College of Education and Rehabilitation

Department of Graduate Studies in Vision Impairment

Admissions Process

All applicants to a College of Education and Rehabilitation Graduate Studies degree or certificate program must hold an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited college or university.

Professional preparation or experience in rehabilitation, eye care, psychology, social work, education or a related field is preferred for applicants to the programs in low vision rehabilitation (LVR), vision rehabilitation therapy (VRT) or orientation and mobility (O&M).

For applicants to the Education of Children and Youth with Visual Impairments (TVI) program, professional preparation in special education is preferable.

Admission to a program is based on the “candidate profile” of individual applicants, which is composed of three indices:

• Academic Achievement: the criteria for the evaluation of an applicant’s academic achievement include grade point averages; major area of concentration of courses; college or university attended; number of completed college credits; degree status, and national test scores.
  
  Personal Index: this is a subjective measure of an applicant’s acceptability from a personal standpoint. The criteria are non-cognitive factors and are comprised of letters of reference, community service, extracurricular activities and the essay submitted with the application.
• The objective criteria are weighed according to the recommendations of the Graduate Admissions Committee, with each criterion considered privileged and restricted to committee members only. If an applicant’s academic achievement falls within an acceptable range, the applicant is invited to an interview.
• Interview Index: this index evaluates the applicant’s knowledge, interest and motivation about the field of vision impairment. The Graduate Admissions Committee recommends that each applicant be interviewed by at least two faculty members, one of whom is the applicable program director. These interviews are held independently and each interviewer provides written information to the College of Education and Rehabilitation Admissions Committee. In-person interviews are preferred; however, telephone interviews will be arranged if necessary.

After the interview, the College of Education and Rehabilitation Admissions Committee evaluates the findings of each candidate’s profile (academic achievement + personal index + interview index) and makes a recommendation regarding the applicant’s acceptability status.

All applicants’ files must be complete prior to a review by the Admissions Committee, which meets monthly. Every effort is made to provide decisions on acceptance into the programs to applicants within two to four weeks of the scheduled interview.

All applicants will receive final notification from the Salus University Director of Admissions. 

Students may take up to nine credits before being admitted as a matriculated student. Matriculation status includes admission and the completion of a matriculation statement (student data sheet). Matriculants have five (5) years to complete their program.

For further information about individual programs, please contact the director of that program. (Contact information located in Admissions Requirements section).

Criteria

Applicants who do not have a graduate degree must have achieved acceptable levels of performance on a national test such as MAT (Miller Analogies Test), GRE (Graduate Record Examination), or OAT (Optometry Admission Test).  Each applicant may choose a test dependent upon his or her professional preparation and program interest. (Further information on these tests can be found under “How/What is Needed to Apply,” following application requirements and procedures information).

Applicants must provide three letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant’s academic work, employment record and personal character. Letters must be sent directly to the Salus University College of Education and Rehabilitation Admissions Committee.

Applicants must submit a completed and signed application form; a response to one essay question; an application fee and a resume or Curriculum Vitae (a summary of work, educational experiences and accomplishments).

Applicants for the Certificate of Orientation and Mobility (COM) program must be a teacher of the visually impaired and provide proof of certification or have a degree or certificate in vision rehabilitation therapy in blindness/vision impairment.

Applicants for whom English is a second language must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Test of Spoken English, and Test of Written English. All official college transcripts from foreign countries must be submitted in English to the World Education Services, P.O. Box 745, Old Chelsea Station, New York, NY 10113-0745 for document-by-document evaluation before submitting them to the Salus University College of Education and Rehabilitation Admissions Committee.

Applicants are required to be computer literate upon entry into their respective programs. All instructors will expect students to have basic computer skills, including emailing; uploading and downloading files; searching the World Wide Web; making presentations online; word processing; Power Point, and spreadsheet knowledge and ability.

Prior to entering their program, students who lack basic computer skills for word processing should take a basic beginner’s course from a local computer education program, a community college, a college or university or a computer education service. After entering a Salus University program, students with basic skills needing additional computer training may find help in the University’s Computer Assisted Learning Center.

Master’s degree candidates participate in research courses that require skills in setting formulae for calculations in spreadsheets of databases and creating graphic representations of data. Students should assess their competence in algebra and refresh their knowledge base as needed. The research instructor will assume that students in research classes know how to utilize a computer for word processing and have a basic understanding of algebra.

Applicants successfully meeting the first four admissions requirements will be scheduled for interviews with the respective Program Director and a faculty member. Face to face interviews are preferred; however, telephone interviews are possible.

Information Important to All Applicants

• Please read the following carefully before completing the application form
• Send your completed application form before submitting credentials
• When corresponding or having recommendations or transcripts sent to the University, be sure to include “College of Education and Rehabilitation” in the address line

Required Application Items:

Transcripts

All applicants must have official copies of transcripts from each college or university attended sent directly to the College of Education and Rehabilitation (regardless of whether a degree has been received from that institution).

The certified copies of official academic records (transcripts) for all undergraduate and graduate work should be mailed directly to the Salus University College of Education and Rehabilitation from each institution, not issued to the student. A transcript marked “Issue to Student” is not acceptable, even when delivered in a sealed envelope.

National Test Scores

For applicants without a graduate degree, official scores from the appropriate national test must be sent directly to the Salus University College of Education and Rehabilitation. Test scores must be no more than seven years old.

• MAT (Miller Analogies Test): a mental abilities test consisting of a series of intellectual problems in the form of analogies which students must solve. This examination is based on general knowledge, is timed (sixty minutes) and is administered on a regular basis around the country at test centers around the country by appointment only. There is a fee (about $50.00 to $100.00) for the test. For more information about the test and to find a testing site go to: www.milleranalogies.com
  
  
• GRE (Graduate Record Examination): administered through the National Program for Graduate School Selection and the Education Testing Service. It is a 3 1/2  hour examination measuring general scholastic ability at the graduate level and yielding separate scores for verbal, quantitative and analytic abilities. The GRE is given five times a year and score reports take approximately six to eight weeks to reach their destinations. Further information can be found at www.gre.org or from Graduate Record Examination, Princeton, NJ (609.771.7670).
  
  
• OAT (Optometry Admission Test): designed to measure general academic ability and scientific knowledge. Multiple choice questions include verbal ability, quantitative ability, biology, chemistry, physics and reading comprehension. The test takes approximately four and one half hours and is administered twice a year at established testing centers across the U.S. and Canada. Please go to:www.ada.org or Optometry Admissions Testing Center, Chicago, IL (312 440-2693). The charge for taking the test is approximately $75.00.

Letters of Reference

Applicants should complete the top and bottom portions of each reference report. Forward the report to the three individuals who will be providing your references. Request that those individuals complete the form and send it directly, via U.S. mail or fax, to the Salus University College of Education and Rehabilitation, 8360 Old York Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027. The department fax number is 215.780.1357.

Job Resume/ Curriculum Vitae

All applicants must prepare an educational and job resume or curriculum vitae. The date should list, in chronological order, an applicant’s education and work experiences, publications and honors and achievement to date.

Essays

Applicants must submit an essay for one of the three scenarios provided in the application.