Graduate Applicants

Admissions

Launch your journey to a graduate education by applying to one of Salve Regina University's degree or certificate programs.

We offer master's degrees, four-course certificates and doctoral degrees that encompass the fields of behavior analysis, business, counseling, creative writing, criminal justice, education, healthcare administration, humanities, international relations and nursing.

Most programs are offered in flexible formats that include evening classes, online coursework or low-residency programs.

There is no fee to apply, and you may begin your online application at any time. Applications must be completed within one year of initial submission, or you may be required to resubmit materials. All application materials become a permanent and confidential part of University records and are not returned.

Questions? Contact us at (401) 341-2385 or graduate_studies@salve.edu.

Request information

  • Attend an upcoming webinar: Webinars provide more information about specific graduate programs, distinct learning opportunities and alumni success. Register for a webinar.
  • Current undergraduate students: Be sure to review our combined bachelor's/master's programs, which can save you time and money. Submit your application by Feb. 15 of your third (junior) year for consideration.
  • Current graduate students: If you're currently enrolled in one of our master's programs and wish to apply for an additional program, complete the application form designed for internal candidates.

Requirements and Deadlines for Master's Degrees

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended. "Official" means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Personal statement.
  • Current resume.

Deadlines

  • Dec. 15 - priority deadline for fall admission.
  • July 1 - regular deadline for fall admission.

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended. "Official" means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Personal statement.
  • Current resume.

Deadline

  • Rolling admission.

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended. "Official" means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Personal statement.
  • Current resume.
  • Two letters of recommendation from faculty and/or work supervisors who can attest to your ability to be successful in graduate studies.

Applicants who successfully pass an initial application review may be selected for an interview at the discretion of the admissions committee.

Deadlines

  • July 1 - deadline for fall admission.
  • Nov. 1 - deadline for spring admission.
  • March 1 - deadline for summer admission.

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended. "Official" means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Personal statement.
  • Current resume.
  • Writing sample. For those interested in fiction or nonfiction, we accept up to 6,500 words (20-25 pages) of prose. For those interested in poetry, we accept up to 10 pages. Applicants may submit fewer pages or multiple short pieces that add up to 6,500 words.

Deadlines

  • Nov. 15 - deadline for spring admission (January start).
  • April 15 - deadline for summer admission.

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended. "Official" means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Personal statement.
  • Current resume.

Deadline

  • Rolling admission.

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended. "Official" means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Personal statement.
  • Current resume.

Deadline

  • Rolling admission.

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended. "Official" means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Personal statement.
  • Current resume.

Deadline

  • Rolling admission.

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended. "Official" means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Personal statement.
  • Current resume.
  • Copy of your unencumbered RN license.
  • Completion of three credits in statistics, taken in the past eight years with a grade of C or better.

Deadline

  • Rolling admission.

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended. "Official" means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Personal statement.
  • Current resume.
  • Two letters of recommendation from individuals who can attest to your ability to be successful in graduate studies.
  • Completion of a foundational course in special education, such as Salve's SED211: Characteristics of Children With Exceptionalities or an equivalent course approved by the program director.

Deadlines

  • July 1 - deadline for fall admission.
  • Nov. 1 - deadline for spring admission.
  • March 1 - deadline for summer admission.

Graduate students may design a dual-degree master's program based on career interests and educational goals. Applicants must receive permission from the appropriate program directors. The dual-degree program offers a common set of core courses, making it possible to earn two master's degrees with fewer credits than if earned separately.

Students who earned a master's degree from Salve and wish to complete a second master's degree may petition the appropriate program director. Upon approval, the required credits for the second degree may be reduced to 30. This option may not be available for programs with accreditation or licensing requirements.

Requirements and Deadlines for Doctoral Programs

Individuals must have a master's degree in behavior analysis to apply for the doctoral program. Individuals without a master's degree in behavior analysis should apply to our M.S. in behavior analysis program. Students who are pursuing the M.S. in behavior analysis are eligible to submit an internal application for the Ph.D. program near the completion of their master's program.

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended. "Official” means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Personal statement describing your interest and experience in behavior analysis.
  • Current resume/CV.
  • Two letters of recommendation, preferably from faculty or clinical supervisors who can speak to your technical knowledge of behavior analytic research and practice.
  • Research proposal form (available in the application portal).

Applicants who are potentially eligible for the program will be asked to complete an interview process for further evaluation.

Deadlines

  • Dec. 15 - priority deadline for fall admission.
  • May 1 - regular deadline for fall admission.

Individuals with a master's degree who are highly motivated to explore the relationship between humanities and technology are encouraged to apply.

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended, including proof of an accredited master's degree with a GPA of 3.30 or higher. "Official" means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Personal statement.
  • Current resume/CV.
  • Two letters of recommendation, preferably from faculty who can address your ability to succeed in doctoral studies.
  • 15-page paper completed for a master’s-level course.
  • Online writing sample.

Applicants who successfully pass an initial application review may be selected for an interview at the discretion of the admissions committee.

Deadline

  • May 1 - deadline for fall admission.

Individuals with a master's degree granted by an English-speaking institution and at least five years of relevant professional experience are encouraged to apply.

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended, including proof of an accredited master's degree. "Official" means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Personal statement.
  • Current resume/CV.
  • Two letters of recommendation, preferably from faculty who can address your ability to succeed in doctoral studies.

Applicants who successfully pass an initial application review may be selected for an interview at the discretion of the admissions committee.

Deadlines

  • July 1 for fall admission.
  • Nov. 1 for spring admission.
  • March 1 for summer admission.

M.S. in nursing to Doctor of Nursing Practice

Individuals with a master's degree in nursing with a minimum GPA of 3.0 are encouraged to apply.

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended, including proof of an accredited master's degree in nursing. "Official" means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Personal statement relating doctoral study and research expectations to professional goals.
  • Portfolio (including resume/CV) that includes a description of current and past clinical practice as well as any presentations and/or publications.
  • Copy of your unencumbered RN license or eligibility for RN licensure in the state of Rhode Island (license will need to be obtained prior to any clinical experiences).
  • Copy of your unencumbered APRN license and certification (if applicable).
  • Signed attestation from your master's program showing the number of clinical hours completed.
  • Completion of three credits in statistics and three credits in a master's-level advanced research course, taken in the past eight years with a grade of C or better.

Applicants who are potentially eligible for the program will be asked to complete an interview process for further evaluation.

Deadline

  • Rolling admission.

B.S. in nursing to Doctor of Nursing Practice

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended (current and former Salve students do not need to request a Salve transcript). "Official" means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Personal statement.
  • Current resume/CV that includes a description of current and past clinical practice as well as any presentations and/or publications.
  • Copy of your active, unencumbered U.S.-based RN license.
  • Completion of three credits in statistics, taken in the past eight years with a grade of B- or better.
  • Interview and presentation with the nursing graduate admissions committee (scheduled by the program director once all other items are received).

Applicants will complete a brief knowledge gap presentation during the interview. This presentation is designed to assess your readiness for doctoral-level scholarship, your ability to think critically about practice problems, and your potential to develop a DNP project that advances patient care and health system outcomes. Details are available in the application portal.

Deadline

  • Rolling admission.

Requirements and Deadlines for Certificate Programs

Salve's certificate programs are ideal for those who want to pursue focused study on a particular topic to meet personal or professional goals.

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended. "Official” means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Personal statement.
  • Current resume/CV.
  • Two letters of recommendation.
  • Copy of your active Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) credential.

Deadlines

  • Feb. 15 - priority deadline for fall I admission.
  • July 1 - regular deadline for fall I admission.
  • Sept. 1 - deadline for fall II admission.
  • Nov. 1 - deadline for spring I admission.
  • Jan. 15 - deadline for spring II admission.

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended. "Official” means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Personal statement.
  • Current resume/CV.

Deadlines

  • Nov. 15 - deadline for spring admission (January start).
  • April 15 - deadline for summer admission.

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended. "Official” means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Current resume/CV.

Deadlines

  • Rolling admission.

Students who wish to continue beyond the certificate by entering a master's program should contact the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies. For students who are accepted into a master's program, courses already completed for the certificate program may be applied to the master's degree consistent with University policy.

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended. "Official” means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Personal statement (required only for post-master's applicants).
  • Current resume/CV.

Deadline

  • Rolling admission.

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from each college or university attended. "Official” means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Current resume/CV.

Deadlines

  • Rolling admission.

Students who wish to continue beyond the certificate by entering a master's program should contact the Office of Graduate Admissions. For students who are accepted into a master's program, courses already completed for the certificate program may be applied to the master's degree consistent with University policy.

Application requirements

  • Online application.
  • Official transcript(s) from all colleges and universities attended, both undergraduate and graduate (current and former Salve students do not need to request a Salve transcript). "Official" means it must come to us directly from the school.
  • Personal statement.
  • Current resume/CV that includes a description of current and past clinical practice as well as any presentations and/or publications.
  • Copy of your active, unencumbered U.S.-based RN license.
  • Copy of your active, unencumbered APRN license and certification (if applicable).
  • Completion of three credits in statistics, taken in the past eight years with a grade of C or better.

Deadline

  • Rolling admission.

International Applicants

At this time, Salve does not process I-20s, therefore international students are only eligible to enroll online from their home country. Admission requirements for each graduate program vary. However, all international applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and provide an undergraduate record that reflects their ability to be successful in graduate studies.

Students who attended a college or university outside the United States should have their official transcript(s) translated into English and the credits evaluated by a recognized agency such as World Education Services or Educational Credential Evaluators. When making your request to the evaluating agency, provide instructions to include your transcript(s), along with the completed evaluation, when it is sent to our office.

Physical evaluations of international education credentials should be directed to Admissions - Graduate and Professional Studies, Salve Regina University, 100 Ochre Point Ave., Newport, RI 02840. Digital evaluations should be sent by the evaluating agency to graduate_studies@salve.edu.

Students whose native language is not English must submit results from a recognized test of English proficiency. Minimum scores are 4 (TOEFL iBT), 6.5 (IELTS) or 110 (Duolingo). This requirement may be waived for applicants who have earned a degree from a U.S. college or university or an overseas university where the primary language of instruction is English.