Admission to Programs

Students are admitted to a specific graduate program. Once admitted, students may take courses in that Program of Study at any of the four centers (Baltimore campus, Northeast Maryland Higher Education Center, Anne Arundel Community College, and Southern Maryland Higher Education Center) provided appropriate courses are offered. All Programs of Study are offered on the Baltimore campus.

The following are topics related to Graduate School Admission at Notre Dame of Maryland University:

Submission of Application Materials

Admission Criteria: Master's Degree, Certificate and Certification Programs - General Requirements

Admission Criteria: Doctoral Degree Programs - Requirements

Program-Specific Admission Requirements for Master's Degree, Certificate and Certification Programs

International Student Admission

Registration for Non-Matriculants

Visiting Students

Policies Related to Admission

Self-Service

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Submission of Application Materials

Students in the graduate programs must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university before beginning graduate study. Applications are accepted through the University website (www.ndm.edu). Candidates for admission are assessed on an individual basis, based on admission criteria and any additional information which the student may provide. Notre Dame of Maryland University will recognize and accept transfer credit and conferred degrees from colleges and universities who are accredited by the following Regional Accrediting Bodies:

Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
New England Commission of Higher Education(NECHE)
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Northwestern Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (AACJC)
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)

Students with degrees from universities outside of the United States should submit an official course by course evaluated transcript, the University recommends using WES or CAREE for these services.

Conditional Admission

Applicants whose files lack official transcripts or official international course evaluations may be considered for conditional admission to Notre Dame of Maryland University by submitting unofficial documents at the time of application.

Students who have their final coursework in progress to complete a required degree for admission may also apply to be conditionally admitted. These students would need to submit unofficial or official transcripts showing final coursework in progress at the time of application. Prior to the end of their first term they would have to show final official transcripts with a degree conferral date.

All conditionally admitted students will also be required to maintain satisfactory academic progress requirements during their first term, and submit any outstanding official documents prior to the end of their first term. Until all required official documents have been received, an administrative hold will be placed on the students account. This hold will block future registration beyond their first term.

Admission Criteria: Master's Degree, Certificate and Certification Programs

General Requirements

Regardless of the School where the program resides, applicants to master’s programs must have completed a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) degree with a Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4-point scale. All students interested in earning a master’s degree will submit items described below:

Completed graduate application.
Official transcripts from all prior institutions.
A program specific essay is required for admission. (Essay requirement is waived for students who have completed a previous master’s degree.)

Note: School-specific additional admission requirements are located in the next section. Applicants to Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs, refer to Admission Requirements located in the next section.

The optimal submission time for applications is a semester ahead in order to enroll in courses of the student's choice. Notre Dame students may register for two semesters at the same time: Summer and Fall together; Winterim and Spring together.

Admission Criteria: Doctoral Degree Programs - Requirements

Doctoral Programs

Ph.D. in Instructional Leadership for Changing Populations

Admission Requirements (School of Education)

Individuals interested in earning a doctoral degree must fulfill all admission requirements. Candidate applications are reviewed for the following requirements:

Successful completion of a Master’s degree from an accredited institution with a GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0-point scale.
Completed graduate application.
Two recommendation letters.
Official transcripts from all prior institutions.
A statement describing personal area of academic interest and research.
Satisfactory score on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) taken no longer than five years before date of application to the program. The MAT/GRE may be waived if the applicant had a 3.0 GPA on a 4-point scale in his/her bachelor’s degree program AND a 3.75 in his/her master’s degree program.

Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership for Changing Populations

Admission Requirements (School of Education)

Individuals interested in earning a doctoral degree must fulfill all admission requirements. The Program of Study is designed for cohort groups. Every attention will be given to moving each cohort through the Program according to a specified timeline provided at the time of admission. Candidate applications are assessed regularly in light of the following requirements:

Successful completion of a Master's degree from an accredited institution with a Grade Point Average of at least 3.5 on a 4-point scale.
Completed graduate application.
Two recommendation letters.
Official transcripts from all prior institutions.
A statement describing personal area of academic interest and research.
Satisfactory score on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) taken no longer than five years before date of application to the program, The MAT/GRE may be waived if the applicant had a 3.0 GPA on a 4-point scale in his/her bachelor’s degree program AND a 3.75 in his/her master’s degree program.

Occupational Therapy Doctorate

Admission Requirements

Individuals interested in earning a doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy must fulfill all admission requirements. Candidate applications are reviewed for the following requirements:

Successful completion of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0-point scale
Completion of prerequisite courses
Three letters of recommendation
Human service observation hours
Personal statement
Resume
Interview

Pharmacy Doctorate

For information on admissions to the School of Pharmacy, please visit the School of Pharmacy Catalog (found on at www.ndm.edu; under admissions).

Program-Specific Admission Requirements for Master's Degrees, Certificate and Certification Programs

in Addition to General Requirements

School of Arts, Science, and Business

Master of Arts in Art Therapy

To be considered for admission to the Master of Arts in Art Therapy program, applicants must have completed a BA or BS degree with a Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4-point scale. There is no Graduate Record Examination (GRE) requirement for admission.

Applicants must complete the general requirements for graduate admission and meet and/or address the following program requirements*:

A statement of purpose detailing: affinity for working with people; motivation for pursuing a career in art therapy; personal meaning of art and/or creativity in the candidate’s life; creative strengths and areas of anticipated growth. APA format should be used.
Note: This essay is in addition to the general essay required as described under General Requirements.
Two recommendation letters.
Art portfolio for review. Portfolio to include: minimum of 15 pieces reflecting knowledge of a range of materials (two and three-dimensional media) and techniques. Actual works or high resolution photos of work acceptable. Expressive work not exclusively created as assignments are preferred.
Coursework prerequisites:

A minimum of 18 credit hours in studio art including drawing (3), painting (3), and ceramics or photography (3)
A minimum of 12 credit hours in psychology including child/adolescent or human development and abnormal psychology.

Note: At least 12 hours of the studio art and at least nine (9) hours of the psychology must be completed prior to admission with the remaining hours being completed within the first year of enrollment in the program.

*Requirements are consistent with the standards set forth by the American Art Therapy Association Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education and Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.

Master of Arts in English Literature

To be considered for admission to the Master of Arts in English Literature program, applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree in a related field.

Master of Science in Analytics

To be considered for admission to the Master of Science in Analytics program, applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree with a Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4-point scale. If the student’s Cumulative GPA is between a 2.5 and 3.0, the GRE is required. Applicants must have successfully completed an undergraduate statistics course.

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates in Business

Notre Dame offers Post-Baccalaureate Certificate programs in Leadership and Management, Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations, and Risk Management. To be considered for admission to any of the certificate programs, applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4-point scale. If the student’s cumulative GPA is between a 2.5 and 3.0, the GRE or GMAT is required.

School of Education

For specific admission information based on your program, please consult with your enrollment counselor. Upon review of admission criteria outlined above in General Requirements, applicants may be required to fulfill one or more of the following items:

Letters of Recommendation
Praxis Core or other Maryland approved test scores
Admissions interview
Watson-Glaser "Critical Thinking Appraisal"
Grammar exam

Master of Arts in Teaching (part time or GEI-10 month cohort)

Students are admitted to the MAT program on a full-time basis to complete the program within ten (10) months or on a part-time basis with completion generally expected within two years. Although part-time work may begin any semester, students admitted to full-time study must begin their work in the summer term in order to complete their studies within ten (10) months. Students applying to the 10-month MAT program are not eligible for waivers of any admissions requirements and must complete all items.

Applicants must complete the general requirements for graduate admission and meet and/or address the following program requirement(s). Essay is waived for applicants who have completed a previous master's degree.

Two Letters of Recommendation are required for all applicants who are not currently working in schools.

Master of Arts in TESOL

Two Letters of Recommendation are required for all applicants who are not currently working in schools.

International students who have learned English as a second language and who have not previously completed a degree from an English-speaking university will need to demonstrate English language skills through one of the following exams. Please submit, in addition to the requirements for the MATESOL degree, one of the following:

A score of 7.0 or higher on the IELTS
A score of 100 or higher on the TOEFL Internet Based Test
A score of 250 or higher on the TOEFL Computer Based Test
A score of 600 or higher on the TOEFL Paper Based Test

Accelerated Certification for Teaching

The Accelerated Certification for Teaching (ACT) program is a post-baccalaureate, non-degree, graduate level, state approved program for the preparation of elementary and secondary school teachers.

Two Letters of Recommendation are required for all applicants who are not currently working in schools.

Certificate of Advanced Study in Education (CASE)

Two Letters of Recommendation are required for all applicants who are not currently working in schools.

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Curriculum and Instruction

Applicants to the Curriculum and Instruction program should have at least one year of teaching experience and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in their undergraduate program. All the required credits for the post-baccalaureate certificate in Curriculum and Instruction must be earned at Notre Dame. Credits earned toward the certificate in Curriculum and Instruction may be applied to the Master of Arts in Leadership in Teaching.

School of Nursing

Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner and Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

To be considered for admission to the Master of Science in Nursing program at Notre Dame, applicants must have completed a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from an accredited college or university, or an equivalent degree from a comparable foreign institution and have attained a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4-point scale.

Applicants must complete the general requirements for graduate admission and meet and/or address the following program requirement(s).

An active unrestricted State of Maryland license or compact state RN license.

Post-Master Certificate Program: Nurse Educator Certificate and Nurse Administrator Certificate

The Post-Master Certificate program allows nurses who are pursuing a graduate nursing degree or have a graduate degree in nursing to enroll in the nurse educator or nurse administrator certificate programs of study. To be considered for admission, applicants must have an MSN, Doctor of Nursing Practice, or Ph.D. in Nursing from an accredited college or university with a Cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4-point scale.

Applicants must complete the general requirements for graduate admission and meet and/or address the following program requirement(s).

An active unrestricted State of Maryland license or compact state RN license.

Note: Contact the School of Nursing Enrollment Counselor if interested in enrolling in designated certificate courses while still engaged in either the MSN Nursing Leadership in Education or Administration programs of study.

International Student Admission

Notre Dame welcomes students from every nation in the world to apply for admission. A diverse campus community enhances NDMU's world view and enriches classroom interaction.

Programs and services for international students include orientation, academic and immigration counseling.

In addition to general admission requirements and additional requirements as per the School where the graduate program resides, international applicants must:

Be able to qualify for the F-1 student visa;
Submit certified, transcribed and evaluated transcripts of undergraduate study equivalent at least to a U.S. bachelor's degree (an official course by course evaluated transcript, the University recommends using WES or CAREE for these services.);
Submit a completed Affidavit of Support form that indicates ability to fully finance the program of study;
Submit a score of 550 or higher on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) if a student’s native language is not English. A student will be exempt from taking the TOEFL if: a) a student has an undergraduate degree in English or b) a student’s undergraduate language of instruction was in English either in the U.S. or abroad.

Upon admission, students who are not permanent residents of the United States must contact Notre Dame's Director for International Education a to begin the student visa process. Once you have accepted the offer of admission and received your F-1 student visa you may register for classes. International students cannot be accepted conditionally.

International students on an F-1 visa at the graduate level are required, by United States government regulation, to be enrolled for nine credit hours each semester.

Notre Dame of Maryland University does not provide financial aid to international graduate students.

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Registration for Non-Matriculants

Students may be permitted to enroll in order to take graduate level courses for their own enrichment or to fulfill requirements. Students may register as non-matriculants once they have completed the application for admission and submitted proof of successful completion of a Bachelor's degree. By their signature on the application, students are affirming they have earned their undergraduate degree. If the confirmation of the undergraduate degree (transcript) is not received from the granting institution, Notre Dame reserves the right to withdraw credit for the course(s) and to terminate the student's status.

Students registering as non-matriculants may later apply for admission to a degree seeking graduate program and will be considered for admission under the normal application process. There are no exceptions to this policy.

Registering through the non-matriculant process for graduate level courses does not guarantee admission to other graduate courses or to a graduate degree program.

Students may complete up to 9 graduate credits as a non-matriculant student.

Visiting Students

Degree-seeking students in a graduate program at another college or university may be admitted as visiting students, taking courses at Notre Dame to be transferred to their graduate program. Courses taken at the graduate level are not eligible to be used for the undergraduate degree (or vice versa).

Visiting student status will lapse once a student has completed the course(s) stipulated at the time of application. Admission of a Visiting Student to the University does not guarantee that a course will be scheduled, that it will not be cancelled in the event of insufficient enrollment, or that there will be room in the class at the time the visiting student attempts to register. Visiting students pay the current graduate tuition rate directly to Notre Dame. Grade reports are not sent on behalf of the student; students must provide transcripts to their home institution.

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Policies Related to Admission

Transfer Credit Policy

At the time of admission, students must initiate requests for transfer credit for courses already completed. Graduate courses taken at other colleges and universities after admission to Notre Dame require advance approval from the appropriate dean. In certain programs, it may not be possible to take core courses elsewhere given their unique design. Except as noted elsewhere in this catalog, a maximum of six (6) graduate credits may be transferred into any of the Master's degree programs at Notre Dame. Courses transferred into the graduate program must carry a grade of "B" or better, be directly related to the student's program, and not have been applied toward another degree (Transfer credits must have been completed in the past seven years).

Re-admission Policy

Notre Dame does not automatically re-admit students who have withdrawn from the University or whose matriculant status has lapsed. Students must submit a new application and official transcript(s). Readmitted students must fulfill the program requirements in place at the time of re-admission.

Registration Policies

Students who have satisfied the admission requirements and have been admitted into a specific graduate program may register for graduate courses. Students may not register until they have been officially accepted or approved for non-matriculant status.

Registration fees are applied to a student's account at the time of registration. Tuition and other fees are due by a specific date each registration period. A student's registration is subject to cancellation if tuition and other fees are not paid by the specified deadline prior to the beginning of classes. However, please note that non-payment is not an authorized method of dropping a class; if the student's name remains on the class roster, the student will be responsible for payment and will receive a grade of "F" for the course.

Change in Registration

To make a change in registration, i.e., dropping or adding a course, students should access Self-Service. Students may add a course until the date specified in the Academic Calendar. Changes in registration must be made during the drop/add period. Students may drop a class without academic record through the drop/add period in that particular term. Dropped courses do not appear on the student's transcript. Once the drop/add period ends, students may withdraw from (but not drop) a course. The deadline for withdrawing is published in the Academic Calendar. If a student withdraws from a course a "W" grade will appear on the student's transcript. Students who fail to withdraw officially from a course and simply stop attending will receive a grade of "F" and will be responsible for full payment of tuition and fees.

Self-Service

Self-Service is an online tool for Notre Dame students. Self-Service data is real-time and enables students direct access including but not limited to: the course schedule, and information on a student's grades, schedules, financial aid, as well as access to online registration and payment services. All students are provided access to Self-Service and are encouraged to use this tool.