(Updated June 29, 2012 )
Order CIE Merchandise Click Here		Thank you for considering graduate study in the International Education program in the School of Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Please read through the following information carefully and feel free to contact us if you have any questions. International Education Admissions Welcome to the International Education Admissions page. My name is Jacqi Mosselson and I am the faculty supervisor of the admissions process for both Master's and Doctoral programs in International Education. I am assisted by the Admissions Coordinator who is responsible for handling the administration and communications details for applying. The admissions process for the International Education program requires both completing the process and forms of the Graduate School at UMass Amherst, and providing supplementary information to the international education program directly. While you will primarily be in contact with the admissions coordinator, I am available to assist when needed. The academic programs in International Education are closely integrated with the work of the Center for International Education which is responsible for carrying out a wide variety of research and projects in the field. The two are tightly linked in order to assure a symbiotic relationships between academic studies and the realities of international development work on the ground. My name is Donna Lopp - the admissions coordinator for International Education. We would like to be in contact with applicants during the admissions process. I am here to answer questions, help you obtain the needed forms if necessary, and to set up interviews when you visit or in some cases by telephone or Skype. Please don't hestitate to contact me at: cieadmissions@educ.umass.edu If you would like to talk, it is best to send me an email and then we can arrange a time to talk. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About International Education/UMass Admissions What degrees does the International Education (IE) program offer? What is the vision of the International Education program and its associated Center? What qualifications is the IE program looking for in successful applicants? What application materials are required? Where can I obtain the Graduate School admissions materials? Where can I obtain/download the IE admissions materials? Is the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) required for admission? Where can international students get information and help about studying at UMass? Is the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) required for international students? When are the admissions deadlines? Is an interview required during the admissions process? What admissions fees are required? Should I contact IE before submitting my application? Is funding available through IE or CIE? Are Assistantships Available? How do I contact the International Education program? Where is the Center for International Education located? Do you have driving directions to the Center? What is the Amherst area like? What is IE's address/email/fax? Q: What degrees does the International Education program offer? A: The International Education program is part of the School of Education at the University of Massachusetts. The School of Education offers the following two degrees for students who wish to specialize in international education: 1) Masters in Education (M.Ed.) in International Education 2) Doctorate (Ed.D.) in Education Policy and Leadership with a specialization in International Education. Q: What is the Vision of the IE program and its associated Center for International Education? The International Education program and its affiliated Center for International Education create a learning community of practice composed of highly diverse and reflective practitioner-scholars from around the globe. Center members include current graduate students, faculty and staff, and a world-wide network of over 600 graduates.  Our goal is deepening understanding and fostering socially just programs and approaches to learning around the globe.  Our approach is integrating theory and practice; in-class and out-of-class learning; and work and reflection. With a deep commitment to work with populations who have been marginalized by gender, race, ethnicity, poverty, war and other crises, we learn about, stand for, and practice three principles: Thinking, teaching, and learning critically Engaging with issues of social justice in everyday interactions, teaching and learning environments, programs, and policies and Learning about and practicing thoughtful and ethical intercultural communications Q: What Qualifications is IE looking for in successful applicants? A: The IE program is looking for mid-career professionals who have at least two years of experience working in development education outside North America or Western Europe. We require our applicants to have meaningful, long-term experience of immersion in another culture while engaged in education and development related work, often at the community level. While the 'two years' is not a strict rule, competitive candidates often have two years or more of such experience.. It is up to the admissions committee to decide what constitutes in-depth, long-term international experience. For international applicants, experience working in development education in their own and other non-Western countries is required. Q: What application materials are required? A: For either degree, TWO applications must be submitted: one to the UMass Graduate School and one to the IE program.. Because of the nature of CIE as a participatory learning community, applicants to International Education degree programs are required to complete a set of IE forms in addition to the application required by the Graduate School. Please do the Graduate School Application first, since that sets up your official admissions file. Q: Where can I obtain the Graduate School admissions materials? A: The Graduate School application can be filled out online - (click here). Applying online is quick and easy, and is strongly recommended as the quickest way to start your application, particularly if you are applying from overseas. If you have trouble contact the CIE admissions coordinator for assistance. Information for International Students can be found here on the UMass web site. top of page Q: Where can I obtain / download the IE program admissions materials? A: The CIE admissions packet can be downloaded in various forms-see below. Choose the format that works best for you, download and print the forms, fill them out and email, fax or mail them to IE directly at the address at the bottom of the page.The application packet is appropriate for both Master's and Doctoral program applicants.. Adobe pdf format MS Word .docx format MS Word .doc format Each Application Packet contains the following: Introduction Page Doctoral Program Information Page Masters Program Information Page Application Requirements Page Guidelines for Evaluating Applicants Personal Statement Questions Page Applicant Information Page Financial Information for International Applicants Page Financial Information for U.S. Applicants Page If you are unable to download the packet, you can obtain a copy of the admissions packet from the admissions coordinator for International Education (email: cieadmissions@educ.umass.edu). REMINDER:: The UMass Graduate Application must also be filled out-see above. Q: Is the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) required for admission? A: The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is NOT required by the School of Education, but applicants may submit scores if they wish. Q: Where can International Students get information and help about studying at UMass? A: The University has an Office of International Programs that assists international students with visas and provides other helpful information. Q: Is the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) required for International Students? A: Students for whom English is not their native language are required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) unless they have recently completed two years of study at a recognized university where the language of instruction is English. International students can click here for additional information about applying to the University of Massachusetts. Q: When are the admissions deadlines? A: The IE program admissions committee considers applications twice a year (for the Fall and Spring semesters), although more applicants typically enter in the Fall. Deadlines for submission of application and supporting credentials, including the application fee in U.S. currency, are listed below. If you are having trouble with the deadlines, contact the admissions coordinator. Application Deadline for Fall (September) semester: January 15th For example, if you plan to enroll in September, 2013, you must have ALL of your admissions materials (for IE and the Graduate School) submitted by January 15, 2013. (Late applicants should contact us directly for information) Application Deadline for Spring (February) semester: October 1st of the previous year. For example, if you plan to enroll in February, 2013, you must have ALL of your admissions materials (for IE and the Graduate School) submitted by October 1, 2012. Q: Is an interview required during the admissions process? A: Applicants are strongly urged to visit the Center for an interview if at all possible. Interviews overseas can often be arranged when CIE members are traveling or living in the applicant's country. Telephoneor Skype interviews may also be used. Q: What admissions fees are required? A:.The Graduate School charges a fee of $75 for all applications to graduate programs, effective July 1, 2012.. The IE program does not charge any additional admissions fee. Q: Should I contact CIE before submitting my application? A: Applicants should contact the International Education Admissions Coordinator to discuss their interest before submitting an application. Contact the coordinator directly (above) or Email cieadmissions@educ.umass.edu Q: Is funding available through the Center? Are Assistantships Available? A: Click here to view the IE program application materials. The last two pages of the materials answer questions about funding for international and domestic graduate students. Q: How do I contact the IE program? Admissions Coordinator Center for International Education University of Massachusetts 285 Hills House South Amherst, MA 01003 Telephone: (413)545-0465 | Fax: (413)545-1263 E-mail: cieadmissions@educ.umass.edu CIE Web Site: http://www.umass.edu/cie top of page Q: Where is the Center for International Education located? A: The Center for International Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is located in Western Massachusetts, approximately 2 hours from Boston and 3 hours from New York City. Q: Do you have driving directions to the Center? A: You can follow the directions below: Driving Directions* NOTE: CIE is at the top of this map... 285 Hills SouthBy car: From the East (Boston area) via the Massachusetts Turnpike: l. Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) west to Exit 4 (I-9l, W. Springfield) - 78 miles from I-95/Route 128 2. I-9l north to Exit l9 (Route 9-Northampton) - l9 miles 3. Bear right (east) on Route 9, to Route 116N - 5 miles 4. Left on Route 116N to "UMASS" exit 5. Right at the top of the exit ramp and follow signs to the Visitors Center. 6. From the Visitor's Center, walk Northeast for about 5 minutes to 285 Hills South. Alternate routes from the East: 1. Massachusetts Turnpike west to Exit 8 (Palmer) - get directions to the campus at the toll booth. (This route is somewhat longer and more complicated but is more scenic and involves less turnpike driving.) 2. Route 2 west to U.S. 202 (Orange); U.S. 202 south 15 miles to "Route 9 and 116 Amherst" exit, at blinker (Pelham); turn right and go 7 miles to Amherst center; turn right at lights on North Pleasant Street; and left at the second light, to the campus. From the South Shore (of Massachusetts) and Cape Cod Area: l. I-495 to Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) 2. I-90 west to Exit 4 (I-9l, West Springfield) - 60 miles from I-495 3. I-9l north to Exit l9 (Route 9-Northampton) - l9 miles 4. Bear right (east) on Route 9, to Route 116N - 5 miles 5. Left on Route 116N to "UMASS" exit 6. Right at the top of the exit ramp and follow signs to the Visitors Center 7. From the Visitor's Center, walk Northeast for about 5 minutes to 285 Hills South. From the South (Connecticut, New York, New Jersey area): l. I-9l through Hartford or I-84 to Hartford 2. I-9l north, through Springfield, to Exit l9 (Route 9, Northampton) - approximately 45 miles from Hartford 3. Bear right (east) on Route 9, to Route 116N - 5 miles 4. Left on Route 116N to "UMASS" exit 5. Right at the top of the exit ramp and follow signs to the Visitors Center 6. From the Visitor's Center, walk Northeast for about 5 minutes to 285 Hills South. From the West: l. Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) east to Exit 4 (I-90, West Springfield) 2. I-9l north to Exit l9 (Route 9-Northampton) - l9 miles 3. Bear right (east) on Route 9, to Route 116N - 5 miles 4. Left on Route 116N to "UMASS" exit 5. Right at the top of the exit ramp and follow signs to the Visitors Center 6. From the Visitor's Center, walk Northeast for about 5 minutes to 285 Hills South. From the North (Vermont): l. I-9l south to Route 116 Exit (Whately) 2. Left at top of the exit ramp, then immediately right onto Route 116 3. Route 116 South to "UMASS" exit - approximately 9 miles 4. Left at top of the exit ramp and follow signs to UMass 5. From the Visitor's Center, walk Northeast for about 5 minutes to 285 Hills South. From the North (New Hampshire): Depending on where you are coming from in NH, I-93 south to I-495 South; to Route 2 west; to U.S. 202 south; 15 miles to blinker at "Route 9 and 116 Amherst" exit (Pelham); right, 7 miles to Amherst Center; right at lights on North Pleasant Street to second traffic lights and turn left to campus. By air: Bradley International Airport (Hartford/Springfield) is 45 miles south of the University; Logan International Airport (Boston) is 90 miles to the east. Valley Transporter (800-872-8752) -- airport transportation services By bus: Greyhound (800-229-9424) serves Springfield, and Peter Pan Bus Lines (800-343-9999) serves Amherst. The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (413-586-5806) is free locally during the school year. By train: See Amtrak's schedules, or call 800-872-7245. top of page Q: What is the Amherst area like? A: Below is an article from Budget Travel Magazine describing the Amherst area, known as the Five College Area. Vacationing in a College Town Part II: Amherst, Northampton, & South Hadley, Central Massachusetts By Steven Peyster reprinted from Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel online The "Five College" area of central Massachusetts combines the buzz of one of America's most stimulating intellectual and artistic centers with the serenity of New England's wooded hills and a genteel aura of yesteryear. The closely clustered campuses of Amherst College, Hampshire College, the University of Massachusetts, Smith College, and Mount Holyoke College offer a smorgasbord of free and low-cost (under $10) lectures, readings, plays, film screenings, and events, not to mention galleries and museums where you can view works by such masters as Claude Monet and Thomas Eakins. Truly world-class performances of orchestral and chamber music, jazz, opera, musical theater, and dance at the University of Massachusetts Fine Arts Center (tel. 800/999-8627, www.fineartscenter.com) cost $15 or less-a third of what you'd pay in the big city. Fortunately, the intellectual and cultural offerings at the five colleges are scheduled mostly during the week, so you can avoid the hassle of getting (and paying double for) weekend reservations and waiting outside crowded restaurants. If you can't visit during the week and don't want to reserve your room long in advance, you should at least aim for a weekend out of peak fall foliage season, when there are no graduations, homecomings, parents' weekends, or big conferences (most of the more accessible weekends are between late November and mid-April, so pack that extra sweater!). These campuses are all within ten miles of each other, and here's a nifty budget secret: the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (tel. 413/545-0056, www.umass.edu/campus_services/transit). For more than 30 years, students from Smith (in Northampton); Amherst, Hampshire, and UMass (in Amherst); and Mount Holyoke (in South Hadley) have been taking classes at each other's institutions, mixing socially, attending each other's demonstrations, and performing together onstage. This led to the development of the PVTA, which runs buses at convenient intervals between all of the colleges and nearby towns, free of charge for students, visitors, and locals alike during the nine months of the academic year. However you decide to get around, you will want to visit the campuses--they all welcome visitors, so you shouldn't feel like a trespasser. Think of them, rather, as parks where you can picnic by a waterfall or read beneath a tree, stroll meditatively through gardens, and become a little intoxicated by the atmosphere that emanates from those classic stone towers and ivy--covered walls. College Highlights Spend an hour or a day in the main reading room of the Mount Holyoke College Library, which, with its upholstered chairs and tall leaded-glass windows, will make you feel as if you were at Oxford or Cambridge. Although as a visitor you will not be allowed to check out books, there are about six million titles for you to browse, as well as special-collections exhibits where you can view rare illustrated books and original manuscripts and letters by Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost (both Amherst poets). Other free indoor attractions at the Five College campuses include the National Yiddish Book Center at Hampshire College (the world's largest collection of Jewish literature from the last 1,000 years), free concerts and lectures, the flowering banana trees and other exotics at Smith College's Lyman Plant Conservatory (tel. 413/585-2740, www.smith.edu/garden), and the mounted skeleton of a duckbill dinosaur at Amherst College's Pratt Museum of Natural History (tel. 413/542-2165, www.amherst.edu/~pratt). By far the largest of the five colleges is UMass, Amherst. Although it may look like nothing more than an overcrowded, high-rise cement-slab public institution, you would be missing a great deal if you never explored its 28-story W.E.B. DuBois Library (one of the world's tallest), its Fine Arts Center and University Gallery (contemporary art), and the Augusta Savage Gallery (multicultural art). You could also attend a practice or game involving one of UMass's several regionally and nationally prominent Division I athletic teams. The very best thing about UMass is its academic vitality. Although you may not be permitted to attend classes, you should still feel free to snoop around hallways and peek unobtrusively into laboratories or lecture halls. You just might get invited in or at least get a peek at Lynn Margulis, the preeminent evolutionary biologist and presidential scholar, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet James Tate, or O. Henry Award-winning author John Edgar Wideman. The Charms of Northampton In spite of its population of only 30,000, the town of Northampton is often compared to San Francisco. That may sound farfetched, but less so if you were standing amidst Northampton's numerous galleries, fine jewelry and crafts stores, cafés, theaters, clubs, and restaurants, all frequented by the area's many artists, writers, activists, academics, and professionals. The town's crown jewel, however, is Smith College, founded in 1875 as one of the first institutions for young women to provide an education that was equal in every way to the best offered to young men. This idea undoubtedly provided the soil for Northampton's highly visible feminist culture (which has rippled out to the rest of us-Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, and Sylvia Plath all graduated from Smith. All right, so did Nancy Reagan). Smith is also an oasis amid the bustle of downtown Northampton. Pass through the wrought-iron gates on West Street at the western end of downtown, and you'll find yourself walking between the small, gabled Victorian structures of the college's original core. Go beyond the quadrangle and library to the hill above the boathouse and Paradise Pond, and you'll feel totally in another world- just as designer Frederick Law Olmsted intended. Staying Smart Affordable lodgings in Amherst include the Campus Center Hotel (tel. 413/549-6000) on the UMass campus, which offers double occupancy rooms and free indoor parking for $89 to $95. A bit more picturesque is Allen House Victorian Inn (599 Main St., tel. 413/253-5000, www.allenhouse.com), a seven-room inn with museum-quality Victorian furnishings and decor, doubles from $85, and five-course breakfast. The best value is probably the Lord Jeffrey Inn (30 Boltwood Ave., tel. 800/742-0358), next to Amherst College, an excellent full-service hotel with 48 rooms, two restaurants, and cozy colonial-style parlors; doubles from $89; the two-night "Weekend Getaway" is $188 with breakfast in bed for two. Two other even cheaper local options are on Route 9 between Amherst and Northampton. The Norwottuck Inn in Hadley (tel. 877/667-9688) has 23 good clean rooms (doubles from $55) with a nice outdoor pool next to a cornfield. Bikers, take note: there are nearby bike rentals and trails. Not far north, the Country Belle Motel (tel. 413/586-0715) is nothing fancy but has clean, tidy rooms, with doubles starting at just $45. Brainy Bargain BitesBoth Amherst and Northampton boast a plethora of dining, whether fine or more humble. In Amherst, Pasta e Basta (26 Main St., tel. 413/256-3550) serves a wide selection of pastas and sauces and fire-grilled vegetables, meats, and fish. Meals come in huge portions, with a basket of home-baked breads, and cost from $5 to $11. Amherst Brewing Company (24 N. Pleasant St., tel. 413/253-4400) has a pub atmosphere with hearty food and eight home brews and Guinness on tap. Try the German-style, home-baked smoked cheddar "Monster" pretzel ($6 to $7), and one might be all you can handle. There's free jazz on Sunday nights at nine. La Veracruzana (63 S. Pleasant St., tel. 413/253-6900) offers burritos, enchiladas, a salsa bar, and more. Stuff yourself for under $5. The Graduate Lounge at the Campus Center of UMass (tel. 413/545-0111) is a cozy place to get away from undergraduates, have sandwiches for $2.45 to $3.95, read a magazine, and enjoy a draft beer or a cup of coffee. For a student favorite, on the other hand, try the Hangar Pub and Grill (a.k.a. "Wings") at 55 University Drive (tel. 413/549-9464), where an order of 15 of its 12 varieties of chicken wings ($7.95) would stuff an NFL lineman. In Northampton, many of the better deals have an Italian flavor. You'll find the nicest dining room in town and first-class cuisine at incredibly low prices-from just $5 an entrée-at Fresh Pasta Company (249 Main St., tel. 413/586-5875). Get large panini sandwiches on home-baked focaccia for $5.50 to $5.75 at Caffe Mezza Luna (7 Strong Ave., tel. 413/584-5040), or the most gargantuan thin-crust pizza slices you'll ever see for just $2 at Nini's La Pazzaria (71 Pleasant St., tel. 413/584-1711). There's admittedly not much seating room, though. For more exotic international flair, head to Amanouz Café (44 Main St., tel. 413/585-9128), a haven for students from French-speaking countries which dishes up Moroccan specialties served in traditional crockery for $5 to $10 per entrée (pita sandwiches are $3.95 to $5.75). Coming to College Online information sources include www.gazettenet.com, an online newspaper, and the Allen House Victorian Inn's Web site, www.allenhouse.com, which gives the most comprehensive set of links for visitors to the area. The Five College Calendar (tel. 413/256-8316, www.fivecolleges.edu) is a single master list of events at all of the campuses for each month. Amtrak (tel. 800/872-7245, www.amtrak.com) stops in Amherst, while Peter Pan Bus Lines (tel. 800/237-8747, www.peterpanbus.com) connects various stops in the area with Boston, Connecticut, and New York City. Valley Transporter (tel. 800/872-8752) offers door-to-door service--$32 from Connecticut's Bradley Airport to Amherst or Northhampton. top of page Center for International Education Admissions Coordinator University of Massachusetts 285 Hills House South Amherst, MA 01003 Telephone: (413)545-0465 | Fax: (413)545-1263 E-mail: cieadmissions@educ.umass.edu