Applying

Applying

Admission to either the credential or the Master of Arts program is selective; meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to either program. Learn more about a program’s specific admission requirements below:

Admission Requirements

MASTER'S DEGREE CANDIDACY

Applicants seeking the Master of Arts in Education must be admitted to master's degree candidacy. Students should apply as early as possible, and no later than one semester prior to the intended entry date. To apply for master's degree candidacy, applicants must submit the following:

  1. The application for graduate admission, which includes an essay on professional and educational goals and two professional references. Students who have previously been admitted to a credential program must complete the application for advancement to master's candidacy.
  2. Transcripts of all college work documenting a Bachelor of Arts degree or a Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited college or university.
  3. Evidence of completion of the last 25 upper division/graduate semester units with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher.
  4. An Educational Design proposal that has been developed by the candidate and the Department of Education and Child Development.

CREDENTIAL PROGRAM CANDIDACY

Graduate students must complete an application for admission to the Teacher Preparation Program according to specified deadlines. Only those students accepted to the program may enroll in the core courses.

Graduate candidates applying to the credential programs must complete and submit the following to the Department of Education and Child Development:

  1. The application for admission includes such items as a statement of purpose, at least two professional references, and documentation of subject matter preparation.
  2. Passage of CBEST (California Basic Educational Skills Test)
  3. Transcripts documenting the following:
    • A Bachelor of Arts Degree or Bachelor of Science Degree from an accredited college or university
    • Minimum 2.8 GPA in the last 60 graded units
  4. Applicants who meet the above qualifications will be contacted for an interview.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ADMISSION

International graduate students who wish to apply for the credential program and/or the

Master of Arts Degree program must do the following:

  1. Submit a completed application for graduate admission.
  2. Submit transcripts verifying the completion of a baccalaureate degree. All students whose baccalaureate work was completed outside the United States or Canada at an institution where a language other than English was the dominant language of instruction must submit transcripts that have been translated and analyzed by the International Education Research Foundation, Inc. or another authorized agency before they can be accepted to the teacher credential or master’s degree program. (Students already in the U.S. may be permitted to enroll in a maximum of two courses while they await transcript analysis.)

All students whose baccalaureate work was completed at an institution where a language other than English was the dominant language of instruction must submit acceptable TOEFL scores.

Deadlines

Applications for admission are accepted on a rolling basis with the following deadlines:

For Classes Starting In:

Application Deadline:

Fall Term

September 1

Spring Term

February 1

Summer Term

May 15

Download an Admission Application

Applicants must submit a completed application, required materials, and non-refundable $60.00 application fee (check made payable to Whittier College) to:

Department of Education and Child Development
Teacher Credential Program Admission
Whittier College
P.O. Box 634
Whittier, CA 90608

Requests for Information

For more information on Whittier College’s Graduate Programs in Education, please contact 562.907.4248.