All students must:

• Have proficiency and access to an up-to-date computer, including Skype, with voice-to-voice capability and reliable internet access, preferably high-speed (see Student Handbook, Technology Requirements for details).
• Be able to attend and participate in online chat class sessions
• Be competent to perform graduate level work
• Demonstrate basic competence in English language and writing
• Demonstrate interest in Pagan leadership and service.

Enrolling in a course without admission to a program, that is, auditing a Master’s class or PCELL course for no credit, requires:

1. Application form,
2. One letter of recommendation from someone who is currently acquainted with you, who is not a family member or a peer in coven or tribe.  This letter should include the reference’s contact information, how they know you, for how long, and their opinion of your interest, character, fitness and ability to benefit from auditing a graduate level seminary class.
3. Two approvals:
   • Approval by Instructor, including conditions if any
   • Approval by Academic Dean

NOTE:  All Foundations courses are available to the general public without application for admission to Cherry Hill Seminary.  Foundations students may simply register and pay the tuition, plus a processing fee of $25 per academic term.

For all other classes and courses for credits or units, Application for Admission to the Seminary is required.

Exceptional Situations

Cherry Hill Seminary may on occasion conditionally admit a non-baccalaureate student to a master’s degree program.  Equivalency and other conditions are determined by the Academic Dean in consultation with the Admissions Committee.  Such exceptions are strictly regulated by the state Commission on Higher Education and by accrediting bodies, and so are only considered for exceptional situations.  CHS may admit a limited number (no more than 5%) of applicants without undergraduate degrees, provided we have reasonable assurance that the applicant can complete a graduate-level program.  

Applicants for this exemption should have excellent scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogy Test (MAT) and a minimum of 7-10 years of experience in their field.  They must document their experience and the reasons they seek this exemption.

For students granted such exceptional admission, the Academic Dean’s letter of exception will serve in place of the documentation of bachelor’s degree required of all other students before master’s degree graduation.

Applicants whose native language is not English, and who have not earned a degree from an appropriately-accredited-institution* where English is the principal language of instruction, must receive a minimum score of 530 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or 71 on the Internet-Based Test (iBT) or its equivalent.

Conditional Admission

If a student is offered conditional admission to a degree program, that student shall complete at least two terms in one academic year, including a minimum of nine credit hours.  At that time, at the student's request, the Academic Dean and a committee of faculty will review the student's progress and assess the student’s potential for successful completion of the degree program.  All work shall be completed at a 3.0 GPA or better, and any other conditions for admission must be met.  At that time, the student may be approved for unconditional admission, in which case all successfully completed classes will count toward the degree.  The conditional admission may be extended by up to one calendar year, at which time the student must be either unconditionally admitted or dropped from the degree program.  If the student is not admitted to the degree program, classes successfully completed may be credited toward a specific certificate program.

Transfer Credit Policies

All applicants who seek credit from Cherry Hill Seminary for prior studies at another institution must provide certified transcripts of academic work from the institution where the work was completed.  If you have relevant graduate level work you wish to have considered for advanced standing, you may submit the syllabi for those classes.  All previous classes, from CHS or any other school, will be evaluated individually to match our specific degree criteria, seeking to balance academic excellence and Pagan ethos.

As is best practice for a degree-granting institution, all prior work must be evaluated during the admission process.  A maximum allowable transfer credit (usually about 10% of the required credits) is available to a student.

At this time, no credit is awarded towards a Master's Degree for life or work experience.

The Academic Dean may authorize transfer credit for applicable post-baccalaureate classes completed at other institutions provided that the student has earned a grade of B or better (or equivalent). Under no circumstances will the student receive more than nine credit hours as transfer credit toward a Master’s Degree from Cherry Hill Seminary. No credits will be accepted for transfer toward a Cherry Hill Seminary degree if another institution has counted them toward an earned degree.

To apply for transfer credit, download the Credit Transfer Evaluation Form and submit the completed form per instructions on the form.