1. Are there any financial resources for teachers who want to come back to school?
     We do offer a limited number of graduate assistantships to full-time students.

2. As a graduate of NCSU, do you require a writing sample as part of my application?
     Yes, we require a writing sample in the target language from each applicant.

3. Will you assess my oral proficiency as part of my MA application for admission?
      Yes, each applicant is required to submit a speaking sample as part of the application for admission.

4. I live 1 1/2 hours away. Can I take any courses on-line?
      We offer a few courses on-line, principally our teaching methods courses. However, the majority of our courses are taught in the late afternoon/evening, one day a week during the regular semester. We also continue to increase our graduate level offerings during the summer. See the MA Courses page for more information on courses and their mode of delivery.

5. Can I obtain a leave of absence from the graduate program?
      A student in good standing can request a leave of absence. See the regulation and procedures here. View a sample letter to be written to the DGP.

6. What forms do I need to fill out as part of my Masters Degree?See the Forms List .

7. How do I know if I am an "International Student" or not?
There is a difference between International APPLICANTS and International STUDENTS. International APPLICANTS fall into three categories: Overseas, Currently residing in the U.S., or U.S. permanent residents. Depending on the decisions made your STUDENT status will be determined to be Domestic or Interanational.

"International students are those who have neither United States citizenship nor permanent resident status in the United States.
"Applicants who are overseas internationals must send their paperwork to the International Admissions specialist at the Gradate School. Those applicants who are U.S. permanent residents or who are international students already residing in the U.S. must send their paperwork to OIS. The OIS staff members also provide immigration and cross-cultural assistance to students on nonimmigrant visas throughout their program at NC State. Administrative Handbook, 2.4.
If you have other questions, contact the Office of International Services.

8. Can I take graduate classes (PBS Status) even if I am not yet accepted into the program?
     Yes, you can take courses for PBS credit through Credit Programs & Summer Sessions. You may then be able to transfer up to 12 credit hours to meet part of your course requirements for the M.A. degree. (See Administrative Handbook, 3.1.D, Transfer of Credits.)

9. Can you tell me more about what you expect for the writing sample?
     The description is purposefully general, allowing you to choose your own topic. The writing sample is generally a term paper that an undergraduate student has written for one of his/her advanced literature or culture courses, as part of the BA degree. We do not want a descriptive essay, rather one that takes a thesis statement, develops the topic, references scholarly articles and the texts analyzed, and comes to a logical conclusion.

10. What are the criteria for receiving a Teaching Assistantship, etc.?
     To be considered for a teaching assistantship, applicants should select that as a funding option on their graduate school application form. Teaching assistantships are awarded for one year; they are renewable for a second year based on funding and the TA's performance during the first year. As to the criteria, the stronger the admissions application the better chance of getting a teaching assistantship. The higher the GPA, and the stonger the recommendations, the better the chances are that you will receive one. Teaching experience beyond the middle school level would be a plus. Benefits for 2007-2008 are a $10,000 stipend, health insurance, and tuition. Other fees are not covered.

11. Do I need to take the TOEFL?
     Put simply, all students must demonstrate English proficiency sufficient to facilitate success in the graduate program. There are a number of ways this can be done, as outlined in the Graduate Handbook, Section 2.3.

12. How do I form my Culminating Project committee?
     The topic/project you choose will generally dictate who will serve as your committee chair, and to a lesser extent, the other two committee members. Once you select your topic, determine which faculty member specializes in the topic you have chosen. Contact the faculty member, present your topic and see if he/she would be willing to serve as the committee chair. Select two more members, based on input from your committee chair. If you are working on M licensure, one of your committee members must be from your licensure concentration (they teach the ECI courses). Receive the signatures of all committee members on the committee form. For more information see the Culminating Project page.

13. Is it possible to go full-time with summers to finish the program in one year?
     In theory it is possible, but because we are a recently created program, it takes time to develop a full selection of courses and a tradition of summer course work. It is probably possible to take six hours the first summer, then 12 hours during the Fall and the Spring semesters and then another 6 hours for the remaining summer, but it would be difficult to find 12 hours of course work to take in one summer. It should be noted that 12 hours during the Fall and Spring are very heavy loads.

14. What kind of scholarships does NCSU offer?
     Our department offers approximately 5-6 TAships each year to incoming MA students, making them highly competitive.Here is a list of Scholarships for NC Latinos. You can find aditional information on financing your graduate education in Chapter 4 of the handbook: http://www.ncsu.edu/grad/handbook/

15. National Boards advertises certified teachers may obtain six hours credit towards a MA Program if the university accepts the credit. Does NCSU accept this credit?
     A student could earn three hours of credit by successfully completing the FLF/FLS675 course, the course taken while working on the culminating project, and choosing the professional portfolio option for the culminating project. The student must begin and end the portfolio while enrolled in the MA program. If a student already has National Board Certification upon entering the program he/she would not be able to choose that option.

16. With this MA would I be able to get my PHD in Education or would I need to get it in Foreign Language?
     That would depend on the program, but in general, you would be able to choose either route (Spanish or Education). Depending on the program, you might need to take more courses than other PhD students who come in with an MA in education; it would just depend on the program you choose.

17. Can I transfer in courses even if it has been longer than 6 years?
     You are not able to count twoard your course work for the MA any courses that were taken 6 years ago or earlier. See: http://www.ncsu.edu/grad/handbook/section3_4.php#credit

18. Is it possible to complete my ESL certification at the same time I complete the MA?
     Yes, if you already have a license to teach in north carolina. The specifics of the program have not been worked out and finalized, but it would involve taking methods courses plus additional courses at the 500-level as equivalents to the courses normally taken for esl certification. See the esl certification page with undergrad courses.

19. Does NCSU offer any certifications in translation or interpretation?
     We offer several courses in translation, plus many courses in linguistics. However, we do not offer certificates in translation or interpretation at this time. Consider the Bilingual Legal Interpreting program at the College of Charleston.

20. Is this a “non thesis” MA program? Is a project required?
     This is an "Option B" or non-thesis program. However, a culminating product of learning is required.

21. Is it possible to complete National Board Certification while I am working on my MA?
     Yes, if you are a practicing teacher. You can use your NBPTS as the culminating project of learning, as long as you start and finish it while you are in the MA program.

22. What is the difference between the MA and the MA with "M licensure"?
     The m licensure is principally for those interested in k-12 education. You must have "A" or "Initial licensure" in order to pursue the M license. With the traditional MA, you will be able to teach at the community college level as well as at some universities as a visiting lecturer. For those interested in teaching at the community college/university level, we offer a teaching methods course, FL_507.

23. Can I earn a double MA degree or be enrolled in two masters programs at the same time?
     A graduate student can complete two Masters degrees at the same time. After completing half of the course work for the first Masters degree the students requests permission to do a second masters program. A second plan of work would be submitted with a memo from the first Masters program. The plan of work would need to show which courses would be double counted toward the 2nd degree. Up to twelve credit hours can be double counted.

24. I have been granted provisional admission to the program. What does that mean?
     "A student maybe be granted provisional status when he/she does not fully meet all the necessary requirements for admission to the Graduate School, but his/her circumstances warrant provisional admission.
      "Students can attain full graduate standing after completing nine or more graduate credit hours with a minimum 3.00 GPA. Courses taken for S/U grade cannot be used as part of the minimum." (Source)
You need to prove that you will be successful in the program. Be sure that you do not overload yourself so that you are able to complete your courses with a B or better. Additional information.