Academic Catalog

Application for Admission to the Master of Science Degree Program

The IIRP Graduate School is dedicated to the graduate education of adult learners who are baccalaureate college graduates.

Prospective students should display an aptitude for completing graduate-level coursework, a capacity for making positive contributions in their professional life, and a willingness and capacity to engage in self-reflection to develop skills and competencies. 

To be considered by the Committee on Admission, applicants must: 

• have graduated from an accredited college or university with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or better, and
• submit official academic transcripts to the IIRP from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended. Official transcripts should be mailed to: IIRP, 531 Main Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018-5837 USA. Electronic transcripts should be emailed to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and
• submit three letters of reference, along with the Graduate School Recommendation Form. These letters should be from persons who know both the character of the applicant and the ability of the applicant to be successful in demanding graduate study in our professional discipline, and
• submit a 1-2 page letter or essay describing their reasons for seeking our specialized graduate education. This essay is a reflection of scholarship and should be reviewed for spelling and grammar prior to submission, and
• submit a résumé or curriculum vitae.
• Optional: A candidate for admission may also submit qualifying test scores, either recent GRE® (code 2589), Miller Analogies Test (code 4030), PRAXIS PPST (code 2323), or PRAXIS Core (code 5751) scores.

Each student applying to our Master of Science program is given personal consideration. Candidates for admission may be asked by the Admissions Committee for a personal interview or additional supporting documents. A prospective student may be admitted unconditionally, admitted with specific conditions, or not obtain admission. The committee shall be the agency to hear any requests for special consideration for admission.

Students may take up to 12 credits before they must decide to apply to the Graduate School. However, students who choose not to apply to the Graduate Certificate or the Master of Science degree will only receive transparent tuition on their first course. If a student continues to take courses, they will pay the full tuition amount, without the discount. Student Services will not remit transcripts without having an official undergraduate transcript on file for the student. 

To apply for admission to the master’s program, complete the application by logging into the Student Portal.

• If you are planning to begin your studies in the Spring term, please submit all application documents by November 1.
• If you are planning to begin your studies in the Summer term, please submit all application documents by April 1.
• If you are planning to begin your studies in the Fall term, please submit all application documents by July 1.

Approval to Pursue the Thesis Option

Students seeking approval to pursue the thesis option must be admitted to the Master of Science program. 

Alumni who are recipients of a Master’s degree from the IIRP may also seek approval to return and complete the relevant coursework and thesis. 

Submit: 

• Completed Thesis Option application found within your Student Portal. 
• A 4-6 page paper, formatted in APA style, that describes your research background (academic preparation or professional experience) and your specific research area of interest accompanied by a brief narrow-scope literature review relevant to that potential research area. 

Admission to the Master of Science in Restorative Practices degree program does not constitute approval to take the thesis option. If a student is not approved to pursue the thesis option, they may still pursue the Master of Science in Restorative Practices degree.

Application Requirements for International Applicants

Our Committee on Admissions shall consider those potential international students who:

• have been awarded a degree equivalent to the four-year baccalaureate degree by U.S. colleges and universities with an equivalent cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or better, and
• whose transcripts and academic credentials of all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended have been evaluated on a course-by-course basis by any organization approved by National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) and sent directly to the IIRP, 531 Main Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018-5837 by that organization, and
• submit three letters of reference, along with the Graduate School Recommendation Form. These letters should be from persons who know both the character of the applicant and the ability of the applicant to be successful in demanding graduate study in our professional discipline, and
• submit a 1-2 page letter or essay describing their reasons for seeking our specialized graduate education. This essay is a reflection of scholarship and should be reviewed for spelling and grammar prior to submission, and
• submit a résumé or curriculum vitae, and
• submit scores from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL®) code 2589 or the Duolingo English Test or scores from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). IELTS is jointly owned by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia, and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.
• Optional: A candidate for admission may also submit qualifying test scores, either recent GRE® (code 2589), Miller Analogies Test (code 4030), PRAXIS PPST (code 2323), or PRAXIS Core (code 5751) scores.

International applicants are exempt from the English language test requirement if they have received a baccalaureate or a master’s degree from a college/university/institution in any of the following: Australia, Belize, British Caribbean and British West Indies, Canada (except Quebec), England, Guyana, Republic of Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the United States, and Wales.

The scores must not be more than two years old and must be sent directly from the testing agency to the IIRP. The TOEFL®, IELTS™, and Duolingo cannot be utilized as a substitute for the GRE® or Miller Analogy standardized examinations.

The minimum acceptable score for the TOEFL® is 66 for the paper-based test or a composite score of 88 (see below) with a 24 on the speaking section for the Internet-based test (iBT).

The minimum acceptable test score for the Duolingo test score is 120.

The minimum IELTS score is 6.5, with no less than a 7.0 on the writing section. (General training not accepted.)

Each student applying to our Master of Science program is given personal consideration. Candidates for admission may be asked by the Admissions Committee for a personal interview or additional supporting documents. A prospective student may be admitted unconditionally, admitted with specific conditions, or not obtain admission. The committee shall be the agency to hear any requests for special consideration for admission.

Notification of Admission

Applicants will be notified of their admission status by email.  Admitted students must enroll within the academic year for which they have been admitted.

Transfer Credits

Due to the specialized nature of the Institute’s programs, transfer credits will not be accepted, with the exception of IIRP coursework offered as ORLA 5340 and taught by IIRP faculty at the Summer Principals Academy, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, New York, which will be accepted until the conclusion of the academic year 2023-2024.