Graduate Studies Requirements and Deadlines

ADMISSION TO GRADUATE STUDY IN THE DEPARTMENT
Department recommendations for admission must be approved by the Graduate Studies Office of the College, and by the Graduate School. Inquiries about admission should be directed to the Graduate Admissions Office, 301/405-4198.

Admission Criteria

• Grade Point Average (GPA): A minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 is required. A minimum graduate grade point average of 3.5 is required for doctoral programs.
• Test Scores: Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Praxis Exam scores must be submitted for applicants to all degrees.
• Master's Applicants: Applicants to the MA program are required to submit GRE with a minimum score in the 50th percentile for each section (verbal, quantitative, analytic). GRE is NOT required for applicants to the M.Ed. program. Applicants applying to a certification-track program (MCert, CITE, TESOL, Foreign Language) are required to submit passing Praxis scores as required by their program.
• Doctoral Applicants: Ph.D. applicants are required to submit GRE with a minimum score in the 50th percentile for each section (verbal, quantitative, analytic) .
• In addition, admission decisions also weigh letters of recommendation, statement of goals, and writing samples submitted by applicants.
• Statement of goals, experiences and research interests: The compatibility of the applicant's statement with an TLPL graduate program is reviewed, as is the statement's evidence of careful and compelling thought and clear aspirations. The quality and compatibility of prior experiences are also relevant.
• Writing sample: For all doctoral applicants a writing sample is judged for evidence of the applicant's ability to consider and write about complex ideas.
• Letters of recommendation: Letters that attest to the applicant's academic, scholarly, and professional potential are given consideration.

  International Applicants must also submit the following:
  TOEFL or IELTS scores. Applicants are expected to read, speak, and write English fluently. Detailed information about the TOEFL requirement can be viewed at www.education.umd.edu/institutesandcenters/MEI/downloads/IBT_TOEFL_AND_IELTS_Requirements.pdfand referenced at: http://www.gradschool.umd.edu/prospective_students/international_admissions.html. 
  Also, please refer to the Office of International Services

• A statement regarding the applicant's financial support in order to assure that the applicant has sufficient financial resources to meet educational and living expenses.
  International Applicants already in the US must provide copies of the I20, I94, and passport visa stamp.

Standardized Test Requirements for TLPL:

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required for the following programs within EDCI:

    * All Ph.D. Programs (minimum score 50th percentile*)
    * All M.A. Programs (minimum score 50th percentile*

*GRE scores are not required for applicants to M.Ed. programs in TLPL.

Praxis Exam (required certification-track programs) Requirements are as follows:

1. Maryland Graduate Certification Program (MCert):
Entrance Requirement:
Praxis I (Reading, Writing and Mathematics). Applicants must have passed 2 out of 3 of the Praxis I sections before their file will be reviewed for admission.An applicant must pass all three sections (Reading 177, Writing 173, Math 177) to be offered admission to MCERT. We will not have conditional or provisional admissions based on Praxis I.

Praxis II content area must be passed prior to the beginning of the program in June. Any student who has not passed Praxis II prior to the start of the program must ask for an exception to policy.

Exit Requirement: (Required before Student Teaching semester)
Praxis II Pedagogy (This is called “Content Area Exercises” for Elementary Education)

2. Creative Initiatives in Teacher Education (CITE):
Entrance Requirement:
Praxis I (Reading, Writing and Mathematics)

Exit Requirement:
Praxis II -- content knowledge portion (note: some areas have two parts such as Biology and Foreign Language)

Praxis II Pedagogy (This is called “Content Area Exercises” for Elementary Education)

3. Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) with Certification:
Entrance Requirement:
Praxis I (Reading, Writing and Mathematics)
An applicant must pass all three sections (Reading 177, Writing 173, Math 177) to be offered admission to TESOL with certification.

Exit Requirement:-- Praxis II is required prior to Student Teaching. TESOL M.Ed. with certification students who have not passed Praxis II -- English to speakers of other languages will not be permitted to student teach.

NOTE: Praxis Test Codes for the State of Maryland can be found in the Praxis Exam Registration booklet or the praxis website. Please note that some areas may have two content knowledge portions such as Foreign Languages.

Deadlines 

In general, it is to the student's advantage to apply well before the published deadline, particularly if the applicant intends to be considered for a fellowship, assistantship, or other form of financial aid (most of which require that a student be admitted as a condition of eligibility).

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Materials needed for an application:

The University of Maryland Graduate School requires an online graduate application be submitted prior to sending any supporting documents.

The College of Education requires applicants to submit an additional application called the Application Supplemental Form (ASF). Instructions for completing the ASF can be viewed at: http://www.gradschool.umd.edu/welcome/apply_now.html

Please note that for ALL TLPL programs:
The Major/Program is Curriculum and Instruction
The four-letter code is EDCI
The Area of specialization is where you will indicate your specific area or program within EDCI (i.e. English, mathematics, science, MCert, etc)

TESOL masters applicants should indicted if they are applying to the M.Ed with or Without certification (for more information visit http://www.education.umd.edu/TLPL/programs/SLEC/

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Degree-Seeking Admission
The departmental program review committees recommend one of three actions: admission for full graduate status, admission for provisional graduate status, or rejection. The Graduate School and the College of Education communicate recommendations of the committee to the applicants. Students may appeal decisions of the departmental program committee by stating the basis for the appeal in writing to the Department Chair.

To be recommended to full graduate status, an applicant must meet all minimal quantitative criteria and provide satisfactory qualitative assessments. The intent of provisional graduate status is to admit students who meet the qualitative assessments and not the minimal quantitative criteria, but nonetheless show academic promise.

Courses taken by a student on provisional graduate status may be counted toward degree requirements. A student on provisional status who fails to meet the conditions established will not be continued in the program unless circumstances warranting an exception can be clearly demonstrated. A student may appeal a dismissal decision to the Department Chair.

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Non-Degree Admission
Students not seeking a degree may be allowed to take course work in the Department. The Graduate School offers two categories of non-degree status: Advanced Special Student and Visiting Graduate Student. The Graduate School establishes the criteria required for admission as a non-degree seeking student (see Graduate School website for details )

Advanced Special Student
The Advanced Special Student status is designed to provide an opportunity for post-baccalaureate, post-masters, and post-doctoral students to take graduate level coursework in line with their interests and abilities. Coursework, however, does not guarantee later admission to a degree program.

Important Graduate School or Department policies concerning Advanced Special Students are:

admission in this status can continue for a period of up to five years.

admission is terminated if there is no registration in two consecutive semesters (Fall and Spring).

students in this status are not eligible to hold appointments as Graduate Teaching or Research Assistants or Fellows, nor can they qualify for student financial aid.

only twelve credit hours earned as an Advanced Special Student can be applied to a master's degree program—with program approval. (See Transfer of Credit for Master's Students, pg 16).

Advanced Special Students are eligible for all other services provided to other graduate students (e.g., parking and library privileges).

Visiting Graduate Student
The Visiting Graduate School status is designed to provide an opportunity for students matriculated in another university to take course work in the Department. Ordinarily, admission in this category is offered for one year only.

For further information about Non-degree and Special Graduate Admission Options visit:http://www.gradschool.umd.edu/gss/non_degree_admission.htm.

Procedures Used in Processing Applications
Responsibility for processing applications for admission is a joint effort between the Graduate School, College of Education’s Graduate Studies Office, and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Initially, application materials are collected by the College of Education’s Graduate Studies Office and forwarded to the Department upon their completion. The appropriate departmental program review committee then reviews the application files and a recommendation is made. Each recommendation is subject to approval by the Director of Graduate Studies, the Department Chair and ultimately by the Graduate School.

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