Graduate Requirements

General Requirements for Admission:

  1. Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. A candidate with a GPA lower than 3.0 may be allowed to take up to four courses on a conditional basis and must earn a grade of B or better in each course in order to continue registration. Upon completion of four courses with grades of B or better in each, the candidate will be reviewed for full acceptance into the School of Education
  2. Three letters of recommendation. Letters from family members or current School of Education students are not acceptable.
  3. Evidence of effective written communication skills and suitability for the teaching profession as demonstrated by the submission of candidate’s personal statement.
  4. Passing score on the Illinois Basic Skills Test. The School of Education may allow a candidate for whom the test score on the Basic Skills Test is pending to register for an initial class, if the individual’s file is otherwise complete and acceptable.
  5. Two official transcripts from every college or university attended. Transcripts must be received by the School of Education in a sealed envelope from the college or university.

All admissions documents should be submitted to:

School of Education Admissions Office 
Parmer Hall 412B
Dominican University
7900 W. Division Street
River Forest, IL 60305

An applicant must complete the admissions process to the selected degree or endorsement/approval program during the first term of enrollment. Any exceptions require the approval of the dean of the School of Education. Applicants must register for courses before the first class meeting.

English Proficiency

Students whose native language is other than English are required to pass the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a score of at least 550 (paper) or 250 (online). They also must pass the Illinois Basic Skills Test prior to registration.

Transfer of Credit

Up to six semester hours of appropriate graduate-level credit from an accredited college or university may be accepted in transfer at the time of matriculation. The applicant must provide:

  1. A copy of the course description as printed in the catalog of the institution attended;
  2. An official transcript demonstrating an earned grade of B or better and that the course was completed within the previous 5 years.
Course Registration

At the time of initial registration, each candidate will be assigned a graduate faculty advisor. Candidates should consult with their advisors as they plan and develop their programs. Candidates in the School of Education must secure the approval of an advisor to complete registration.

Well in advance of the term, the dates for each registration period are posted on the registrar’s office page on MyDU (Dominican’s internal web site). Candidates may register in person or online after the scheduled registration period begins. No registrations will be accepted after the published late registration date.

Dominican University reserves the right to cancel any course for which the registration does not warrant the organization of a class.

Residency Requirement

Once candidates (including those approved conditionally) are matriculated into a School of Education graduate program, they must take all required courses and electives at Dominican University’s main campus or one of its off-site campuses. Any exception to this policy requires the written approval of the dean prior to the candidate’s registration for the course(s) at another college or university.

Certification Requirements

To be recommended for Illinois State Board of Education certification, candidates must complete an approved program, pass the required state tests, and demonstrate the professional knowledge, skills and dispositions identified by the School of Education. In addition, the candidate must meet any other requirements specified by the Illinois State Board of Education. In some cases the Illinois State Board of Education may enact new rules or legislation that result in changes in certification requirements. Should changes occur, the School of Education is bound to adhere to the new regulations. As a result, candidates may be required to meet new requirements other than those that were identified in the viewbook, online or other School of Education publications at the time they began their program of study at Dominican.

Illinois State Board of Education Tests for Certification

In addition to the basic skills and content tests, all candidates are responsible for taking the State of Illinois Assessment of Professional Teaching (APT) Tests and for meeting State of Illinois testing requirements as specified for their specific programs.

The state administers tests several times each year at locations throughout Illinois in both paper-based and computer-based formats. Registration materials and information about the tests are available online at icts.nesinc.com.