs.

Transfer Students

Master’s Degree

A maximum of six semester hours (or the equivalent) of graduate work completed at another accredited graduate school prior to initial admission to Xavier University may be transferred with the permission of the program director, the chair and the dean. In some cases, exceptions are made to the maximum number of transfer hours. Coursework that is part of a previously earned graduate degree is not accepted for transfer credit. Courses in which grades of “A” or “B” (3.000 or higher) are transferable. Credit earned through correspondence or television courses is not accepted. Decisions regarding transfer credit are made at the time of admission to degree seeking status.

A consortium of AACSB accredited Jesuit business schools has a reciprocity agreement stating that the majority of MBA credits taken by a student may be transferred into or from one consortium member to another, up to half of the core curriculum of any program, dependent upon the rules of each university or college. Contact the MBA Office or visit www.JesuitMBA.org for details.

Doctor of Psychology

Students accepted into the doctoral program who already hold a master’s degree in a field akin to clinical psychology, may expect a portion of the previous graduate work to be credited toward fulfillment of the doctoral degree requirements. The allowable number of transferable credit hours may vary. In all cases a minimum of 75 hours of the required 114 must be completed at Xavier University.

Petitions for transfer of credit will be granted with the recommendation of the Department Chair and approval of the Dean of the College of Professional Sciences. Courses taken more than six years prior to entering the doctoral program will normally not be accepted for transfer.

Courses Taken at Other Institutions

Graduate credit for a degree completed at another university is not transferable toward a graduate degree at Xavier once the student has begun a graduate program at Xavier. Exceptions to this policy may be made when:

1. A student is permanently transferred to another city by family obligations.
2. A student is specifically directed by the program director, chair or dean to take a course not available at Xavier.
3. Up to six semester hours of graduate course work obtained in the Greater Cincinnati Consortium of Colleges and Universities may be applied to a master’s degree taken at Xavier, with the advanced written permission of the program director or dean. As a matter of policy, the official academic record lists only those graduate courses from other universities which apply toward an advanced degree or pertain to certification.

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses

A currently enrolled Xavier University undergraduate student may begin graduate course work in certain areas of study, excluding the MBA and Psy.D. programs, as a non-degree graduate student if the student is within 12 hours of completing the undergraduate degree. The student must be in good academic standing and must obtain written approval from the appropriate dean and program director. The student must complete the non-degree graduate application for admission and return it to the appropriate admission office with the written permission attached.

All graduate courses taken will be for graduate credit only; the credit hours completed for graduate credit may not count toward the student’s undergraduate degree. No more than 6 credit hours taken as a non-degree graduate student may apply toward a graduate degree. Some courses are not available to non-degree graduate students.

NOTE: Students enrolled in the “Accounting 150 Credit Hour Program” , the “Life Sciences/MBA Program” or other combination Bachelor/ Master programs approved by the university should consult their department for exceptions to these policies.

Veterans’ Education

Xavier University is approved for the education and training of veterans and their eligible dependents under all existing public laws. Requests for information should be referred to the Director of Veterans’ Educational Benefits, Xavier University. Xavier is a Servicemembers Opportunity College (SOC). The toll free number for DVA and SOC information is 1-800-368-5622.

Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018

Pursuant to the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018, section 3679 of title 38, United States Code, effective August 1, 2019 Xavier University will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution, when the delay is due to the delayed disbursement funding from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) under Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Ch. 31). The University will not: Prevent their enrollment; Assess a late penalty fee to; Require they secure alternative or additional funding; Deny their access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.

Covered Individuals MUST submit the following information to the University Certifying Official in a timely manner: Their Certificate of Eligibility OR Statement of Benefits (obtained from the eBenefits website), The GI Bill Enrollment Certification, and Any other information necessary to their GI Bill certification.

NOTE: A Covered Individual is any individual who is entitled to educational assistance under chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, or chapter 33, Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.

Reservation of Rights

Xavier reserves the right to modify its graduation and other requirements as deemed necessary from time to time. The University will attempt to comply with the requirements published in the catalog for the year a student initially registers, provided the student continues in attendance without interruption of more than a year. Students who interrupt their attendance by more than a year and who later return must meet curricular requirements as determined by their dean.