What is Peace Corps Master s International program? Program Design. Program Benefits. Program Benefits

Transcription

1 What is Peace Corps Master s International program? and Peace Corps participate in four cooperative master s degree programs giving students the opportunity to earn a master s degree and hands-on experience in English; Food Science and Human Nutrition; Natural Resources; or Agriculture. CSU s Peace Corps Master s International (PCMI) program allows students to integrate graduate study with international development practice through Peace Corps field experience. Program Design Two or three semesters of course work are taken on the CSU campus before Peace Corps service begins. After Peace Corps service is completed, students return to campus for an additional semester(s). Photo courtesy of Peace Corps The program of study is designed within departmental parameters to meet your needs while taking into consideration the needs of the host country. Program Benefits All Peace Corps volunteers receive: Approximately three months of intensive language, cross-cultural and technical training in the host country prior to service. A payment of approximately $225 for every month of Peace Corps training and in-country service, collectable upon completion. A monthly living allowance for food, housing and other incidentals to permit maintenance at the level of the host country counterpart. Free medical care and dental care. Free transportation to and from the country of service. Deferment of national direct student loans, depending on the length of service. Available by arrangement with the volunteer s loan agencies. One year of noncompetitive eligibility for federal jobs upon completion. Peace Corps Master s International Office of International Programs Laurel Hall Fort Collins, CO Core components of the program may include: An interdisciplinary seminar in international development and service. A CSU internship concurrent with Peace Corps field experience. An internship course for which the returned volunteer writes a professional paper based on field experience. Note: Internship credits for Peace Corps field experience will be offered according to guidelines established by the university and under supervision of the student s faculty advisor. Included in this document: What is PCMI? Program Design Program Benefits CSU Requirements Peace Corps Requirements Contact Information How to Apply Financial Aid Volunteer Profiles CSU volunteer stats Phone: (970)

2 Colorado State Requirements Applicants to must meet the requirements of the CSU Graduate School and the selected college or department. Students must have: A Bachelor s degree from an accredited college or university. In some cases, background in a program-related discipline may be necessary for admission. An undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (A=4.0). A completed Graduate Record Exam (GRE), if required by the chosen department. A completed application packet. CSU students enrolled in one of the participating graduate programs may be eligible to apply for PCMI program. Contact the Office of International Programs to enroll in PCMI program. Peace Corps Requirements Must be at least 18 years of age Must be a United States citizen Must be in good health See Peace Corps website for more details. For more information and/or an application for PCMI program at, please contact: Peace Corps Masters International International Education Office of International Programs Laurel Hall Fort Collins, CO Phone: (970) intled@colostate.edu pcorps@colostate.edu Websites: PCMI and International Education Peace Corps CSU Graduate School Photo courtesy of Peace Corps To Apply Applications for Peace Corps Master s International Program are available from International Education in Laurel Hall. Separate applications must be submitted to Peace Corps and to. Normally, the application to CSU must be submitted approximately six months prior to the beginning of classes. The application to Peace Corps must be submitted at least six to nine months prior to service. Early application is encouraged for PCMI students. For more detailed application information see page 3. Financial Aid Financial aid may be available based on student need and academic merit. You may apply for financial aid through Student Financial Services at (970) Merit based scholarships and assistantships may also be available through academic departments. See for details. 2

3 Peace Corps Master s International Applicant Instructions and Contacts I. Please read the information in this document to determine if Peace Corps Master s International Program will meet your personal interests and needs. A Graduate School Bulletin outlining programs and requirements is available at For a hard copy of the bulletin, contact the Graduate School at (970) II. Application Process: A. Applicants must apply to both Peace Corps and. Contact departments for application deadlines. Peace Corps applications may be submitted at anytime preferably no later than the department deadline. See CSU Graduate School Web site for an online application. B. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) aptitude test is required for most applicants. Test scores can be sent directly to the Graduate School from the Education Testing. It takes approximately six weeks for the Graduate School to receive test scores. C. Apply for Financial Aid Colorado State Financial Aid Office Student Services Building (970) D. Contact the appropriate college liaison to discuss your program interests and application details. Liaisons are listed below: College of Natural Resources Melinda Laituri (970) Fort Collins, CO Melinda.Laituri@ColoState.edu College of Agricultural Sciences Dr. Jack Fenwick (970) Fort Collins, CO J.Fenwick@ColoState.edu Department of English Dr. Gerald P. Delahunty (970) or (970) Fort Collins, CO Gerald.Delahunty@ColoState.edu Department of Food Science and Paula Coleman Human Nutrition (970) pcoleman@cahs.colostate.edu Fort Collins, CO E. Transferring? CSU now has a Web site that calculates transfer equivalency and verifies prerequisites. Visit or contact TransferOffice@ColoState.edu for more information. Note: Peace Corps Master s International students receive additional prior-to-departure information when they arrive on campus.

4 Peace Corps Master s International Additional Contacts Contacting Peace Corps: You may call Peace Corps toll-free number to speak with a recruiter in your area, or you may contact the (CSU) Peace Corps Office directly. Either office will be able to assist you with your Peace Corps application. CSU Peace Corps Representative pcorps@lamar.colostate.edu Tami Wolff (970) Peace Corps Recruiting Office, Denver denver@peacecorps.gov If calling from CO, KS, NE, UT, or WY: (800) If calling from any other state: (303) Peace Corps Headquarters Washington, DC (800) Participating PCMI universities and fields of study: Website: mastersinternational@peacecorps.gov Phone: (202) or (800) ext Colorado State Universities Graduate School admissions and requirements: Website: Graduate School Office gschool@grad.colostate.edu 204 Student Services Bldg. Phone: (970) Ft. Collins, CO Fax: (970)

5 Kjesten Rubke, a graduate student participating in Peace Corps Master s International program, is studying permaculture and community nutrition and will serve in Lesotho, South Africa. Kjesten Rubke received a bachelor's degree in environmental biology. Here s what she says about her PCMI experience: I came into the master's program with very little academic agriculture knowledge. I feel much better prepared for the tasks at hand having gained some insights on pertinent agricultural questions and practices. I am also very excited to participate in a project that will have tangible results. Working within a community setting and gleaning knowledge from local people will make the master's project unique and meaningful. I would recommend PCMI program for an independent, self-motivated, adventurous student. CSU Peace Corps Volunteers in Numbers 5,948 Coloradoans have served as Peace Corps volunteers 1,409 CSU alumni have served as Peace Corps volunteers 269 Coloradoans are currently serving as volunteers 57 CSU graduates are currently serving as volunteers 15 CSU students enrolled in PCMI program 12 CSU rank in comparison with other U.S. colleges and universities for number of current Peace Corps volunteers Graphics courtesy of Microsoft clip art. Design by Andrea Newman 5