Special Notice
It is important to note that the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies is not admitting students for fall 2007 to the Ph.D. programs in English Literature and Modern History & Literature. The faculty and students are actively engaged in a review of our current Ph.D. programs, therefore we have suspended admission to these programs until the review process has been completed. We will continue to admit students to the M.A. programs in English Literature and Modern History & Literature. We in the Caspersen School are excited about this unique opportunity to enhance graduate studies and are enthusiastic about our future and about the future of these programs.
Admission Criteria for M.A., Ph.D.
Application is open to those who hold a Bachelor of Arts degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution, whose previous academic achievement has been high in quality and broad in content, and who can furnish evidence of originality, perseverance, character, maturity, and promise of scholarly and personal leadership. The Caspersen School welcomes applications from all qualified students.
Evaluation of an applicant's qualifications for admission is based upon previous course work and grade point average (determined by official transcript of all previous college and post-baccalaureate study); a brief academic paper, essay, or written report; letters of recommendation (which comment on the critical thinking and writing skills, the research ability, and the general suitability of the applicant for graduate study); and a personal statement (describing the applicant's personal and intellectual interests that have led him/her to the proposed field of study, and what directions those interests will take at Drew). The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test is required for all applicants who are U.S. or Canadian citizens and is strongly recommended for all applicants. Scores no older than five years are accepted.
For students whose native language is not English, recent satisfactory Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Test of Written English (TWE) scores must be submitted. Scores no older than two years are accepted. In addition, Drew will administer further testing once a student has arrived on campus, as a diagnostic tool to determine if a student needs additional study in writing, in speaking English, or in academic study skills.
To present a competitive application, a student should have a grade point average of 3.3 or better overall. Students cannot be enrolled simultaneously in more than one school of the University, or in more than one program of the Caspersen School.
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Admission Procedures for M.A., Ph.D.
For the fall semester, completed applications must be received by the Office of Graduate Admissions before the Admissions Committee deadline (February 1). Please note that the Caspersen School uses a self-managed application that requires the applicant to gather and send in all required materials. After applications are reviewed by the Committee on Graduate Admissions in each area and the deans, decision letters are mailed in March.
Each admitted student who intends to enroll in the Caspersen School must return a statement of intent to enroll and payment of the enrollment deposit, normally within four weeks after notification of admission.
Upon receipt of a completed application, the Office of Graduate Admissions sends the appropriate financial aid forms. A medical report made within four months preceding enrollment is required also.
To be complete, the following credentials must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Admissions before the deadline (February 1):
- An application for admission and a nonrefundable application fee of $45.
- Official transcripts of all academic study beyond high school level, which should include an indication of rank in class. These must be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions by institutions at which the work was completed. A final transcript must be furnished before a student is permitted to register for courses. Records submitted in application for admission are not returned.
- Three letters of recommendation from academic professors or persons familiar with the student's academic ability and with the academic rigors of a graduate degree.
- A personal statement in which the applicant describes his or her personal and intellectual interests as they relate to the proposed field of study and to vocational aims.
- An academic writing sample.
- All students who are U.S. or Canadian citizens must submit GRE general test scores. To present a competitive application, a student should have a minimum score of 500 on both the quantitative and verbal sections and a minimum score of 4 on the analytical writing section. For tests taken before October 2002, a student should have a minimum score of 500 on each of the three test sections.
- International students whose native language is not English must submit a TOEFL score of at least 585 (paper score) or a minimum of 240 (computer score) and a TWE score of 4.
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International Applicants for M.A., Ph.D.
International students are welcome to degree candidacy in the Caspersen School. After admission, proof of all financial resources must be sent, because stringent financial reporting is a prerequisite to the granting of a visa, for an entering student and family.
Applications from international students are reviewed by the Admissions Committee in the same way as those from American students, with the additional consideration of the applicant's ability to use English at the graduate level, and prospects of remunerative appointment (normally in the home country) upon completion of the degree.
International students should not plan on providing for the cost of their education through employment in the United States, other than through campus employment (which has definite limits on amount of time and monies allowable for student employees). The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS, formerly known as the INS) assumes that students have sufficient resources to support themselves without off-campus employment. International students must have the specific approval of the BCIS or the International Student Services Office to work off campus. It is the policy of Drew University that all international students in the Caspersen School are brought into the United States under the F-1 or J-1 program. Please note that degree seeking students are not legally allowed to study with tourist visas or F-2 status and will need to change to
F-1 before they can begin study. The choice should be made very carefully, for once the visa type has been chosen, it is extremely difficult to change.
Students whose native language is not English must submit TOEFL and TWE scores with their applications. Except in unusual circumstances, a TOEFL score of 585 or more is required for admission. Following diagnostic testing at Drew admitted students may also be required to take additional English instruction (writing, speaking, study skills) during their initial year of study, if testing at entry indicates significant deficiencies. This instruction is administered through Drew's English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Program, at additional cost to the student.
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Admission Criteria for M.Litt., D.Litt.
The Caspersen School welcomes applications from all qualified students who hold degrees from accredited institutions.
A complete application for either the M.Litt. or the D.Litt. requires:
- An essay response as outlined in the application packet;
- A personal statement;
- The completed application form;
- A nonrefundable application fee of $35, check payable to " Drew University ";
- Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions.
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required. However, international applicants whose first language is not English are required to submit TOEFL and TWE scores that are not more than two years old. Please note that an M.Litt. or other recognized master's degree in the humanities is a prerequisite for applying to the Drew D.Litt. program.
Please keep in mind this timeline for admissions:
- Completed applications are accepted for all three terms (fall, spring and summer);
- Notification of acceptance is usually sent 2-3 weeks after the complete application is received;
- All applications must be received at least two weeks prior to the start of the semester for which the student is applying.
Contact the Graduate Admissions Office for term start dates.
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Admission Criteria for C.M.H., M.M.H., D.M.H.
The Caspersen School welcomes applications from all qualified students who hold degrees from accredited institutions.
A complete application for the C.M.H., M.M.H., or D.M.H. requires:
- A personal statement;
- The completed application form;
- Two letters of recommendation;
- A nonrefundable application fee of $35, check payable to " Drew University ";
- Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions.
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required. However, international applicants whose first language is not English are required to submit TOEFL and TWE scores that are not more than two years old.
Applicants for the C.M.H. must hold a bachelor's degree; however, nurses holding an R.N. may apply for the certificate program.
Please note that an M.M.H. or other recognized master's degree in medicine, in a medically-related field, or in the humanities is a prerequisite for applying to the Drew Doctor of Medical Humanities program.
Please keep in mind this timeline for admissions:
- Completed applications are accepted for all three terms (fall, spring and summer);
- Notification of acceptance is usually sent 2-3 weeks after the complete application is received;
- All applications must be received at least two weeks prior to the start of the semester for which the student is applying.
Contact the Graduate Admissions Office for term start dates.
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