Peace Corps Coverdell Fellows MATESOL Program

Put your Peace Corps experience towards your Master's degree.

The Education Department at Saint Michael’s College is proud to host a Coverdell Fellows Program for returning Peace Corps volunteers who have served in the English language teaching field. Applicants can build on their Peace Corps teaching experience and receive considerable benefits from their service while working toward their Master of Arts degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MATESOL).

The benefits package offered to Coverdell Fellows is equal to more than a 33 percent discount of total program tuition costs:

  • Advanced Standing for Peace Corps service based on Peace Corps training in TEFL with associated practical teaching experience (equivalent to 9 credits, currently a $6,075 value)
  • Scholarship (for 1 additional course – currently $2,025)
  • Waiver of application fee ($50).
  • Waiver of Diploma fee ($60)

 

Program Description

A volunteer teaching internship experience in a local English language training program for a period of at least 9 months.

MATESOL Course work of 27 credits taken over three semesters. Program courses include the following 3-credit courses:

GSL 500 Foundations of Linguistics

GSL 502 Pedagogical Grammar

GSL 542 Introduction to Language Teaching

GSL 543 Teaching Oral Skills in ESOL

GSL 544 Teaching Reading and Writing in ESOL

GSL 604 Second Language Acquisition

GSL 606 Curriculum and Syllabus Design

GSL 620 Principles of Testing and Assessment in Language Teaching

GSL 690 Research Methods in Applied Linguistics

To see the currently offered courses for this program, click here. 

 

Admission Requirements

Applications accepted for August starting date.

  • Copy of signed Peace Corps Description of Service that shows training and experience in English language teaching.
  • A Bachelor’s Degree with a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 from an accredited American college or university, or its equivalent from a foreign university.
  • Official transcript(s) of all undergraduate and graduate work, mailed in the original sealed envelope from the issuing institution.
  • Two reference forms accompanied by letters of recommendation with original signatures, at least one of which should be an academic reference.
  • A resume.
  • A $50 application fee. (Waived for Coverdell Fellows.)
  • A one-to-two page essay describing your educational career objectives with particular emphasis on the following: personal and professional goals, relevant employment experience, why you wish to study at Saint Michael’s College, and your ability and commitment to undertake graduate-level education at this time.

Program Contacts

Dr. Ben White bwhite3@smcvt.edu
MATESOL Director, Coordinator of Peace Corps Coverdell Fellows Program