Admission & Registration

Requirements

Admission Requirements for Degree Candidates

• Completed application
• Interview

  Note: Applicants for the M.A. in Church Ministries must be able to articulate, in writing and in person, their understanding of ministry and their particular aptitude for the ministry track selected. They must also have an interview with the Director of the M.A. in Church Ministries program, even if they have had an initial interview with the admissions staff.Lucky You
  

• Official sealed transcript of a bachelor'’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a GPA of at least 2.75 (on a four-point scale)

  Note: Official transcript(s) of other undergraduate or graduate study should be submitted if advanced standing or transfer credit is requested for those credits.

• Successful completion of the Academic Skills Assessment (see description below)
  
• Two letters of recommendation, at least one of which must be from a professor, academic advisor, or academic administrator. Applicants for the M.A. in Church Ministries must ensure that one letter of recommendation is written by a professional able to assess their aptitude for ministry in the desired area of concentration.
  
• Recent photograph

  Note: The Parish Nursing track (M.A. Ch. Min.) is open only to registered nurses (R.N.s), who must provide proof of their status.

The Committee on Admissions and Academic Standing will make a decision regarding matriculation into a degree program when all the admission requirements have been submitted and evaluated.

Admission Requirements for Certificate Candidates (non-C.A.S.)

• Completed application
  
• Interview
  
• Official sealed transcript of a bachelor'’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a GPA of at least 2.75 (on a four-point scale)
  
• Successful completion of the Academic Skills Assessment (see description below)
  
• One letter of recommendation from a pastor or professor
  
• Recent photograph

  Note: Parish Nursing certificates are open only to registered nurses (R.N.s), who must provide proof of their status.

The Committee on Admissions and Academic Standing will make a decision regarding matriculation into a certificate program when all the admission requirements have been submitted and evaluated.

Admission Requirements for Certificate of Advanced Study of Theology (C.A.S.) Candidates 

• Completed application
• Interview
  
• Unless the degree was earned at St. Mary's Seminary & University, an official sealed transcript of an ATS-accredited and regionally accredited master's degree in theological studies (e.g., M.A., M.Div.) or its equivalent, with a minimum GPA of 3.30 (on a four-point scale)
  
• Evidence of potential for success in advanced theological study at the Ecumenical Institute
  
• One academic letter of recommendation
  
• Recent photograph

The Committee on Admissions and Academic Standing will make a decision regarding matriculation into the C.A.S. program when all the admission requirements have been submitted and evaluated.

Admission Requirements for Graduate-Credit-Only Students (including Explorations in Theology Students)

• Completed application
  
• Official sealed transcript of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a GPA of at least 2.75 (on a four-point scale)

  Note: Students with less than a 2.75 GPA may apply for admission on a probationary basis.

• Interview
  
• Completion of the Academic Skills Assessment, usually during the course TH601 Introduction to Theological Study, Research & Writing (Explorations in Theology students taking only 500-level courses are urged to take the A.S.A., but are not required to do so unless they receive a grade below a B in a course.)
  
• Recent photograph

No formal acceptance notice is sent to students taking courses for credit only, though students will receive a registration confirmation from the Registrar's office.

Admission Requirements for Auditors

• Completed application
  
• Transcript of undergraduate degree or all undergraduate work (see note below); photocopy or unofficial copy acceptable
  
• Recent photograph

  Note: due to accreditation requirements, auditors are normally required to possess a bachelor's degree, though a few courses (e.g., parish nursing) may admit a limited number of auditors who possess a significant number of college credits (normally at least the equivalent of an associate’'s degree) without a bachelor’'s degree.

No formal acceptance notice is sent to students taking courses for audit only, though students will receive a registration confirmation from the Registrar's office. Only a limited number of auditors may be enrolled in a given class. An auditor must attend more than 50 percent of a course's class sessions for the course to appear on his or her transcript. Auditors who fail to attend the minimum number of class sessions, but do not officially withdraw, are administratively withdrawn and are not entitled to a tuition reduction or refund.

SUMMARY OF ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

* See waiver policy.

** Academic recommendation letters must be from a professor, academic advisor, or academic administrator.

Probationary Admission and Special Students
Prospective students who possess less than a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 may apply for probationary admission to courses for graduate credit. Probationary students must achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 for their first four courses. The Dean or the Committee on Admissions and Academic Standing, which reviews the progress and re-evaluates the status of all probationary students each term, may also impose other conditions. Probationary students must meet all conditions associated with their probationary admission.

The Ecumenical Institute occasionally admits a very small number of highly qualified students who have earned a significant number of credits (normally an associate's degree or its equivalent) from a regionally accredited college or university but whose bachelor’'s degree is from an institution that is not regionally accredited. Special students are admitted on a probationary basis and are permitted to take classes for graduate credit. Persons interested in this special-student status must make formal written application to the Committee on Admissions and Academic Standing and undergo an extensive evaluation of their previous academic work, goals, and potential for success in master's-level courses. Students who are currently enrolled in undergraduate institutions are not admitted as special students. 

Academic Skills Assessment (A.S.A.)
As part of the admissions process, the E.I. requires most students to sit for a test that assesses their reading and writing skills. The assessment is administered at St. Mary's with no cost to the student, usually as part of the introductory course TH601. Results are evaluated by the Office of Admissions and Academic Services, which communicates to the student any recommendations or requirements related to the results of the test. The Ecumenical Institute of Theology reserves the right to select, and to change without notice, the particular assessment tool it uses. The A.S.A. is waived for students who submit: (a) an official GRE verbal score report of 600 or better or (b) an official transcript of a Ph.D., J.D., M.D., master's degree in the humanities (minimum GPA 3.0), or master's degree with thesis in any field (minimum GPA 3.0). Students in the Explorations in Theology program taking only 500-level courses are not required to take the A.S.A. unless they receive a grade lower than B in any course.