General Information

Anyone wishing to pursue graduate studies at Barry University must complete an appropriate application. There are five ways in which an applicant may be accepted:

Non-degree acceptance—See section entitled “Non-Degree Seeking Applicants” below.
Degree seeking provisional acceptance—Upon review of his/her file by the school/department, an applicant may be granted provisional status for a limited number of credits while stipulated admission or academic provisions are being satisfied. Under this status a student may qualify for financial aid.
Degree seeking full acceptance—May be granted when all requirements for admission have been met.
Conditional Admission—Some schools/colleges and programs offer conditional admission to applicants who meet Barry University’s academic requirements but who lack evidence of English proficiency (TOEFL or IELTS or equivalent). Applicants admitted conditionally must provide evidence of English proficiency before they will be permitted to register for classes.
Admission To Class—Some schools/colleges and programs allow applicants to pursue a limited number of credits before the application process is completed and a decision rendered. Applicants admitted to course work under this designation are NOT yet admitted to the program. Full admission to the program is neither implied nor guaranteed. Furthermore, applicants with this designation are NOT eligible for any forms of federal financial aid. Not every program allows this option.

For complete details, please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Degree programs differ in specific requirements for admission. Applicants should refer to the specific school section of this catalog to learn about entrance exams and school specific requirements.

An admission decision cannot be reached unless the file is current and ALL necessary credentials have been received. To facilitate the registration process, it is highly recommended that the application and all credentials be received at least thirty (30) days prior to the published first day of registration. Some programs have specific application deadlines. Contact the appropriate school/college for these deadlines.

All credentials submitted in support of the application become the property of the University and will not be returned or photocopied. The applicant is responsible for understanding and following all procedures and requirements as outlined in this catalog.

Any concealment or misrepresentation of previous college registration or course work, academic or disciplinary record, both undergraduate and graduate, may immediately cancel and nullify the application or admission to Barry University.

For the duration of their program of study, admitted students will use the catalog current during their first enrollment as reference for University policies and procedures as well as program requirements. For applicants seeking readmission, the catalog being used at the time of readmission will serve as the reference document.

Readmission

Students who have been academically inactive for at least one calendar year and who wish to be readmitted must complete an application for readmission, available at www.barry.edu/apply. Readmission is contingent upon approval by the dean of each school/college involved and by the Vice President of Mission and Student Engagement.

Change of Graduate Program

Applicants who wish to change their graduate program at Barry University prior to registration must inform the Office of Admissions in writing and, in some cases, must reapply or submit other documentation. Admitted students who wish to change to another academic program must complete a Change of Major/Change of School form, available at www.barry.edu/graddocuments. Acceptance to the new program is not guaranteed. Change of program after registration is contingent upon approval by the dean of each school/college involved and by the Vice President of Mission and Student Engagement.

Change of Address/Phone

Applicants are responsible for informing the Office of Admissions in writing of any change of address, email or telephone number. Changes may be sent to GradAdmissions@barry.edu. The Office of Admissions does not accept responsibility for communications sent to a wrong address if no change of address has been submitted in a timely manner.

Name Change

Applicants are responsible for immediately informing the Office of Admissions in writing of any name change. This information must be supported by official documentation (e.g., marriage license, court documentation, etc.).

Degree Seeking Applicants

To be considered for full acceptance to a degree program, a graduate applicant must:

have earned a bachelor’s degree (master’s degree or higher for specialist or doctoral applicants) or equivalent from an institution which is regionally accredited or internationally recognized.
submit a completed application form with a $30.00 nonrefundable application fee or appropriate waiver. The online application may be found at www.barry.edu/apply or on your specific program website. Some programs still accept paper applications, a PDF of which can be obtained from www.barry.edu/graddocuments.
submit a statement of purpose (goals) or career narrative statement or essay answers as required by the specific school or program.
provide complete official transcripts from each college or university attended. Transcripts in the applicant’s possession will not be accepted unless in an official envelope sealed by the institution issuing the transcript. An applicant whose degree has not yet been posted may submit a letter, on official letterhead, from the dean of the institution, verifying completion of degree requirements, until the official transcript reflecting degree is submitted. Transcripts must be provided from each college or university attended. If credits have been transferred to another university the official transcript from the originating school must still be provided.
Submission of transcripts required by the Office of Graduate Admissions may be waived at the discretion of the Dean of the College/School offering the applicant’s program.
provide the required recommendations in support of graduate study. An electronic recommendation form may be found at www.barry.edu/recommendations. Recommendations will also be accepted on the Barry University recommendation form, on official letterhead from the recommender’s institution (must be signed and dated) or from the recommender’s official (not personal) email address. Email recommendations should be sent to GradAdmissions@barry.edu.
supply current admission entrance examination scores, or documentation for the appropriate waiver, as required by the individual school/college or program.
submit any additional information required by the Office of Graduate Admissions or the individual school or -program.
Applicants who do not give evidence of being native English speakers, including those applying for transfer from U.S. institutions, or who have not graduated from an institution where English is the primary language of instruction must submit a TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test, or PTE Academic score. The minimum required scores are:
- IELTS: 6.5
- TOEFL iBT: 79
- Duolingo English Test: 95
- Pearson PTE Academic Score: 53
The minimum acceptable score may be higher for some programs. The English Proficiency requirement may be waived for applicants with a minimum of 24 college level academic credits earned from an institution in which English is the basis of instruction and classroom interaction.
International applicants should refer to the International Applicants section of this catalog.

The responsibility for obtaining all admission credentials rests with the applicant.

Active/Inactive Status

A degree seeking student remains active unless not enrolled in consecutive sessions. If a student is not enrolled in two consecutive sessions (e.g. Fall/Spring; Spring/Fall) he/she will become inactive. When readmitted, he/she will be required to meet admission and program requirements in place at the time of readmission. See above section entitled “Readmission.” Exceptions apply to continuous and sequential programs. See specific program for details.

Non-Degree Seeking Applicants

Applicants who wish to take courses for purposes of personal enrichment, teacher certification, or to secure credits to transfer to another institution (guest student) are considered non-degree-seeking students. Such applicants must:

submit a completed non-degree application form (available at www.barry.edu/graddocuments) with a $30.00 nonrefundable application fee or appropriate waiver.
present evidence of receipt of a bachelor’s degree or higher (master’s degree or higher for specialist or doctoral applicants) from a regionally accredited or internationally recognized institution.

Non-degree-seeking students may register for a limited number of credits as prescribed by the specific school/college in which classes are being taken. Guest students should refer to the section below.

Applicants should note that application procedures to some certificate programs differ from the non-degree application procedure described above in that additional credentials may be required and the general graduate application should be used, not the non-degree application. (See specific school/college for details.)

Under non-degree status, students do not qualify for financial aid unless they are seeking teacher certification.

Enrollment as a non-degree seeking student in no way implies admission to a degree program.

Guest Students

A guest student is defined as a person who wishes to take credits at Barry University for the purpose of transferring these credits back to the institution in which they are matriculated. A guest student at Barry must submit a non-degree application (available at www.barry.edu/graddocuments), pay the application fee, and present a letter from the dean or department chair of the institution in which they are enrolled as a degree seeking student, stating that they are in good standing.

Non-Degree Seeking to Degree Seeking Students

Students who wish to change their status from non-degree seeking to degree seeking must complete the required application and meet all the requirements for degree seeking applicants of the school/college in which entrance is desired. Enrollment as a non-degree seeking student in no way implies admission to a degree program.

With the approval of the dean, schools/colleges may accept a maximum of six credits to be applied from non-degree to degree-seeking. For additional information students should speak with their academic advisor.

Transfer of Credit

Transfer credit policies vary by academic school or program. Transfer of credit is not automatic. Applicants should refer to the specific school section of this catalog to learn about school or program transfer credit policies.

Appeals

Applicants who wish to appeal a rejection of their application should present their appeal in writing addressed to the Office of Graduate Admission, clearing stating their reasons for the appeal and why they believe they are qualified to be admitted to the program in question.