applicationdeadline.htm

APPLYING TO THE MS PROGRAMS IN LITERACY
Our MS programs are highly sought after, and we cannot accept everyone who applies, even if they meet the minimum criteria. You need to carefully prepare your application. Giving a great deal of thought to the letters of reference and the written statement in response to the Department's questionnaire is particularly important, and may make the difference between being accepted or rejected. (See "Preparing an application").

You have to apply to a specific program (e.g., MS Early Childhood (Literacy); MS Literacy: Literacy Specialist B-6). Later, you may apply to switch programs, but this depends on the availability of seats in the program you are trying to join. Also, switching may involve losing courses that cannot apply to another program. It may also involve the payment of an application fee (currently $75.00) if you are changing degree programs. Again, thinking ahead of time about which program best fits your career aspirations will pay off.

Application forms are available from the Reading Department or the Graduate Admissions Office, UAB 121, or online (click here). When completed, forms are sent to the Graduate Admissions Office (NOT to the Reading Department). In order to be accepted into the Master's Program, students must have a strong undergraduate record, appropriate teaching certificates, teaching ability and potential, and most importantly academic qualities that will sustain them through their graduate study (see Admission Criteria, below).

Note: when you complete the University at Albany graduate application form, you should have already downloaded the Reading Department Information sheet. Click here for a copy, it's a pdf file. Instead of completing the Statement of Background and Goals on the graduate application, you need to fill out the Reading Department's Written Statement. This form also asks you questions about your teaching experience, the teaching certificates you already possess and which program in Reading/Literacy you are applying for. For help in completing this form, click here.

ELIGIBILITY FOR OUR MS PROGRAMS

To find out what teaching certificates you need in order to be eligible for our MS programs, click here.

ADMISSIONS DEADLINES
Admissions to the Reading Department are currently accepted twice a year, typically in mid-September (for Spring admission), and in March (for Summer and Fall admissions). Specific dates for the upcoming year are as follows:

September 15. 2009 (to start Spring 2010)

March 1, 2010 (to start Summer or Fall, 2010)

What does the application deadline mean? It means that ALL required documents (application form, letters of reference, official transcripts from all institutions attended by the candidate, personal statement, etc.) and payments (i.e., the non-refundable application fee) are physically present in the Graduate Admissions Office by 12:00 noon on the deadline day. The deadline does NOT mean that an application was post-marked by the due date/time. In order to accomplish this, candidates need to gather the documents well in advance of the deadline (to be safe, allow at least two months). Pay particular attention to the requirement that official transcripts from universities and colleges you have attended be submitted with the application. Common errors include thinking that a credential folder/file from a college or university contains an official transcript (it doesn't); thinking that copies of transcripts are acceptable (they are NOT); thinking that transcripts can be faxed (they cannot). Letters of recommendation also need to be sought in plenty of time--we know first-hand that college professors aren't always as punctual about these as they should be.

Above all, understand that submitting a complete application by the deadline is entirely your responsibility, one that cannot be passed off to the US Postal Service, Federal Express or other carriers, colleges or universities, or people who write letters on your behalf. Also, you cannot hold the Graduate Admissions Office or the Reading Department responsible for not letting you know that something is missing, especially if you submit an incomplete application within a week or so of the deadline.

What happens if you submit your application late? We will NOT accept late applications, to ensure absolute fairness for all applicants. Late applications are held until the next round of application reviews. The only way to guarantee your application is not late is to send it in at least a month before the deadline, or to hand-deliver it before the deadline. An application is late if any of the required items are not present in the Graduate Admissions Office by the deadline.

Can I take courses while I'm waiting for the next round of application reviews? Absolutely. All you have to do is apply to the Reading Department non-degree (for details, click here). You can apply anytime, and once you are accepted, you can take up to 12 credits non-degree. While there are no guarantees of being admitted into the MS program, courses you take as a non-degree student can be applied to a degree program once you are admitted, provided that they fit the course distribution requirements.

Will I get my application fee back if my application is late? No. It's non-refundable.

ADMISSIONS CRITERIA
To apply for any of our MS programs, you must:

Have successfully completed a bachelors degree from an accredited institution.
Hold or have held a certificate of qualification for provisional/initial certification or permanent/professional certification that is required for the program of study you are applying for;
Possess at least a 3.00 undergraduate grade point average; or, present a detailed explanation of GPAs of less than 3.00, plus evidence of potential for success in graduate study;
Submit three satisfactory references (one of these must address the candidate's academic abilities and/or potential for graduate study; one must attest to the candidate's teaching abilities and/or potential; the third may attest to either academic or teaching abilities/potential, or to other aspects of the candidate's experiences or traits that are felt to enhance the application)*;
Make an appropriate written statement of professional and academic accomplishments and objectives, in response to the Department's questionnaire (see application packet).

*If you have difficulty in obtaining appropriate reference letters, consult the Department for advice.

Do I have to submit GRE scores? Can I?
No, GRE scores are not required for admission to our MS Programs. Yes, you can submit them if you've taken them, and they become part of the application, but not having them doesn't negatively impact your application in any way.

Last Updated: July 8, 2009