Licenses and Certifications

Marquette University is comprised of seven colleges, each with their own major and minor programs. While Dreamers are not prohibited from studying in any area, it is important to be well-informed regarding career paths that may be restricted for Dreamers due to inability to obtain certification or licensure in their field of study. Here is the most recent information we can offer regarding these restrictions:

• The College of Business Administration, the Diederich College of Communication, and the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences offer no programs that would require licensure.
• The College of Education: To become a licensed teacher, individuals must undergo a background check that may be difficult to obtain without a social security number. The College of Education also offers pathways to becoming licensed professional counselors and psychologists, both of which require legal U.S. residency.
• The College of Health Sciences would not deny any qualified Dreamer who wants to study in the program, but there is no guarantee that clinical placements or certification/licensure will be available to Dreamers who pursue careers in the health sciences. For questions in particular health science departments, please contact:
  • Dr. Valerie Everard-Gigot for Medical Laboratory Science at 414-288-8810 or valerie.everard@marquette.edu
  • Dr. Emily Patterson for Speech Pathology and Audiology at 414-288-5551 or emily.patterson@marquette.edu
  • Mrs. MaryJo Wiemiller for Physician Assistant Studies at 414-288-7180 or maryjo.wiemiller@marquette.edu
  • Dr. Allison Hyngstrom for Physical Therapy at 414-288-4566 or allison.hyngstrom@marquette.edu 
  • Phdreamers.org also has information for Dreamers seeking to pursue a career in the health care field.
• The College of Nursing: Dreamers are not eligible to become licensed Registered Nurses in the state of Wisconsin. As of 2021, only a handful of states, such a New Jersey, California, Nebraska, Nevada, and Arkansas permit undocumented immigrants to obtain professional nursing licenses. For questions, please contact:
  • Dr. Terrie Garcia, Nursing Director for Inclusive Excellence and Student Success Initiatives, at (414) 288-3822 or juanita.garcia@marquette.edu. 

• The Opus College of Engineering: While Dreamers cannot become licensed engineers, a license is not required for many jobs in a variety of Engineering disciplines. For questions, please contact:
  • Dr. Mark Federle, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Engineering at 414-288-4531 or mark.federle@marquette.edu.

Graduate School

In 2018, Santa Clara University Law School published this resource guide for Dreamers in Navigating Graduate School. 

Immigrants Rising also offers Life After College: A Guide For Undocumented Students, which has tips for navigating graduate and professional school.

For students without work authorization, there may be opportunities for "inclusive" or "non-work" fellowships that carry a stipend, as long as the fellowship is not set up as payment in exchange for work completed and the primary beneficiary of the arrangement is the student. Marquette's Office of Inclusion & Belonging sponsors an Inclusive Excellence Graduate Fellowship that does not require work authorization to apply. Some academic departments may also offer inclusive fellowships; we encourage you to reach out to the program chair to which you are applying and inquire as to whether they offer fellowships that undocumented students are eligible for.

If you chair a graduate program and are interested in learning more about how to set up an inclusive fellowship, please see this resource for more information Creating Fellowship Programs: For Higher Ed (Immigrants Rising). You may also reference the Graduate School's fellowship guidelines. 

Entrepreneurship and Other Career Opportunities

The following resources may be useful to Dreamers, especially those who do not have work authorization:

• Income and Career Alternatives for Undocumented Students (webinar)
• Working for Yourself (Immigrants Rising)
• Starting as an Independent Contractor/Freelancer (Immigrants Rising)
• Life After College: A Guide For Undocumented Students (Immigrants Rising)

• Guide to Personal Finance and Support for Undocumented Immigrants

• UW-Madison Center for Dreamers - Career Center

Marquette's Career Center also has a resource page for Dreamers with tips for choosing a major and navigating life after college.

For other questions regarding career pathways or preparation, contact Courtney Hanson, director of the Career Center, at courtney.hanson@marquette.edu.