Graduate Programs and Professional Study

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The Graduate School

The Graduate School administers graduate degree programs in arts & sciences, business, dentistry, education, engineering, interdisciplinary studies, medical sciences, music, nursing, public health and social work. There are over 35 doctoral programs, more than 75 master's-level programs, and over 20 graduate certificate programs, along with Rank I programs for certified teachers.

For more information on the Graduate School, please call (502) 852-6495 or, for a complete listing of programs, refer to the Graduate Catalog.

Professional Schools

The University of Louisville includes three schools that offer professional degrees: the School of Dentistry, the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, and the School of Medicine.

For information on pre-professional curriculum and admissions requirements of the professional schools, students should contact the Arts & Sciences Advising Center.

The School of Dentistry

In addition to an undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene, the School of Dentistry offers graduate and professional degree programs. They are the Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD), Master of Science in Oral Biology (MS), and Master of Science in Dentistry (MSD) combined with an advanced specialty certificate in endodontics, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, and prosthodontics.

At the time of application, DMD applicants must have a minimum of 90 college credit hours with at least 35 hours of biomedical science course work, including courses in biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry and physics, along with recommended coursework in microbiology, anatomy, physiology, histology and immunology.

The master's degree in oral biology program includes graduate level courses provided by graduate faculty within the School of Dentistry. This program is directed toward a general understanding of the biology of dental science. Students obtain detailed knowledge and necessary skills required to perform biologic research. For more information, see the UofL Graduate Catalog.

The School of Dentistry offers a program of study leading to the master of science degree in dentistry for postgraduate students/residents enrolled in the advanced specialty certificate programs in endodontics, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, and prosthodontics.

To apply, please contact the appropriate program director of each program at louisville.edu/dentistry or contact the Office of Postgraduate Education, School of Dentistry, (502) 852-5081.

The bachelor of science in dental hygiene program is a four year program with a lower and upper division. Students complete the lower division requirements on the Belknap Campus and then apply for competitive admission to the dental hygiene upper division which is housed in the School of Dentistry on the Health Sciences Center Campus.

More detailed information about admission requirements and application procedures may be obtained at the School of Dentistry website or by contacting the Office of Student Affairs, School of Dentistry, (502) 852-5081.

The Louis D. Brandeis School of Law

Degree Programs
The Brandeis School of Law offers a Juris Doctor (JD) degree. The program accommodates both full-time and part-time study. Full-time students complete the JD program in three years; part time students complete in four or five years.

The School of Law also offers eight dual degree programs. These include:

  • JD/Master of Arts in Healthcare Ethics
  • JD/Master of Arts in Humanities
  • JD/Master of Arts in Political Science
  • JD/Master of Business Administration
  • JD/Master of Divinity
  • JD/Master of Public Administration
  • JD/Master of Science in Social Work
  • JD/Master of Urban Planning

Admission Requirements
To qualify for admission, candidates must earn a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution prior to enrollment. There is no required undergraduate major and there are no pre-requisite courses. Students are encouraged to pick a major that suits their interests and to challenge themselves academically within that major. Students should choose courses that emphasize critical thinking, analysis, writing, and communication skills. These skills are necessary for the study of law. Except as noted below, all candidates must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) to qualify for admission.

More detailed information about admission requirements and application procedures can be obtained at louisville.edu/law/admissions, by contacting the Law School Office of Admissions at (502) 852-6391 or lawadmissions@louisville.edu.

3+3 Accelerated Law Program
The law school offers a 3+3 Accelerated Law Program for students pursuing certain undergraduate majors at the University of Louisville. Students studying Communication, Criminal Justice, History, or Women’s and Gender Studies (through the College of Arts and Sciences) and Economics BA/BS (through the College of Business) may apply to begin law school during their senior year of undergraduate study. More information is available on the Accelerated Programs Page under 3+3 Accelerated Programs in the undergraduate catalog.

Interested students are encouraged to reach out to undergraduate advisors in one of the eligible majors for more information and to contact the Office of Admissions at the Brandeis School of Law at lawadmissions@louisville.edu.

The School of Medicine

Applicants to the first-year class of the University of Louisville School of Medicine are considered individually and are selected based on merit without consideration of race, religion, sex, age, or national origin. The Admissions Committee evaluates an applicant‘s acceptability based on the premedical record, scores on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), recommendations from Premedical Advisory Committees, established technical standards for admissions and the applicant’s personality and motivation as evaluated by interviews with members of the committee. Complete four-year college preparation is encouraged. Early decision program is encouraged for stellar applicants. Inquiries concerning admission should be addressed to:

Office of Admissions
Abell Administration Ctr., Rm. 413
323 East Chestnut St.
Louisville, Kentucky 40202
(502) 852-5193 or medadm@louisville.edu

Programs of medical education that award the degree of doctor of medicine in the United States and Canada are accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). This agency is sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Medical Association. The University of Louisville School of Medicine is a member of the Association of American Medical Colleges and is accredited by LCME.

Application Process: The University of Louisville School of Medicine participates in the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). Application materials are available by May at the AMCAS website.

Upon receipt of the application from AMCAS, the University of Louisville School of Medicine Office of Admissions will email additional application materials to qualified applicants. Completed secondary applications are due in the Office of Admissions by December 1. A processing fee is charged and is not refundable, nor can it be credited toward tuition if the applicant is accepted. The fee may be waived, however, if the applicant has received a fee waiver from AMCAS. More information about the application process can be obtained at: louisville.edu/medicine/admissions.

Residence status: Although applications from nonresidents are accepted, residents of Kentucky are given preference for admission. This policy is consistent with the mission of the University of Louisville as a state university. Residency must be established prior to making application. Applications from international students, including those with "Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals" status (DACA), are accepted. Consistent with the mission of the University of Louisville as a state university, those with significant academic, personal or family ties to Kentucky are given preference. International applicants are considered under the following circumstances:

  • The applicant has a pending application for permanent residency status in the United States and A) is either married to a U.S. citizen who has an established residence in Kentucky and intends to remain in Kentucky, or B) has numerous members of his or her immediate family who have established residence in Kentucky indefinitely; or
  • The applicant is married to the beneficiary of an approved I-140 Petition for Immigrant Worker (“I-140 spouse”) and the applicant and the applicant’s I-140 spouse are eligible for permanent residency except for delays stemming from backlogs in visa priority dates, and the applicant and the applicant’s spouse are presently in an immigration status that is renewable until they obtain permanent residency and  A) the applicant’s I-140 spouse has an established residence in Kentucky and intends to remain in Kentucky, or B) the applicant has numerous members of his or her immediate family who have established residence in Kentucky indefinitely; or
  • The applicant has been granted DACA status and A) is either married to a U.S. citizen who has an established residence in Kentucky and intends to remain in Kentucky, or B) has numerous members of his or her immediate family who have established residence in Kentucky indefinitely.

All decisions as to whether consideration circumstances exist in a particular application for admission shall be made by the Admissions Dean or the Dean's designee.

International students, including those with a pending application for permanent residency or with DACA status, are not eligible for most federal benefits. Therefore, if these international students are offered admission, they must submit documentation of sufficient funds to cover the cost of completing a medical degree (see estimates).

The process of selecting medical school applicants involves a variety of considerations including academic, non-academic, and personal characteristics. Admission to medical school requires a strong foundation in the natural sciences (biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics), highly developed communication skills, and a solid background in the social sciences and humanities. Specific majors are not recommended, but the undergraduate major area of study should be a careful and considered decision. All applicants to medical school must take the Medical College Admission Test. Information about the MCAT and how to apply to medical school  are available at AMCAS. Students considering making application to the University of Louisville School of Medicine should consult the school’s website for information about their program, in addition to contacting the College of Arts & Sciences Advising Center, (502) 852-5502, to meet with a pre-health advisor.

Pre-Optometry
Students who are planning to apply to schools of optometry can fulfill the pre-optometry course requirements at the University of Louisville. The only optometry school in the state of Kentucky is Kentucky College of Optometry at the University of Pikeville.   Various contract spaces made available by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.  Since schools of optometry vary somewhat in their course requirements for admission, students interested in making application should select schools to which they have an interest in applying so that they can schedule courses to meet requirements for those schools. In general, students planning to make application to schools of optometry will need a minimum of three years of college coursework including a heavy concentration in the natural sciences (biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics) as well as courses in social sciences and humanities. Many schools of optometry give preference to students who have completed a bachelor’s degree; all schools require applicants to take the Optometry Admission Test.

Students considering making application to optometry school should contact the College of Arts and Sciences Pre-Health Professions Advisors for more information. Open advising sessions are scheduled during the academic year.

Pre-Pharmacy
Students who are interested in making application to a school of pharmacy can complete prerequisite course requirements at the University of Louisville. Although requirements for admission to pharmacy schools are similar, they do vary. Students should select schools to which they are interested in applying and schedule courses to meet those requirements. The University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy and Sullivan University are the only schools in Kentucky to offer a pharmacy degree. The degree program involves a four-year professional curriculum leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy degree. Pre-Pharmacy students at the University of Louisville should consult the pharmacy school’s website for the undergraduate courses required for admission to this program. Admission to pharmacy schools is competitive.

Students will need two to three years of college coursework with a heavy concentration in the natural sciences in order to meet minimum prerequisites.

All applicants must take the Pharmacy College Admission Test. Students considering making application to pharmacy school should contact the College of Arts and Sciences Pre-Health Professions Advisors for more information.  Open advising sessions are scheduled during the academic year.

Pre-Veterinary Medicine
Students planning to apply to schools of veterinary medicine can fulfill pre-veterinary course requirements at the University of Louisville. Since schools may vary somewhat in their requirements, students interested in making application should select schools to which they have an interest in applying so they can schedule courses to meet requirements for those schools.

There is not a school of veterinary medicine in Kentucky. However, Kentucky does have contracts with the following schools in Alabama to reserve spaces for students who are legal residents of Kentucky: Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine (34 spaces; vetmed.auburn.edu) and Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine (2 spaces; tuskegee.edu/cvm). Admission is competitive with selection made by the respective schools.

Students admitted to either the Auburn or Tuskegee program will be charged in-state tuition, with Kentucky making a payment for each enrolling student for up to four years.  This is outlined by the Council on Post-Secondary Education and can be found here: cpe.ky.gov/acm/apply-cs.html

Students interested in making application to schools of veterinary medicine should contact the College of Arts and Sciences Pre-Health Professions Advisors for more information. Open advising sessions are scheduled during the academic year.