Technical Standards

The Technical Standards set forth the nonacademic abilities considered essential for students to achieve the level of competence required by the faculty to obtain the academic degree awarded by the college.

Candidates must be able to perform the following skills or demonstrate the following capabilities: 

  1. Observation: The candidate must be able to perceive, assimilate, and integrate information through observation of individuals and the environment. Observation necessitates adequate functional use of any combination of visual, tactile, auditory, and other sensory and perceptual modalities to enable such observations and information acquisition.
  2. Communication: The candidate must be able to communicate effectively, efficiently, and sensitively using a combination of verbal, non-verbal, alternative, and written formats.
  3. Motor: Candidates must be able to guide or direct others or use fine and gross motor skills to transport, position, maneuver, and/or manipulate self, other persons, and objects.
  4. Intellectual, Conceptual, and Integrative Abilities: The candidate must be able to problem solve, measure, calculate, reason, analyze, record, synthesize, and summarize large amounts of information in a timely manner.
  5. Behavioral and Social Attributes: The candidate must possess adequate self-regulation skills to fulfill roles and responsibilities effectively under stress. The candidate must take responsibility for professional competence, conduct, and growth through self-assessment. The candidate must exercise good judgment to respond to situations ethically and safely. The candidate must develop and maintain respectful, non-judgmental working relationships with all individuals from every lifestyle, culture, identity, and background. The candidate must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility, and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, effective interpersonal skills, willingness and ability to function as an effective team player, and interest and motivation to learn are all personal qualities required during the educational process.

Candidates are required to verify that they understand and are able to meet these Technical Standards at least four weeks prior to matriculation (or if admitted later, within one week of deposit). Candidates who may only meet technical standards with accommodation, must contact the Office of Student Services to make a formal request for accommodation. The Dean of Students, in consultation with the College Dean/Program Director, will determine what reasonable accommodations can be provided, if any. The College is not able to grant accommodations that alter technical or educational standards of the curriculum. 

Students must meet the technical standards for the duration of enrollment at the College. After matriculation, if a student fails to continue to meet the technical standards during subsequent enrollment, the student may apply for accommodation by contacting the Office of Student Services. If the accommodation needed to meet the technical standards alters the educational standards of the curriculum, the student's ability to satisfactorily progress in the curriculum will be evaluated by the appropriate College's Student Graduation and Promotion Committee. Accommodations cannot be applied retroactively.  Please refer to the Student Handbook for more information about applying for, receiving, and implementing accommodations.