Fields of Study - 0 4301

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800.336.1616
802.258.3510

TTY:
802.258.3388

Fax:
802.258.3500

PO Box 676, 1 Kipling Road
Brattleboro, VT 05302 USA

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Frequently Asked Questions

Master's Program in Intercultural Service, Leadership and Management

General Questions

  1. What is the deadline for applying?
  2. Is there a financial aid deadline?
  3. What does the Admissions Committee look for in an applicant?
  4. For what type of career does this degree prepare me?
  5. Can I come to campus for a visit?
  6. What if I cannot visit the campus?
  7. What application documents are required?
  8. Is the GRE/GMAT required?
  9. How do I take the TOEFL?
  10. How much does tuition cost?
  11. What about other costs of attendance?
  12. What is the Master’s International Program with the U.S. Peace Corps?
  13. Where is Brattleboro?
  14. What is SIT’s mission?
  15. How is SIT accredited?

Program Questions

  1. How long is the program?
  2. What are the graduation requirements?
  3. What is the Language and Culture Proficiency Requirement?
  4. What are the degrees offered?

Diversity Questions

  1. What type of diversity can I expect to find at SIT?
  2. Who will I see in my classes?
  3. Does SIT have a Diversity Statement?

General FAQ Answers

  1. What is the deadline for applying?
    SIT considers applications for admission year-round. Once an application is completed, the Admissions Committee makes a decision. Applications are accepted until the class is full and a waiting list of accepted candidates is created.
  2. Is there a financial aid deadline?
    Students seeking financial aid should complete the application process as early as possible. The optimal timeline includes acceptance to the school and a completed financial aid application before March 1st. A financial aid decision is made only after a candidate has been accepted.
  3. What does the Admissions Committee look for in an applicant?
    Successful candidates meet these minimum requirements. Most students exceed the minimum in several, if not all, categories.
    • Equivalent of one year of full-time professional experience (internship, paid or volunteer, part- or full-time)
    • Six months intercultural experience
    • U.S. bachelor’s degree (or its foreign equivalent) and demonstrated academic potential
    • Demonstrated ability to derive learning from experience
    • Familiarity with program goals and methods
    • Demonstrated goals, abilities, and expectations
    • Fluency in English (as measured by TOEFL)
  4. For what type of career does this degree prepare me?
    These academic programs develop the intercultural, managerial, and training skills necessary for careers in a wide variety of international and intercultural professions. Alumni work in the fields of sustainable development, exchange management, global education, international student advising, cross-cultural training, and refugee relief, among others. In general, they work as leaders and managers in positions conducting social change. They work primarily for nonprofit organizations, non-governmental organizations, multilateral organizations, educational institutions, governments (municipal, provincial, state, national), and for corporations.
  5. Can I come to campus for a visit?
    We strongly encourage you to visit the campus at any of our Open Houses or at any other time. We will arrange for you to visit a class and the Professional Development Resource Center, and meet with an Admissions Counselor.
    View our Open House page for the latest dates
    To schedule a visit, telephone the Admissions Office at 1-802-258-3126 (or toll-free from the U.S. and Canada 1-800-336-1616). You may also make a request via email to admissions@sit.edu.
  6. What if I cannot visit the campus?
    Please request from the Admissions Office, <admissions@sit.edu>, information about how to contact alumni or current students with whom you can discuss the school. Our virtual Open House is designed specifically for students who are unable to visit.
    See our Virtual Open House schedule for the current dates.
    For more information, visit our Open House page.
  7. What application documents are required?
    The Admissions Committee considers applications complete and ready for review when these materials are received.
    • Completed and signed application form (accompanied by a detailed resume or CV)
    • Personal statement answering all three essay questions
    • Official transcripts from all postsecondary schools at which courses have been taken for credit
      (including credit transferred from other institutions, such as Associate degrees and study abroad institutions)
    • Four letters of recommendation
    • Nonrefundable application fee of $45
    • For non-native speakers of English, there are two standardized tests that SIT accepts. The score must be an official report not older than two years.
      The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) minimum score is 213 (computer-based test) or 550 (paper based).
      The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) minimum score is a band of 6 or higher.
    • In some cases, an interview is requested by the Admissions Committee
    • Applicants are encouraged to submit any documentation that they feel will allow the Admissions Committee to better understand their record of accomplishments and leadership capabilities.
  8. Is the GRE/GMAT required?
    No. The Graduate Records Examination and the Graduate Management Admissions Test do not measure what we need to know about you in order to determine if you will be successful at SIT.
  9. How do I take the TOEFL?
    Information about taking the test is available through U.S. embassies, consulates, and the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 USA. . Please request your official TOEFL scores be sent to the SIT Admissions Office. SIT’s institutional code number is 3788.
  10. How much does tuition cost? (2007-08)
    Tuition is charged for each of the four periods of enrollment.
    • First semester tuition is $13,040 (September - December 2007).
    • Second semester tuition is $13,040 (January - June 2008).
    • Reflective Practice Phase is $4,800 (Off-Campus Tuition)
      For a more detailed breakdown, consult the 2007-08 fee sheet.
      Assuming requirements are completed on time, the total tuition charge for the degree is $30,880.
  11. What about other costs of attendance?
    Using 2006-07 as an example, these are other costs of attending SIT.
    • Insurance and student fees (required) $2,806.
    • Other costs will vary, depending on your personal choices.
    • Living expenses (room and board off campus or on campus) will be about $8,429.
    • Books and supplies will be about $1,100.
    • Transportation to and from campus and personal items (film, laundry, stamps, etc.), about $5,000.
  12. What is the Master’s International Program with the U.S. Peace Corps?
    SIT’s Programs in Intercultural Service, Leadership, and Management are very relevant to the challenges that Peace Corps volunteers face overseas. U.S. citizens nominated by Peace Corps earn their master's degree by completing the nine-month on-campus academic component at SIT, then serve for two years in the Peace Corps in a related overseas assignment. Serving in the Peace Corps satisfies the Practicum requirement for the degree. To participate in this program you will need to submit applications simultaneously to SIT and to the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps and SIT will consider your applications separately. For further information, please visit the Peace Corps website.
  13. Where is Brattleboro?
    SIT is located in Brattleboro, a regional population center of 12,000 people in southeastern Vermont. The 200-acre rural campus overlooks the Connecticut River Valley and the town. By car, Brattleboro is about 2 hours from Boston and 4 hours from New York City and Montreal. Skiing, hiking, canoeing, and climbing can be enjoyed nearby. Further information is available from the Brattleboro Chamber of Commerce website.
  14. What is SIT’s mission?
    The mission of the SIT Graduate Institute is to prepare students to be interculturally effective leaders, professionals, and citizens. In so doing, SIT fosters a worldwide network of individuals and organizations committed to responsible global citizenship. SIT fulfills this mission with field-based academic study abroad programs for undergraduates and master's degrees and certificate programs for graduates and professionals.
  15. How is SIT accredited?
    The New England Association of Schools and Colleges has accredited SIT since 1970. In addition, the Vermont State Department of Education certifies SIT as a center for international education and language study.

Program FAQ Answers

  1. How long is the program?
    The program begins in September each year and classes are in session for two semesters, through the following May. Each student then begins a Professional Practicum for a minimum of six months (Many students return to their place of employment and use a six month portion of it to complete this requirement. Other students obtain new positions. Others take a position for just six months). The final component of the degree, the Capstone Paper and Seminar, can be completed in seven to nine months, sometimes overlapping the Practicum. The quickest the degree can be completed is two years. However, given the variety of student schedules, students often take three years, with a five year maximum to complete the entire degree.
  2. What are the graduation requirements?
    The graduation requirements are the successful completion of the on-campus phase (28 credit minimum-36 credits maximum); practicum (6 credits), capstone (6 credits) and Second Language Requirement.
  3. What is the Language and Culture Proficiency Requirement?
    All PIM participants must satisfy a language and culture proficiency requirement in order to graduate. For more information about the Language and Culture Proficiency Requirement, please read the course catalog.
  4. What are the degrees offered?
    There are six degrees offered, many with concentrations for students wishing to focus their study. Further details are available.
    • Master of Arts in Conflict Transformation
    • Master of Arts in International Education
    • Master of Arts in Social Justice in Intercultural Relations
    • Master of Arts in Sustainable Development
    • Master of Science in Management
    • Master of Arts in Intercultural Service, Leadership and Management
    • Four courses examine the concept of change and intercultural understanding and are central and required for all degrees:
      Intercultural Communication
      Organizational Behavior I: Multicultural Team Development
      Organizational Behavior II: Leadership and Organizations
      Social Change
    • In addition, for all degrees (except the M.S. in Organizational Management) the following courses are required:
      Practitioner Inquiry I
      Practitioner Inquiry II: Assessment and Evaluation

Diversity FAQ Answers

  1. What type of diversity can I expect to find at SIT?
    SIT is a global learning community united by the values of social justice and equality and dedicated to world peace and understanding. Our commitment to diversity embraces all people, including those previously disenfranchised and denied full inclusion by their societies at large. The integrity of this commitment is reflected in the diversity of the School and in the explicit celebration of the unity of the human experience.
  2. Who will I see in my classes?
    About one-third of our students are not originally from the United States and are typically evenly divided among Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, and other parts of the Americas. About 20% of the U.S. students identify themselves as of African or Asian descent, as Hispanic, or as a combination of ethnicities. About 70% of the students are female. While the average age is about 31 years old, the youngest is usually 23; the oldest can be 60 or older. In recent years, about half of the students are in their 20s. Virtually all have experience living in a culture other than their own.
  3. Does SIT have a Diversity Statement?
    Yes. We envision a learning community with the following characteristics:
    The curriculum and other educational programs integrate multicultural perspectives and a diversity of viewpoints and philosophies. Faculty and staff are trained in communications, conflict management, and classroom interaction processes. Consequently, they will encourage diverse points of view and the inclusion of all participants. SIT will offer a range of student services that affirm the uniqueness of the individual and foster the expression of our diverse backgrounds. Recruitment goals and strategies for students, faculty and administration respect and reflect our interest in increasing representation for underrepresented groups, such as people of color, domestically and internationally, and women in administration. Marketing and public relations initiatives and materials reflect this commitment to diversity. Ongoing monitoring and assessment will be incorporated to provide updated information and refinement of diversity initiatives.