Center for Advanced Studies On Puerto Rico and the Caribbean

What is the accreditation of Center for Advanced Studies On Puerto Rico and the Caribbean?

The center's institutional accreditor is the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, or MSCHE. Institutional accreditation evaluates the institution as a whole; it is distinct from any approval or accreditation that a particular professional program might require.

Accreditation is relevant to federal student-aid eligibility and may matter when another institution evaluates transfer credit. It does not guarantee that credits will transfer, that a graduate will qualify for a professional license, or that every student will receive aid. Applicants entering a regulated profession should check that profession's separate licensing requirements.

What are the admission requirements at Center for Advanced Studies On Puerto Rico and the Caribbean?

Admission should be approached as a graduate-program application. The center does not have an open-admission policy, and applicants need to establish the requirements of the specific degree they seek rather than rely on undergraduate freshman-admission conventions.

Before applying, confirm the required prior degree, official transcripts, application form, language expectations, research statement or writing sample, recommendations and deadline with the relevant program. Requirements can differ between master's and doctoral study. Undergraduate SAT and ACT figures are not a useful guide to admission at this graduate-focused institution.

What are the application fees and waivers at Center for Advanced Studies On Puerto Rico and the Caribbean?

Applicants should confirm the current application fee in the center's admissions instructions before submitting a form or payment. A tuition charge or enrollment deposit is not the same thing as an application fee.

Anyone who may need a fee waiver should ask admissions whether one is offered, what documentation is required and whether approval must come before submission. The answer may depend on the applicant's program or circumstances.

What types of ROTC programs are available at Center for Advanced Studies On Puerto Rico and the Caribbean?

Applicants should not assume that the center operates an Army, Navy or Air Force ROTC unit. No branch or cross-enrollment arrangement is established here.

A prospective student interested in officer training would need to confirm eligibility directly with an ROTC host institution and with the center before relying on a cross-enrollment plan. ROTC participation, scholarship selection and any resulting service obligation are separate matters from admission to a graduate degree.

What are the requirements for transfer students at Center for Advanced Studies On Puerto Rico and the Caribbean?

Graduate applicants with previous college work should ask the center for a program-specific transfer-credit review. Admission to a degree and acceptance of particular courses toward that degree are separate decisions.

An applicant seeking credit should be prepared to provide official transcripts and, if requested, course descriptions or syllabi. Before enrolling, obtain a written evaluation identifying which courses count, how many credits apply and whether a minimum number of credits must be completed at the center.

What types of study abroad programs are available at Center for Advanced Studies On Puerto Rico and the Caribbean?

Students should not assume that admission to the center includes a semester abroad, an exchange place or an international internship. The institution's Caribbean subject matter is not, by itself, a study-abroad program.

Anyone hoping to conduct research outside Puerto Rico should ask their program adviser whether the proposed work can satisfy degree requirements, who must approve it and how travel, research access and funding would be arranged. Independent research travel and an institution-operated exchange have different academic and financial implications.