Undergraduate
Admission Requirements

To apply to an associate degree program, bachelor’s degree program, or undergraduate certificate program, you must have earned a high school diploma from an accredited secondary school in the U.S. or have passed a high school equivalency test (HiSET).

You can provide either your official high school transcripts or a signed certification of high school graduation or equivalency examination. This signature is acceptable proof of graduation per federal law.

Transfer Students

Undergraduate students pursuing a bachelor’s degree with us can transfer up to 90 approved credits from prior learning experiences. We’ll evaluate the following types of experience for credit:

  • Coursework completed at other accredited colleges
  • Community and technical college coursework
  • Credit-by-exam (e.g., CLEP tests)
  • For military students, credit from the Joint Service Transcript

We also maintain articulation agreements with several community and technical colleges in West Virginia that may confer further benefits, such as tuition discounts. Click here to learn more. For complete details about transferring credit, talk to a Salem University enrollment counselor or review our academic catalog.

Graduate Admission Requirements –
Master’s Degrees

To apply to a master’s-level program (degree or certificate), you must have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in the U.S.

You’ll need to submit your official college transcripts from all universities attended and/or a signed certification of graduation. This signature is acceptable proof of graduation per federal law.

Several of our graduate degree programs have additional requirements for admission. Please review the requirements below. Complete details are available in our academic catalog.

M.Ed. in Educational Leadership

Applicants must:

  • Possess an undergraduate degree in education with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75
  • Have a valid teaching certificate or otherwise be approved for admission by the Dean of Education and the Provost.
  • Have successfully completed three (3) years of full-time teaching or management-level experience as defined by West Virginia State Board of Education Policy 5202:
    • § 4.46. Management-Level Experience. – Work experience in which an individual’s assignment in the organization is designated as a position of authority with responsibility for regulating the relationships between and among people.
    • § 4.67. Teaching Experience. – Classroom teaching or student support services experience within the specialization(s) and grade levels reflected on the educator’s license.
    • For definitions of “student support services” please refer to West Virginia State Board of Education Policy 5202. Definitions can be found at: http://wvde.state.wv.us/policies/.

Education Specialist and Post-Master’s Certificate of Advanced Studies in Educational Leadership

Applicants must meet the guidelines for admission to the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (above) as well as the following criteria:

  • Have earned an education-related master’s degree and have a current, valid teaching certificate or otherwise be approved by the Dean of Education and the Provost.
  • Have a minimum 2.75 undergraduate GPA and a minimum 3.0 graduate GPA
  • Praxis Exams #5412 completion

Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction

Applicants must:

  • Have earned an undergraduate degree in education or a training-related field, or otherwise be approved for admission by the Dean of Education and the Provost.
  • Have an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher.
  • Praxis Exams #5412 completion

Graduate Nursing Programs

Applicants must:

  • Have a current unrestricted RN license issued by any U.S. state or the District of Columbia
  • Have earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
  • Maintain RN licensure throughout the program of study

Applications are considered incomplete until they contain all required academic records.

Students applying to one of Salem’s graduate nursing programs must have their official transcripts sent to Salem from each post-secondary academic institution they have attended previously, regardless of whether or not they want to transfer courses.

All official transcripts must be received by the end of the student’s first course, or the student may be dropped from the nursing program.

Graduate Admission Requirements –
Doctor of Business Administration

Applicants must:

  • Have earned a master’s degree, preferably an MBA, or completed at least 30 semester credit hours of graduate-level work with a 3.0 grade point average or higher at an accredited institution.
  • Submit a current resume.
  • Maintain a 3.0 or higher cumulative grade point average (GPA) once in the program.

Salem agrees to guarantee admission of qualified applicants who are employees, members, or their dependents in Salem’s Doctor of Business Administration (DBA).