Graduate Academic Policies

In the event any of the policies or procedures outlined in this catalog conflict with program-specific handbooks provided by some academic programs, the terms, policies and procedures of the program-specific handbook will govern.

Graduate Admission Requirements

Graduate students will be considered for admission to the University of St. Francis after completing the following admission requirements. Admission to specific programs may involve additional requirements. All admission requirements are subject to final approval by the dean of the appropriate college. Admission requirements for the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies and doctoral programs are listed separately.

• Application and application fee
• Admission essay
• Official transcripts documenting the appropriate undergraduate degree and prerequisites from a regionally accredited institution
• Verification of an undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale unless noted otherwise
• 2 letters of recommendation
• Verification of employment according to the following:
  • Master of Business Administration: two years of full-time employment in a management position or appropriate inbound business exam score.
  • Master of Science in Health Administration: two years of full-time employment in the health care field or permission from the academic department
  • Master of Science in Management: two years of full time business or management experience or appropriate inbound business exam score
  • Master of Science in Training and Development: two years of full time work experience or permission from the academic department

Additional Requirements by Program

Master of Education with Licensure

• 2.75 GPA in an approved program area, no more than nine credit hours of general education or content area course deficiencies.

Master of Science in Education

• Valid Professional Educator License

Master of Science in Educational Leadership: Principal Preparation

• Verification of an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Illinois Professional Educator License
• Three years of full-time teaching
• Two letters of recommendation; one from current principal and other from superintendent

Master of Science in Educational Leadership: Teacher Leader

• Verification of an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Illinois Professional Educator License
• Two years of full-time teaching or school support personnel experience
• Two letters of recommendation; one from current principal and another administrator

Master of Science in Nursing

• Verification of an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• A professional resume
• A valid registered professional nurse license
• Satisfactory completion of baccalaureate level courses with a minimum grade of C is required in Physical Assessment and Nursing Research and are prerequisites to NURS 622 Advanced Health Assessment and NURS 611 Biostatistics and Research
• Satisfactory completion of a 3 credit hour undergraduate introductory statistics course is required as a prerequisite to NURS 611 Biostatistics and Research
• Interview with one or more faculty members from the Leach College of Nursing

Prior to registration for the second semester (by end of week 8 of first semester enrollment), MSN and Post-Master’s Certificate students are required to submit or complete the following:

• Current RN license, current CPR certification, & current professional nursing liability insurance
• Immunizations: Td within the last ten years (substitution of 1-time Tdap dose for Td booster), MMR (2 dosages/titer), Varicella (2 dosages/titer), and Hepatitis B (3 dosages/titer), annual seasonal Influenza vaccine
• Documentation of 2-step TB status within past six months and annually thereafter. For a positive TB test, documented negative chest x-ray and yearly screening by a physician or nurse practitioner
• Completed medical history
• Ten panel drug screen
• Criminal background check
• Completion of HIPAA and OSHA modules via the following websites:
  • HIPAA - https://www.stfrancis.edu/leach-college-of-nursing/hipaa-compliance/
  • OSHA - https://www.stfrancis.edu/leach-college-of-nursing/osha-training-compliance/​

Master of Social Work

• To qualify for advanced standing, students must be graduates of an accredited BSW program within the last seven years
• Two-year students who have degrees in fields other than Social Work must complete:

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
MATH 105	Introduction to Statistics	3
BIOL 114	Human Biology	4

These undergraduate courses are prerequisites for SWRK 501 Human Behavior and Social Environment I and SWRK 503 Research Methods for Social Work

Physician Assistant (M.S.) Admission Requirements

Admission to this program is extremely competitive with approximately 40 students admitted to a cohort class each January. Our admission policy emphasizes the selection of students who reflect varied social, cultural, educational and professional backgrounds.

• An application submitted through CASPA (Central Application Service for Physician Assistants)
• Official transcripts documenting a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university
• Verification of a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Verification of the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) within the last 5 years. Competitive applicants score at least 300 on the verbal and quantitative portions, and a 4.0 on the analytical writing portion. Applicants that have completed a graduate degree from an accredited U.S. university or college may submit graduate GPA in lieu of GRE scores. To schedule the GRE exam, visit http://www.gre.org. Our GRE code for CASPA is 0523.
•  A minimum TOEFL score of 550 for the paper exam or 85 for the web based exam if English is their second language. Students must also submit their foreign transcripts to an approved credentials evaluation agency. An official report from the credentials evaluation agency must be received prior to admission to the program.
• A minimum of 500 hours of formal, hands-on clinical experience in a medical setting. Work may be paid, volunteer, or shadowing. At minimum, it should be service and health system related.
• Completion of the following prerequisite classes with a cumulative 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale from an accredited college/university¹:
  • Biology with lab (8 credit hours or 12 quarter hours)
  • Anatomy and Physiology; preferably with a human emphasis and with a lab (8 credit hours or 12 quarter hours)
  • Chemistry with lab (8 credit hours or 12 quarter hours)
  • Microbiology (1 course)
  • Genetics (1 course)
  • Statistics (1 course)
• Three letters of recommendation included with the CASPA application. Appropriate references are supervisors, instructors/professors, academic advisors, or colleagues. Do not submit a reference from a provider with a short period of shadowing contact (<100 hours), a family member, or friend.
• Students are required to submit to a criminal background check and urine drug testing in order to matriculate and a second time to advance to clinical rotations. Additionally, fingerprinting may be required for clinical rotations. The fees associated with the background check, drug testing and fingerprinting are the responsibility of the student. Refusal to submit to the background check or drug screen will result in dismissal from the program.

¹

All prerequisite coursework must be current within seven (7) years of admission to the PA program for applicants with an undergraduate degree, ten (10) years for applicants with a graduate or higher level degree. Upper level coursework may be substituted for expired prerequisite courses at the discretion of the Admissions Director.

The Physician Assistant program does not offer or accept advanced placement, including and not limited to CLEP, or credit for experiential learning or international medical experience and/or transfer of credit from another Physician Assistant program or medical school. Essentially, students must complete the entire 27-month curriculum offered by the University of St Francis regardless of prior education or experience. In regards to prerequisites, if an applicant received AP credit for a required prerequisite course at the undergraduate level, for example BIOL 101, the prerequisite GPA calculation will simply credit the applicant for completion of the course. The USF PA Program will not reasonably expect the applicant to repeat such a course.

Tuition Deposit

Upon acceptance to the Physician Assistant program, a $650 non-refundable tuition deposit is required and will be applied to the applicant’s bill.

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed. D.) Admission Requirements

Post graduate students will be considered for admission to the University of St. Francis after completing the following admission requirements. All admission requirements are subject to final approval by the dean of the college.

• Letter of application
• Official transcripts documenting the appropriate graduate degree from a regionally accredited institution
• Verification of a graduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• ISBE General Administrative or Principal endorsement or equivalent from another state (Superintendent concentration only)
• Supervisor recommendation
• Interview
• Application submitted on-line
• Applicants may request that transfer credit from an accredited doctoral program approved by the Illinois State Board of Education be accepted

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Admission Requirements

Post graduate students will be considered for admission to the University of St. Francis after completing the following admission requirements. All admission requirements are subject to final approval by the dean of the college.

• Application and application fee
• Admission essay
• Official transcripts documenting the appropriate graduate degree and prerequisites from a regionally accredited institution
• Verification of a graduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• One letter of recommendation from either a professional colleague or a former college/university nursing professor who can attest to academic and clinical acumen, with a statement about the applicant’s potential to successfully complete a doctor of nursing practice program.
• Current license
• Professional resume
• International students must graduate from a nursing program that has undergone comparable review per AACN Essentials of Master’s Education for Advanced Nursing criteria and have transcripts evaluated by approved agency (WES or ECE preferred)

Prior to beginning their second semester of enrollment, DNP students are required to submit the following:

• Current CPR certification
• Current HIPAA acknowledgement form
• Proof of immunity/immunization record
• Completed medical history and physical form
• Ten panel drug screen
• Criminal background check
• Professional nursing liability insurance

International Student Admission Requirements

International graduate students will be considered for admission to the University of St. Francis after completing the previously indicated requirements in addition to those listed below. All admission requirements are subject to final approval by the dean of the appropriate college.

• Copy of passport or VISA papers
• Resume that indicates two years of applicable work experience or GMAT score
• Official scores from the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) examination. Satisfactory TOEFL scores are a minimum 550 for the paper based exam, 213 for the computer based exam, or 79-80 for the internet based exam for applicants whom English is a second language (a score of 85 on the internet based exam is required for the PA program). The institution code for the University of St. Francis is 1130
• Official scores of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are accepted in place of TOEFL scores. A minimum overall ban score of 6.5 is needed for consideration. Official scores need to be sent to the University of St. Francis directly from the testing center which administered the test
• Official (sealed) transcripts of all academic work from all colleges or universities beyond the secondary level (US schools only)
• A copy of transcripts of all academic work from all colleges or universities beyond the secondary level (International only)
• Evaluation from an approved agency of all previous foreign course work (WES or ECE preferred). Official copy needed outlining course by course
• Evidence (affidavit of financial support) of adequate financial resources applicable toward total college costs of completing the master’s degree at the University for one year. (Includes tuition, fees, books, minimal additional costs, excludes living expenses if taking classes in the United States.) (Applicable for onsite students only and includes those that are being sponsored)
• School Transfer and Release Application completed by the last institution attended in the United States for international students with immigrant status in the United States and who have attended a college/university in the United States. (Applicable for onsite students only. The previous I-20 will list last school attended)
• International student applicants are considered for admission as soon as their application process has been completed. An I-20 will be issued once the above requirements have been satisfied (not applicable for online)
• Tuition Deposit - Upon acceptance as an international graduate student, a non-refundable tuition deposit is required and will be credited to the applicant’s bill.

Admission for Second Master’s Degree

• Graduate students seeking to earn a second Master’s degree (i.e. a second Master of Science degree) in a discipline closely related to that of their first USF Master’s degree will be allowed to apply some of the credit earned in the first program toward the requirements in the second program. The University has an obligation to ensure that each of its degrees reflect a significant immersion of the individual in a relevant, concentration course of study. To this end, a student may not apply more than 12 credits from the first degree to the credit required for the second degree. Decisions related to the number of hours allowed are determined upon individual program requirements. Interested individuals must formally apply and be accepted for admission to the second graduate program.
• Additionally, any specific requirements beyond coursework in the second program (e.g., comprehensive exams, field experience, internships, or a thesis) must be completed to earn the second degree.

Admission to Graduate Certificate Programs

Admission to a certificate program is decided on an individual basis, based on a variety of factors depending on the program. The prospective student should apply online for the desired certificate program by their resume, post-high school education information (as applicable) and a statement of purpose. The applicant may be asked to submit further supporting material at a later date (such as letters of recommendation or employment information). The Dean of the College where the certificate is housed (or their designee) will review the application, consulting with others in the college or admissions as appropriate. The dean will be responsible for communicating the decision on admission to the Office of Admissions.

Re-admission of Former USF Students

Former University of St. Francis students who have ceased enrollment for less than one year and have not attended any college or university since leaving the University may simply contact their previous academic advisor or the Registrar’s Office for registration.

Former University of St. Francis students who have not attended the University for a year or more must re-enter the University through the Office of Graduate Admissions and will be required to fulfill the requirement of the catalog in effect at the time of re-entry. Students must update their student information by completing the graduate student application and, if applicable, submit official transcripts of all academic course work completed after leaving the University. Students who have holds and/or financial obligations must resolve them prior to re-admission. Students will be notified of their re-admission status upon receipt of all necessary information and transcripts.

Re-admission after Academic Dismissal

If students, dismissed for academic deficiency, seek to be re-admitted to the program, the following is required:

• at least one semester must elapse between dismissal and seeking re-admission, and
• students must submit a written petition for re-admission showing how they plan to attain the required 3.0 GPA for candidacy and graduation. This petition is submitted to and acted upon by a program faculty review committee and the appropriate college dean. If progress is not evident, the program faculty committee and the appropriate college dean reserve the right to irrevocably dismiss the student from the program.