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Application Requirements

Formal Admission

Learn More About Formal Admission

Formal Admission

Formal admission is necessary to pursue a complete degree or certification program.

Those seeking formal admission to a degree program must submit the following documents to the Graduate Admissions Office located in the Kelley Administrative Center:

  1. A completed online formal application along with a non-refundable application fee of $65.
  2. All official undergraduate and graduate transcripts sent electronically to gradadmis@fairfield.edu or mailed directly to:
    Fairfield University
    Office of Graduate Admission
    Kelley Center
    1073 North Benson Road
    Fairfield, CT 06824-5495
  3. At least two letters of recommendation. Suggested recommendations include your undergraduate or graduate professors; your major advisor; your work supervisor; or a professional in the field that you wish to study who knows you.
  4. Applicants for all state certification programs must also:
    • Have taken one of the following tests: the Praxis Core, SAT, ACT or GRE and provide official scores for their file. Applicants who do not have passing scores on one or more sections may be required to remediate any deficient area. Remediation may include re-taking and passing the sections that were not passed, taking additional coursework, or other remediation activities. If additional courses are required the candidate must complete the coursework at a grade of B (3.0) or above and provide an official transcript to the Dean's Office prior to student teaching or internship. Please see advisor for additional details and recommendations. If students provide their social security number to ETS www.ets.org/praxis when registering for the Praxis Core exam, the reported score will automatically be uploaded to their Fairfield application file. Fairfield University's code is 3390.
    • Possess a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.67 (B-) or above. Waiving of this minimum GPA requirement is on a case by case basis by departmental approval.
    • Pass an Admission interview.

Required Background for Admission

Learn More About Background Requirements for Admission

Required Background for Admission

  • Applicants for the Master of Arts degree must hold an earned Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university and must give promise of meeting the standards set by the School. A minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.67 is strongly recommended.
  • Applicants for the Sixth Year Certificate must hold an earned Master's degree from an accredited college or university, completed with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00.
  • Additionally, individual departments may set specific requirements concerning interviews, adequate scores on tests, course waivers, computer literacy and major and distribution of undergraduate coursework.

Dates & Deadlines

Application Deadlines

Please be advised that the following must be received at the graduate admission office on or before the application deadlines given below in order for your application to be reviewed for formal admission by your program of interest: formal admission application and fee, supplemental application, personal statement, resume, two references on forms provided and all transcripts. Praxis Core scores or waiver (if necessary) must be submitted and on file before you can be formally admitted.

Fingerprinting and background checks are required for certification programs. Please contact your course instructor and/or program director for updated information.

Program
Bilingual Education Applications will be reviewed when they are fully complete. Submit the application and all supporting materials well in advance of the semester for which you are applying to allow time for application review and program availability.
Counselor Education
(Clinical Mental Health Counseling
and School Counseling)

Fall Admissions (January 15) - In-person group and individual interviews for those invited will be scheduled during the 3rd week of February on Thursday or Friday.

Spring Admissions (October 1) - In-person group and individual interviews for those invited will be scheduled during the 3rd week of October on Thursday or Friday.

Secondary Education Applications will be reviewed when they are fully complete. Submit the application and all supporting materials well in advance of the semester for which you are applying to allow time for application review and program availability.
Teaching and Foundations Applications will be reviewed when they are fully complete. Submit the application and all supporting materials well in advance of the semester for which you are applying to allow time for application review and program availability.
Educational Leadership Applications will be reviewed when they are fully complete. Submit the application and all supporting materials well in advance of the semester for which you are applying to allow time for application review and program availability.
Educational Technology Applications will be reviewed when they are fully complete. Submit the application and all supporting materials well in advance of the semester for which you are applying to allow time for application review and program availability.
Elementary Education Applications will be reviewed when they are fully complete. Submit the application and all supporting materials well in advance of the semester for which you are applying to allow time for application review and program availability.
Instructional Design Applications will be reviewed when they are fully complete. Submit the application and all supporting materials well in advance of the semester for which you are applying to allow time for application review and program availability.
Marriage & Family Therapy

Fall
Priority Deadline: March 1 
Final Deadline: May 1

Spring 
Priority Deadline: October 1
Final Deadline: November 15

Family Studies

Fall
Priority Deadline: March 1 
Final Deadline: May 1

Spring 
Priority Deadline: October 1
Final Deadline: November 15

School Psychology December 1
Social Work Advanced Standing 
Priority Deadline: February 15
Final Deadline: April 15

Two-Year
Priority Deadline: May 15
Final Deadline: August 15
Special Education Applications will be reviewed when they are fully complete. Submit the application and all supporting materials well in advance of the semester for which you are applying to allow time for application review and program availability.
TESOL Applications will be reviewed when they are fully complete. Submit the application and all supporting materials well in advance of the semester for which you are applying to allow time for application review and program availability.
  • Applications that are not complete as of a deadline will be held over for the next deadline, to give applicants the opportunity to complete their applications.
  • The review process takes approximately 6 weeks from the application deadline date. Candidates who have not received an admission decision letter by then may call the Dean's office at (203) 254-4250 for information about the status of their application.

U.S. Students

Application instructions for U.S. citizens and permanent residents of the U.S.

International Students

Application process and instructions for International Students.

Graduate Admission

The graduate programs at Fairfield University provide the tools to get you where you need to be, whether it's career advancement or gaining greater proficiency in your field.

We offer over 40 graduate programs across all our schools, with faculty who are leaders in their fields and actively engaged in research. Start by getting in touch.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. The GREs are not required for admission to any of the programs offered by the School of Education and Human Development.

Yes - if seeking admission to programs leading to an initial educator certification. You will need to provide documentation of scores on the Praxis Core, SAT, ACT, GRE, or equivalent test. If you provide your social security number to Educational Testing Services (ETS), the reported score will automatically be uploaded to your Fairfield application file. Fairfield's code is 3390.

A program that leads to Connecticut State Department of Education certification as a classroom teacher or a school support professional (such as a school psychologist or school counselor).

Programs like the one in Marriage and Family Therapy or Clinical Mental Health Counseling are considered non-certification programs since they do not lead to state certification. However, Marriage and Family Therapy AND Clinical Mental Health Counseling programs do lead, with the MA degree and additional clinical experience, to Connecticut licensure.

Most classes are offered Monday through Thursday evenings from 4:55 – 6:55 p.m. and 7:15 – 9:15 p.m. Some classes are offered on weekends. Very few professional classes are offered during the day.

This depends on how many courses you take each term. A part-time graduate student takes 1 to 2 courses per semester while a full-time student must take 3 or more courses. Most courses are 3 credits each. The time to completion also depends on how many credits are required for the program. Both certification and degree requirements vary by program.

A minimum of 33 credits is generally required for graduation for the MA degree and 30 credits for the SYC degree; some programs require more credits for the MA, such as the Counselor Education Program (48 credits) or the Marriage and Family Therapy Program (60 credits). State educator certification credit requirements vary with the certification desired. It is possible to complete the certification and degree programs concurrently or separately.

Students need to complete all degree requirements and file an application for graduation within six years from the date of enrollment in the first course completed for credit toward the degree.

For certification programs, as many as six credits may be transferred if they relate to the candidate's present program.
For non-certification programs, as many as nine credits may be transferred if they relate to the candidate's present program.
Documentation (e.g., syllabus, course description, work done) to demonstrate the equivalence or quality of the courses for which transfer credit is requested may be required.

Note: The total number of credits earned before formal admission to a program (i.e., the total number of transfer credits) may not exceed 6 (six) credits for applicants to certification programs or 9 (nine) credits for applicants to non-certification programs.

Have other questions?

Contact gradadmis@fairfield.edu or call (203) 254-4184.

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