Molloy University

About Molloy University

Molloy began on September 12, 1955, when its first president welcomed a class of 44 women. Established by the Dominican Sisters of the Congregation of the Holy Cross Amityville, the institution initially concentrated on service-oriented fields such as nursing and education. It became coeducational in 1982, received approval to award master's degrees in 1988 and doctoral degrees in 2010, and officially changed from Molloy College to Molloy University in 2022. The university remains Catholic and rooted in the Dominican pillars of study, spirituality, service, and community, while welcoming students of different faiths. That identity is visible in its liberal-arts core, Campus Ministries, service activities, and Sacred Heart Chapel. Students should expect a professionally oriented institution whose historical strengths in education and health professions coexist with programs in business, sciences, humanities, social sciences, and the arts. Molloy is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. MSCHE records its phase as accredited and its status as accreditation reaffirmed, with the last reaffirmation in 2023 and the next self-study evaluation scheduled for 2030–2031. Its approved scope includes bachelor's, master's, research doctorate, and professional-practice doctorate credentials, as well as distance education. This confirms that Molloy is an independent degree-granting institution rather than a campus, department, or training provider. Applicants to licensure-oriented programs should still review the relevant program page for specialized accreditation, certification eligibility, clinical placement obligations, and state-specific requirements.

For Fall 2026 first-year admission, Molloy's published criteria state a 3.0 high-school GPA requirement and a test-optional policy. Admissions recalculates GPA using final grades from grades 9 through 11 and uses that recalculation for both admission and scholarship consideration. Applicants must submit an application, high-school credentials, and the nonrefundable application fee. The university lists expected high-school coursework in English, foreign language, mathematics, social studies, and science, with additional preparation for certain mathematics, science, nursing, and health majors. Completed first-year applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The page also identifies December 1 as the early-action receipt date for well-qualified applicants submitting all credentials. Music applicants may need an audition and theory examination, art applicants a portfolio review, and certain health programs an interview. These requirements are program-specific and should be checked before applying. The published test-optional statement is explicitly for Fall 2026 and should not be assumed for later entry terms. Graduate and doctoral requirements vary by program, commonly involving prior degrees, transcripts, essays or goal statements, recommendations, résumés, interviews, prerequisites, or professional experience. International applicants follow the applicable first-year, transfer, or graduate process and must obtain an approved evaluation of foreign transcripts. Applicants whose native language is not English must meet one of Molloy's listed proficiency routes; the current international page lists minimums including TOEFL iBT 79, IELTS 6.5, PTE 54, or Duolingo 110. After admission and confirmation, students needing an I-20 must document funding and complete the university's international-student process.

Molloy's academics are organized into four schools: Arts and Sciences, Business, Education and Human Services, and the Barbara H. Hagan School of Nursing and Health Sciences. The university's current academics page reports more than 50 undergraduate majors, 23 master's degrees, and three doctoral degrees. Its searchable program inventory also includes minors, certificates, advanced certificates, dual degrees, and options delivered on campus, online, or in blended formats. The academic mix is strongly career-facing. Arts and Sciences incorporates internships, study abroad, laboratory experience, service learning, and research. Business combines undergraduate study and MBA education with internship, networking, and career support. Education and Human Services offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral study in areas including education, social work, and clinical mental health counseling. Nursing and Health Sciences spans undergraduate through doctoral education and prepares students in multiple clinical and health-administration fields. Students should investigate programs individually rather than assuming a common structure. Some offerings lead toward professional licensure or certification and may involve auditions, portfolios, interviews, prerequisites, fieldwork, laboratories, or clinical education. Delivery formats also vary: the university supports distance education, but a program may be campus-based, online, blended, or tied to a particular instructional location. Graduate admission criteria are program-specific, and doctoral study includes both research and professional-practice credentials. Academic advising, tutoring, experiential learning, and research support are available, while the Office of Research, Scholarship, and Graduate Studies coordinates graduate assistantships and thesis or dissertation activity.

Key Highlights

• Founded by the Dominican Sisters in 1955 and coeducational since 1982
• Officially became Molloy University in 2022
• MSCHE accreditation was reaffirmed in 2023
• Catholic identity is organized around study, spirituality, service, and community

Student Life & Environment

Student life combines a largely Long Island campus experience with residential options for students who want to live at Molloy. The Rockville Centre campus has three coeducational residence halls: Fitzgerald, Maria Regina, and Bogner. Together they offer triple, double, single, and suite-style configurations, although room types differ by building. Each hall has a staffed security desk operating around the clock and resident assistants who provide programming, enforce policies, and connect residents with services. Students can choose from more than 50 active clubs and organizations covering academic, cultural, faith-based, service, and special-interest activities. Student government, student media, leadership programs, campus traditions, volunteering, and esports provide additional participation routes. The Division of Student Affairs also encompasses athletics, health and wellness, counseling, public safety, residence life, violence-prevention services, and student involvement. The Public Square serves as a central gathering point with dining, lounges, study rooms, computers, student organizations, Campus Ministries, international education, and career services. Other facilities include a fitness center, performance venues, art exhibition space, the Sacred Heart Chapel, and outdoor gathering areas. Residence Life runs social and educational programming, while Campus Ministries offers worship, retreats, and service experiences. Applicants should consult the current housing calendar and contract information because availability, room assignments, meal arrangements, and deadlines may change each year.

Location & Surroundings

Molloy's main campus is at 1000 Hempstead Avenue in Rockville Centre, a Long Island community in Nassau County. This setting gives students access to suburban services and the wider New York metropolitan area while keeping most undergraduate campus facilities together. The university describes its Long Island campus as less than an hour from New York City, but actual travel time depends on the route and traffic or rail conditions. The main campus contains teaching buildings, the Public Square student center, three residence halls, a fitness center, chapels and gardens, and theatre and gallery spaces. Molloy also maintains facilities beyond the main campus, including a downtown Rockville Centre location, a Manhattan Center at 50 Broadway, a Suffolk location, and the Center for Environmental Research and Coastal Oceans Monitoring in West Sayville. MSCHE additionally lists approved instructional sites within the university's accreditation scope. Applicants should confirm where their specific program, laboratory work, clinical instruction, or blended sessions take place. The existence of multiple locations does not mean every degree is available at each site, and commuting requirements can materially affect scheduling and cost.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For 2026–2027, full-time undergraduate tuition is $20,805 per semester for 12 to 16 credits, equivalent to $41,610 across two semesters. The university's undergraduate cost-of-attendance estimate lists $1,930 in direct fees and $18,600 for food and housing for a resident. Its resulting estimated direct charges are $62,140 for residents and $43,540 for commuters or students living off campus. After estimated books, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses, total cost of attendance is listed as $65,820 for residents and $53,595 for commuters or off-campus students. These figures are planning estimates, not a universal bill. Program and course fees are excluded from the cost-of-attendance table, and insurance can add a charge. Full-time undergraduates are automatically enrolled in the university's medical plan unless they complete an eligible annual waiver; the published 2026–2027 annual rate is $2,740. Graduate tuition is generally charged per credit, while doctoral, certificate, degree-completion, and designated fully online programs have separate rates. Students should use the tuition page, financial-aid offer, and net-price calculator for their own enrollment pattern. The Financial Aid Office provides information on institutional scholarships and grants, federal and New York State aid, veterans' resources, and other funding options. Career support is available to students and alumni through counseling, career exploration, readiness programming, employer connections, leadership development, mentoring, and Handshake. Internships and other experiential activities are embedded in parts of the curriculum. Because the university does not establish a single career result for every program, applicants should examine program-specific licensure requirements, accreditation, internships, and published career outcomes before comparing likely value.