Admissions
Admissions Requirements
The table below should give you a bird’s eye-view on the requirements for various courses in the disciplines offered. Each application will be carefully evaluated by us based on the merits.
University of Fairfax Program Admission Requirements
Applicants are evaluated individually based on their professional experience, academic credentials, and admissions interview/teleconference to assess their potential for completing the relevant academic program successfully.
The table below summarizes the minimum requirements for admission to each University of Fairfax program.
| Program Name | Relevant Professional Experience |
Required Degrees from Accredited Institution(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Doctorate in Information Assurance (DIA) | Min. 3 Years | Master’s |
| Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) | Min. 3 Years | Master’s |
| Doctorate in Software Development (DSD) | Min. 3 Years | Master’s |
| PhD in Computer Science and Engineering (PhD_CSE) | Min. 3 Years | Master’s |
| Master of Science in Cybersecurity Management (MSCSM) | Min. 0 Years | Baccalaureate |
| Master of Business Administration (MBA) | Min. 0 Years | Baccalaureate |
| Master of Computer Science and Engineering (MCSE) | Min. 0 Years | Baccalaureate |
| Master of Science in Cloud Computing (MSCC) | Min. 0 Years | Baccalaureate |
| Project Management and Quality Assurance Certificate | Min. 0 Years | Baccalaureate |
| Cybersecurity Best Practices Certificate | Min. 5 Years | Baccalaureate |
| Information Security Professional Practices Certificate | Min. 0 Years | Baccalaureate |
| Enterprise Information Security Certificate | Min. 3 Years | Master’s |
| CISSP Prep Course (IA7000) | Min. 0 Years | Baccalaureate |
International Students
International students should refer to the International Admissions Requirements page for unique requirements related to English proficiency and foreign-earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.
Admission Status
Formal Admission
Applicants who meet the University’s admissions requirements and submit official transcripts are granted formal admission.
Conditional Admission
Applicants who meet the University’s admissions requirements and submit unofficial transcripts are granted conditional admission. In all cases, official transcripts must be received prior to the start of the student’s second registration period in order to remain enrolled.
Provisional Admission
Applicants who do not meet the University’s admissions requirements may submit a petition for consideration of an exception. If the petition is approved, the student is granted provisional admission and must comply with additional requirements, as determined on an individual basis, depending on the exception granted. For these applicants, formal admission will be granted upon successful completion of the requirements specified in the letter approving the student’s petition.
Transfer Credits
A maximum of nine semester credits may be transferred into a degree program. No transfer credit will be applied to programs of study where a doctoral student has been granted advanced standing. The University does not award academic credit for non-academic experience.
To receive transfer credit for a course, the following criteria must be met:
- The student must have taken the course for graduate credit as part of a degree or graduate certificate program from an accredited institution;
- The course taken was equivalent to the University of Fairfax course in content, level, and credit hours;
- The student earned at least a grade of “B” (courses taken on a pass/fail basis are not eligible for transfer); and
- Information Security courses must have been completed within the five years preceding initial enrollment at the University of Fairfax.
Students and graduates should note that when seeking to transfer credits to another educational institution, the receiving institution has full discretion as to which credits are transferable. Requirements for earning a graduate certificate cannot be satisfied through transfer credit.