Graduate Admission
Entrance Criteria - Master's and Certificate Programs
To be considered for admission to graduate study, the applicant must meet specified program requirements and hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with at least a 2.75 cumulative grade point average (although many programs require a higher GPA). Based on an applicant's background, the program director may require registration in specific foundational coursework and/or limit the number of credits for enrollment during the student's first semester. Some programs have additional admission requirements. Please check for special requirements listed in the sections of this catalog describing the programs.
Students may be admitted on a degree or non-degree basis. The Department of Homeland Security regulations require that students on F-1 visa status be admitted on a degree basis only.
Entrance Criteria - Doctoral Program
To be considered for admission to doctoral study, the applicant must hold a master’s degree in any discipline for the Doctorate in Organizational Leadership and a master’s degree in business for the Doctorate in Business Administration from a regionally accredited college or university with at least a 3.25 cumulative grade point average and a minimum of eight to ten years of progressive professional work experience. Applicants will be accepted into the program based on selection criteria that include graduate coursework, grade point average, personal statements, area of research interest, resume, and experience. For the Counseling Ph.D. program, applicants must have a aster's in counseling from an accredited institution with a minimum 3.25 cumulative grade point average.
Entrance Criteria -English Proficiency
All graduate programs and certificates at Hood College require English proficiency in writing, reading, and speaking in an academic setting. Such proficiency may be demonstrated by earning a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the U.S., United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland or New Zealand or by obtaining a TOEFL score of 89 or higher, an IELTS composite score of 6.5 or higher, or a Duolingo (DET) score of 105 or higher. The Hood College school code for reporting purposes is 5296. If English proficiency is not demonstrated in one of the above ways, and English proficiency scores are between 79-88 (TOEFL), 5.5-6 (IELTS), or 100-104 (Duolingo), the admitted student will be required to complete an additional course titled, Advanced English for Academic Purposes (EAP 500) in his/her first semester at Hood College. Applicants whose test scores fall below the minimum requirements are not admissible.
At the discretion of the program director, a faculty adviser or the Admissions committee, an applicant or first-year graduate student may be required to enroll in EAP 500, even if the student would be exempt by standard admission requirements. An instructor may also request this additional requirement during the first semester the student is enrolled if the instructor determines that the student's English skills are not sufficient for successful completion of the course and/or graduate program. Such instructor requests should be made to the adviser, program director and Registrar, who determine if EAP 500 is necessary. If the adviser and program director support the request for EAP 500, the student may appeal their decision to the Dean of the Graduate School with appropriate evidence and/or documentation of English proficiency. EAP 500 does not count towards the minimum credits required for specific program completion.
Procedure for Applying
Students must apply online at www.hood.edu/gradapply. International students should refer to the International Student section below for additional instructions.
The applicant must provide one copy of their official e-transcript reflecting highest degree conferred sent electronically directly to the Graduate School from the appropriate institutional registrar. Please see individual programs for individual additional application requirements and materials on our website. Student copies of transcripts will not be accepted. Students will not be permitted to begin coursework prior to the receipt of official transcripts.
International Students
International students requiring F-1 Visas must submit their admission material well in advance to the Graduate School. International students are encouraged to submit their application materials to the Graduate School before the official deadlines: July 15 for fall semester December 1 for spring semester. Late applications will generally be deferred for review for the following semester.
Students who earned a baccalaureate degree from another country must obtain a course-by-course evaluation of those transcripts by a certified organization. Hood College accepts course-by-course evaluations from any member of the National Association for Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), www.naces.org; as well as from any member of the Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE), www.aice-eval.org. The evaluation results must be received electronically by the Graduate School to gofurther@hood.edu (Hood College Graduate School) from the evaluating service by the established application deadlines. The evaluation must indicate the undergraduate degree is comparable or equivalent to a 4-year U.S. bachelor's degree to be eligible for admission.
All courses that are offered exclusively to graduate students are conducted during evening or weekend hours. International students with student visas must enroll in nine (9) hours of credit each fall and spring semester to be considered full-time graduate students. International applicants seeking F-1 visas must complete the application for I-20 after being admitted and before registering for coursework. As part of the I-20 application, students must arrange for financial support from their governments, from international organizations or from personal and family resources. See the graduate admissions webpage for estimated costs of attendance. I-20 applications will not be processed until an I-20 International Application (provided by the Graduate School) is submitted. Students who are not citizens of the United States will be required to submit a copy of their Resident Alien card or current visa before registering for any coursework. Please note: All graduate students are responsible for all fees and living expenses. Hood College generally provides on-campus graduate housing (see graduate housing website: https://www.hood.edu/campus-community/housing-residence-life/housing-options/graduate-campus-housing). International students are encouraged to investigate and secure local housing before arriving in the United States. The Office of International Student Services assists with any personal, academic and/or practical concerns.
Non-Degree Graduate Students
The Graduate School offers courses for individuals who hold at least a bachelor’s degree and are interested in non-degree studies for professional development, continuing education or personal enrichment. Hood also provides the opportunity to sample a graduate degree program before deciding to apply. Up to twelve credits taken as a non-degree student may apply towards degree requirements for a master’s or certificate program. Hood students registered for a 4PLUS or Skill Accelerators badge program may apply more than 12 credits to an approved graduate degree with approval of the program director. Non-degree graduate students must complete the non-degree graduate application and registration form (www,hood.edu/nondegree). You must also submit a copy of an official transcript to the registrar’s office at hoodgrad@hood.edu for verification of bachelor’s degree prior to enrollment. Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 (3.0 for counseling coursework) to register as a non-degree student. Priority enrollment in graduate classes is given to degree-seeking students. Program director and/or instructor approval may be required for non-degree registration (counseling coursework requires program director approval and registrations may be held until degree-seeking students are enrolled). Please direct questions to the registrar’s office, 301-696-3616 or hoodgrad@hood.edu. Information about Skill Accelerators badge opportunities is available on the Hood website: https://www.hood.edu/graduate/academics/skill-accelerators.
Examination of Admission Folder
All documents sent as part of the application for admission become the property of Hood College. Under no circumstance will they be duplicated, returned to the applicant or forwarded to any other college, university, individual or agency. These documents will not be available to any person who is not involved in the admission process, with the exception of the academic adviser. Copies of transcripts and other relevant academic information will be released to the academic adviser. Throughout the student's enrollment period at Hood College, they may examine the contents of their student file in the presence of a College officer at a time and date arranged with the Registrar's Office. This policy is in conformity with the amended Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, known as the Buckley Amendment.