Frequently Asked Questions

Hybrid courses blend classroom and online learning. Because much of the course content is online, the number of in-person classes is reduced and varies by course. Class meeting dates can be found by clicking on the course name in the online course schedule.

Tuition is charged per credit. If you are taking one three-credit course, the formula is 3 x tuition rate = cost.

There are also fees associated with some programs in addition to the cost of books. Please see our tuition and fees table for more information.

Financial aid is available to U.S. residents in the form of loans. The first step is to fill out the FAFSA. At this time, financial aid is not available to international students.

We offer a few graduate assistantships that include tuition remission and an hourly stipend. The assistantships require a commitment of 20 hours per week. We do not offer graduate grants or scholarships.

All of our programs are offered part-time. Classes are held in the evening or online.

You can attend full-time or part-time. Full-time is six credits (two courses) per semester.

We do not require standardized tests such as the GRE or GMAT for our programs. Any additional prerequisites are spelled out on each program page, so please read the admissions requirements for your program carefully before starting your application.

A personal statement is a description of the academic and professional experiences that will make a contribution to your pursuit of education at Salve Regina. There is no minimum page requirement, however the statement should include your background, interests, accomplishments and career goals as they relate to the program. You should also address why you think Salve Regina is a good fit for you. All applicants are required to submit a personal statement to complete their application. Some programs have specific questions that should be addressed. These can be found within the application.

To apply for a CGS (certificate of graduate studies), you must hold a bachelor’s degree.

To apply for a CAGS (certificate of advanced graduate studies), you must hold a master’s degree.

We do not offer housing for graduate students. If you would like to live near campus, we suggest you work with a realtor who is familiar with the local Newport market.

The answer will vary by program. Our programs are designed for working adults, so we base our estimates on the assumption that students are taking one or two courses each term. Please see the program webpages for an indication of the average time to complete each degree.

Most of our in-person graduate classes are held in the evenings on our Newport campus.

The Office of Graduate and Professional Studies is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST. You are welcome to call us with questions. We are also available by email. Please see our staff directory for contact information.

You do not need to take a course every semester, however, you will need to let us know if you plan to take a semester off. You can do that by emailing graduate_studies@salve.edu.

We look at applications as a whole. A good applicant should have a well-written personal statement, academic or professional recommendations, a current resume that reflects related work experience whenever possible, and an undergraduate GPA that shows the applicant is capable of graduate-level work. A few of our programs have specific GPA requirements.

Most of our master’s programs can be started six times a year: Fall session I/II, spring session I/II and summer session I/II. The following programs can only begin in the fall or spring semesters: M.A. in behavior analysis, holistic studies programs, Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Ph.D in humanities. The Newport MFA cohorts begin in either the summer or the spring.

Students may transfer up to 40% of the credits required of a particular master’s program if the following conditions apply: Courses are appropriate for that particular graduate program; students received a grade of B or better in each course requested for transfer; credits transferred were not applied toward a previous degree; credits were obtained from an accredited institution; and credits were earned within eight years of the petition for transfer. Please see our catalog for further details.

Recommendation letters can be written by faculty or work supervisors who can attest to your ability to be successful in graduate school. Those applying for the M.S. in nursing or the Doctor of Nursing Practice should ask clinical supervisors whenever possible. MFA applicants should ask faculty and/or individuals familiar with your work who can attest to your ability as a writer.

We need official transcripts from all institutions where you earned 15 or more credits. RN-BSN applicants will need to send us transcripts from all schools, regardless of the number of credits completed. This is to ensure we can transfer the correct number of credits into your bachelor’s program.

Official means it must come to us directly from the school in a sealed envelope or digital format. If you have official transcripts in your possession, we can use them as long as they are still in their original envelope sealed by the school.

You may send us physical or digital copies.

Physical copies should be mailed to:

Office of Graduate and Professional Studies
Salve Regina University
100 Ochre Point Ave.
Newport, RI 02840

Digital copies should be emailed to graduate_studies@salve.edu.

The Ph.D. in humanities requires an online writing sample as part of the application process. The writing sample is a timed essay (one hour) completed via email. Applicants must make an appointment by selecting an available date and time from the admissions manager's calendar. At the appointed time, an email will be sent to you containing further instructions and the topic for your essay. Topics differ for each program.