Admissions

Admissions Procedures

Admission to DeSales University is based on a student’s past academic achievement as well as his/her potential for future growth. The preferred high school academic program is a college preparatory course. A suggested high school program includes four years of English, three years of college preparatory mathematics, a minimum of two years of a modern foreign or classical language, at least two laboratory science courses and three social studies or history courses.

DeSales University is especially interested in students who have demonstrated significant achievement within a demanding curriculum. Quality of academic performance is the single most important factor in our decision making process. A personal interview is not required, but is strongly recommended.

The University uses a rolling admissions system, except for physician assistant and health science applicants who must apply by December 15 for the following fall semester. This means that students will be notified promptly about their admission status, usually within three weeks of our receipt of the completed application.

To apply to DeSales University, submit the following items to the admissions office:

1. Application (web application at www.desales.edu/apply);
2. Official high school transcript (Please note that students will also need to submit a final high school transcript with the graduation date before matriculating.);
3. Standardized test scores (SAT or ACT);
4. Recommendations from a guidance counselor and a teacher.

Students are encouraged to apply early in their senior year. DeSales University accepts applications from all qualified students regardless of race, religion, sex, national or ethnic origin, or disability.

High School Preparation Recommended for Specific Majors

Biology: Mathematics 3-4 years, Biology, Chemistry
Business: Mathematics 3-4 years, including Algebra I and II
Chemistry: Mathematics 3-4 years, Chemistry, Physics
Foreign Languages: Spanish 2 years
Health Science/Physical Therapy: Mathematics 2-3 years; Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Anatomy/Physiology (optional)
Nursing: Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics 2-3 years; Physics is desirable
Physician Assistant, Pre-medicine: Mathematics 3-4 years; two of the following: Biology, Chemistry, Physics
Mathematics: Mathematics 4 years

College Entrance Examinations

Students seeking admission to the first-year student class are required to take the morning examinations (SAT I) given by the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) or those offered by the American College Testing Program (ACT). Those results should be sent to DeSales University. Our CEEB code number is 2021.

To register for these tests or to obtain further information about them, students should visit www.collegeboard.org. Additional information on these tests may also be obtained from the student’s high school principal or guidance counselor.

SAT Optional Admissions Policy

The following majors have approved an SAT/ACT Optional admissions policy beginning for fall 2016: dance, early childhood education, exploratory studies (undeclared), marriage & family studies, philosophy, psychology, Spanish, sport management, sport and exercise physiology, and theology. The submission of standardized test scores is strongly encouraged but not required of these majors. An applicant who chooses not to submit test scores will be required to arrange for a personal interview with the admissions office in addition to submitting a completed application, high school transcript, and recommendations from a high school guidance counselor and teacher.

For applicants intending to matriculate during the 2022-2023 academic year, all DeSales University undergraduate programs will operate with an SAT/ACT Optional Policy. For intended majors in Health Science (Physical Therapy), Medical Studies (Physician Assistant), and Nursing, SATs are still, however, highly recommended.

Early Admission

Students with outstanding qualifications may enter DeSales University before finishing high school, usually after their junior year. Readiness for college is the critical factor. Judgment of the student’s readiness will be made by the Admissions Committee on the basis of high school courses completed, level of academic achievement, SAT or ACT scores, school recommendations, parental consent, and the student’s educational plans.

International Students

International students who wish to enter DeSales University for the fall semester must submit applications no later than April 1. International students must have definite arrangements to meet all of the financial obligations of attending DeSales University. Financial aid is not available to international students. The I-20 immigration form will be issued following acceptance and payment of registration fees.

Language Requirements

International applicants (regardless of citizenship) whose native language is not English are required to submit English proficiency test scores as part of their application. English proficiency test scores are also required if an applicant attended secondary school in a non-English-speaking country.

Language Requirement Exceptions

• A score of 550 or above on the SAT Evidence-based Reading or 24 or better on the ACT English section
• If an applicant attended a U.S. high school or secondary school for at least three years and was enrolled in a traditional academic curriculum without ESOL coursework
• If an applicant attended another U.S. community college, college, or university full-time for at least two years without ESOL coursework
• Other exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis by the Director of International Learning

Undergraduate admissions requires the following minimum scores on the TOEFL, iELTS, or the Cambridge English Language Assessment (CAE).

All international applicants to the Nursing (Traditional BSN [First-Year Student or Entering Transfer Student], Accelerated BSN, ACCESS Evening-Weekend BSN), Medical Studies (Physician Assistant), or Health Sciences (Physical Therapy) programs are required to take the TOEFL iBT (Internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language) and must obtain a total score of 100 with a minimum score of 26 for speaking. Requests for exceptions to this requirement will be made on a case-by-case basis. The program chair will make the final decision and there are no further appeals.

An official copy of test results must be sent by the testing agency directly to the appropriate program at DeSales University, 2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley, PA 18034.

The TOEFL iBT must have been taken within two years of application to a DeSales program.

Visit the TSE Web site at www.ets.org/toefl for up-to-date information.

Nontraditional Application

Nontraditional students may apply directly to the ACCESS Office.

College Graduates Seeking Teacher Certification

Graduates with a BA or BS who wish to attain Pennsylvania State Teacher Certification should apply directly to the education department

Senior Citizens

Non-matriculating senior citizens (60 years of age or older) may enroll on a space-available basis in up to four non-studio credit courses per term (e.g. spring, fall, summer) at the rate of the current one-credit tuition fee. This may be a combination of courses (up to four) offered during the day or through ACCESS; for example, one course in Session 1, one course in Session 2, and two fall day courses. In addition to the registration fee, special course fees as applicable will be charged. Senior citizens may enroll in courses for enrichment, audit, or credit; and must meet the necessary prerequisites.

All applicable academic regulations will be in effect for such students. Proof of age is required at the time of registration.

Transfer Students and Community College Graduates

DeSales University has a tradition of serving transfer students and helping them to continue their academic program and complete their degree. Transfer students must complete 15 courses at DeSales University and 5 of those courses must be related to the major for a DeSales University degree to be transferred. For majors in the Division of Business, at least three of these five courses must be in the specific major and be at the 300-level or higher. In addition, sport management majors may only count one course (3 credits) of SS 450 toward this requirement.

To be eligible for general transfer admission to DeSales University, students should have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 (2.5 preferred) on a 4.0 scale. Certain programs, such as education and nursing, require a higher GPA for admissions. The theatre and dance programs require an audition. Transfer students interested in the physician assistant program or doctor of physical therapy (DPT) program must first complete a bachelor’s degree at a regionally accredited institution. During or after their senior year, students can apply to DeSales’ Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) program or the DPT program. Students must satisfy the prerequisite course work for the physician assistant program or DPT program during their undergraduate program.

Students who have registered for 24 or more credits at any post-secondary institution should apply for admission as transfer students. Students who have registered for fewer than 24 credits are considered first-year students with college work and should follow the traditional admissions procedures.

To apply for admission, it is necessary to:

1. Complete and submit the application form found at desales.edu/apply.
2. Ask the registrar’s office at each post-secondary institution attended to forward a copy of the official transcript(s) to the Admissions Office, DeSales University, 2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley, PA 18034-9568.
3. Ask the high school guidance office to submit an official copy of high school transcripts to the DeSales University admissions office.
4. Submit a Transfer Questionnaire from current or most recent college. (This form can be obtained from the DeSales University admissions office or on the website. Students who have an associate degree or an RN do not need to submit this form.) The form must be completed by the student affairs office from the student’s current or most recent college.

Undergraduate Transfer Policy

The following regulations govern the transfer of credits into DeSales University. In all cases, transfer courses must be documented by an official transcript. In some cases, additional information, including syllabi, course descriptions, or other supporting materials may be required.

1. With the exception of internships, all 3-credit courses taken at institutions accredited by the following regional accrediting bodies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or by the U.S. Department of Education (namely, Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and Western Association of Schools and Colleges) are eligible for transfer consideration at DeSales if the courses are meant to be transferable, are completed with a grade of C- or higher, and are consistent with DeSales’ mission, philosophy, and liberal arts tradition.
2. The acceptance or denial of transfer credit is not determined exclusively on the basis of the accreditation of the sending institution or the mode of delivery, but, rather, considers course equivalencies, including expected student learning outcomes and comparison with DeSales’ curricula and standards. Courses that are accepted for transfer must be substantially equal in quantity and quality to the DeSales work for which they are offered as a substitute.
3. No course in which a grade below C- was earned is accepted for transfer credit, except in the case that the student has completed an A.A. (Associate of Arts) or A.S. (Associate of Science) degree. All credits earned through courses completed at the institution granting that associate’s degree and meant to be transferable will be transferred to DeSales, provided that the student achieved (a) a minimum cumulative GPA (Grade Point Average) of 2.0 for all courses presented for the DeSales degree and (b) a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 for courses required in and offered by the major at DSU. If the student has not satisfied both (a) and (b), the student’s courses will be evaluated individually, and only courses in which a C- or higher has been earned will transfer into DeSales.
4. A student must complete at least 15 courses of three or more credits at DeSales to earn a degree from DeSales. A student can transfer a maximum of 25 courses of three or more credits into DeSales. A minimum of 40 courses of three or more credits are required to earn a DeSales degree.
5. A student must complete 5 courses in the major at DeSales. (There are several professional programs, e.g., nursing and education, that have additional requirements imposed by their individual accreditation agencies. Please check with the chair or director of those DeSales programs.)
6. All nursing (NU) courses with a required laboratory or clinical component must be completed at DeSales. For additional information, refer to the Nursing heading in Section 8 of the Undergraduate Catalog.
7. Only credit is transferred. The grades for transfer courses are not calculated in the student’s DeSales GPA. An exception is that grades earned at LVAIC institutions (Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges: Lehigh University and Cedar Crest, Lafayette, Moravian, and Muhlenberg Colleges) via the cross registration process are included in the calculation of the student’s DeSales GPA. Once courses have been transferred, they become part of the student’s permanent record and cannot be removed.
8. Courses not using traditional letter grades (A-F) will be considered for transfer only if additional documentation detailing successful completion of the courses is provided.
9. Courses taught online or in a hybrid format will be accepted assuming they meet the criteria above.
10. DeSales courses are assigned as credit hours. Courses evaluated for transfer from colleges and universities with different systems (e.g., quarter hours, units) are converted into credits.
11. The dean of undergraduate education is responsible for the final determination of the acceptance or denial of transfer credit.
12. Depending on status at the time of admittance, students will be exempt from certain parts of the University’s general education core as noted below:

Transfer with 8 to 17 courses
If students enter at the sophomore level (i.e., have transferred 8 to 17 courses of 3 or more credits each), they are exempt from:

1. MOT (Modes of Thinking) Philosophy
2. MOT Social Science
3. EN - 103 Composition and Rhetoric I  
4. EN - 104 Composition and Rhetoric II , provided they have transferred at least one three-credit English composition course which included the writing of a research paper. If they have not written an acceptable research paper, they must take Composition and Rhetoric II.
5. World Cultures I
6. World Cultures II
7. PE 100   + two activities courses (traditional day students only)

Transfer with 18 to 25 courses
If students enter at the junior level (i.e., have transferred 18 to 25 courses of 3 or more credits each), they are exempt from the general education courses typically required in the first and second years, namely:

1. MOT Philosophy
2. MOT Social Science
3. EN - 103 Composition and Rhetoric I  
4. EN - 104 Composition and Rhetoric II ), provided they have transferred at least one three-credit English composition course which included the writing of a research paper. If they have not written an acceptable research paper, they must take Composition and Rhetoric II.
5. World Cultures I
6. World Cultures II
7. Humanities I
8. Humanities II
9. MOT Mathematics
10. MOT Natural Science
11. MOT Literature
12. Introduction to Catholic Theology
13. PE 100  + two activities courses (traditional day students only)

13. Traditional day and ACCESS students are required to fulfill (either at DeSales or through equivalent courses taken at another institution) the remaining general education requirements, namely:
    1. Humanities III - Great Works of Art and Music
    2. Humanities IV - Great Works of Literature
    3. Intermediate Theology
    4. Values Seminar
14. Core-to-Core Agreement - The DeSales University general education core will essentially be fulfilled by the core of affiliated community colleges with a core-to-core transfer agreement. With appropriate A.A. and A.S. degrees, students will be required to take only two core courses at DeSales: Intermediate Theology and Values Seminar.
15. DeSales University has established articulation agreements with the following eleven community colleges. Each agreement lists courses that have been pre-approved for transfer and courses that will not be accepted for transfer. Pennsylvania
    • Bucks County Community College
    • Community College of Philadelphia
    • Delaware County Community College
    • Lehigh Carbon Community College*
    • Montgomery County Community College*
    • Northampton Community College*
    • Reading Area Community College New Jersey
    • County College of Morris
    • Middlesex County College
    • Raritan Valley Community College
    • Warren County Community College*
      
      * A core-to-core agreement with DeSales University exists
16. The transfer policy for graduate programs is available in the Graduate Catalog.

Student Deposit

A deposit of $400 for tuition must be sent to the admissions office of DeSales University no later than the date specified in the acceptance packet so that the University can officially certify the students for registration. The tuition deposit is non-refundable but will be credited to the students’ accounts upon registration. They may request a refund of this deposit by writing to the dean of enrollment management no later than May 1.

Core to Core Agreements with Other Institutions

Cecil College

The DeSales University core will essentially be fulfilled by the general education core of Cecil College. With an A.A. or A.S. degree, students that have taken the appropriate distribution of general education courses at Cecil College will be required to take only two core courses at DeSales: Intermediate Theology and Values Seminar.

Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC)

The DeSales University core will essentially be fulfilled by the general education core of LCCC. With an A.A. or A.S. degree, students that have taken the appropriate distribution of general education courses at LCCC will be required to take only two core courses at DeSales: Intermediate Theology and Values Seminar.

Montgomery County Community College (MCCC)

The DeSales University core will essentially be fulfilled by the general education core of MCCC. With an A.A. or A.S. degree, students that have taken the appropriate distribution of general education courses at MCCC will be required to take only two core courses at DeSales: Intermediate Theology and Values Seminar.

Northampton Community College (NCC)

The DeSales University core will essentially be fulfilled by the general education core of NCC. With an A.A., A.S., or A.A.S. degree, students that have taken the appropriate distribution of general education courses at NCC will be required to take only two core courses at DeSales: Intermediate Theology and Values Seminar.

Reading Area Community College (RACC)

The DeSales University core will essentially be fulfilled by the general education core of RACC. With any A.A. degree, any A.S. degree, or the A.A.S. degree in Criminal Justice, students that have taken the appropriate distribution of general education courses at RACC will be required to take only two core courses at DeSales: Intermediate Theology and Values Seminar.

Valley Forge Military College (VFMC)

The DeSales University core will essentially be fulfilled by the general education core of VFMC. With an A.A., A.S., or A.B.A. degree, students that have taken the appropriate distribution of general education courses at VFMC will be required to take only two core courses at DeSales: Intermediate Theology and Values Seminar.

Warren County Community College (WCCC)

The DeSales University core will essentially be fulfilled by the general education core of WCCC. With an A.A. or A.S. degree, students that have taken the appropriate distribution of general education courses at WCCC will be required to take only two core courses at DeSales: Intermediate Theology and Values Seminar.