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Undergraduate Admission
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Ideally, admission to the University is a process of mutual selection. It is hoped that those students who seek admission will also be the kind of students sought by URI: those who will benefit from the opportunities afforded here; those who will be stimulated and challenged by doing undergraduate work in an environment that includes scholarly research and graduate study; who are committed to becoming contributing members of the University.
Students are selected for enrollment primarily on the basis of their academic competence and without regard to race, sex, religion, age, color, creed, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation, and without discrimination against disabled and Vietnam-era veterans. The University has been authorized under federal law to enroll nonimmigrant foreign students.
Much of the information provided in this section applies primarily to students at the Kingston Campus.
At the University’s Providence Campus, students are admitted under “performance based admission” (PBA). For University applicants without recent evidence of academic success, but with the potential to successfully complete college-level work, this represents an opportunity to pursue a college degree. PBA is available to applicants whose last educational experience occurred at least three years ago, and who have graduated from high school or earned an equivalency diploma. Performance based admission is limited to students applying to the Alan Shawn Feinstein College of Continuing Education for undergraduate degree programs. For more information, contact an academic advisor at the University’s Providence Campus, Room 245, 401-277-5160. You can find more information on offerings at the Providence Campus on page 75 of this catalog. Students intending to transfer from Providence to programs at the Kingston campus should be aware of all requirements and discuss them with their advisors.
All freshmen pursuing four- or six-year degree programs at the Kingston Campus are admitted to University College, a college of advising and academic student services. Many who are undecided about their choice of major use their year or two in University College to explore their interests before declaring a major. Students who have identified their prospective majors are assigned faculty advisors in that area and follow their chosen course of study while in University College. URI evaluates applicants’ credentials in terms of their stated prospective majors and the space available in professional programs with limited enrollments.
Admission Requirements
Admission to URI is competitive, and primary emphasis in the review process is placed on a student’s high school record, quality of courses taken, grades earned, and performance on standardized tests (SAT or ACT). Extracurricular activities, alumni tradition, and letters of recommendation are also considered. The students offered admission for fall 2005 presented an average class rank in the top 25 percent of their high school class, with SAT scores of approximately 1,140 combined.
SAT or ACT tests are required for freshman candidates; transfer students from other colleges are assessed mainly on their earlier college records. Each candidate is given individual consideration; however, a minimum of 18 units of college preparatory work is expected: four units in English, three in algebra and plane geometry, two in a physical or natural science, two in history or a social science, two in the same foreign language, and additional units that meet the requirements of the college in which the candidate expects to major. All students are encouraged to select their additional units from the arts, humanities and foreign languages, mathematics, social sciences, or laboratory sciences. Candidates for the College of Engineering, the College of Business Administration, and majors in chemistry, computer science, and physics, must complete four units of mathematics (trigonometry); candidates for the College of Engineering should also select chemistry and physics. To be considered for admission to the College of Business Administration, freshman candidates must have a fourth unit of math, either pre-calculus or trigonometry. Applicants to the Bachelor of Music degree program must audition and must contact the Department of Music for specific requirements. Candidates with more than 23 transferable college credits are classified as transfer students.
Students presenting official GED results in lieu of a high school diploma must present secondary school or college records that show successful completion of all the admissions requirements listed here.
International candidates must submit original or certified copies of original documents (in the original language) and notarized translations in English. Candidates must meet the University’s academic requirements. They must show that they possess funds for their first year and that funds for subsequent years will be available. If government or reserve bank permission is required to transfer funds from the student’s country to the United States, a notarized copy of the permission is required. No financial aid is available to international students.
Application Procedures
Students should discuss their plans for study at the University with their academic counselors as early as possible to establish realistic goals and program selections. URI admissions counselors will be glad to correspond with students about individual problems. Requests for application forms and information should be sent to Undergraduate Admissions, 14 Upper College Road, Kingston, RI 02881-1391. You may also call 401-874-7100, or visit the Admissions Web page at www.uri.edu/admissions.
Inquiries from international students concerning nonimmigrant visas, transfers, funding, etc., should be sent to URI’s Office of International Students and Scholars, 37 Lower College Road, Kingston, RI 02881; e-mail issoff@etal.uri.edu. Inquiries concerning housing should be sent to the Department of Housing and Residential Life (for on-campus residence) or Off-Campus Housing.
Students are enrolled at the beginning of the fall semester in September and at the beginning of the spring semester in January. Not all programs enroll new students in January. High school seniors are urged to submit applications, including first quarter grades, early in their final year of preparatory study, since URI reviews applications on a continuing basis as soon as complete credentials are submitted. Applicants are notified as soon as decisions are made. The closing date for fall term freshman applications is February 1; transfer applications are due by May 1. Most decisions are reported in February-April. The closing date for spring term applications is November 1.
Early Action and Centennial Scholarships. To qualify for Early Action and Centennial Scholarship consideration, a completed application for admission with the candidate’s signature, official high school transcript, standardized test scores, and application fee must be received in Admissions by December 15, 2005. Decisions will be made on complete applications by January 15, and offers of admission are nonbinding. Students offered admission under the Early Action plan may apply to other colleges and are not required to make a commitment to URI prior to May 1.
If a Centennial Scholar’s residency classification changes from out-of-state regional status or in-state status or from regional to in-state status the amount of the award will be reduced because of the change in the amount of tuition charged.
Transfer applicants are not eligible for Centennial Scholarships; this includes students who earn more than 23 college-level credits while in high school and high school graduates who have attended other post-secondary institutions.
Admissions Inquiry Online. Candidates may check the status of their applications online. Instructions are forwarded to candidates when applications are received.
Entrance Tests. All candidates for freshman admission must take the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT 1) or the American College Testing Program Test (ACT). Applicants who have been away from formal studies for at least three years should contact Admissions about entrance requirements.
Applicants are encouraged to take the SAT 1 as early as possible in their senior year; delay beyond January reduces a candidate’s prospects for a timely decision. Students are required to have their test scores submitted to the University by the testing service. Full information concerning this test may be obtained from local high schools or by writing to CEEB at P.O. Box 592, Princeton, NJ 08540. Further information regarding the ACTs is available from ACT, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, IA 52243.
Students whose first language is not English are encouraged to submit their official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or English Language Placement Test (ELPT, an SAT II examination) results to supplement their SAT verbal scores. International candidates for whom English has not been the language of instruction must submit official TOEFL examination results of 213 on computer version or better, or ELPT examination results of 965 or better. The TOEFL examination is administered by the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ 08540. For information about the ELPT, write to CEEB at P.O. Box 592, Princeton, NJ 08540.
Interviews. A limited number of personal interviews are available, but are not required of all applicants. It would be impossible for the admissions staff to interview all candidates, but individual conferences can be arranged with professional staff and student interviewers on a space-available basis.
Information Sessions. The Admissions staff offers 30-minute information sessions for prospective students and their famililies, followed by a campus tour. Reservations are not required. Call ahead to confirm available dates: 401-874-7100, or check the Web site, www.uri.edu/admissions.
Campus Tours. A virtual campus tour is available at www.uri.edu/home/tour. Students conduct live tours of the campus for visitors, Monday-Saturday, while classes are in session. Group tours for high schools and other organizations may also be arranged. For more information, call 401-874-7100 or refer to www.uri.edu/admissions/. Tours of the Narragansett Bay Campus and the Graduate School of Oceanography may also be arranged. Call 401-874-6211 for details.
Early Enrollment/Admission. Students who have completed their junior year of high school with superior records are eligible for early admission. A part-time study program may be arranged for students wishing to begin college study in their senior year while continuing their high school work. A full-time program may be arranged for those recommended for college admission without completion of the standard preparatory program.
Early admission students will normally have completed three years of English, three of mathematics, two of foreign language, two to three of social studies or history, and two of natural or physical science. Students should be academically competitive within their high school class, have corresponding scores on the College Board SAT, ACT, or equivalent tests, and the endorsement of their school. Those interested should plan with their high school counselor early in their junior year and direct further inquiries to Admissions.
Advanced Standing. Advanced placement for freshmen is granted to students who have completed college-level courses in a high school participating in the Advanced Placement Program and have passed (with a grade of 3.00 or better) the CEEB Advanced Placement Examination in the following subject areas: art history, art studio (drawing and general), biology, chemistry, computer science (AB), English (language and composition; literature and composition), French (language and literature), German (language), history (European and United States), Latin (Vergil and Catullus-Horace), mathematics (calculus AB and BC), music theory, physics (B; C, mechanics; and C, electricity and magnetism), Spanish (language and literature). For a list of University courses considered equivalent to advanced placement classes, please contact Admissions.
In addition, students can take proficiency examinations administered by University departments to be granted advanced placement. Entrance with advanced standing can accelerate the completion of degree requirements, or enrich the undergraduate program with greater scope for elective or advanced courses.
Transfer Students. Transfer students from another college or university must have official transcripts sent directly from the institution, whether or not they expect or desire credit for such work; their high school record must also be submitted. Transfer candidates must be in good standing and eligible to return to the institutions they attended previously. Credit is not awarded for course work taken prior to admission to URI which is disclosed after acceptance. Only grades of C or better will transfer.
Credit transferred from other schools is limited by the following restrictions. No more than half of the credits URI requires for graduation can be transferred from two-year institutions. Students must earn at URI at least one-half of the credits required for a major, at least one-half the credits required for a minor, and at least one-fourth the credits required for graduation. Only grades earned for course work at URI are included in the calculation of a student’s quality point average.
A minimum cumulative QPA of 2.50 is required, but most successful applicants have much higher quality point averages. Certain programs may require a higher QPA or specific prerequisite courses. Candidates accepted with transfer credit are classified as freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or seniors according to the number of credits accepted for transfer. The transfer of general education credits is described on page 34. Priority consideration is given to applicants with 24 or more transferable credits. Students may apply to the teacher education programs only after acceptance by an academic department. Some colleges do not enroll new transfer students every semester.
Transfer admission to the College of Pharmacy is highly competitive and limited to currently enrolled URI students who are preparing to begin the third year. They must present credentials for the successful completion of the following courses: General Chemistry I and II (including labs), Calculus I, General Zoology (or Biology I and II), Anatomy, Physiology, Organic Chemistry I and II, Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Biostatistics (or Statistics).
The College of Business Administration requires transfer students to have 60 college credits, including: Accounting I and II; Business Communications; Calculus; Economics I and II; Statistics I and II; and one computer course. Students not meeting these requirements may be admitted to University College and later transfer to CBA provided they complete the above-named courses and meet the college’s GPA requirement. The University grants direct transfer credit for equivalent upper-level business courses taken at institutions that are accredited by AACSB-The International Association for Management Education. Upper-level courses taken at an institution not accredited by AACSB must be validated by examination. Courses not validated will be awarded free elective credit.
Joint Admissions. The Joint Admissions Agreement (JAA) is available to CCRI students who, prior to earning 30 credits, matriculate into one of the recognized JAA transition plans. Each transition plan specifies at least 32 credits that transfer to URI in fulfillment of general education requirements. Although some additional general education courses may be required, the following core requirements ensure that transferring and continuing students have common knowledge across a broad spectrum of the liberal arts and sciences: Writing/Communications (3), Literature (3), Fine Arts (3), Mathematics (3), Science (8), Social Science (9), additional general education (3). Since the requirements of specific degree programs vary, students must be guided in selecting courses within these broad areas of general education.
To aid students and their advisors in making appropriate selections, JAA transition plans are available on the RI Transfers Web site (www.ribghe.org/ritransfers.htm) and in the Transfer Guide for Students, which is available in print and online at www.ribghe.org/transferguide.htm. Only programs specified in these publications and sites as JAA programs with transition plans are included in this agreement.
Performance Based Admission. This is available at URI’s Providence Campus. See page 78 for more information.
International Baccalaureate Degree Program. URI awards credit for most higher level examinations taken in high school and passed with a score of 5, 6, or 7. Course credit is awarded at the discretion of individual departments. No credit is awarded for standard level examinations.
Proficiency Examinations. Students showing evidence of advanced knowledge or who have taken “enriched” programs in high school may be exempt from certain courses and requirements if they take departmental proficiency exams. A student who successfully passes such an exam earns credits as well as exemption from the course. However, students who, by successfully passing proficiency examinations, have the general education requirements waived in writing, mathematics, and/or foreign languages or culture must still complete the specified number of credits for their degree programs.
Upperclass students interested in taking these exams should contact their academic dean. New students may obtain further information during orientation or from their University College advisor.
College Level Examination Program. Students who have not been pursuing formal studies for at least three years may take CLEP General Examinations to demonstrate academically measurable learning acquired in nontraditional ways. URI students must secure prior approval from their academic dean to take the exams for credit, and the exams must be taken during the first semester of enrollment. Transfer students may receive credit from CLEP General Examinations taken prior to enrollment at URI, provided that their scores meet URI standards and their academic dean judges that the CLEP credit does not duplicate other transfer credit. CLEP General Examinations may be taken in the following areas. URI credits are in parentheses.
Minimum score
English Composition 420(English Composition elective, 3 credits)
English Composition with essay 420(WRT 101 and Communication elective, 6 credits)
Humanities 420(Fine Arts and Literature elective, 6 credits)
Natural Science 420(Natural Science elective, 6 credits)
Social Science and History 420(Social Science elective, letters elective, 6 credits)
Mathematics (no credit)
Academic departments may use CLEP Subject Examinations as proficiency exams to test students’ mastery of the subjects taught by the department. A department that judges a CLEP Subject Examination to be a satisfactory proficiency exam decides what credit should be awarded within the department to students passing the exam, establishes the minimum score for credit, decides whether students must answer the optional essay questions supplied by CLEP, and decides whether students must pass a supplementary department test, such as a lab exam. The following CLEP Subject Exams are accepted by departments as proficiency examinations.
The minimum score required to earn URI credit is 50 for each exam.
URI creditsAccounting Principles (ACC 201, 202) 6
Algebra/College N/A
Algebra/Trigonometry (MTH 111) 3
American Government (PSC 113) 3
American Literature (ENG 241, 242) 6
Analyzing and Interpreting Literature 6(ENG 110 and 3 credit elective)
Biology General (BIO 101, 102) 8
Business Law Introductory (BSL 333) 3
Calculus Elementary Function 6(MTH 141 and 2 credit elective or MTH 131 and 3 credit elective or BAC 120 and 3 credit elective)
Chemistry General 8(CHM 101, 102/112, 114)
Economics Macro Principles (ECN 202) 3
Economics Micro Principles (ECN 201) 3
Ed. Psychology Intro. (EDC 312) 3
English Literature (ENG 251, 252) 6
French Language (Level I & Level II) N/A
German Language (Level I & Level II ) N/A
History, US I (HIS 141) 3
History, US II (HIS 142) 3
Human Growth Development 3(HDF 200 or PSY 232)
Inf. Systems & Computer App. 3(CSC 101 or BAC 110)
Management Principles (MGT 301) 3
Marketing Principles (MKT 301) 3
Psychology Intro. (PSY 113) 3
Sociology (SOC 100) 3
Spanish Language (Level I & Level II) N/A
Trigonometry N/A
Western Civilization I (HIS 112) 3
Western Civilization II (HIS 114) 3
Western Civilizations I & II N/A
Health Questionnaire. Every newly entering student is provided a health questionnaire from Health Services, which must be completed and returned promptly. It provides Health Services with basic health information prior to the student’s arrival on campus. Questionnaires are distributed after admission to URI and play no part in the acceptance process.
Each entering student must also provide a certificate signed by a licensed health care provider giving the dates of immunizations to protect against rubella (German measles), rubeola (measles), and mumps, in addition to a tetanus, diptheria (Td) booster within ten years (per Section 23-1-18(9) of the general laws of Rhode Island). Effective August 2006, Hepatitis B series and Varicella vaccinations will be required. This certificate is included with the questionnaire mailed to students. Students failing to comply with this requirement may face sanctions on registration.
New England Regional Student Program. Through a cooperative plan sponsored by the New England Board of Higher Education, students from other New England states may enroll in a small number of selected programs at URI which are not offered in their own states. Certain programs at other New England state universities are open to Rhode Islanders on a reciprocal basis. Regional students at URI will be charged 60% of the in-state fee plus 40 percent of the out-of-state fee. If at any time a student transfers out of the New England Regional Student Program, out-of-state fees will apply.
Details are available from the New England Board of Higher Education, 45 Temple Place, Boston, MA 02111 (www.nebhe.org), or high school guidance offices. All new undergraduate or graduate students apply for regional student status through Undergraduate or Graduate Admissions as part of the application process. The Office of Registration and Records provides information pertaining to this program for students already enrolled at URI.
Continuing or returning students claim eligibility by submitting a formal request to Registration and Records prior to the end of the add period of the semester in which regional status is to be effective.
Talent Development. URI encourages the application of minority and disadvantaged individuals from Rhode Island. In 1968, the Talent Development program was established here to recruit and retain minority and disadvantaged applicants. “TD” provides an opportunity for URI admission, an academic pre-matriculation program in residence at Kingston, and consistent academic support throughout a student’s undergraduate program. Financial aid is available for students accepted to Talent Development; need is determined by the filing of a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. For more information on this program, please see page 14 or visit www.uri.edu/talent_development/.
Interested students should apply to Talent Development during their senior year in high school. Those possessing an equivalency diploma or who have been out of high school for some time are also encouraged to apply. Applications and all credentials should be sent to URI Undergraduate Admissions, 14 Upper College Road, Kingston, RI 02881-1391, from October 1 through February 1.
Homeschooled Applicants For students who have been homeschooled, the entrance requirements are the same as for students who have followed a traditional schooling profile. We consider the following information when making a determination of admission to the freshman class:
• Comparative competencies of content through the completion of 18 prescribed Carnegie units of work displayed on an official transcript
• Standardized testing that supports the content competencies
• Earned Grade Point Average
The required material can be presented in several ways:
• Submission of a transcript from a homeschooling agency that supplies curriculum outlines and reviews and grades completed work. The University will require SAT II (subject exams) if specific course content is unclear
• Submission of the results of SAT II (subject exams) in the following areas to demonstrate competencies: writing, American history or world history, math level 1C, biology, chemistry, or physics (select two); any foreign language
• Submission of a transcript of college courses that covers the prescribed units of work
• Submission of the results of Advanced Placement or CLEP examinations
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