Graduate Programs Admission

Applicants must meet these requirements:

• Submit a completed application.
• Have a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited American college or university, or its foreign university equivalent, with a concentration in psychology or related discipline. Please note that the Program Director may require that a third party evaluate foreign academic credentials.
• Have achieved a 3.0 GPA on undergraduate course work and a minimum 3.25 GPA in psychology and on any post-graduate courses taken.
• Submit your official transcript(s) from your degree-granting undergraduate insitution, any institutions at which pre-requisite work was complete, and any institution at which relevant graduate coursework was completed for credit.
• Meaningful paid or volunteer work experience in a mental health or human services field.
• Submit two references with accompanying letters. One reference must address your academic potential by a professor in your most recent academic experience. The other reference must address your work experiences in human services, demonstrating that you are effective in working with others in a helping capacity. Please use the Reference Forms provided in the application and read the instructions for proper handling.
• Submit your résumé.
• Have taken two undergraduate level psychology courses if you did not have a psychology concentration.
• Submit a three-to-five page (double-spaced) autobiographical essay describing how you became interested in a career in professional psychology, including those pivotal experiences as a student, intern, or observer of the mental health system. This essay serves not only as a writing sample, but also to convey who you are as a person and how you see our program as compatible with your personal and professional goals.
• Participate in an interview, once all application materials have been submitted and your file is complete.
• Submit the application fee of $50, payable to Saint Michael’s College.

It is preferable for students to begin the Program in the fall semester.

If you’re an international applicant…

International applicants, and applicants for whom English is not their native language, should also review the information under the International Applicants header below.

Admission Decision

You will be informed of the admission decision by letter, after all requirements of the admission process have been satisfied, including the interview. Admission decisions are made by the program director, after consulting with faculty and staff in the program. In order to provide personalized and high quality graduate training in clinical-counseling psychology, it is necessary to limit the size of the program. The admission process, therefore, is competitive. Please note that meeting minimum application requirements and following admission procedures does not guarantee acceptance into the program.

Applicants to Graduate Education apply to one of the following programs: 

• Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) – Initial teaching license plus master’s degree (Art, Elementary, Elementary + Early Childhood Education, Middle Grades, Secondary, Special Education) OR master’s degree plus additional endorsement (English Language Learners or Special Education)
• Master of Education (M.Ed.) – Concentrations in Art, Curriculum & Instructional Design, Literacy, School Leadership, Special Education
• Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (C.A.G.S.) – Post-master’s certificate with the same concentrations as M.Ed.
• Graduate Certificate in Holistic Restorative Education (12 credits)
• Graduate Certificate in Racial Equity & Educational Justice (12 credits)
• English Language Learning Additional Endorsement Certificate (18 credits) 

Additional Endorsements 

Applicants interested in an additional endorsement should apply to the following programs: 

• Director of Curriculum →  M.Ed. or C.A.G.S. School Leadership concentration
• Director of Special Education →  M.Ed. or C.A.G.S. School Leadership concentration
• Principal → M.Ed. or C.A.G.S. School Leadership concentration; 
• Specialized Literacy Professional →M.Ed. or C.A.G.S. Literacy concentration
• Special Education → MAT, M.Ed., or C.A.G.S. Special Education concentration
• English Language Learner →  MAT, MATESOL, or English Language Learner Additional Endorsement Certificate. 

Questions? Contact Amy Saks Pavese, Director of Graduate Education (asakspavese@smcvt.edu).  

A complete application includes the following:

• Application for Graduate Admission
• Resumé
• Evidence of required degree(s): Applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited American college or university, or its equivalent from a foreign university. Applicants will request that official transcripts be sent to the Saint Michael’s College Office of Admission from their degree-granting undergraduate insitution, any institutions at which pre-requisite work was complete, and any institution at which relevant graduate coursework was completed for credit. Candidates applying for a C.A.G.S. must already hold a master’s degree.
• GPA of 3.0 or higher: All programs require a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Candidates applying for licensure programs must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher in their major as well as overall. The licensing rules define a major as 30 credits with at least 9 credits at the advanced undergraduate level or higher. A transcript analysis will be completed as part of the application review to ensure all licensure/endorsement prerequisites have been met.
• Two References: Applicants are encouraged to request references electronically through our online application above. One must be from an academic institution or employer, whichever is the most relevant and within the last five years. For all programs except the Graduate Certificates in Holistic Restorative Education and Racial Equity & Educational Justice, the second must be from a person who has observed your work with children in the age group in which you are interested (i.e. elementary grades K-6, middle grades 5-9, and secondary grades 7-12) within the last five years. Saint Michael’s undergraduates requesting a reference from a Saint Michael’s faculty member should share the SMC Grad Reference Form with them. SMC faculty may choose to either submit the completed form or submit a letter of recommendation. 
• Two-page Personal Statement: Applicants will describe an experience that has shaped them as an educator, aspiring educator, or aspiring educational leader. After reading our mission statement on the Graduate Education main page, applicants will refer to at least one of the five outcomes in their essay, using specific and descriptive language and examples. (Note: Applicants to the Holistic Restorative Education and Racial Equity and Educational Justice Certificate programs have different reflection prompts available within the application.)
• Non-refundable application fee of $50.00. (SMC Alumni, please waive fee.)

Once your application is complete…

…we will contact you to schedule an interview. This can be done in-person or remotely and is an opportunity for us to learn more about your professional experience and goals.

If you’re an international applicant…

…or an applicant for whom English is not your native language, please also review the information under the International Applicants header below.

Admission Decision

Applicants will be informed of their admission decision following their interview. They will receive an email notifying them that there has been an update to your Admission status and you will access the decision through the Admission portal. 

Enrollment Deposit

If admitted, candidates are strongly encouraged to pay the enrollment deposit as soon as possible to ensure ample time to receive credentials, register for classes, and gain access to Canvas, our learning management system. Please note that the enrollment deposit is applied to the first semester tuition.

Application requirements:

• A Bachelor’s Degree with a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 from an accredited American college or university, or its equivalent from a foreign university.
• Official transcript(s) from applicant’s degree-granting undergraduate insitution, any institutions at which pre-requisite work was complete, and any institution at which relevant graduate coursework was completed for credit.
• Two reference forms accompanied by letters of recommendation with original signatures, at least one of which should be an academic reference. (ELL Licensure applicants only: Must have one academic or employer reference — whichever is most relevant — and one from a person who has observed your work with children/adolescents in a professional setting.)
• A resumé.
• A $50 application fee.
• A one-to-two page essay describing your educational career objectives with particular emphasis on the following: personal and professional goals, relevant employment experience, why you wish to study at Saint Michael’s College, and your ability and commitment to undertake graduate-level education at this time.

In addition to the aforementioned, international applicants must also:

• Submit an official TOEFL or other approved English language proficiency test score report (for those whose native language is not English).
• Submit an original letter of financial support.
• Complete the International Applicant section of the Graduate Admission Application. I-20 forms cannot be issued without completion of this form and the supporting financial documentation.

Admission Decision

Your application for admission to Saint Michael’s College is not complete until all of the above information is received. You will be informed of the admission decision by letter. Once admitted, you will be asked to pay a $500 non-refundable deposit to confirm your acceptance. This deposit will be applied toward your tuition.

Saint Michael’s may not be located in a major city, but our community is still a vibrant, diverse hub of international energy. Students and professors from around the world come to St. Mike’s to be a part of life here.

For international prospective students, the admission process is supplemented with a few additional documents. If you are interested in applying, please follow the admission procedures for the program to which you are applying.

Additional requirements

• You must complete the International Applicants section of the Graduate Application.
• You must submit a bank statement, or financial certification from your employer, verifying that you have sufficient financial resources to provide for your academic and personal expenses while attending Saint Michael’s.
• You must submit a photocopy of your passport page showing the correct spelling of your name and date of birth. I-20s cannot be prepared without this or your financial statement.
• If you are not a US citizen or resident, you must enter the US on a student visa (F-1).
• If your native language is not English, you must submit verification that you have achieved the minimum test score on an approved test for English proficiency, listed below. We will consider waiving the English testing requirement for students who recieved their Bachelor’s Degree from an undergraduate insitution school where the language of instruction was English. Please be in touch if you have questions about your specific situation.

Required Test Scores

• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): 550 pbTOEFL/ 79 ibTOEFL
• IELTS (International English Language Testing System): 6.5
• Duolingo: 110

Saint Michael’s TOEFL code: 3757

Deposit

International graduate students are required to make a $500 deposit to confirm their enrollment in many Saint Michael’s College graduate programs.  This deposit is refundable (minus a $100 processing fee) in the event that a visa is not received.  The deposit amount will be applied to the student’s tuition.