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Admissions Requirements and Procedures

UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS (BACHELOR’S DEGREE)

Candidates for Admission to all undergraduate degree programs must:
  • Clearly indicate the program for which he/she is applying.
  • Submit a 1-2 page typed narrative outlining one’s intent (e.g., reasons for undertaking a college degree, professional aspirations, etc.).
  • Request that an official secondary school transcript – indicating successful completion and date of the diploma was awarded, or official certification of successful GED completion be forwarded directly from the issuing institution (or official agency) to the Holy Spirit University of Atlanta. (Note: Official documents are those issued by the school attended, or by the Ministry of Education, if institution is outside the United States, or by other agencies, if deemed acceptable by the Holy Spirit University of Atlanta. See options below) ***
  • Students who have completed any postsecondary courses (technical [two-year] college, community college, four-year college or university) should submit as well an official transcript of all college-level work completed, in addition to (but not in place of) official proof of secondary school completion documents. Note: For all Admissions and evaluation procedures, only official or properly certified documents can be accepted.
  • Those with former college/university courses may, if appropriate, complete a “Petition for Transfer Credit” at the time of initial admission or as soon thereafter as possible. Please verify that courses have been completed at an accredited or Ministry-recognized University or equivalent and that such courses are Holy Spirit University of Atlanta. (Note: It is essential to review the detailed policies and procedures concerning the evaluation of each petitioned course for transfer prior to filing any petition.)
  • Special Note: Students who wish to reinforce or hone their skills in English before entering into standard university English Composition courses at the University may enroll, by choice, in English 001 and English 002 (which are specifically designed to build fundamental writing skills). Each of these courses, offered at no additional charge, earns the student one credit (2 credits for both parts). An excellent opportunity for those who do not yet feel prepared to engage in standard English writing courses at the university level. 

GRADUATE ADMISSIONS (MASTER'S DEGREE)

Candidates for Admission to all Master’s degree programs must:

  • Indicate the program for which he/she is applying.
  • Request that an official university transcript – indicating successful completion and award of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited baccalaureate-issuing or Ministry-approved institution be forwarded from the issuing institution (or official agency) to the Holy Spirit University of Atlanta. (Note: Official documents are those issued by the school attended, or by a Ministry of Education or by other agencies, if deemed acceptable by the Holy Spirit University of Atlanta. See list of options below) ***
  • Students who have completed graduate courses at the university level should submit as well an official transcript of all post-baccalaureate work. Note: For all Admissions and evaluation procedures, only official or properly certified documents can be accepted.
  • Those with former college/university courses at the graduate level may, if appropriate, complete a “Petition for Transfer Credit” at the time of initial application or as soon thereafter as possible. Please verify that courses have been completed at an accredited or Ministry-recognized University or equivalent, that the institution is specifically approved to offer graduate degrees, and that the course or courses is/are aligned in content and level with that/those offered at the Holy Spirit University of Atlanta. (Note: It is essential to review the detailed policies and procedures concerning the evaluation of each petitioned course for transfer into a graduate program prior to filing any petition.)

GRADUATE CERTIFICATE ADMISSIONS

  • Hold the minimum of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited or Ministry-recognized institution of higher education.
  • Request that official certification or proof of degree completion be forwarded directly from the issuing institution (or official agency) to the University of Atlanta. (Note: Official documents are those issued by the school attended, or by a Ministry of Education or by other agencies, if deemed acceptable by the University of Atlanta. See options below) ***

DOCTOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (DBA) ADMISSIONS

Admission to the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program is duly competitive. Prospective candidates who wish to be evaluated for admission to the DBA Program in Managerial Science must:

  • Hold both a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree from an accredited university or from a Ministry of Education approved institution, if outside the United States
  • Request that official University transcripts attesting to the successful completion of a Bachelor’s degree AND of a Master’s degree indicating grades in all courses and on all comprehensive examinations (in countries where such examinations are an integral component of the program and/or awarding of the degree) be directly forwarded from the degree-granting institutions (or official agency) to the Holy Spirit University of Atlanta. (Note: Official documents are those issued by the school attended, or by a Ministry of Education,  or by other agencies, if deemed acceptable by the Holy Spirit University of Atlanta. (See options below. ***)
  • Submit a carefully honed required 3-4 page Essay of Application. Topic: “Reflections on Doctoral Studies.” (In such an essay, you may discuss some or all of the following: why you have been inspired to engage in a doctoral program; how such a credential will impact your professional career or standing; how your former preparation has led you to undertake future and more advance studies, etc. You are not limited to these ideas; they are merely suggestions.)
  • Submit a comprehensive resume or Curriculum Vitae, detailing both academic and professional experience.
  • (Recommended, but not required): Submit a sample research paper of approximately 10-15 pages, formerly written by the applicant, and which, as the candidate sees it, best represents her or his academic work. The paper may be an essay submitted in a course for the Master’s program or a publication (in cases where potential applicants have work already in print).
  • Under exceptional circumstances, students admitted to the DBA program, may file a “Petition for Transfer Credit, not to exceed 9 credit hours (the maximum allowed). Special Provision: To earn the doctoral degree, students are required to have completed a minimum of 90 semester credit hours beyond the Bachelor’s degree. Those for whom transfer would yield less than 90 post-baccalaureate credits are ineligible for transfer credit. In cases, where the number of credits earned would make one eligible, please verify that courses have been completed at an accredited or Ministry-recognized University or equivalent, that the institution is specifically approved to offer Doctorate degrees, and, significantly, that the course or courses is/are aligned in content and level with that/those offered at the Holy Spirit University of Atlanta. (Note: It is essential to review the detailed policies and procedures concerning the evaluation of each petitioned course for transfer into a graduate program prior to filing any petition.)

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

In addition to fulfilling all entrance requirements, as noted above, every international student (educated outside of the United States), must provide proof of college level proficiency in English when native language is not English (Facility must be accredited/recognized by the U.S. Dept of Education, CHEA, or the Ministry of Education in the residing country of the university) by means of one of the following:

  • A college transcript indicating a grade of C or higher in an English composition course.
  • A high school diploma completed where instruction is conducted in English.
  • College transcript indicating completion of 30 semester hours of credit with an average of "C" or higher where instruction is conducted in English.
  • Graduation from a school or university where instruction is conducted in English
  • A minimum grade of level 3 on the ACT COMPASS's English as a Second language Placement Test
  • A minimum grade of Pre-1 on the Eiken English Proficiency Exam
  • IELTS (International English Language Testing System) - Minimum score of 6.0 on the academic writing and academic reading modules.
  • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores( (hardcopy) (PBT) or online version (iBT), or computer-based (CBT), score required for:
                 Bachelors Programs - 500 (PBT) or, 61 (iBT) or 173 (CBT)
                 Masters Programs - 530 (PBT) or, 71 (iBT) or 197 (CBT)
                 Doctorate Programs - 550 (PBT) or, 81 (iBT) or 213 (CBT)

For transcripts that need equivalency (to be determined by your admissions representative), service organizations which are approved members of NACES (National Association of Credentials Evaluation Services) are acceptable (www.naces.org).

All Transcripts must be presented in English. Transcripts not in English must be translated into English and evaluated by an appropriate third party or a trained transcript evaluator fluent in the language of the transcript. An English translation of the review must be included.

*** DEFINITION OF OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS

The Holy Spirit University of Atlanta requires that all students submit official transcripts or records (as defined above) for placement in permanent files. Per University acceptance, admission is provisional for 90 days until your official documents are on file.

Option 1
Official transcripts (mark or grade sheets) or diplomas must be sent directly from the Secondary School or the University in question to the Holy Spirit University of Atlanta. Such documents are not official or acceptable if submitted by the student. If an original is not available, a school official may stamp, sign and validate a clear copy and mail directly to the Holy Spirit University of Atlanta.

Option 2
Students may have their degree/diploma/transcript attested (notarized) by their respective country to verify the documents and may then send such attested documents directly to the Holy Spirit University of Atlanta. The document can be attested by the Ministry of Education / the Ministry of Foreign Affairs / or by AMIDEAST.

Option 3
If the official documents noted above are, for some reason, not available, the student may request that the diploma- or degree-issuing institution (secondary school or university) send a letter of confirmation on official letterhead, with stamp and signature. The letter must indicate the full name of the student, the years in attendance, the date of diploma or degree conferral (and the field, if suitable), as well as the student’s standing at the time the diploma or degree was issued. This letter must be mailed directly to the Holy Spirit University of Atlanta by the issuing institution.

Official documents must be sent to the following address:

Holy Spirit University of Atlanta
Attention: Transcripts/Records and Registration

7532 Twelve Oaks Blvd
Tampa, FL 33637
USA

For further clarifications concerning official documents, contact the Department of Admissions or Records and Registration.

NOTIFICATION AND COMPLETION OF ENROLLMENT

All applicants who wish to become official students must complete a signed Enrollment Agreement. This document sets forth academic conditions and financial obligations alike. Several payment options are available to students. Those who elect to pay over time must complete a Payment Agreement and/or Credit Card authorization form. Upon submission, these documents are official appendices to the Enrollment Agreement. Note: Other or additional documentation may be required in special circumstances.
 
The Department of Admissions is prepared to assist as the student completes these forms and to respond to any inquiries concerning programmatic and/or financial options.