A Joint Training Program in Partnership with the Peace Corps

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Program Flyer

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Program Goals

The Master's International/TESOL Program has three goals:

1. To provide Peace Corps volunteers with solid training and an academic degree which will help them during and after Peace Corps service and to give them the opportunity to earn academic credit toward the MA in conjunction with their Peace Corps service;
   
2. To assist the Peace Corps and host countries by providing them with volunteers who are well prepared to teach English and to train national English teachers;
   
3. To enrich our own graduate program in TESOL by broadening our student population to include those with international goals and experience.

Program of Study

Required Courses (27 units)

All of the following:

• ENGL 200D: Research Methods in TESOL
• ENGL 410B: Practicum
• ENGL 598T: Culminating Experience

Six of the following seven courses

• ENGL 200E: Curriculum & Assessment Design
• ENGL 210B: Sociolinguistics
• ENGL 210G: Second Language Acquisition
• ENGL 215A: ESL Reading
• ENGL 215B: ESL Writing
• ENGL 215C: Grammar
• ENGL 215D: Spoken English

Electives (6 units)

• English 299

Suggested Plan of Study

Before Peace Corps Service (2 semesters)

• Complete outstanding prerequisites
• ENGL 200D: Research in TESOL
• ENGL 410B: ESL Teaching Internship
• Up to four courses from:
  • ENGL 200E: Curriculum & Assessment Design
  • ENGL 215A: ESL Reading
  • ENGL 215B: ESL Writing
  • ENGL 215C: Grammar
  • ENGL 215D: Spoken English

During Peace Corps Service (2 years)

• Earn six units of elective credit (English 299) by successfully completing several projects to be designed in consultation with the Program Advisor prior to leaving campus.

After Peace Corps Service (1-2 semesters)

• Complete remaining required courses, including ENGL 598T: Culminating Experience

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Admission Information

MI candidates must be simultaneously admitted to the MA TESOL Program and accepted for Peace Corps service.

MA Program Admission Requirements

1. Completed BA/BS with a minimum 3.0 GPA, including a 3.0 GPA in the final 60 units.

2. Prerequisite courses (or their equivalents [1]) with grades of B or better:

• English 110A: Linguistics and the English Language
• English 120S: Writing in the Social Sciences
• English 110P: Second Language Learning
• English 110Q: Grammar for ESL Teaching

3. Additional Prerequisites (may be completed after admission to the program):

• one year of college-level foreign language study
• two upper-division courses (6 units) to be approved by the TESOL Coordinator
• passing score on the CSUS Writing Proficiency Examination (WPE)

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Application Information

Deadlines

• March 1 for admission in the following Fall.
• October 1 for admission in the following Spring.

Procedures

1. Apply online through CSU Mentor (link opens in new window). You can also contact the Graduate Studies Office and request an application for graduate admission
   
   NOTE: Online applications are processed faster than paper applications.
   
   
2. Submit your application with all undergraduate transcripts (and post-graduate, if applicable) by the relevant application deadline.
   
   
3. Apply also to the Peace Corps (link opens in new window).
   
   
4. Contact the TESOL Coordinator if you need help in completing the application.

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Financial Support for MI candidates

In addition to financial aid and graduate assistantships available to all MA TESOL students, we can aid MI candidates in the following ways:

• exemption from tuition for credit earned during Peace Corps service
• students can apply for a waiver of out-of-state tuition for non-residents

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long does the program take?

A. Following admission to the program (including completion of all program prerequisites), the MI program is designed as follows:

• 1 year of coursework at CSUS before leaving for Peace Corps assignment
• 2 years of Peace Corps service
• 1-2 semesters of coursework following Peace Corps service to complete the MA.

Q. Can I do my Peace Corps service first and complete the entire MA TESOL program after returning?

A. No. You may not participate in the MI Program unless you complete it as outlined above. Of course, like any other prospective student, you would be welcome to apply to the MA TESOL Program. However, you would not then be eligible to receive credit for your Peace Corps service or for tuition waivers intended for MI Program participants.

Q: Do I have to complete prerequisites before I apply to the program?

A: No. The majority of students complete remaining prerequisites in their first semester in the program.

Q: Is financial aid available?

A. In a public university, financial aid in general is scarce. For graduate students, it is limited primarily to loans and specialized scholarships. California residents may also apply for the California Graduate Fellowship program. We do, however, have some tuition waiver opportunities for MI candidates (see "Financial Support," above).

Q. Are there opportunities to gain ESL teaching experience during the MA TESOL Program?

A. Yes! We have several available internship courses in the English Department, the Learning Skills Center, and in local community colleges. In addition, students may be eligible for paid graduate assistant or teaching assistant positions in English, Learning Skills, and the on-campus intensive English program. And of course, you will gain a lot of teaching experience during your Peace Corps placement.

Peace Corps Masters International Program Site

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For more information, contact the TESOL Program Coordinator Professor Julian Heather office phone: (916) 278-5394 e-mail: jheather@csus.edu CSU Sacramento Department of English 6000 J Street Sacramento, CA 95819-6197 FAX: (916) 278-5410