For Returned 

Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) 

5th Edition 

Produced by: 

Peace Corps 

Returned Volunteer Services 

Revised by RPCV Kerry Carmichael 

2003 

The Graduate School Guide is a publication of the Peace Corps. Views expressed in this publication 

are those of the individual writers and universities and do no nece t ssarily represent the official 

views of the Peace Corps.
Table of Contents

Graduate School Choice and Admission .......................................................................................... 4

Why Go to Graduate or Professional School? ...................................................................................... 4

Graduate School Versus the Undergraduate Experience: What's the Difference? ............................... 5

Graduate and Professional Degrees: What Do All Those Letters Mean?............................................. 5

Locating, Ranking, and Selecting the Best Graduate and Professional Programs................................ 6

Applications and Deadlines .................................................................................................................. 8

Mastering Standardized Admission Tests: The Graduate Record Examination (GRE)....................... 9

Letters of Recommendation................................................................................................................ 12

The Statement of Purpose ................................................................................................................... 13

Financial Aid....................................................................................................................................... 16

Applying from Overseas..................................................................................................................... 18

Applying to Law School ..................................................................................................................... 19

International Careers and the Value of Graduate or Professional Degrees ........................................ 20

Some Final Questions about Choosing a Graduate Program.............................................................. 22

Graduate Programs With Special Consideration Given to RPCVs............................................. 24

Agriculture .......................................................................................................................................... 24

Area Studies........................................................................................................................................ 25

Arts and Sciences................................................................................................................................ 25

Business .............................................................................................................................................. 25

Community Development and Economics ......................................................................................... 27

Education ............................................................................................................................................ 29

Environmental Science/Studies .......................................................................................................... 30

Forestry ............................................................................................................................................... 32

Geography........................................................................................................................................... 33

Health.................................................................................................................................................. 33

Information Technology ..................................................................................................................... 35

International Affairs/Development/Policy.......................................................................................... 35

Journalism........................................................................................................................................... 39

Language/Linguistics/ESL.................................................................................................................. 39

Law ..................................................................................................................................................... 41

Management........................................................................................................................................ 41

Nursing/Physician Assistant ............................................................................................................... 43

Psychology.......................................................................................................................................... 44

Public Affairs/Policy/Administration ................................................................................................. 44

Rehabilitation...................................................................................................................................... 48

Social Work ........................................................................................................................................ 48

Sociology ............................................................................................................................................ 48

Theology ............................................................................................................................................. 49

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Urban Affairs and Planning ................................................................................................................ 49

Veterinary Medicine ........................................................................................................................... 50

Other Educational Services and/or Programs of Interest to RPCVs .......................................... 51

Peace Corps Fellows/USA Program................................................................................................... 51

Master’s International Program .......................................................................................................... 51

Peace Corps Campus Representatives................................................................................................ 52

Academic Common Market and Regional Contract Programs........................................................... 54

International Education and Graduate Programs Service (IEGPS) .................................................... 55

National Health Service Corps (NHSC) ............................................................................................. 56

Fulbright Awards................................................................................................................................ 56

U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Programs................................................................... 57

New Entry Professional (NEP) Program ............................................................................................ 58

National Security Education Program (NSEP)................................................................................... 58

Population Fellows Programs..............................................................................................................58

Appendices......................................................................................................................................... 60

Statements of Purpose......................................................................................................................... 60

Bibliography for Graduate and Professional School Applicants........................................................ 70

State Teacher Certification Websites.................................................................................................. 73

RPCV Credit for Teacher Certification by State ................................................................................ 75

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GRADUATE SCHOOL CHOICE AND ADMISSION 

WHY GO TO GRADUATE OR PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL? 

Many current and returned Peace Corps Volunteers think seriously about going back to 

school to obtain a professional degree or certificate. Their motivations vary. Some see 

additional training as a necessary stepping-stone to employment in a professional field. 

Some seek advanced training to further explore interests developed during their Peace 

Corps experience. Others were considering graduate or professional training when they

received their bachelor’s degree, but decided to delay a decision until after their Peace 

Corps service. Yet others are interested in the intellectual challenge of graduate studies. 

There is no doubt that graduate and professional education can be challenging and 

rewarding. Millions of students are enrolled for a certificate, license, master’s degree,

doctorate, medical degree, law degree, etc. Most people agree that two or more years 

studying a specialized area of knowledge for which one has passion and interest is time 

well spent, and those who complete advanced degrees express real satisfaction with their 

educational accomplishments. 

 

However, advanced education is not an end in itself. Graduate and professional schools 

are career development institutions that confer the knowledge and credentials required to 

obtain a position or gain a promotion in a profession of choice. Advanced training is a 

prerequisite for starting some careers or for sustaining others. For example, an individual 

cannot become a lawyer without going to law school and passing a state bar exam. Many

teachers and federal government employees seek specialized master’s degrees to gain

promotions and salary increases. Public health professionals need a Masters in Public 

Health. One cannot be a university professor in most fields without a doctorate. 

It is important to clarify your career goals before applying to graduate or professional 

school. Made poorly, the decision can lead to dropping out without an advanced degree, 

lost opportunity, and unnecessary educational debt. Long-term motivation will see you 

through the extended rigors of graduate education and professional training. You should 

begin by examining your personal interests and skills. 

 

Decisions about career choices can be made in different ways. Take seriously the Close 

of Service (COS) workshop at the end of your overseas Peace Corps tour, and keep the 

written materials from the training for reference after your return to the United States. 

The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the 

U.S. Department of Labor, can also be helpful. It provides quick information about 

specific career fields, the employment outlook for various fields, and the need for 

advanced professional training in those fields. This standard resource is commonly

available in the reference section of public, college, and university libraries. Richard N. 

Bolles’ What Color is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career 

Changers is the classic work on how to make career decisions and find work. It is 

updated annually and can be purchased in the career section of most bookstores. 

 4
Professional career advisers are available, but their services can be expensive. Your alma 

mater’s career planning and placement service may offer alumni access to its workshops 

and advising services for free or a modest fee. If possible, talk to people who are working

in your chosen field. 

 

The admissions process itself is designed to probe and examine career motivations. 

Graduate and professional school admissions personnel seek applicants who are 

purposeful and who are likely to graduate and pursue careers for which their school 

prepares its students.

GRADUATE SCHOOL VERSUS THE UNDERGRADUATE EXPERIENCE:

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Graduate education is distinct from the undergraduate experience in that it represents a 

leap to a higher level of knowledge. While the undergraduate is a generalist and takes 

courses across a range of disciplines, the graduate student is a specialist admitted to a

specific school (such as law, education, international relations) or department (such as 

history, chemistry, computer science, anthropology, literature). Although there are 

interdisciplinary degrees and programs, most graduate education occurs in one school or 

department and is about specialization and research. It is therefore important to have a 

clear interest in the specialty you will study.

 

While the doctorate is easily recognized as a research degree, the curricula for master’s 

degrees often include research requirements as well. Graduate faculty are distinguished 

by their interest in current research topics, and graduate students work closely with these 

faculty in mentor relationships. It would therefore be helpful for you to understand the 

current issues and intellectual theories that predominate in the graduate field in which 

you plan to study, as well as the research interests and publication records of the graduate 

faculty at institutions you are considering.

GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL DEGREES: WHAT DO ALL THOSE

LETTERS MEAN?

Graduate and professional schools offer a wide array of degrees and certificates, some 

more valuable than others. What follows are commonly accepted generalizations about 

advanced degrees, but there are as many exceptions as there are graduate programs. 

The doctorate is the easiest advanced degree to understand, and the Ph.D. (Doctor of 

Philosophy) is the most common type of doctoral degree. It is the appropriate degree for 

people who wish to become professional teachers and/or researchers in higher education, 

industry, or government. The length of time required to complete a degree averages about 

seven years after completion of the B.A. Refer to the bibliography for resources that 

discuss academic and research careers requiring a doctorate. 

Most RPCVs who think about graduate school are actually contemplating some type of 

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master’s degree or certificate program. Normally, about two years of full-time course 

work are required to complete a master’s degree. Master of Arts (M.A.) and Master of 

Science (M.S.) degrees are usually awarded in the conventional academic disciplines, 

such as political science, literature, chemistry, biology, history, physics, anthropology,

etc. M.A. or M.S. programs can lead to doctoral study, or they can put an individual on 

the course towards a successful career. 

 

About two-thirds of the master’s degrees awarded each year are professional master’s 

degrees which provide the necessary training to qualify an individual for a career in 

his/her field of choice. For example, individuals contemplating a career in local or county

government would pursue a Master of Public Administration. One could choose a course

of study in city government, criminal justice administration, or some other field. It is 

virtually impossible to be a practicing librarian without a Master of Library Science 

(M.L.S.) degree. An RPCV interested in international health care issues in the developing

world might pursue a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.). 

 

In some cases, a specialized advanced degree is necessary before a person can take a 

licensing exam. The Master of Social Work (M.S.W.), for example, is often a 

requirement for someone wishing to become a licensed clinical social worker. 

 

RPCVs commonly seek specialized certificates that are a requirement for entry-level

professional work. They usually have fewer requirements than an M.A. or M.S. program 

and can often be completed in one or two years. Certificates are frequently granted by

schools that award graduate degrees as well. For example, a school of education at a 

university might offer a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) for educational researchers and 

school superintendents, a Master of Education (M.Ed.) for specialized teachers and midlevel school administrators, and a teaching certificate for high school and elementary

school teachers. 

LOCATING, RANKING, AND SELECTING THE BEST GRADUATE AND 

PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS

 

There are many ways to find good schools and professional programs in your field of 

choice. Most colleges and universities have websites. Well-informed friends, former

professors, and knowledgeable professionals may have recommendations. A standard 

resource for most graduate and professional programs is Peterson’s Graduate and 

Professional Programs 2003 (Princeton, NJ, Peterson’s Guides). This six-volume 

reference is the most comprehensive of graduate and professional school guides and 

includes: 

Book 1: Graduate and Professional Programs An Overview 2003;

Book 2: Graduate and Professional Programs in the Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences 

2003;

Book 3: Graduate and Professional Programs in the Biological Sciences 2003;

Book 4: Graduate and Professional Programs in the Physical Sciences, Mathematics, 

Agricultural Sciences, the Environment & Natural Resources 2003;

 6
Book 5: Graduate and Professional Programs in Engineering & Applied Sciences 2003; 

and 

Book 6: Graduate and Professional Programs in Business, Education, Health, 

Information Studies, Law & Social Work 2003. 

Peterson’s Guides contain useful descriptions of individual programs organized by field 

of study. Degrees awarded, costs, size of faculty, entrance requirements, and application 

deadlines are routinely listed. In some cases, the percentage of applicants accepted is also 

published, giving you an idea of the competitiveness for admission. Phone numbers and 

addresses of the directors, chairs, deans, and offices of the program are listed, as well as 

website addresses. This essential resource can be found at well-stocked community

libraries; in the Peace Corps Career Center at the Regional Recruiting Office in Rosslyn, 

Virginia; at public career centers; at college and university libraries; and on their website

at www.petersons.com. 

 

Occupational and professional associations sometimes publish information about 

graduate and professional schools in their particular fields. For example, the American 

Psychological Association annually publishes the guide, Graduate Study in Psychology 

2003. This and other resources are listed in the bibliography. An inquiry or phone call to 

an association in a chosen field may help you to identify specific books and pamphlets. 

You can locate phone numbers and addresses of such organizations in the Encyclopedia 

of Associations (Detroit, Mich., Gale Research Co.), available at most libraries. 

 

Generally speaking, the better the graduate or professional program, the better the career

opportunities of its advanced degree holders. Prestige of degree counts, especially when 

seeking that first, entry-level position. It is recommended that you seek admission to 

schools that will give you the best professional training you can afford. Some RPCVs 

think they cannot get into a good program. They undervalue Peace Corps experience and 

the weight it can carry in helping to qualify candidates for admission to top schools. This 

may cause them to apply to programs and schools beneath their ability and qualifications. 

In fact, many admissions committees prefer students with maturity and experience, and 

you should apply to a range of programs to maximize your chances for acceptance. 

 

The most important factor in determining the quality of a program is the quality and 

specific interests of the faculty. Knowing with whom you might wish to study can be a 

key factor in deciding where to apply. Other factors to consider include the overall 

quality of the students accepted to the program, library holdings, laboratory facilities, and 

job placement assistance. Individual applicants usually have their own personal criteria as 

well, such as location, size of school or program, cost of living near the school, etc. 

In the end, it is your responsibility to select and apply to programs based on the variables 

you consider the most important. You should call or e-mail professionals in your field 

and people who control admissions to ask them how they would rank programs. If

possible, visit the campuses in which you are interested. Talk to program faculty and staff

and currently-enrolled students. Try to sit in on a class or two. You may wish to call 

alumni from the program and ask them to assess the value of their training and the impact

 7
of their degree in the job market. Most universities have websites and/or virtual campuses

that are another excellent resource. 

 

Select several programs and rank them from top to bottom based on the criteria you have 

chosen. Apply to a range of schools—some at the bottom, some in the middle, and some 

at the top of your list. You should apply to between six and 15 schools to increase your 

chances for multiple admissions and to give you a real choice about which school to 

attend. 

APPLICATIONS AND DEADLINES

Most graduate and professional schools mail out applications and informational materials 

at any time, although they are often updated for the following academic year around 

Labor Day. In addition, many schools offer their applications on-line and accept 

applications electronically. The application fee usually ranges between $30 and $50. 

While the expense of applying to a half dozen or more schools can appear intimidating,

the stakes are too high not to find the funds. Career paths change for the better and 

earnings are higher over the course of one’s work life with a graduate or professional 

education. 

 

Many graduate schools waive the application fee for RPCVs or for those who meet 

certain financial requirements. Alumni who are former financial aid recipients may find 

that their alma mater’s financial aid office is willing to write graduate schools on their

behalf to request a waiver. Do not hesitate to ask about fee waivers. 

 

Fill out applications carefully, typing if possible. It can take weeks to complete a form

and arrange for transcripts, test scores, and letters of recommendation to be sent to 

admissions offices, so plan ahead. 

 

Application deadlines for competitive programs that begin in the fall term are generally

between December and February. Some programs admit applicants in the middle of the

academic year, and some have “rolling” admissions, meaning applications are accepted at 

any time for the following term. There are programs that will take applications up to a

week or two before the beginning of the term. Admission letters are usually mailed out 

mid-March and later for programs with December to February application deadlines, and 

replies are expected by April 15 or May 1. 

Sometimes there are multiple deadlines. Applicants wishing to be considered for financial 

aid may have to submit their applications earlier than those who do not. A department 

that offers more than one advanced degree may have different application deadlines for 

different programs. Be sure to keep photocopies of all materials. It is strongly

recommended that you send your applications by certified mail, return receipt requested. 

Most programs notify applicants with a postcard when the application file is completed. 

If the reply card does not arrive in a timely fashion, a phone call is in order.

 8
Most graduate admissions personnel in competitive programs, when asked the most 

common mistake applicants make, say it is the failure to apply well ahead of the deadline.

The stated deadline is not the preferred application date, but the last possible moment to 

apply. A better approach is to mail applications a month in advance. This allows time to 

resolve any last-minute problems such as late-arriving letters of recommendation, 

incorrectly completed forms, and tardy transcripts. 

 

Early applications get more careful consideration than those arriving close to the 

deadline. Understanding the three types of admissions processes—rolling, stepped, and 

fixed—explains why. 

A rolling admissions process is most common in schools and programs with very large 

numbers of applicants. Decisions are made as soon as applications start arriving. A small 

group of applications of outstanding quality is accepted outright. Another, larger batch is 

put in a hold file. Many of these applications will be accepted later, after the admissions 

personnel get a better sense of the overall candidate pool. The third batch contains the 

outright rejects. An early application that is put in the hold file will probably undergo 

subsequent readings. The applications that arrive just before the deadline are most likely

to get a single reading by conscientious but overworked admissions staff. Letters of 

acceptance and rejection may be mailed in groups or all at once, after the entire process is 

completed. 

 

The stepped admissions process is similar to rolling admissions. Decisions are made at

regular intervals and in much the same way with reject, accept, and hold files. 

Fixed admissions are common in departments that do not have professional admissions 

staff. After the deadline has passed, faculty read the applications. However, even in these 

cases it is not uncommon for conscientious faculty reviewers to pick up early applications 

and give them a careful reading. They know they face the arduous task of reading the 

largest pile of applications after the deadline.

 

By recognizing that admissions staff are overworked close to application deadlines, smart

applicants position their paperwork to arrive at a time when it will get more careful 

consideration. 

MASTERING STANDARDIZED ADMISSIONS TESTS: THE GRADUATE

RECORD EXAMINATION (GRE) 

There are several standardized admission tests which are often required for admission to 

graduate and professional schools, such as: 

• the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) for law school; 

• the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) for business school; and 

• the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) for medical school. 

 9
The most common standardized test is the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). This is the same testing company

that administers the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) for admission to undergraduate 

school. 

 

The GRE is divided into a General Test and a Subject Test. Information provided by

graduate programs indicates which tests an individual must take. Try to avoid taking

more than one test on the same day—it is difficult to take hours of exams, punctuated by

a short lunch break, and do well. 

 

The General Test is given on computer year-round worldwide with the paper-based test 

offered in countries where computer-based testing is not available. You must register for 

a test date, and ETS recommends that you register early to get your preferred date, 

especially during the crowded period from November through January. In general, the 

best time to take the GRE is during the spring, summer, or fall of the year before you 

want to enter graduate or professional school. 

The General Test is divided into three sections: 

• Analytical Writing: 45-minute “Present your Perspective on an Issue” task; and 30-

minute “Analyze an Argument” task 

• Verbal: 30-minute section 

• Quantitative: 60-minute section 

Three scores are reported on the General Test: a verbal score reported on a 200-800 score 

scale, in 10-point increments; a quantitative score reported on a 200-800 score scale, in 

10-point increments; and an analytical writing score reported on a 0-6 score scale, in halfpoint increments. 

If you take the computer-based General Test, you can view your unofficial verbal and 

quantitative scores at the test center; however, because of the essay scoring process, you 

will not be able to view your analytical writing scores at that time. Verbal, quantitative,

and analytical writing scores on the computer-based General Test will be sent to you and 

the institutions you designate within 10 to 15 days of your test administration. If you take 

the paper-based General Test, you will not view any scores at the test center. Verbal, 

quantitative, and analytical writing scores on the paper-based General Test will be sent to 

you and the institutions you designate within six weeks of your test administration. 

GRE Subject Tests are given three times per year in eight academic disciplines: 

biochemistry, cell and molecular biology; biology; chemistry; computer science; 

literature in English; mathematics; physics; and psychology. It takes four to six weeks to 

get your results in the mail. 

The GRE Information and Registration Bulletin contains all the information and forms 

necessary to register for the GRE. The bulletin is distributed on college and university 

 10
campuses and is available on the organization’s website at www.ets.org. You may also 

call them at 609.771.7670 in Princeton, New Jersey. Their mailing address is: 

Graduate Record Examinations/Educational Testing Service

P.O. Box 6000 

Princeton, NJ 08541-6000 

While the overseas Peace Corps offices may have some copies of the bulletin, most Peace 

Corps Volunteers (PCVs) should plan on obtaining a copy directly from ETS. You can 

register for the tests by phone or mail; current addresses and phone numbers are listed in 

the bulletin. 

 

As of 2003, the fee for the General Test is $115 in the United States, its territories, and 

Puerto Rico, $175 for individuals testing in China, including Hong Kong, Korea, and 

Taiwan, and $140 for individuals testing in all other locations. The fee for a Subject Test 

is $130 in the United States, its territories, and Puerto Rico, and $150 in other locations. 

 

Many graduate admissions personnel rely on GRE test scores as an important numerical 

indicator for admission decisions, so it is important to do as well as possible. Graduate 

programs vary in the importance they place on each component of the test. A program in 

the social sciences with a strong quantitative emphasis might consider all sections of the

General Test to be important: verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing. A humanities 

program will look carefully at the verbal score. Science and engineering programs will be 

especially interested in the quantitative score. Subject Tests tend to be taken most 

seriously in the sciences and engineering. Some programs will list, or tell an individual 

over the phone, what the median scores were for the current entering class. This can help 

to establish scoring goals, but lower-than-median GRE scores can be offset by other 

accomplishments highlighted in your application package. 

 

The best advice is to practice, practice, practice for the GRE and other standardized 

admission tests. This is especially true for the Subject Tests, which examine for quite

specific levels of knowledge that can be improved with intensive study of comprehensive 

collegiate textbooks. Practice and refurbishing of high school math skills can improve 

your score on the quantitative sections of the General Test which assesses mathematical

reasoning ability at a high school level—arithmetic, algebra, and geometry. However, 

practice is less likely to dramatically improve scores on the verbal and analytical writing

sections which require levels of language knowledge and thinking skills that cannot be 

refurbished quickly. Nonetheless, a practice strategy for the entire GRE General Test can 

at minimum build confidence and reduce anxiety when the exam is taken for the record. 

It is particularly helpful to become familiar in advance with the process of taking a

computer-based test. Diagnostic services and practice tests are available on the ETS

website, or you can order test preparation products from ETS directly. Schools, 

universities, and libraries also have practice materials. 

Do not take the GRE or any other standardized admission test on the record as a practice 

exercise. ETS reports all scores for tests taken by an individual for the previous five years 

 11
to the schools indicated by that individual. Taking the GRE on the record a second time 

may result in a better score, but not all admission committees consider the second score 

favorably. Some may decide that the first and lower score is the better indicator, because

they recognize that scores can improve with practice.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Graduate and professional school applications normally require three letters of 

recommendation. Application packages sent by the graduate school usually contain 

recommendation forms and sometimes include self-addressed envelopes. Part of the form

is filled out by the applicant and then given to the person who is to write the

recommendation. The writer is often expected to mail the letter directly to the graduate 

program. It is common courtesy for the applicant to provide a stamped, addressed 

envelope. 

 

In cases where an individual is applying to many graduate schools, references may need 

to write several letters. Applicants are sometimes reluctant to ask references for this help, 

thinking their request may seem burdensome. It is not, however, as onerous as you may

think. Some writers simply type “See Attached Letter” on the form and attach it to a copy

of their letter.

 

It is helpful to provide your references with reminders of past work—transcripts, copies 

of papers, or exams. Letters of recommendation that are coordinated with other 

application materials may be more impressive to an admission committee, so provide a

copy of your statement of purpose to your references. It may also be helpful to provide a 

copy of your resume, particularly if it shows experience or interests in the field of the 

program to which you are applying. 

 

Letters of recommendation are a critical component of an application dossier, as they are 

read carefully by admission committee members. Letters should therefore be written by

individuals who know the applicant’s intellectual abilities and skills very well. It is 

generally better to request a letter from someone of lower position in the academic or

work hierarchy who knows you well than to ask someone in a higher position who knows 

you only superficially.

 

Former professors (even if you have been out of college for a few years), present and 

former employers and supervisors, and co-workers may be asked to write letters of

recommendation. A Peace Corps program supervisor is a good choice, especially if you 

are applying to a graduate program that values work experience in developing countries. 

If your reference has never written a graduate school recommendation, give them some 

guidance. A letter of recommendation for graduate school is not the same as a letter of 

reference for a job, nor is it simply a character reference. Letter writers should explain 

how long and how well they have known the applicant, review past accomplishments, 

and emphasize work experiences that demonstrate intellectual depth, research ability,

analytical skills, and examples of innovative problem solving. Some letters are bland or

 12
overloaded with praise, and astute readers look for descriptions of an applicant’s 

weaknesses as well as strengths. Praise in a letter of obvious candor has greater impact. 

 

Applicants sometimes worry about the effect of an occasional negative or critical remark 

in a letter of recommendation. If you are unsure about an individual, ask for a candid 

evaluation prior to requesting a letter. Guaranteeing the quality of a letter is usually less 

of a problem than getting the letter written in the first place. Letter writers need to be 

reminded about application deadlines. Gentle persistence is sometimes necessary. 

THE STATEMENT OF PURPOSE 

Applications for most graduate schools require a statement of purpose several hundred 

words in length. Typical instructions read: 

Write a brief statement concerning both your past work in your intended field of study 

and allied fields, your plans for graduate study at this university, and your subsequent 

career plans.

The statement of purpose is an important component of an application package and must 

be thoughtfully organized, well written, upbeat, and positive. It should highlight your

qualifications for admission to graduate school. The requirement to write a statement of 

purpose is an open invitation from the admissions committee to tell whatever you think is 

important. Admission committees rely on the statement of purpose to give them a sense

of an applicant’s personal commitment to acquire an advanced degree or certificate.

The following are hints about writing a strong statement of purpose: 

1. Good writing is well edited and rewritten. The statement of purpose is a writing test. 

It should be rewritten several times for content, organization, and style. Often the first 

draft bears little resemblance to the final draft. It is not uncommon for an applicant to 

write three, four, or five drafts of the statement of purpose, seeking the advice of former 

faculty, knowledgeable friends, and co-workers along the way. Misspelled words, 

typographical errors, and poor grammar will not give readers confidence that an applicant 

can succeed in a graduate or professional school where communication skills are 

important. Many applicants submit statements of poor quality which admission 

committee members are obligated to read. After enduring many poorly-written statements 

of purpose, it is a pleasure to read one that has been written with care.

2. Do not tell the admissions committee what you think they want to hear. Applicants 

are frequently intimidated and perplexed by the challenge of writing an eloquent 

statement of purpose. Many waste needless hours trying to figure out “what the 

admissions committee wants to hear.” Some people think a statement of purpose has to 

be written in a pompous style using pretentious vocabulary—the writing style they

incorrectly assume academics use. Because the statement of purpose is sometimes 

mislabeled a “personal statement,” applicants assume that they should reveal their inner 

selves, complete with voluntary revelations about academic inadequacies, personal 

 13
problems, insecurities, and anxieties. Not so! Successful graduate and professional school 

applicants write about themselves in an authentic prose voice. They tell admissions 

committees what they think is important about their background and achievements. 

 

3. Explain your motivation for graduate study. Be clear about your reasons for going

to graduate school. Specify the degree being sought. If your decision comes from past life 

experiences, explain them. Insights gained from undergraduate education or your Peace 

Corps experience may be relevant. 

 

4. Emphasize your strengths and accomplishments. The statement of purpose offers an 

applicant the opportunity to describe intellectual strengths and life accomplishments. 

Write about your undergraduate accomplishments and previous academic achievements, 

even if you have been out of college for several years. Undergraduate course work that is

directly relevant to the graduate curriculum is worth listing, even if it appears on a

transcript. Inspirational courses that pointed the way to graduate or professional school 

are worth describing. A good grade point average (GPA) should be highlighted even if it 

is also listed on a transcript. Successful completion of a senior thesis or comprehensive 

examination in your undergraduate major should be described. Note any graduation 

honors such as Magna or Summa Cum Laude or membership in Phi Beta Kappa. 

 

Life and work experience can also be important. Graduate and professional schools are 

looking for mature individuals and value applicants with prior experience, especially if it 

is in areas related to the graduate field. It is important to understand the skills needed to 

succeed in the field and to explain how you developed them through volunteer and paid

work experience, and international travel. 

 

5. Be specific and present evidence. Too often applicants write in generalities. They

present statements of purpose that are full of high-minded prose, sound, and fury, 

signifying very little. Astute readers will conclude that such applicants have little to say.

Smart applicants present specific evidence. When explaining a particular strength or 

accomplishment, they write about the details. For example, they describe work 

experience in depth—where the work occurred, its most challenging aspects, and what 

the applicant learned that is relevant to the graduate school experience. Statements of 

purpose that present evidence and speak in the specific vocabulary of the real world are 

well received. 

 

6. Write about your Peace Corps experience. The Peace Corps experience is often 

central to an RPCV’s decision to go to graduate school. Graduate admissions committees 

seek individuals who are in some way unique. The Peace Corps service is a mark of 

uniqueness, and elements of your assignment are usually worth highlighting. Again, be 

specific. Explain your assignment. Listing the village and country where you worked 

gives a sense of reality. The description of local challenges faced during the Peace Corps 

years can illustrate, at a human level, larger issues to be studied in graduate school. 

 

7. Tell a story; be anecdotal. One of the best ways to be specific and present evidence is

to tell a real-life story. Readers want to learn about the applicant as a person. A paragraph 

 14
describing a challenging life experience or event that pointed you towards graduate

education can humanize your statement of purpose. Your Peace Corps experience, for 

example, is probably filled with memorable events, people, challenges, frustrations, 

revelations, and triumphs; parts of this experience may be worth describing in a statement 

of purpose. 

 

8. Write with integrity. Applicants worry needlessly about telling an admissions 

committee what they really think about important issues. They believe that expressing an 

opinion or taking a stand on an issue will alienate readers. Applicants who hold certain 

views and fail to write about them misperceive the integrity of the graduate school 

admissions process. Admission committee members seek thoughtful applicants who 

possess informed opinions developed through challenging life experiences and supported 

with relevant facts. However, you should avoid taking controversial or radical political 

positions. 

 

9. Explain your career goals. Graduate education is designed to prepare students for a 

career. Tell the admissions committee about your short- and long-term career goals. If

you are unsure about which of several pathways within a single professional field you 

might select, list the possibilities and explain how graduate school can help determine 

which one will be pursued. 

 

10. Tell why you want to attend the specific program to which you are applying.

Admission committee members tend to be impressed with individuals who can explain 

why they wish to attend the specific program to which they are applying. Evidence of

research about the program, its faculty, and its resources is worth presenting. Reference 

to a campus visit and conversations with faculty and staff is appropriate. Explain 

specifically how the graduate curriculum fits into your plans and goals. 

 

What is not appropriate is a generic statement that could be said of all schools or 

programs. Astute readers know that generic statements are written with the intent of 

simply changing the name of the school described for each application. Breezy or 

vacuous statements praising the greatness of the school and the excellence of its faculty

are dead giveaways that an applicant has done little research about the specific graduate 

program. If you cannot say something specific and targeted at the individual program, 

then it might be better to write nothing at all. 

 

11. Beware the tyranny of time. Many applicants assume that they must account for 

every year of their life, fearing that, if they do not do so, they will appear to have been

poorly directed. This is not so. Many people have gaps in their record, time to attend to a 

personal agenda or pursue alternative career goals. A statement of purpose is a selective 

document emphasizing those parts of your past that are relevant to admission to a

graduate program. 

12. Do not be overly intimidated by length limits. Applicants are sometimes anxious 

about length limits for statements of purpose. An application package may contain a form 

with what seems like a small space designated for the statement, or the number of words 

 15
allowed may be limited. Do not be obsessed with squeezing the statement on to the form

provided. Continue the statement on an extra sheet of paper if necessary. Single-spaced, 

typed paragraphs separated by double spacing are particularly readable. Although readers 

may reject a statement that is well over the word limit, length is less a consideration if it 

is well written, authentic, and eloquent. 

FINANCIAL AID 

Costs can be intimidating to anyone who is thinking about graduate or professional 

school. Many assume they cannot apply until they have amassed a small fortune in a 

savings account. Others assume that they must find money from an outside source before 

they can apply to graduate or professional school. They misconceive the major trends in 

funding an advanced education. Many people now work full time and go to school in the 

evenings and on the weekends. They pay as they go, even though their education usually

takes longer than if they attend school full-time. 

 

Although the bulk of financial aid is funneled through the graduate and professional 

schools, there are also funding sources outside the university. Scholarships, loans, and 

work-study opportunities are available through the schools; and government agencies, 

private foundations, and some companies provide grants and other support. There are also 

funding programs for members of minority groups that have traditionally been excluded 

from opportunities in higher education. A section of this publication contains an updated 

list of graduate schools and professional programs that have set aside special 

consideration for RPCVs. A typical graduate student financial aid package consists of a 

combination of grants, paid work, and loans. The proportion of these elements in a total 

package varies among graduate programs and from year to year. 

 

Financial aid eligibility is usually based upon either merit or need. Returned Peace Corps 

Volunteers are attractive candidates for merit-based aid because of their record of 

excellence and their ability to respond to challenging situations. RPCVs are also often 

eligible for need-based financial assistance since they are usually financially independent. 

Graduate admission personnel know that astute applicants apply to more than one school 

and that they must offer competitive financial aid packages to attract good students. This 

is true for private universities with high tuition rates as well as for public institutions with 

more moderate costs. 

 

Ask for financial aid information from schools when you request application materials, 

and mark the section on the form that asks if you want to be considered for aid. Pay

careful attention to the financial aid procedures at each school to which you apply.

Supplemental financial aid application forms may have to be completed. You may have 

an earlier application deadline than those who do not seek aid. Apply to the competitive

schools regardless of how much they cost. The more schools to which you apply and are 

admitted, the more likely you are to receive multiple financial aid offers. You may find 

yourself happily comparing offers from several schools. 

 

 16
Grants, awards, and fellowships. These financial aid opportunities come from many

funding sources—federal and state governments, foundations, and endowments. This is 

money given to students with few or no strings attached. Many are merit-based and are 

used to attract and hold good students. A tuition waiver is often part of this package. 

 

Analyze these offers carefully. Is the money awarded on a year-by-year basis requiring an 

annual reapplication in a competitive pool of candidates? Or is the offer good for several 

consecutive years? If there is a cost-of-living stipend, is it based on a realistic assessment 

of what it actually takes to live in the university town? Note that most grant and 

fellowship money is now taxable under IRS codes with tuition, educational fees, books, 

and equipment as deductible expenses. 

 

Work. Graduate students commonly work for the university they attend. Teaching and 

research assistants are employed within academic departments or schools, and often these 

university employees constitute the backbone of the basic research and undergraduate

teaching services provided at the school. These work experiences can provide insight into 

what it means to be a practicing professional in various career fields. 

 

There are other part- or full-time work opportunities for students, some in the career field 

you are pursuing through your studies. The computer skills, teaching skills, and problemsolving skills that good graduate students possess are often attractive to employers. You 

might work on or off campus with educational or nonprofit organizations. You may be

eligible for employment through the federal Work-Study Program. Graduate students are 

also regularly employed as directors of residence halls at many universities. An 

apartment in the hall, tuition waiver, and a small salary are usual compensation. Family

or working spouses can also provide a significant amount of support. 

 

Loans. Most students now leave graduate or professional school with modest or 

considerable debt. The federal government provides the bulk of graduate student loans, 

the most common being Stafford Student Loans, Carl D. Perkins Loans, and 

Supplemental Loans for Students. Universities have their own, internally-funded loan 

programs, and there are other specialized loan programs funded by state and federal 

governments. 

 

Although you do not want to assume an unmanageable amount of debt, loans are often an 

excellent source of assistance. Educational loans are among the most attractive of all loan 

packages offered. Loan repayment and interest accumulation usually do not commence 

until after graduation or departure from school. Interest rates are low and repayment 

schedules long. 

 

When determining the amount of loan you are willing to assume, the monthly payments 

may be more important than the principal of the total loan package. This is especially true

when you compare loans to the average monthly take-home salary you are likely to earn 

in the professional position made possible by the graduate education. Those who possess 

advanced, professional degrees earn more over their lifetime on average than those with 

just a B.A. While your professional salary is growing each year, the repayment rate does 

 17
not substantially increase. In other words, each year the loan payment becomes a smaller 

part of your gross pay.

The bibliography contains references to additional sources of financial aid. There are also 

many websites devoted to financial aid for education. Be sure to consider long-range

fiscal planning as the base upon which to build a financial strategy for a graduate or 

professional school education. 

APPLYING FROM OVERSEAS

Some Peace Corps Volunteers consider applying to stateside graduate programs while

still serving overseas and access to the Internet may allow you to get started while you 

are still abroad. If you decide to proceed, the following hints may be helpful: 

1. Pay attention to deadlines. Procrastination can be particularly dangerous when 

applying to graduate school from overseas. Stateside applicants must plan ahead. 

Overseas applicants must plan well in advance of deadlines. 

 

2. Do research during stateside visits. Do as much research as possible during your 

stateside visits. Photocopy essential materials—sections from Peterson’s Annual Guides, 

for example. Make phone or personal contact with individuals who may be writing letters 

of recommendation. Obtain the GRE Information Bulletin. 

 

3. Use a stateside intermediary. A reliable relative or friend can help. The individual 

can serve as the mail drop for application packages and information. Once material is 

accumulated from several schools, then the intermediary can mail the information to the 

overseas posting. The intermediary can also photocopy relevant portions of graduate and 

professional school guides, obtain the GRE Information Bulletin, and make some phone 

calls. 

 

4. Visit the American cultural center or USIA library in the capital city of the 

country where you are serving. These institutions are responsible for holding

information about American colleges and universities for the use of local national 

students interested in studying in the United States. 

5. Seek advice from informed, local American personnel. The U.S. embassy, Peace 

Corps office, and USAID office located in the capital city are staffed by people who may

have attended graduate school. American academics teaching at local universities and 

colleges are a particularly well-informed group. For example, the Fulbright Program 

recruits U.S. professors to teach in many developing countries where Peace Corps 

Volunteers serve. 

 

6. Seek advice from informed, local nationals. You can usually find many local 

nationals who have received advanced degrees from American universities. Some may be

professors at a local university. Others may serve in local government posts. Some may

work at the U.S. embassy, the American cultural center, USAID, or an international relief

 18
organization. Often the cultural affairs officer at the embassy or the cultural center can 

help you locate U.S.-educated local nationals. 

 

7. Use the Internet. Most of the information you need is now available via the Internet 

and many programs accept applications electronically. If you do not have access to a 

computer where you are serving, you may be able to use one in the regional Peace Corps 

office or in a public library in a nearby large city. 

APPLYING TO LAW SCHOOL 

The general advice about graduate school admission applies equally well to law school 

applications. Careful consideration of career fields within the legal profession is 

important, and there are several to consider: corporate law, securities law, tax law, 

criminal law, public interest law, and family law, among others. Each field has its own 

subspecialty. 

It normally takes three years of full-time study to receive a law degree. Part-time law 

students take four years or more and often hold down full-time jobs at the same time. A 

law degree is a prerequisite for taking the bar examination. While there are individuals 

who graduate from law school and use their legal knowledge without taking the exam, it 

is only after passing the bar examination that you can become a practicing attorney. 

 

There are many law schools in the United States that are approved by the American Bar 

Association (ABA) and some that are not. Taking the bar exam and practicing law is 

restricted to graduates of ABA-approved law schools in some states. 

 

Many variables should be assessed in evaluating law schools: quality of faculty,

specialized course offerings, career and outplacement services, success of graduates, etc. 

As in any field, it is advisable to talk to a range of practitioners. 

 

You will need the basic information provided by the Law School Admission Council 

which publishes registration forms and information for the Law School Admission Test 

(LSAT) and the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS). Pertinent documents can 

be downloaded on the organization’s website at www.lsac.org; or by calling

215.968.1001. 

The Law School Admission Test is given four times a year at many locations around the 

world. If you are located over 100 miles from a center, you may request that Law 

Services establish a non-published test center. The exam is a half-day standardized test 

that measures reading and verbal reasoning skills. In 2003, the registration fee was $108. 

The fee for a non-published test center, in addition to the $108 test registration fee, was 

$199 for centers in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Territories, and $266 

for centers in other countries. You may register online, over the telephone, or by mail. To 

request a non-published test center, however, you must submit your registration by mail. 

 

 19
Highly competitive schools often mention that the LSAT score is not the final 

determinant of admission. While a good LSAT score may not guarantee admission, a 

poor score will undoubtedly limit the range of schools to which one is admissible. 

 

It is strongly advised that prospective law students practice for the LSAT, but never 

practice by taking the exam on the record, as you cannot erase a poor score. The Law 

School Admissions Council sells recent LSATs for practice, and there are test preparation 

books available at bookstores. Courses are also offered to help applicants prepare for the 

test. 

The law school application process is highly routinized. Applicants fill out application 

forms, write a statement of purpose, and arrange for letters of recommendation to be sent 

to individual schools. ABA-approved schools require that the rest be done by the Law 

School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS). This service is necessary due to the large 

number of applicants seeking admission and because so many people apply to several 

schools. LSDAS provides the schools with an individual’s Law School Report: a 

compilation of basic information about the applicant, including LSAT score(s), a 

summary of undergraduate grades and credits, transcripts, LSAT writing sample(s), and 

other data. LSDAS will also report an Admissions Index to law schools that require it. 

The index formula works with a combination of LSAT score and GPA, the purpose of 

which is to provide a ranking for a specific law school’s pool of applicants. There is a fee 

to subscribe to LSDAS. 

 

Scholarships and grants for legal study are available both through law schools and 

through state, federal, and foundation programs. The most common type of financial aid 

for law school is loans. Law students can graduate with high debts, but, when compared 

with anticipated earnings, law school debt becomes a less intimidating concept. 

INTERNATIONAL CAREERS AND THE VALUE OF GRADUATE OR 

PROFESSIONAL DEGREES

The Peace Corps experience can be central to a decision to pursue an international career. 

One RPCV, for example, decided to apply for advanced professional training because of

her first-hand experience among local villagers. She was a fisheries extension agent, but 

it was the breakdown in the host country’s health care infrastructure that convinced her to 

become a public health professional. Local villagers continually sought medical

assistance from her because they thought all foreigners knew something about western 

medicine. Unwilling to turn away people in need, she used available first aid equipment 

to tend to basic medical emergencies—cuts, scrapes, wounds, and the like. This 

experience influenced her decision to study for a Master’s of Public Health. 

 

The decision to pursue an international career—especially one in international

development—is only the first step. Selection of the appropriate advanced degree, if one 

is necessary, can be more difficult than many realize. Some RPCVs mistakenly assume

that the simple acquisition of an international degree will prepare them for overseas work. 

 

 20
Two pathways exist for those interested in international careers. One path is a general 

degree in international affairs. Some individuals on this path seek a doctorate to become 

university professors or advanced researchers in foreign policy institutes or “think tanks.”

Others seek a master’s degree to increase their knowledge and develop analytical and 

quantitative skills. They may serve as analysts in foreign policy lobbying groups, 

journalists, non-governmental organization managers, or aides to congressional 

committees. Federal government employees seek master’s degrees because they

recognize they are more likely to rise more rapidly in the federal bureaucracy with an 

advanced degree. 

The second path is degree training in area studies programs. Many RPCVs develop a 

special interest in the country or region where they served. They then seek out graduate

programs which focus on that area. Such programs are often tilted toward doctoral

programs for those who will become university professors. A master’s degree in area

studies can increase an individual’s knowledge about a specific region of the globe, but it 

does not automatically enhance the possibility of overseas employment. Rather, the

immediate career impact of a master’s degree in area studies is similar to the impact of a

master’s degree in international affairs or international relations. Training for either

pathway often contains a heavy dose of international economics. 

 

For a career in international development, a specialized degree is advisable. Developing

countries do not need foreign policy and foreign area specialists—they need experts to 

advise them about agricultural economics, public health problems, technology transfer, 

plant sciences, forestry, etc. A Master's in Business Administration (M.B.A.) with a 

specialization in international business can also be useful. One RPCV applied for such a 

degree because he wanted a career of consulting with developing country governments on 

how to attract overseas investment for indigenous small business development. His career 

interests came from insights he gained as a Peace Corps agricultural Volunteer. 

 

Before you decide to seek advanced training for an international or overseas career, you 

should assess whether it is necessary to go to graduate or professional school at all. Many

RPCVs have found overseas jobs by conducting local in-country research and networking

before returning to the United States. 

 

You might also interview development specialists while you are still in the Peace Corps. 

Most host countries have numbers of expatriate development experts. The U.S. Agency

for International Development (USAID) has specialists willing to share their insights and 

offer advice. The World Health Organization (WHO) relies on medical and public health 

practitioners who have trained in the United States and other developed nations. Returned

Volunteers can be found at all levels of the Foreign Service. Local relief agencies 

sometimes employ returned Peace Corps Volunteers in their administration. 

 

There are many stateside locales where development experts reside. One information 

resource on graduate international affairs education is the Association of Professional 

Schools of International Affairs (APSIA). For more information, visit their website at: 

www.apsia.org. Many universities compete for overseas development contracts and have

 21
professors and technical services staff knowledgeable about development careers. It is 

appropriate to talk in person, over the phone, or via e-mail with admissions specialists in 

graduate and professional schools. They can put you in contact with faculty, staff, and 

alumni who can provide insights on the career value of advanced training. Washington, 

D.C., is an excellent location for conducting informational interviews. Finally, you 

should review the information contained in the Returned Volunteer Services’ online 

publication, International Careers, available at

www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.former.carres.rvspubs. 

 

If you do decide to apply to a graduate or professional program with an international 

focus, your Peace Corps experience will be a definite asset. 

 

SOME FINAL QUESTIONS ABOUT CHOOSING A GRADUATE PROGRAM 

To help you with the decision-making process, the Peace Corps’ Fellows/USA Program 

developed the following questions. They are appropriate for all PCVs and RPCVs 

making the graduate school decision, although they will not have the same relevance for 

each individual or for every academic program.

Location 

Many factors come into play—geography, climate, transportation, size of community, 

and cost of living.

• Will you survive the winters of Chicago or the summers of Mississippi? 

• Will you be able to afford living expenses in New York? 

• How important is easy access to cultural and medical facilities? 

• Will you need a car, or will public transportation get you around efficiently and 

safely?

• Do you have family or spouse/partner needs to consider?

Type of Community

• Do you want to live in an urban or rural community? 

• Do you want to live and/or work with a particular population or culture? 

• Do you want to use a second language?

Academic Program

• How strong is the department in which you will be studying? 

• How long has the program been in existence?

• Is the department/program growing or shrinking? 

• Does the program consider the time constraints of working students by providing

flexible scheduling?

• Will you be able to handle the required course load?

• What kind of supervisory or mentoring support does the program provide when you 

are working?

• Is the real world of the communities you will be working in incorporated into the

course curricula and assignments?

 22
• Is there a course on the unique characteristics of the communities/populations to be 

served?

• Does the faculty demonstrate knowledge of and experience in the communities to be 

 served?

• Does the program give credit or waive requirements for Peace Corps experience? 

• Are there opportunities for independent study?

Costs

• What are the tuition costs?

• What are the living costs of the community?

• What are the transportation costs to and from work, home, and university?

• What are the average housing costs? Is university housing available?

• What are your health insurance options?

• What will be your overall income?

• What financial aid is available?

• Is special consideration and/or financial assistance given to RPCVs?

Work Component

• What kind of assistance does the program offer with employment after the degree is 

completed?

• What kind of careers have earlier graduates of the program established?

Editor's Note: This section, “Graduate School Choice and Admission,” originally 

researched and written by Dr. Thomas Q. Reefe, an educational consultant based in 

Santa Cruz, CA, was updated by Kerry Carmichael in August 2003.

 23
GRADUATE PROGRAMS WITH SPECIAL 

CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO RPCVS 

The following list provides examples of universities granting special consideration to 

RPCVs. Plan to use the information as a starting point in your search for higher education 

funding opportunities. 

AGRICULTURE

California Polytechnic State University: The International Agricultural Development 

Program offers a comprehensive program in agriculture for students studying at the 

bachelor’s and master’s degree levels. A small endowment fund exists to provide support 

to students interested in international agriculture development. Hull Assistantships are

available to selected graduate students, and some teaching assignments are available. 

RPCVs are given consideration for support while doing their thesis work through faculty

grants and endowments. Contact Dr. Robert McCorkle, Peace Corps Coordinator, 

International Agriculture Development Program, California Polytechnic State University, 

San Luis Obispo, CA 93407; phone: 805.756.5024; fax: 805.756.5040; e-mail: 

rmccorkl@calpoly.edu; website: www.calpoly.edu. 

Clemson University: The Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics offers a 

Ph.D. degree in applied economics and a thesis or non-thesis option for an M.S. degree in 

agricultural and applied economics. Graduate programs are solidly based on economic 

theory and quantitative methods. Student course work and research may focus on (but is 

not limited to) one of the following areas: agricultural production economics, agricultural 

marketing economics, natural resource and environmental economics, and regional 

development economics. Graduate research assistantships range from $3,400 to $9K per 

year for the M.S. degree and up to $12K for the Ph.D. degree. Reduced tuition is also 

available. Contact Dr. Mark Henry, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 

254 Barre Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0355; phone: 864.656.5774; 

fax: 864.656.5776; e-mail: mhenry@clemson.edu; website: 

cherokee.agecon.clemson.edu.

University of Missouri: The Social Sciences Unit of the University of Missouri offers 

master’s and doctoral degree programs in agricultural economics and rural sociology with 

specialties in agribusiness management, cooperatives and collective entrepreneurship, 

organizational economics, and resource and environmental economics. Scholarships, 

fellowships, and assistantships are available to qualified applicants. The program gives a

high priority to recruiting RPCV applicants. Contact Professor Michael Cook, 200 

Mumford Hall, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211; phone: 573.882.0127; fax:

573.882.3958; e-mail: cookml@missouri.edu; website: www.ssu.missouri.edu.

Virginia Tech: The Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics offers a M.S. 

degree in agricultural and applied economics and a Ph.D. degree in economics. Fields of 

study include agribusiness management (M.S. only), resource and environmental 

 24
economics, development and international economics, public and regional/urban 

economics, econometrics and quantitative methods, macroeconomics, microeconomics, 

and marketing and industrial organization. Most graduate students receive 12-month 

research assistantships ranging from $17K to $25K in 2003 and a tuition waiver. Contact 

Professor Dan Taylor, Chairperson, Graduate Program, Department of Agricultural and 

Applied Economics (0401), Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061; phone: 540.231.5032; 

fax: 540.231.7417; e-mail: taylord@vt.edu; website: www.aaec.vt.edu/aaec. 

AREA STUDIES

University of Kansas: The Center for Russian & East European Studies offers the 

interdisciplinary area studies M.A., with concentrations in Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, or

Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian languages. Students complete an advanced language course; 

courses in five disciplinary fields: literature and culture, political science and sociology,

history, philosophy and religion, and economics and geography; and an area studies 

seminar, which includes a major research paper. Recent graduates of the program, 

including RPCVs, have gone on to positions in NGOs, the Foreign Service, and 

educational agencies, as well as Ph.D. programs focusing on Eastern Europe and the 

former Soviet Union. RPCVs receive a waiver of the application fee and special 

consideration in admissions and fellowship reviews. Contact the Center for Russian &

East European Studies, University of Kansas, 320 Bailey Hall, 1440 Jayhawk Boulevard, 

Lawrence, KS 66049; phone: 785.864.4236; fax: 785.864.3800; e-mail: crees@ku.edu; 

website: www.ku.edu/~crees. 

ARTS AND SCIENCES

Washington University: The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offers a first-year 

university fellowship ($8K to $10,920) plus a full-tuition scholarship to an RPCV 

contingent upon admission into one of the Ph.D. programs. Departments include, but are 

not limited, to: anthropology, art history, biology, business, chemistry, drama, East Asian 

studies, education, English, history, movement science, philosophy, political science, 

psychology, social work, and writing. Contact Barb Knipshild, Graduate School of Arts 

and Sciences, Campus Box 1187, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130; phone: 

314. 935.6880; fax: 314.935-4887; e-mail: GraduateSchool@artsci.wustl.edu; website: 

www.artsci.wustl.edu/GSAS. 

BUSINESS 

Clarkson University: The Clarkson University School of Business offers two 

professional graduate programs: the M.B.A. and the M.S. degree in management systems. 

Within the M.B.A., students can pursue the general M.B.A. or a track in either global 

supply chain management, operations and international competitiveness or innovation 

and new venture management. With the M.S. degree, students can specialize in either 

management information systems, manufacturing management or human resource 

management. By completing a series of foundation courses during undergraduate study,

each of these programs can be completed in one academic year. Merit-based scholarships 

 25
are available and awarded to a high percentage of degree candidates. Contact Brenda 

Kozsan, Associate Director, Graduate Business Program Office, P.O. Box 5770, 

Potsdam, NY 13699; phone: 315.268.6613; toll-free: 866.333.6613; fax: 315.268.3810; 

e-mail: busgrad@clarkson.edu; website: www.clarkson.edu/business/graduate. 

University of Hawaii at Manoa: The University of Hawaii College of Business 

Administration, in conjunction with Japan-America Institute of Management Science 

(JAIMS), a Honolulu-based institution specializing in intercultural management 

education, offers both a Japan-focused M.B.A. and a China-focused M.B.A. The 

programs are 15 months in duration and feature 12 months of intensive core study in 

Honolulu and a three-month internship with a corporation in Japan or China. Fujitsu, Ltd. 

and the Asian Development Bank provide significant scholarship support to both 

programs. Scholarships of up to $10K are available to qualified RPCVs. RPCVs qualify

for a 10 percent tuition discount. Contact Marsha Anderson, Assistant Dean of Student 

Academic Services, College of Business Administration, 2404 Maile Way, Room B-201, 

Honolulu, HI 96822; phone: 808.956.2490 fax: 808.956.2657; e-mail: 

marsha@cba.hawaii.edu; website: www.cba.hawaii.edu/jcmba.

Hult International Business School (formerly the Arthur D. Little School of

Management): The Hult International Business School offers an accelerated one-year 

M.B.A. program. The program is geared toward experienced managers who have an 

interest in international business. The breadth of experiences that the international student 

body brings to the classroom create an extraordinary learning environment. Ninety

percent or more of the students come from countries other than the United States and a 

large majority of faculty members have worked overseas as well. Small cohorts of no 

more than 60 students allow for intensive interaction between students and faculty

members. A dedicated staff provides personalized attention to each and every student. 

The action learning curriculum integrates classroom learning with real-life situations. The

school offers $5K to $10K tuition fellowships; the amount of the award is determined by

an individual’s background and work experience. The program offers both a September 

and January start date, as well as a Pre-M.B.A. refresher course that runs for four weeks 

prior to the start of the program. Contact Chair, Admission Committee, Hult International 

Business School, 1 Education Street, Cambridge, MA 02141; phone: 617.746.1990; fax:

617.746 1991; e-mail: admissions@hult.edu; website: www.hult.edu. Program catalog

and application are available for download on the website.

Indiana University: The Kelley School of Business offers an M.B.A. program with 

majors in decision support modeling, economic consulting, finance, information systems, 

international management, marketing, new venture and business development, 

production/operations management, strategic analysis of accounting information, 

strategic management consulting, and a self-designed major option. The practical skills 

gained by RPCVs will be given special consideration in the admissions evaluation. All 

students offered admission to the M.B.A. program are considered for merit-based 

scholarships and assistantships. Contact James Holmen, Director of Admissions and 

Financial Aid, Indiana University, Kelley School of Business M.B.A. Program, 1275 East 

Tenth Street, Suite 2010, Bloomington, IN 47405-1703; phone: 800.994.8622 (United 

 26
States only) or 812.855.8006; fax: 812.855.9039; e-mail: mbaoffice@indiana.edu; 

website: www.kelley.indiana.edu/mba.

University of Michigan: The University of Michigan Business School's M.B.A. program 

prepares students to lead an entire organization, not just one area, by creating a 

foundation across all business disciplines. Over 20 dual degree programs are offered. The 

M.B.A. program also connects theory with practice by providing unique action-based 

learning opportunities. PCVs and RPCVs are offered an application fee waiver. In

addition, the Michigan Business School will consider RPCVs for merit-based 

scholarships. Award amounts are determined on an individual basis but typically range 

from $10K to $20K. Contact Kris Nebel, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, 

University of Michigan Business School, Office of Admissions and Career Development, 

701 Tappan Street, D2260, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109; phone: 734.763.5796; fax:

734.763.7804; e-mail: umbsmba@umich.edu; website: www.bus.umich.edu.

Monterey Institute of International Studies: The Fisher Graduate School of 

International Business M.B.A. program equips students for global business careers 

through mastery of core business disciplines, knowledge of business environments 

around the world, and hands-on experience in international business plan development. 

Graduates fill positions in large global corporations, small startups, and in the nonprofit 

and government sectors. The diverse student body, comprised of 50 percent international 

students and 50 percent women, as well as the 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio makes the 

MBA program particularly unique and highly personalized. The Monterey Institute offers

competitive merit-based scholarships to RPCVs. Contact MIIS, 460 Pierce Street, 

Monterey, CA 93940; phone: 831.647.4123; fax: 831.647.6405; e-mail: fgsib@miis.edu; 

website: www.miis.edu. 

University of Southern California: The Marshall School of Business offers an intensive 

one-year M.B.A. program called the International Business Education and Research 

(IBEAR) M.B.A. Program. The focus of the program is international business and 

management, particularly in North America, Asia, and South America. The likelihood of 

international travel is high as each IBEAR participant works on an international

consulting project team for a business client. The program is designed for mid-career

managers with at least five years of work experience. IBEAR offers scholarships of $10K 

to $20K to high-potential RPCVs. Contact Kyong Won, Administrative Services 

Coordinator, IBEAR MBA Program, Marshall School of Business at the University of 

Southern California; phone: 213.740.7137; fax: 213.740.7559; e-mail: 

ibearmba@marshall.usc.edu; website: www.ibear.com. 

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMICS

College of Future Generations: The College of Future Generations teaches and enables 

a process for equitable community change that integrates environmental conservation 

with development. As an international school for communities, it offers an innovative 

M.A. in Applied Conservation and Community Development. The program is designed 

for students seeking to develop skills in facilitating, teaching, and leading equitable and 

 27
sustainable community-based change. The program emphasizes a solid foundation in 

community development theory and practice, experiential learning in communities using

best practices, supervised on the job applications, and participation in a global learning

community. The four core areas of concentration and instruction include: communitybased development; globalization, localization and sustainability; change skills and 

empowerment; and understanding and monitoring community change. The two-year

program incorporates three modes of instruction: site-based, distance learning, and onthe-job practicums. Approximately two months of each year will be spent at field 

instruction sites with the remainder of the year spent on the job in home communities. 

The field instruction sites include: India, United States, Peru, Tibet, and China. Tuition 

includes international travel to teaching sites. A 10 percent tuition reduction is available 

for RPCVs. Contact Jerry Hembd, Director of Academic Programs, HC73 Box 100, 

Franklin, WV 26807; phone: 304.358.2000; fax: 304.358.3008; e-mail: jerry@future.org;

website: www.future.org. 

School for International Training: The Program in Intercultural Service, Leadership, 

and Management (PIM) prepares professionals who have the knowledge, skills, 

commitment, and contacts to be actively engaged in creative and comprehensive

solutions. The program is based on an educational philosophy that integrates theoretical

disciplines with experience-based learning. PIM offers six different degree areas 

designed around the competencies essential to a particular arena of professional practice: 

M.A., Sustainable Development; M.A., International Education; M.A., Social Justice and 

Intercultural Relations; M.A., Conflict Transformation; M.A., Service, Leadership and 

Management; and, M.S., Organizational Management. SIT offers a variety of financial 

aid options. RPCVs are especially encouraged to apply for the Community Service and 

Volunteer Scholarship and the National Peace Corps Association Scholarship. Contact 

Office of Admissions, School for International Training, Kipling Road, P.O. Box 676, 

Brattleboro, VT 05302-0676; phone: 800.336.1616 (United States and Canada) or 

802.258.3510; fax 802.258.3500; e-mail: info@sit.edu; website: www.sit.edu. 

Southern New Hampshire University: The Community Economic Development 

program is an applied program offering M.S. degrees in community economic 

development with a specialization in international development. The program can be 

completed in a 12-month residential course or a 22-month weekend course. A $2K 

stipend is given to RPCVs for their required school project. The Peace Corps experience 

counts toward the field experience required for acceptance to the program. Contact 

William Maddocks, School of Community Economic Development, Southern New 

Hampshire University, 2500 North River Road, Manchester, NH 03106; phone: 

603.644.3124; fax: 603.644.3158; e-mail: w.maddocks@snhu.edu; website:

www.snhu.edu/sced.html. 

University of Vermont: The Department of Community Development and Applied 

Economics (CDAE) offers an M.S. degree in community development and applied 

economics. CDAE courses and field experiences provide students with a foundation in 

applied economics skills in communication, critical thinking, and problem solving, and 

an awareness of social, civic, and environmental responsibility. Most graduate students 

 28
are funded by stipends and/or tuition waivers. In addition, UVM has an assistantship for a 

Peace Corps coordinator who could choose CDAE as a major. Contact Jane Kolodinsky, 

Community Development and Applied Economics, University of Vermont, Burlington, 

VT 05405; phone: 802.656.4616; fax: 802.656.1423; e-mail: jkolodin@uvm.edu; 

website: www.uvm.edu/cdae. 

EDUCATION

American University: The International Training and Education Program (ITEP) is 

dedicated to the preparation of leaders in international and nonformal education. ITEP is 

a multidisciplinary master’s program that focuses on education both as an instrument of

international development, and as a means of promoting cross-cultural understanding. 

The core courses in international training and education are complemented by work in

one of several support fields, such as TESOL, curriculum and instruction, area studies 

(Africa, Asia, Latin America, etc.), international development, gender studies, 

international communications, or community development. Graduates of the program are 

prepared to enter careers in such fields as global and multicultural education, foreign 

student affairs, international student exchange, nonformal adult education, consulting and 

training activities, and grassroots community development in the United States or abroad. 

RPCVs can receive six credits for their service, but must pay for these credits. Contact

ITEP-Department of Education, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, 

Washington, DC 20016; phone: 202.885.3725; fax: 202.885.1187; e-mail: 

ITEP@american.edu; website: www.american.edu/cas/soe/itep. 

Baruch College, School of Public Affairs, City University of New York: The Master 

of Public Administration Program (M.P.A.) prepares students from a variety of academic

and professional backgrounds to excel in careers with a public policy, public 

management, nonprofit management, or health care administration orientation. The M.S. 

in Higher Education Administration prepares students for leadership and supervisory

management positions in all types of colleges and universities. An RPCV graduate

research assistantship provides full in-state tuition and a $9K stipend for working with a

faculty member as a research assistant. Contact Pamela Ferner, Director of Graduate

Admissions and Student Services, Baruch College, School of Public Affairs, One Bernard 

Baruch Way, Box C-312, New York, NY 10010; phone: 212.802.5912, fax:

212.802.5928, email: spa_admissions@baruch.cuny.edu; website: 

www.baruch.cuny.edu/spa. 

George Washington University: GWU offers graduate programs of study in the field of 

teaching students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. The Professional 

Development School program is a full-time master’s degree with training through 

dynamic course work and a year-long clinical internship at either Benjamin Foulois 

Traditional Academy in Prince George’s County, MD, or Marshall Road Elementary in 

Fairfax County, VA. Tuition assistance is available, pending funding. RPCVs with 

teaching experience will be given special consideration for admission. Contact Dr. 

Elisabeth Rice, 2134 G Street, NW, #311, Washington, DC 20052; phone: 202.994.1535; 

e-mail: ehess@gwu.edu.

 29
University of Massachusetts at Amherst: The School of Education offers a program 

called “180 Days in Springfield,” a teacher-education partnership between the University

of Massachusetts Amherst and the Springfield, MA, public schools. Its intensive, yearlong, urban school-based program leads to a master’s of education degree and teacher 

licensure at the middle and high school level in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology,

earth science, and general science, English, history/political science, or world languages. 

The University of Massachusetts Amherst is accredited by the state and the National

Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Participants in the program 

earn a $3K stipend from the Springfield public schools during the second half of the 

public school year. Contact Robert Maloy, School of Education, University of 

Massachusetts Amherst, Furcolo Hall, Box 33070, Amherst, MA 01003; phone: 

413.545.0246; fax: 413.545.2879; e-mail: p180days@educ.umass.edu; website: 

www.umass.edu/education/180Days. 

School for International Training: The Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) provides a 

balanced blend of practical training, academic rigor, and professional preparation for 

students continuing their careers in the teaching of English to speakers of other 

languages, Spanish, and French. U.S. public school certification is optional. SIT offers a 

variety of financial aid programs. RPCVs are especially encouraged to apply for the 

Community Service and Volunteer Scholarship and the National Peace Corps Association 

Scholarship. Contact the Office of Admissions, School for International Training, Kipling

Road, P.O. Box 676, Brattleboro, VT 05302-0676; phone 800.336.1616 (United States 

and Canada) or 802.258.3510; fax: 802.258.3500; e-mail: info@sit.edu; website: 

www.sit.edu. 

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE/STUDIES

College of Future Generations: The College of Future Generations teaches and enables 

a process for equitable community change that integrates environmental conservation 

with development. As an international school for communities, it offers an innovative 

M.A. in Applied Conservation and Community Development. The program is designed 

for students seeking to develop skills in facilitating, teaching, and leading equitable and 

sustainable community-based change. The program emphasizes a solid foundation in 

community development theory and practice, experiential learning in communities using

best practices, supervised on the job applications, and participation in a global learning

community. The four core areas of concentration and instruction include: communitybased development; globalization, localization and sustainability; change skills and 

empowerment; and understanding and monitoring community change. The two-year

program incorporates three modes of instruction: site-based, distance learning and on-thejob practicums. Approximately two months of each year will be spent at field instruction 

sites with the remainder of the year spent on the job in home communities. The field 

instruction sites include: India, United States, Peru, Tibet, and China. Tuition includes 

international travel to teaching sites. A 10 percent tuition reduction is available for

RPCVs. Contact Jerry Hembd, Director of Academic Programs, HC73 Box 100, 

Franklin, WV 26807; phone: 304.358.2000; fax: 304.358.3008; e-mail: jerry@future.org;

website: www.future.org. 

 30
Indiana University: Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs 

offers a Master of Science in Environmental Science (M.S.E.S.), a joint M.S.E.S. and 

Master of Public Affairs, and a joint M.S.E.S./Law degree. Also, SPEA partners with 

other departments to offer joint degrees with the M.S.E.S. program. The two-year

graduate programs prepare RPCVs for challenging and rewarding work in the fields of 

environmental policy and natural resource management, applied ecology, environmental 

chemistry, toxicology and risk assessment and water resources. RPCVS with two full 

years of volunteer service in the Peace Corps automatically qualify for six credit hours of 

course reduction (over $3,800 reduction in tuition for non-residents). Merit-based 

financial aid is also available. Contact SPEA Graduate Programs (Peace Corps), School 

of Public and Environmental Affairs, SPEA 260, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

47405; phone: 812.855.2840; fax: 812.855.7802; e-mail: speainfo@indiana.edu; website: 

www.spea.indiana.edu. 

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis: The School of Public and 

Environmental Affairs (SPEA), the Center on Philanthropy, nonprofit and public 

organizations value the commitment, leadership, and comparative perspectives exhibited 

by RPCVs. SPEA offers the Master of Public Affairs (M.P.A.), Master of Health 

Administration (M.H.A.), and Master of Planning degrees (M.Pl.). The Center on 

Philanthropy offers the Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies through the School of 

Liberal Arts. Several joint degrees are offered including the M.P.A./M.A. in 

Philanthropic Studies. SPEA also offers joint graduate degrees with the schools of 

business, law, and nursing. SPEA will recognize the Peace Corps experience with up to 

six hours of graduate credit (valued up to $3K in tuition cost). The Center on 

Philanthropy will pay the application fee for up to five national service corps members 

applying to the M.A. in Philanthropic Studies. RPCVs will be strongly considered for

fellowships, assistantships, and scholarships that range from partial tuition remission to 

full tuition remission with a $12K stipend. For the School of Public and Environmental 

Affairs, contact SPEA Student Services Office, BS 3027, 801 W. Michigan Street, 

Indianapolis, IN 46202; phone: 317.274.4656; toll free: 877.292.9321; e-mail: 

infospea@iupui.edu; website: www.spea.iupui.edu. For Center on Philanthropy, contact 

Charlie Johnson, 550 W. North Street, Suite 301, Indianapolis, IN 46202; phone: 

317.684.8927; toll free: 800.854.1612; e-mail: maphil@iupui.edu; website: 

www.philanthropy.iupui.edu. 

Monterey Institute of International Studies: The Graduate School of International 

Policy Studies (GSIPS) is a dynamic, multidisciplinary, professional graduate school 

whose 300 students master knowledge and skills essential to bi-lingual professionals. 

RPCVs have succeeded in all four of the GSIPS master’s degrees—international public 

policy, international environmental policy, international public administration/nonprofit 

management, and international trade policy. The GSIPS faculty includes people with 

outstanding academic credentials and international professional experience. Monterey

Institute students—nearly half of whom are from over 40 different nations—share with 

faculty a commitment to building a global society where the prospects for peace are

improving, where cross-cultural communication and understanding are expanding, and 

where international economic exchange helps to improve the human condition. For more 

 31
information on GSIPS, begin your search at the website: www.miis.edu/gsips-aboutdean.html. The Monterey Institute offers competitive merit-based scholarships to RPCVs. 

Contact MIIS, 460 Pierce Street, Monterey, CA 93940; phone: 831.647.4123; fax:

831.647.6405; e-mail: gsips@miis.edu; website: www.miis.edu. 

San Jose State University: The Department of Environmental Studies offers an M.S. 

degree as well as a B.S., B.A., and two different degree minors. RPCVs receive special

consideration when applying to the M.S. degree program. Furthermore, RPCVs 

automatically receive six units of credit toward the 30-unit M.S. degree, thus saving

approximately one semester’s workload and tuition. Contact Dr. Gary Klee (RPCV), 

Professor, Department of Environmental Studies, San Jose State University, San Jose, 

CA 95192; phone: 408.924.5455; fax: 408.924.5477; e-mail: kleeGary@msn.com; 

website: www.sjsu.edu/depts/EnvStudies. 

Tufts University: The Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning

offers graduate public policy and planning programs culminating in either a Master of

Arts (M.A.) degree or a Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) degree. The programs prepare 

public-spirited individuals for careers in government, nonprofit organizations, citizen 

advocacy groups, and the private sector. The M.P.P. degree is a new, one-year degree

designed for individuals with at least seven years of relevant professional experience. The 

department offers a number of partial tuition remission scholarships each year. 

Departmental financial aid is need-based. The department awards a limited number of 

graduate assistantships each year for which all students may apply. Contact Ann 

Urosevich, Department Administrator, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy

and Planning, 97 Talbot Avenue, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155; phone: 617. 

627.3394; fax: 617.627.3377; e-mail: ann.urosevich@tufts.edu; website: 

www.ase.tufts.edu/uep.

FORESTRY

Michigan Technological University: The School of Forest Resources and 

Environmental Science offers master’s and doctoral degrees in a wide range of fields. 

Academic subject areas include forest ecology, quantitative forestry, wood science, 

biotechnology, and bioinformatics. The school offers research assistantships, graduate 

stipends, and tuition waivers on a competitive basis. Most graduate students receive at

least partial support. RPCVs are given preferential treatment among otherwise equal 

applicants. Contact Dr. Margaret Gale, Professor and Associate Dean, Forest Resources 

and Environmental Science, Michigan Tech. University, 1400 Townsend Drive, 

Houghton, MI 49931; phone: 800.966.3764 or 906.487.2352; fax: 906.487.2915; e-mail: 

mrgale@mtu.edu; website: forest.mtu.edu. The website includes a link to open graduate

assistantships.

University of Washington: The College of Forest Resources offers M.S. and Ph.D. 

degrees in the following program areas: forest economics, forest ecosystem analysis, 

forest engineering and hydrology, forest products marketing, forest soils, quantitative

resources management, silviculture and forest protection, social sciences, paper science 

 32
and engineering, urban horticulture, and wildlife science. A Master of Forest Resources is 

offered for silviculture and urban horticulture. Research assistantships and fellowships 

are available on a competitive basis. Faculty can award independent study academic 

credit for certain Peace Corps experiences. Contact the Office of Student Services, 

College of Forest Resources, Box 352100, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

98195; phone: 206.543.7081; fax: 206.685.0790; e-mail: cfradv@u.washington.edu; 

website: www.cfr.washington.edu. 

GEOGRAPHY

Ohio University: The M.S. program provides broad geographic training in

environmental management, land-use planning, development, and landscape studies 

together with technical specializations of quantitative methods, GIS, remote sensing, and 

cartography. RPCVs are given special consideration for financial aid. Graduate research 

and teaching assistantships are available. Contact the Graduate Chair, Department of 

Geography, Ohio University, 122 Clippinger Lab, Athens, OH 45701; phone: 

740.593.1140; fax: 740.593.1139; e-mail: goettgej@ohio.edu; website: 

www.ohio.edu/geography.

HEALTH 

A.T. Still University of Health Sciences: The School of Health Management (SHM), a 

School of A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, offers quality online graduate degree 

programs in public health, geriatric health management, and health administration. SHM 

recognizes the worldwide need to educate the future leaders in the fields of public health 

and health management. In keeping with the university goal to serve the world’s health 

care needs, SHM’s interactive coursework puts you in touch with a broad community of 

individuals—from faculty at the founding school of osteopathic medicine to students 

from partner institutions in Belize. Complete web access to all courses and no residential 

requirement provide you with the opportunity to complete an elite education from 

wherever your field of service may be. SHM grants RPCVs a 20 percent discount off of 

tuition in recognition of their volunteer service. Contact Susan Nelson, Assistant Director 

of Admissions, School of Health Management, A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, 

800 West Jefferson Street, Kirksville, MO 63501; phone: 800.626.5266, ext. 2237; fax:

660.626.2969; e-mail: admissions@kcom.edu; website: shm.atsu.edu. 

Brandeis University: The Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis 

University offers management training for people who want to lead mission-driven 

organizations. This unique M.B.A. degree prepares students for leadership positions in 

the fast changing public, nonprofit and private health and human services environments. 

Effective June 2003, Heller will offer an automatic $5K scholarship to RPCVs who are 

admitted to the full-time M.B.A. program. Additional need- and merit-based scholarships 

may be available. Application fees are waived for all RPCVs. Contact Lisa Sherry, 

Assistant Director for Admissions and Financial Aid, The Heller School for Social Policy

and Management, Brandeis University, P.O. Box 9110, MS 035, Waltham, MA 02454; 

phone: 800.279.4105; fax: 781.736.3881; e-mail: HellerAdmissions@brandeis.edu. 

 33
Johns Hopkins University: The Department of Biostatistics provides opportunities for 

students to acquire range and depth in modern aspects of statistics with applications to the

biological, medical, environmental, behavioral, and health sciences. Thorough knowledge 

of calculus and linear algebra is highly desirable. Degrees include the M.H.S, Sc.M., and 

Ph.D. Because of past success with RPCVs, they are given special consideration for 

admission. Students admitted to the Ph.D. program are considered for a full-tuition 

scholarship and a paid research assistantship of no less than $18K per year for five years. 

Contact Mary Joy Argo, Academic Administrator, Department of Biostatistics, Room 

E3523, Johns Hopkins University, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205; 

phone: 410.614.4454; fax 410.955.0958; e-mail: margo@jhsph.edu; website: 

www.biostat.jhsph.edu. 

Loma Linda University: The Loma Linda University School of Public Health offers a 

master’s degree in public health focusing on both international health and environmental 

health with an integrated approach to health and development work among underserved 

populations. Work-study positions are available, as well as academic and tuition credit 

for the field-training portion of the program. Contact Dr. Barbara Anderson, Loma Linda 

University, Room 1306, Nichol Hall, Loma Linda, CA 92354; phone: 909.558.4902; fax:

909.558.0389; e-mail: banderson@sph.llu.edu; website: www.llu.edu/llu/sph/inth. 

Tufts University: Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Food Policy and 

Applied Nutrition Program. The Food Policy and Applied Nutrition Program (FPAN) at 

the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University offers a twoyear M.S. program preparing students for careers in international or domestic food, 

nutrition, or hunger-related careers. (For an additional semester, students also can receive 

a Master of Public Health degree.) The school prides itself on providing students 

interested in international careers with a broad-based understanding of international 

development as well as the intricacies of policy, project design, monitoring, and 

evaluation. Students also are equipped to do valuable analysis of data relating to the 

nature of problems and their causality, and to the effectiveness of programs. Major

emphasis is placed on real world problem solving; students often become involved in

international programs while still doing course work. Graduates of the FPAN program 

are working for governments, international and bilateral assistance agencies, and NGOs. 

Because of the broad-based nature of the program, FPAN has drawn large numbers of 

RPCVs. Candidates for admission who have served in the Peace Corps are given priority

because of the relevance of their experience. Log on to nutrition.tufts.edu, a website 

providing complete information on all school programs, or contact James Levinson at email: james.levinson@tufts.edu. 

Tulane University: The School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine offers a master’s 

degree in public health in the following areas: biostatistics, epidemiology, community

health sciences, environmental health sciences, health systems management, international 

health and development, and tropical medicine. Scholarships of $3,500 are offered on a 

competitive basis to RPCVs. Contact Dean Elaine Boston, Tulane University School of 

Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Office of Admissions and Student Affairs, SL29, 

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1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70112; phone: 800.676.5389; fax: 504.584.1667; 

e-mail: peacecorps-L@tulane.edu; website: www.sph.tulane.edu. 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 

Carnegie Mellon University: The Master of Information Systems Management is a oneyear (three-semester) degree program that combines technology, management, and 

strategy. Areas of specialization include: electronic commerce, information security

management, strategic information processing, medical informatics, or general studies. 

Up to half-tuition scholarships are offered to all RPCVs pursuing full-time study. In

addition, students may be eligible for research and teaching assistantships, loan 

forgiveness, and other forms of financial aid. Contact Ann English, Master of 

Information Systems Management, Carnegie Mellon University, Hamburg Hall, 

Pittsburgh, PA 15213; phone: 888.634.9604; fax: 412.268.6718; e-mail: misminfo@andrew.cmu.edu; website: www.mism.cmu.edu. 

University of Michigan: The School of Information offers master’s and doctoral degrees 

in information. Specialization options for the M.S. in Information include: human 

computer interaction, information economics, management and policy, library and 

information services, archives and records management, and individually tailored 

specializations. The school has numerous scholarships, stipends, and research 

assistantships available. Special consideration is given to prospective students who have 

demonstrated prior commitment to service work and community development. The

Community Information Corps helps students explore public interest information careers

through projects, seminars, guest speakers, conference travel, summer internships, and 

mentoring and networking post graduation. Contact Director of Admissions, School of 

Information, 550 East University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109; phone: 734.647.3576; fax:

734.615.3587; e-mail: si.admissions@umich.edu; website: www.si.umich.edu. 

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS/DEVELOPMENT/POLICY 

American University: The International Development Program in the School of 

International service offers an M.A. in international development and an M.S. in 

development management. Specializations include development management, economic 

policy reform, conflict and development, environment and development, community

development, economic development, gender studies, democracy and governance, 

entrepreneurship and small business, and microfinance. Assistantships and scholarships 

are awarded on a merit basis and provide partial funding for up to two years. Tuition 

remission is available through the Dean's Scholar Award and Special Opportunity Award 

(for US-born minority students). At least one fellowship will be offered each year to an

RPCV. RPCVs receive special consideration for admission. Contact Dr. David 

Hirschmann, Director, or the Program Manager at International Development Program, 

School of International Service, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, 

Washington, DC 20016; phone: 202.885.1657; fax: 202.885.1695; e-mail: 

idpsis@american.edu; website: www.american.edu/sis/idp. 

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University of California at San Diego: The Master of Pacific International Affairs 

(M.P.I.A.) Program offers an interdisciplinary course of study over two years that 

combines the fields of management, international relations, comparative political

analysis, and economics. The program also requires a specialization in a region or 

country of the Pacific and a foreign language requirement. Admitted students are 

considered for merit-based fellowships ranging from fee waivers to tuition payments and 

stipends. All students are eligible to apply for teaching assistantships, research 

assistantships, and reader and grader positions at UCSD. Contact Graduate School of 

International Relations and Pacific Studies, University of California, San Diego, 9500 

Gilman Drive—Mailcode 0520, La Jolla, CA 92093; phone: 858.534.5914; fax:

858.534.1135; e-mail: irps-apply@ucsd.edu; website: www-irps.ucsd.edu. 

Columbia University: The School of International and Public Affairs offers academic 

programs leading to a Master of International Affairs (M.I.A.) degree. The M.I.A. 

curriculum has been designed to develop international affairs experts, consultants, and 

executives who understand the increasingly complex issues that transcend national 

boundaries. Course offerings are balanced among four sectors: core curriculum, regional 

or functional concentration, the foreign language requirement, and electives. Fellowship 

and scholarship aid, both need-based and merit-based, are available. Contact Karen 

Fairclough-Lini, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, School of International and 

Public Affairs, Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, 420 West 118 Street, Room 408, 

New York, NY 10027; phone: 212.854.6216; fax: 212.854.3010; e-mail: 

sipa_admission@columbia.edu; website: www.columbia.edu/cu/sipa.

University of Denver: The master's and doctoral degrees offered by the Graduate School 

of International Studies are interdisciplinary programs combining political science,

political theory, international law, economics, history, psychology, public policy studies, 

and management skills to prepare students to shape creative responses to the great 

challenges of our time and to confront real-world problems armed with historical

analogies, a comparative and critical perspective, theoretical frameworks for order 

complex data, and technical skills. GSIS offers M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in international 

studies and several M.A. degrees directed at specific topical areas. The school

participates in dual- and joint-degree programs with other departments of the University

of Denver including the Daniels College of Business, the College of Law, the School of 

Communication, and the Graduate School of Social Work. Contact the Director of 

Admissions and Financial Aid, Graduate School of International Studies, Ben 

Cherrington Hall 325, Denver, CO 80208; phone: 303.871.2989; fax: 303.871.3585; email: gsisadm@du.edu; website: www.du.edu/gsis. 

Fordham University: The Graduate Program in International Political Economy and 

Development (IPED) offers an M.A. with a course of study designed to provide 

competence in economic, political, social, and quantitative analysis. Available

concentrations include: comparative and international politics; development studies with 

an emphasis on project management, micro-credit, and small business development; 

emerging markets and country risk analysis; international business and finance; and 

international and development economics. Special consideration is given to RPCVs for 

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all admission and financial aid decisions. Generous Arrupe Fellowships are available for 

qualified RPCVs who intend to pursue a career with international relief and development 

organizations as project managers. Other assistantships, scholarships, stipends, and 

tuition waivers also exist. Contact Professor Henry Schwalbenberg, Director, 

International Political Economy and Development Program, Fordham University, Dealy

Hall, Room E 511, Bronx, NY 10458; phone: 718.817.4064; fax: 718.817.4565; e-mail: 

iped@fordham.edu; website: www.fordham.edu/iped. 

Georgetown University: The Master of Science in Foreign Service (M.S.F.S.) degree 

offers a professionally oriented, full-time, two-year program consisting of required 

courses and electives. M.S.F.S. trains generalists who develop the analytical skills and 

knowledge essential to find success in leadership positions in international affairs in the 

public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Merit-based tuition scholarships, teaching

assistantships, and research assistantships are available. Contact M.S.F.S. Admissions, 

Georgetown University, Box 571028, 37th and O Streets, NW, Washington, DC 20057; 

phone: 202.687.5763; fax: 202.687.5116; e-mail: msfsinfo@georgetown.edu; website: 

www.georgetown.edu/sfs/msfs. 

Johns Hopkins University: At campuses in Washington, DC and Bologna, Italy, and 

through a relationship with the Hopkins-Nanjing Center in China, the School of 

Advanced International Studies (SAIS) offers a M.A. in International Affairs degree

program that provides the analytical skills necessary for international relations policymaking through in-depth practical exposure to economics, foreign languages, functional 

fields, and regional studies. Areas of functional and economics specializations include 

international development (including social change and development), international law 

and organization, conflict management, energy, environment, science and technology,

strategic studies, global theory and history, international economics, development and 

transitional economics, international finance, quantitative methods, and economics 

theory. Regional studies are available in Africa, China, Japan, and Korea, South Asia, 

Southeast Asia, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia, Middle East, Latin America, Canada, and 

American foreign policy. Most students finance their education through a combination of 

personal resources, loans, and fellowships. All M.A. applicants who request financial aid 

are considered for fellowships. RPCVs are welcome to apply. Contact SAIS Admissions, 

1740 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036; phone: 202.663.5700; fax:

202.663.7788; e-mail: admissions.sais@jhu.edu; website: www.sais-jhu.edu/admissions. 

SAIS information that may pertain to RPCVs can be found on the International 

Development department website at www.sais-jhu.edu/depts/id/partnerships.htm. 

Monterey Institute of International Studies: The Graduate School of International 

Policy Studies (GSIPS) is a dynamic, multidisciplinary, professional graduate school 

whose 300 students master knowledge and skills essential to bi-lingual professionals. 

RPCVs have succeeded in all four of the GSIPS master’s degrees—international public 

policy, international environmental policy, international public administration/nonprofit 

management, and international trade policy. The GSIPS faculty includes people with 

outstanding academic credentials and international professional experience. Monterey

Institute students—nearly half of whom are from over 40 different nations—share with 

 37
faculty a commitment to building a global society where the prospects for peace are

improving, where cross-cultural communication and understanding are expanding, and 

where international economic exchange helps to improve the human condition. For more 

information on GSIPS, visit the website at www.miis.edu/gsips-about-dean.html. The 

Monterey Institute offers competitive merit-based scholarships to RPCVs. Contact MIIS, 

460 Pierce Street, Monterey, CA 93940; phone: 831.647.4123; fax: 831.647.6405; email: gsips@miis.edu; website: www.miis.edu. 

Ohio University: The Center for International Studies offers an interdisciplinary M.A. 

degree in international affairs. Students may choose one of five graduate programs: 

African, Latin American, Southeast Asian, communication and development or 

international development studies. The Center offers assistantships and tuition 

scholarships to qualified students, including RPCVs. Foreign language and area studies 

fellowships are also available to students who want to study an African or Southeast 

Asian language in conjunction with earning a master’s degree. Contact Jennifer Cochran, 

Center for International Studies, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701; phone: 

740.593.1840; fax: 740.593.1837; e-mail: international.studies@ohiou.edu; website: 

www.ohiou.edu/international studies. 

University of Oregon: The International Studies Program offers an interdisciplinary

M.A. degree for students seeking careers in international affairs, international 

development, diplomacy, international organizations, or domestic organization with an 

international focus. In consultation with their advisers, students design academic 

programs that meet their professional needs. The strengths and areas of focus include: 

cross-cultural and intercultural communication, gender and international development, 

international relations with a strong emphasis on social, cultural, and interdisciplinary

perspectives, southeast Asia, south Asia, Africa, and indigenous cultures around the 

world. The program offers assistantships, including tuition waivers, and stipends to 

qualified students. Contact International Studies Program, University of Oregon, 

Eugene, OR 97403; phone: 541.346.5052; fax: 541.346.5041; e-mail: isp@uoregon.edu; 

website: www.uoregon.edu/~isp. 

School for International Training: The Program in Intercultural Service, Leadership 

and Management (PIM) prepares professionals who have the knowledge, skills, 

commitment, and contacts to be actively engaged in creative and comprehensive

solutions. The program is based on an educational philosophy that integrates theoretical

disciplines with experience-based learning. PIM offers six different degree areas 

designed around the competencies essential to a particular arena of professional practice: 

M.A. in sustainable development; M.A. in international education; M.A. in social justice 

and intercultural relations; M.A. in conflict transformation; M.A. in service, leadership, 

and management; and M.S. in organizational management. SIT offers a variety of 

financial aid options. RPCVs are especially encouraged to apply for the Community

Service and Volunteer Scholarship and the National Peace Corps Association 

Scholarship. Contact the Office of Admissions, School for International Training, Kipling

Road, P.O. Box 676, Brattleboro, VT 05302; phone: 800.336.1616 (United States and 

Canada) or 802.258.3510; fax: 802.258.3500; e-mail: info@sit.edu; website: 

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www.sit.edu. 

Tufts University: Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Food Policy and 

Applied Nutrition Program. The Food Policy and Applied Nutrition Program (FPAN) at 

the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University offers a twoyear M.S. program preparing students for careers in international or domestic food, 

nutrition, or hunger-related careers. (For an additional semester, students also can receive 

a Master of Public Health degree.) The school prides itself on providing students 

interested in international careers with a broad-based understanding of international 

development as well the intricacies of policy, project design, monitoring and evaluation. 

Students also are equipped to do valuable analysis of data relating to the nature of

problems and their causality, and to the effectiveness of programs. Major emphasis is 

placed on real world problem solving; students often become involved in international 

programs while still doing course work. Graduates of the FPAN program are working for

governments, international and bilateral assistance agencies and NGOs. Because of the 

broad based nature of the program, FPAN has drawn large numbers of returned PCVs. 

Candidates for admission who have served in the Peace Corps are given priority because 

of the relevance of their experience. Log on to the website at nutrition.tufts.edu or contact 

James Levinson at e-mail: james.levinson@tufts.edu. 

Tufts University: The Fletcher School offers a two-year program of advanced study in 

international relations leading to an M.A. degree in law and diplomacy. The program is 

designed to provide graduate education for careers in the following: foreign service, U.S. 

government offices, the United Nations, international business, finance, journalism, 

teaching, and research in international affairs. RPCVs will be given special consideration 

for admission and fellowships. Contact Laurie Hurley, Director of Admissions and 

Financial Aid, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Medford, 

MA 02155; phone: 617.627.3040; fax: 617.627.3712; e-mail: 

fletcheradmissions@tufts.edu; website: www.fletcher.tufts.edu. 

JOURNALISM 

University of Maryland: The University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of

Journalism offers a Master’s degree in journalism. Those in the public affairs reporting

graduate program spend a semester in Washington, DC, or Annapolis, MD, reporting for 

the College’s Capital News Service. RPCVs are given special consideration for

admissions and/or financial assistance. Contact Christopher Callahan, Associate Dean, 

Merrill College of Journalism, 1117 Journalism Building, University of Maryland, 

College Park, MD 20742-71111; phone: 301.405.2432; fax: 301.314.1978; e-mail: 

ccallahn@jmail.umd.edu; website: www.journalism.umd.edu. 

LANGUAGE/LINGUISTICS/ESL

American University: American University’s Department of Language and Foreign 

Studies offers an M.A. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), a 

M.A. in Teaching: English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL—this degree leads to

 39
K-12 Certification), and a TESOL Certificate (a fifteen-credit graduate credential). 

RPCVs are eligible to compete for all merit awards for which they might be eligible. 

RPCVs with TEFL experience are waived from the three-credit TESOL practicum and 

six credits of TESOL elective courses so that they can complete a M.A. in TESOL degree

with 27 in-residence credits. Contact Brock Brady, Coordinator, TESOL Programs, 

Department of Language and Foreign Studies, American University, Washington, DC 

20016; phone: 202.885.1446; fax: 202.885.1356; e-mail: bbrady@american.edu; website: 

www.american.edu/tesol.

Arizona State University: The Asian languages section in the Department of Languages 

and Literatures has been teaching Chinese language (Mandarin) and literature since 1966, 

at a Research One university which offers over 130 courses on Asia each semester. An 

M.A. program in Asian languages and civilizations, which initially includes China and 

Japan, has been inaugurated in the fall of 2002. It features a one-year residency

requirement and is aimed at providing further academic training for applicants who have 

had experience living and working in either of the two countries. The program will be 

offering a number of teaching assistantships with stipends of $11,400 per academic year, 

including up to two in Chinese. Planners are currently seeking other sources of financial 

aid for students. Contact Timothy Wong (RPCV Thailand), Department of Languages 

and Literatures, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 870202, Tempe, AZ 85287; phone: 

480.965.7551; fax: 480.965.0135; e-mail: timothy.wong@asu.edu; website:

www.asu.edu/clas/asian/timothy_wong.html. 

Monterey Institute of International Studies: The Graduate School of Language and 

Educational Linguistics offers M.A. degrees in TESOL: Teaching English to Speakers of

Other Languages and TFL: Teaching Foreign Languages. Students may also earn 

certificates in these areas. In addition we offer certificates in Language Program

Administration and Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL). Much of the work 

for the CALL Certificate takes place in the Max Kade Language and Technology Center, 

which is dedicated to the promotion of innovative language learning and teaching. Our 

goal is to develop teachers who are self-reliant and informed decision makers. Our 

graduates fill positions in language teaching and related fields, such as curriculum design

and materials writing, worldwide. Our diverse student body, comprised of 50 percent 

international students, as well as our 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio makes our language

teaching programs particularly unique and highly personalized. The Monterey Institute 

offers competitive merit-based scholarships to RPCVs. Contact MIIS, 460 Pierce Street, 

Monterey, CA 93940; phone: 831.647.4123; fax: 831.647.6405; e-mail: gslel@miis.edu; 

website: www.miis.edu. 

Ohio University: The Department of Linguistics offers an M.A. in applied

linguistics/TESOL. The program specializes in training teachers of English as a second 

language, in either international or domestic settings, with half of the course work in 

linguistics (the study of the general properties of language), and the other half in TESOL. 

Full and partial assistantships are available with special preferences for RPCVs. Contact

the Graduate Chair, Department of Linguistics, Ohio University, 383 Gordy Hall, Athens, 

 40
OH 45701; phone: 740.593.0297; fax: 740.593.2967; e-mail: lingdept@ohio.edu; 

website: www.ohiou.edu/linguistics/dept/welcome.html. 

School for International Training: Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) provides a 

balanced blend of practical training, academic rigor, and professional preparation for 

students continuing their careers in the teaching of English to speakers of other 

languages, Spanish, and French. U.S. public school certification is optional. SIT offers a 

variety of financial aid programs. RPCVs are especially encouraged to apply for the 

Community Service and Volunteer Scholarship and the National Peace Corps Association 

Scholarship. Contact the Office of Admissions, School for International Training, Kipling

Road, P.O. Box 676, Brattleboro, VT 05302-0676; phone: 800.336.1616 (United States 

and Canada) or 802.258.3510; fax: 802.258.3500; e-mail: info@sit.edu; website: 

www.sit.edu. 

LAW 

University of the District of Columbia: The UDC-David A. Clarke School of Law 

(UDC-DCSL) is the only nationally accredited law school requiring significant service to 

low-income people. In addition to the standard law school academic curriculum, each 

student spends over 700 hours representing real clients and the public interest. Students 

earn law school credit through direct work for children with special educational needs, 

women, and children affected by HIV, prisoners, low-income tenants and consumers, and 

community organizations. RPCVs admitted to the school will receive a $1,000 

scholarship and be eligible for all other available grants. The admission fee is also waived 

for RPCVs. For admission and application information, contact Aaron Taylor, Assistant 

Director of Admission, at 202.274.5592; e-mail: antaylor@udc.edu. 

Santa Clara University: The School of Law offers students the opportunity to earn 

certificates of specialization in public interest, international, and high technology law. A 

dual J.D./M.B.A. degree is also available. RPCVs admitted to the school may be

considered for one of five public interest scholarships given annually to entering students. 

Scholarships are awarded on the basis of demonstrated commitment to public interest and 

financial need. Contact Jeanette Leach, Assistant Dean for Admissions and Diversity

Services, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053; phone: 408.554.5470; fax:

408.554.7897; e-mail: jleach@scu.edu; website: www.scu.edu/law. 

MANAGEMENT

Brandeis University: The Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis 

University offers management training for people who want to lead mission-driven 

organizations. This unique M.B.A. degree prepares students for leadership positions in 

the fast changing public, nonprofit and private health and human services environments. 

Effective June 2003, Heller will offer an automatic $5K scholarship to RPCVs who are 

admitted to the full-time M.B.A. Program. Additional need- and merit-based scholarships 

may be available. Application fees are waived for RPCVs. Contact Lisa Sherry, Assistant 

Director for Admissions and Financial Aid, The Heller School for Social Policy and 

 41
Management, Brandeis University, P.O. Box 9110, MS 035, Waltham, MA 02454; 

phone: 800.279.4105; fax: 781.736.3881; e-mail: HellerAdmissions@brandeis.edu. 

Monterey Institute of International Studies: The Fisher Graduate School of 

International Business MBA program equips students for global business careers through 

mastery of core business disciplines, knowledge of business environments around the 

world, and hands-on experience in international business plan development. Graduates 

fill positions in large, global corporations, small startups, and in the not-for profit and 

government sectors. The diverse student body, comprised of 50 percent international 

students and 50 percent women, as well as our 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio makes our 

M.B.A. program particularly unique and highly personalized. The Monterey Institute

offers competitive merit-based scholarships to RPCVs. Contact MIIS, 460 Pierce Street, 

Monterey, CA 93940; phone: 831.647.4123; fax: 831.647.6405; e-mail: fgsib@miis.edu; 

website: www.miis.edu. 

New York University: Founded in 1938, New York University’s Robert F. Wagner 

Graduate School of Public Service is the nation’s largest graduate school of its kind. 

Through teaching, research, and service, Wagner prepares its students for work of public 

importance—solving problems in education, healthcare, economic development, housing

and other issues on the local, national, and global levels. Degrees include: a Master of 

Public Administration in public and nonprofit management and policy as well as health 

policy and management; Master of Urban Planning; Ph.D. in public administration; and 

M.S. in management. Various partial scholarships and graduate and research

assistantships (including the Sargent Shriver Scholarship for RPCVs) are offered. Contact 

the Wagner School Office of Admissions, New York University, 4 Washington Square

North, Room 11, New York, NY 10003; phone: 212.998.7414; fax: 212.995.4164; email: wagner.admissions@nyu.edu; website: www.nyu.edu/wagner. 

Thunderbird, The American Graduate School of International Management: The 

Master of Business Administration in International Management curriculum is founded 

on a tripartite system that requires students to take courses in international business 

management, international studies, and multi-lingual communications. With flexibility in 

its full-time program, Thunderbird allows students to earn their M.B.A. in International 

Management via two tracks. Track 1 is the comprehensive Thunderbird experience. This 

four-trimester program includes study of a second language and more comprehensive 

coursework in regional studies. It is recommended that students take advantage of the 

overseas opportunities and internship programs offered. This track offers a more in-depth 

knowledge base of international studies and/or a greater concentration of a specific 

region. Track 2, a three-trimester program, is designed to be completed in one calendar 

year. This track also includes a full complement of global business, cross-cultural and 

regional studies. In lieu of language study, students are required to participate in a 

Winterim program and are encouraged to choose one of those offered outside the United 

States. This track is also ideal for those students who come to their M.B.A. studies with 

multi-language capabilities and international work/life experience already in hand. 

Thunderbird offers merit-based scholarships, assistantships, and fellowships. RPCVs are 

considered for a Peace Corps fellowship, which may include full-tuition for one to three 

 42
trimesters. Contact the Office of Admissions, Thunderbird Campus, 15249 North 59th 

Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85306; phone: 800.848.9084 or 602.978.7100; fax: 602.439.5432; 

e-mail: admissions@thunderbird.edu; website: www.thunderbird.edu.

Willamette University: Willamette University's Atkinson Graduate School of

Management offers the nation’s only M.B.A. accredited for business and public 

administration. The distinctive dual accreditation provides the flexibility to pursue a 

career in business, government and not-for-profit organizations. Areas of interest include: 

accounting, finance, human resources, international management, information 

technology, marketing, organizational analysis and public management. A joint degree in 

management and law is also available. One 50 percent tuition scholarship is reserved 

each year for an RPCV. The school also offers a merit-based scholarship program and 

other forms of financial aid. RPCVs receive special consideration for admission. Contact 

Judy O’Neill, Assistant Dean/Director of Admission, Atkinson Graduate School of 

Management, Willamette University, 900 State Street, Salem, OR 97301; phone: 

503.370.6167; fax: 503.370.3011; e-mail: joneill@willamette.edu; website: 

www.willamette.edu/agsm. 

Yale University: Yale School of Management's mission is to educate leaders for

business and society. The full-time, two-year M.B.A. program offers concentrations in 

finance, strategy, marketing, leadership, operations management, public management, 

and nonprofit management as well as opportunities for in-depth study in other areas. Yale 

SOM also offers joint degrees with other Yale graduate and professional schools such as 

of Law, Medicine, Public Health, Engineering, Environmental Science and International 

Studies, to name a few. Yale SOM has a long history of enrolling RPCVs and as a special 

consideration, offers application fee waivers for them. Once offered admission to the 

M.B.A. program, students are also considered for merit-based scholarships. In 1986, the 

Yale School of Management became the first business school in the country to offer a 

program of financial assistance to help alleviate the educational loan obligations of 

graduates who pursue public or nonprofit management careers. The Yale School of 

Management Nonprofit/Public Service Loan Assistance Program provides an element of

financial flexibility that makes it possible for graduates to pursue their career goals in the

public or nonprofit sector despite educational loan debt. Contact the Office of 

Admissions, Yale School of Management, 135 Prospect Street, Box 208200, New Haven, 

CT 06520; phone: 203.432.5932; fax: 203.432.7004; e-mail: mba.admissions@yale.edu; 

website: mba.yale.edu. 

NURSING/PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT

Catholic University of America: School of Nursing. The Advanced Practice with 

Vulnerable Populations graduate nursing program offers a Master of Science in Nursing

(M.S.N.). The two tracks are Community/Public Health Clinical Nurse Specialist (2

years) and the blended role of a Community/Public Health Clinical Nurse Specialist and 

Family Nurse Practitioner (2 years and 1 summer). These innovative, excellent programs 

are dedicated to educating nurses to care for underserved populations. The applicant must 

have a Bachelor of Science Nursing degree or be interested in pursuing a joint B.S.N. and 

 43
M.S.N. Various merit and need-based scholarships are offered. Additionally, the RPCV 

may be specially considered for a Provost scholarship, which is equivalent to a 25 percent 

reduction in tuition. Contact Eileen Sarsfield, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Grant 

Manager, The Catholic University of America School of Nursing, Cardinal Station, 

Washington, DC 20064; phone: 202.319.5502; fax: 202.319.4349; e-mail: 

Sarsfield@cua.edu; website: nursing.cua.edu/vulnerablepeople. 

University of North Dakota: The Physician Assistant Program considers only currently

licensed registered nurses, with a baccalaureate degree, not necessarily in nursing, with a 

minimum of four years professional nursing experience, who apply with a practicing

primary care physician preceptor. The program is 20 months in length and confers a 

Master in Physician Assistant Studies. Contact the University of North Dakota, Physician 

Assistant Program, P.O. Box 9037, Grand Forks, ND 58202; phone: 701.777.2344; fax:

701.777.2389; e-mail: mcdaniel@medicine.nodak.edu; website: 

www.med.und.nodak.edu. 

PSYCHOLOGY 

University of Hawaii: Community and Culture Psychology is a graduate specialization 

that leads to a Ph.D. degree in psychology, with Certificate options in Urban and 

Regional Planning, Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance, and Disability

Studies. Research assistantships, teaching assistantships, and tuition waivers are available 

with special consideration for RPCVs. Contact Dr. Clifford O’Donnell, Department of 

Psychology, University of Hawaii, 2430 Campus Road, Honolulu, HI 96822; phone: 

808.956.6271; fax: 808.956.4700; e-mail: cliffo@hawaii.edu; website: 

www.hawaii.edu/psychology/cc.html. 

PUBLIC AFFAIRS/POLICY/ADMINISTRATION 

University of Akron: The Department of Public Administration and Urban Studies offer 

an M.P.A., M.A. and J.D./M.P.A. program. There is also a Ph.D. program in Public 

Administration and one in Public Affairs. Graduate assistantships, scholarships, and 

tuition waivers are available for qualified RPCVs. Contact Joyce Lott, Department of 

Public Administration and Urban Studies, The University of Akron, 265 Polsky, Akron, 

OH 44325; phone: 330.972.7618; fax: 330.972.6376; e-mail: jlott@uakron.edu; website: 

www.uakron.edu/paus. 

Baruch College, School of Public Affairs, City University of New York: The Master of 

Public Administration (M.P.A.) Program prepares students from a variety of academic

and professional backgrounds to excel in careers with a public policy, public 

management, nonprofit management, or health care administration orientation. The 

Master of Science in Higher Education Administration prepares students for leadership 

and supervisory management positions in all types of colleges and universities. An RPCV 

Graduate Research Assistantship provides full in-state tuition and a $9K stipend for 

working with a faculty member as a research assistant. Contact Pamela Ferner, Director 

of Graduate Admissions and Student Services, Baruch College, School of Public Affairs, 

 44
One Bernard Baruch Way, Box C-312, New York, NY 10010; phone: 212.802.5912; fax:

212.802.5928, e-mail: spa_admissions@baruch.cuny.edu; website: 

www.baruch.cuny.edu/spa. 

Brandeis University: The Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis 

University offers management training for people who want to lead mission-driven 

organizations. This unique M.B.A. degree prepares students for leadership positions in 

the fast changing public, nonprofit and private health and human services environments. 

Effective June 2003, Heller will offer an automatic $5K scholarship to RPCVs who are 

admitted to the full-time M.B.A. Program. Additional need- and merit-based scholarships 

may be available. Application fees are waived for all RPCVs. Contact Lisa Sherry, 

Assistant Director for Admissions and Financial Aid, The Heller School for Social Policy

and Management, Brandeis University, P.O. Box 9110, MS 035, Waltham, MA 02454; 

phone: 800.279.4105; fax: 781.736.3881; e-mail: HellerAdmissions@brandeis.edu. 

Columbia University: The School of International and Public Affairs master’s 

curriculum is designed to provide students with the means to solve problems and 

implement change. Graduates of the university’s Graduate Program in Public Policy and 

Administration are applying the knowledge and skills they acquired to critical, publicpolicy issues – globally, regionally, and in individual communities and industries. 

Contact Karen Fairclough-Lini, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, School of 

International and Public Affairs, Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, 420 West 118 

Street, Room 408, New York, NY 10027; phone: 212.854.6216; fax: 212.854.3010; email: sipa_admission@columbia.edu; website: www.columbia.edu/cu/sipa.

Georgetown University: Master’s of Public Policy (M.P.P.) Degree. The Georgetown 

Public Policy Institute program of study consists of a 48-credit hour/16 course sequence 

leading to a Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) degree. The MPP curriculum emphasizes 

the development of rigorous policy analysis skills, an understanding of the policymaking

process, and the opportunity to apply these core skills to specific policy problems in areas 

such as education and social policy, family and children's issues, health care, the 

environment, nonprofit and public-sector management and budgeting, international 

development policy, discrimination, electoral politics, tax policy, urban issues, and crime. 

The GPPI curriculum has one of the most rigorous quantitative sequences in the country. 

Enrollment in the M.P.P. program does not require a background in economics, statistics 

or calculus. But students leave the master’s program with a comprehensive understanding

of the practical application of the quantitative skills learned in the GPPI classroom to real

public policy issues! The Public Policy Institute offers a merit-based scholarship program

open to all applicants. RPCVs will receive special consideration in the scholarship 

awards process. Contact Emmett Griffin, Associate Director, Office of Admissions, 

Georgetown Public Policy Institute, 3600 N Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 

20007; phone: 202.687.0615; fax: 202.687.9187; e-mail: 

gppiadmissions@georgetown.edu; website: www.georgetown.edu/grad/gppi. Online

application: www.georgetown.edu/grad/online. 

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Indiana University: Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs 

offers an M.P.A., a one-year executive M.P.A., a joint M.P.A. and M.S. in environmental 

science, and a joint M.P.A./J.D. Also, SPEA partners with IU's area studies centers to 

offer joint M.P.A./M.A. degrees. Our two year graduate programs prepare RPCVs for 

challenging and rewarding work in the fields of city and local government; comparative

and international affairs; economic development; environmental policy and natural 

resource management; information systems; policy analysis; public financial 

administration; public and nonprofit management. RPCVs with 2 full years of volunteer 

service in the Peace Corps automatically qualify for a six credit hours of course reduction 

(over $3,800 reduction in tuition for non-residents). Merit-based financial aid is also 

available. Contact the SPEA Graduate Programs (Peace Corps), School of Public and 

Environmental Affairs, SPEA 260, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405; phone: 

812.855.2840; fax: 812.855.7802; e-mail: speainfo@indiana.edu; website: 

www.spea.indiana.edu. 

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis: The School of Public and 

Environmental Affairs (SPEA), the Center on Philanthropy, nonprofit and public 

organizations value the commitment, leadership, and comparative perspectives exhibited 

by RPCVs. SPEA offers the Master of Public Affairs (M.P.A.), Master of Health 

Administration (M.H.A.), and Master of Planning degrees (M.Pl.). The Center on 

Philanthropy offers the Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies through the School of 

Liberal Arts. Several joint degrees are offered including the M.P.A./M.A. in 

Philanthropic Studies. SPEA also offers joint graduate degrees with the schools of 

business, law, and nursing. SPEA will recognize your Peace Corps experience with up to 

six hours of graduate credit (valued up to $3K in tuition cost). The Center on 

Philanthropy will pay the application fee for up to five national service corps members 

applying to the M.A. in Philanthropic Studies. RPCVs will be strongly considered for

fellowships, assistantships, and scholarships that range from partial tuition remission to 

full tuition remission with a $12K stipend. For the School of Public and Environmental 

Affairs, contact the SPEA Student Services Office; BS 3027, 801 W. Michigan Street, 

Indianapolis, IN 46202; phone: 317.274.4656; toll free: 877.292.9321; e-mail: 

infospea@iupui.edu; website: www.spea.iupui.edu. For the Center on Philanthropy,

contact Charlie Johnson, 550 W. North Street, Suite 301, Indianapolis, IN 46202; phone: 

317.684.8927 or 800.854.1612; e-mail: maphil@iupui.edu; website: 

www.philanthropy.iupui.edu. 

Johns Hopkins University: The Institute for Policy Studies offers an M.A. degree in 

public policy. This two-year interdisciplinary program prepares graduates for

professional careers in both public and private organizations that are involved in solving

public problems. The program is small by design, affording students extensive 

opportunities to interact with faculty in classes, seminars, research and teaching

assistantships, and academic and career advice. The Hopkins M.P.P. program stands out 

from most public policy programs in several major respects: rigorous training in 

analytical, quantitative and practical management skills; location within a Universitybased research institute, which provides opportunities for students to work as research 

assistants; and easy access to Washington, DC, which gives students significant 

 46
opportunities to learn firsthand about the policy process and to become personally

acquainted with those involved in it. Financial assistance for students is available in

several forms: tuition scholarships, fellowships, and research/teaching assistantships. 

Contact Angel Burgos, Assistant Director, Graduate Program in Public Policy, Institute

for Policy Studies, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218; phone: 

410.516.4167; fax: 410.516.8233; e-mail: aburgos@jhu.edu; website: 

www.jhu.edu/ips/mpp. 

New York University: Founded in 1938, New York University’s Robert F. Wagner 

Graduate School of Public Service is the nation’s largest graduate school of its kind. 

Through teaching, research, and service, Wagner prepares its students for work of public 

importance – solving problems in education, healthcare, economic development, housing

and other issues on the local, national, and global levels. Degrees include: a Master of 

Public Administration in public and nonprofit management and policy as well as health 

policy and management; Master of Urban Planning; Ph.D. in public administration; and 

Master of Science in management. Various partial scholarships and graduate and research 

assistantships (including the Sargent Shriver Scholarship for RPCVs) are offered. Contact 

the Wagner School Office of Admissions, New York University, 4 Washington Square

North, Room 11, New York, NY 10003; phone: 212.998.7414; fax: 212.995.4164; email: wagner.admissions@nyu.edu; website: www.nyu.edu/wagner. 

Tufts University: The Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning

offers graduate public policy and planning programs culminating in either a master of arts 

(M.A.) degree or a master of public policy (M.P.P.) degree. The programs prepare publicspirited individuals for careers in government, nonprofit organizations, citizen advocacy

groups, and the private sector. The M.P.P. degree is a new, one-year degree designed for 

individuals with at least seven years of relevant professional experience. The department 

offers a number of partial tuition remission scholarships each year. Departmental

financial aid is need-based. The department awards a limited number of graduate

assistantships each year for which all students may apply. Contact Ann Urosevich, 

Department Administrator, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and 

Planning, 97 Talbot Ave, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155; phone: 617.627.3394; 

fax: 617.627.3377; e-mail: ann.urosevich@tufts.edu; website: www.ase.tufts.edu/uep. 

Virginia Polytechnic Institute: Virginia Polytechnic Institute’s Urban Affairs and 

Planning Program offers a master’s degree in public and international affairs. Curricular

concentrations include: environmental planning and policy, international development 

planning and policy, physical development and planning, social policy and planning, 

public and nonprofit management. The program provides a limited number of graduate

assistantships and partial tuition waivers on a competitive basis, of which at least one is 

typically reserved each year for a qualified RPCV. The Peace Corps experience is always

considered favorably in graduate admissions decisions. Contact Dr. John Randolph, Head 

of Urban Affairs and Planning, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA 24060; 

phone: 540.231.6971; fax: 540.231.3367; e-mail: energy@vt.edu; website: 

www.uap.vt.edu. 

 47
REHABILITATION

Auburn University: The Department of Rehabilitation and Special Education in the

College of Education offers a master’s program in rehabilitation counseling. The program 

prepares the student for a counseling career with youth and adults with disabilities. The 

curriculum consists of courses in the following content areas: foundations of 

rehabilitation counseling, counseling services, case management, vocational and career 

development, assessment, job development and placement, and research. Typically,

students complete the program in 18 months, although individuals with an undergraduate 

degree in rehabilitation may complete it sooner. Substantial financial support is available 

for full-time students. Support includes tuition, fees, and a monthly stipend of $425 per 

month. RPCVs are given special consideration. Contact Dr. Randall McDaniel, 

Rehabilitation and Special Education, 1228 Haley Center, Auburn, AL 36849; phone: 

334.844.5943; fax: 334.844.2080; e-mail: mcdanrs@mail.auburn.edu; website: 

www.auburn.edu/rse. 

SOCIAL WORK

Boston University: The School of Social Work offers full- and part-time programs 

leading to a master’s degree in social work and Ph.D. degrees. Joint degrees with the 

School of Public Health, the School of Theology, School of Law, and the School of 

Education are available. The doctoral program is offered as a joint degree in social work 

and sociology. RPCVs will receive an application fee waiver. Financial aid is available in 

the form of scholarships, work-study, and low-interest loans. Contact Edward Greene, Jr., 

Director of Admissions, Boston University School of Social Work, 264 Bay State Road, 

Boston, MA 02215; phone: 617.353.3765; fax: 617.353.5612; e-mail: busswad@bu.edu; 

website: www.bu.edu/ssw. 

University of Michigan: The School of Social Work offers academic programs leading

to a master’s degree in social work or a Ph.D. degree in social work and social science. 

The program offers a fully accredited master’s degree, dual master’s degree, specialist 

certificates, and an interdisciplinary doctoral degree. The Master of Social Work program 

resources include: scholarship funds, merit awards, need-based grants, and a limited 

number of agency-paid practicum assignments. The doctoral program provides 

fellowships, scholarships, or program-related employment. The university provides 

financial assistance to qualified applicants in the form of work-study awards and federal 

loans. RPCVs are given special consideration. Contact Tim Colenback, Assistant Dean, 

Office of Student Services, School of Social Work, 1080 South University Avenue, 1748 

School of Social Work Building, Ann Arbor, MI 48109; phone: 734.764.3309; fax:

734.936.1961; e-mail: ssw.msw.info@umich.edu; website: www.ssw.umich.edu. 

SOCIOLOGY 

University of Missouri: The Department of Rural Sociology at the University of 

Missouri-Columbia offers master’s and Ph.D. programs in rural sociology with optional 

areas of emphasis in a) Sociology of Environment and Agriculture and b) Community

 48
Studies. Scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships are available to qualified 

applicants. High priority is given to RPCV applicants. Contact Jere L Gilles, Director of

Graduate Studies, Department of Rural Sociology, University of Missouri, 110 Gentry

Hall, Columbia, MO 65211-7040; phone: 573.882.3791; fax: 573.884.4444; e-mail: 

GillesJ@missouri.edu; website: www.ruralsociology.missouri.edu. 

THEOLOGY

Fuller Theological Seminary: The School of World Mission will offer a $2K 

scholarship for a qualified RPCV applicant who is interested in preparing for

overseas Christian service. The grant will be available for their M.A. in 

intercultural studies. Contact Dr. C. Douglas McConnell, Dean, School of World 

Mission, Fuller Theological Seminary, 135 North Oakland Avenue, Pasadena, CA 

91182; phone: 626.584.5265; fax: 626.449.5073; e-mail: swmdirops@dept.fuller.edu; website: www.fuller.edu/swm. 

URBAN AFFAIRS AND PLANNING

University of Akron: The Department of Public Administration and Urban 

Studies offer an M.P.A., M.A., and J.D./M.P.A. program. They have a Ph.D. 

program in public administration and in public affairs. Graduate assistantships, 

scholarships, and tuition waivers are available for qualified RPCVs. Contact 

Joyce Lott, Department of Public Administration and Urban Studies, The 

University of Akron, 265 Polsky, Akron, OH 44325; phone: 330.972.7618; fax:

330.972.6376; e-mail: jlott@uakron.edu; website: www.uakron.edu/paus. 

University of Hawaii: Community and Culture Psychology is a graduate 

specialization that leads to a Ph.D. degree in psychology, with Certificate options 

in Urban and Regional Planning, Disaster Management and Humanitarian 

Assistance, and Disability Studies. Research assistantships, teaching

assistantships, and tuition waivers are available with special consideration for

RPCVs. Contact Dr. Clifford O’Donnell, Department of Psychology, University

of Hawaii, 2430 Campus Road, Honolulu, HI 96822; phone: 808.956.6271; fax:

808.956.4700; e-mail: cliffo@hawaii.edu; website: 

www.hawaii.edu/psychology/cc.html. 

Tufts University: The Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and 

Planning offers graduate public policy and planning programs culminating in

either a M.A. degree or a master’s of public policy (M.P.P.) degree. The programs 

prepare public-spirited individuals for careers in government, nonprofit 

organizations, citizen advocacy groups, and the private sector. The M.P.P. degree 

is a new, one-year degree designed for individuals with at least seven years of 

relevant professional experience. The department offers a number of partial

tuition remission scholarships each year. Departmental financial aid is needbased. The department awards a limited number of graduate assistantships each 

year for which all students may apply. Contact Ann Urosevich, Department

 49
Administrator, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, 97 

Talbot Ave, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155; phone: 617.627.3394; fax:

617.627.3377; e-mail: ann.urosevich@tufts.edu; website: www.ase.tufts.edu/uep. 

Virginia Polytechnic Institute: Virginia Polytechnic Institute’s Urban Affairs 

and Planning Program offers a master’s degree urban and regional planning. 

Curricular concentrations include: environmental planning and policy, international development planning and policy, physical development and planning, 

social policy and planning, and public and nonprofit management. The program 

provides a limited number of graduate assistantships and partial tuition waivers on 

a competitive basis, of which at least one is usually reserved each year for a

qualified RPCV. The Peace Corps experience is always considered favorably in 

graduate admissions decisions. Contact Dr. John Randolph, Head of Urban 

Affairs and Planning, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA 24060; 

phone: 540.231.6971; fax: 540.231.3367; e-mail: energy@vt.edu; website: 

www.uap.vt.edu. 

VETERINARY MEDICINE 

Tufts University: The School of Veterinary Medicine offers a Doctor of 

Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) degree with signature programs in international 

veterinary medicine, wildlife medicine, ethics and values, biotechnology, and 

equine sports medicine. An M.S. degree is available in animals and public policy

and a Ph.D. program is offered in comparative biomedical sciences. RPCVs will 

be given special consideration for admission. Contact Rebecca Russo, Director of 

Admissions, School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, MA 01536; phone: 

508.839.7920; fax: 508.839.2953; e-mail: rebecca.russo@tufts.edu; website: 

www.tufts.edu/vet.

 50
OTHER EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND/OR 

PROGRAMS OF INTEREST TO RPCVS 

PEACE CORPS FELLOWS/USA PROGRAM 

Fellows/USA is a graduate fellowship program for returned Peace Corps Volunteers. As 

Peace Corps Fellows, returned Volunteers pursue graduate studies at reduced cost while

using the skills and experience they gained overseas in internships that help meet the

needs of underserved U.S. communities. Most returned Volunteers have lifetime 

eligibility for Fellows/USA programs which offer benefits such as assistantships, tuition 

remission, scholarships, in-state tuition, stipends, housing, paid employment, and health 

benefits, depending on the program. 

Fellows/USA is a collaboration of universities, public school systems, community

agencies, the Peace Corps, and the Fellows themselves. Its partners highly value the 

unique perspectives and special skills that former Volunteers bring to classrooms and 

communities. 

Since the first Fellows/USA program was created at Teachers College, Columbia

University in 1985, the Peace Corps has established partnerships with more than 30 

universities nationwide that offer programs in a variety of areas including: business, 

community and economic development, environmental studies, health care, education, 

international development, public administration, and more. Led by on-campus program 

coordinators, Fellows/USA programs prepare returned Volunteers for challenging

assignments, offer support throughout their work commitments, and provide a cohort 

atmosphere for returned Volunteers to share ideas and to help each other with 

readjustment. 

Contact Fellows/USA or visit its website for more information including a list of 

programs by phone: 202.692.1440 or 800.424.8580, ext. 1440; fax: 202.692-1421; email: fellows@peacecorps.gov; website: www.peacecorps.gov/fellows. 

MASTER’S INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM 

Editor’s note: The Master’s International Program specifically targets applicants who 

are applying to the Peace Corps. As an RPCV, however, you may have friends who are 

eligible for the program. Help us spread the word about this unique graduate school 

opportunity.

The Master’s International (M.I.) Program is a cooperative partnership between the Peace 

Corps and more than 45 colleges and universities. It provides a unique opportunity to 

incorporate Peace Corps service into a graduate degree program. 

 

The Peace Corps established the M.I. Program in 1987 to address three needs: 1) the 

desire of prospective Peace Corps applicants to combine overseas service with a graduate

 51
school experience; 2) the quest among faculty and campus administrations for overseas 

experiential learning opportunities for their students; and 3) the increasing demand from 

Peace Corps’ host countries for PCVs with higher levels of education and expertise. 

 

Degrees are offered in agriculture, business, civil and environmental engineering, forestry

and natural resource management, public health, public policy and administration/NGO 

development, teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), and urban 

planning. 

 

As an M.I. student, you will be assigned to work in a Peace Corps project, which is 

relevant to your graduate studies. Over 100 M.I. students serve as PCVs in a given year. 

 

For more information, visit the website at 

www.peacecorps.gov/gradschool/masters/index.cfm; or contact Peace Corps, Office of

Domestic Programs, Master’s International, 1111 20th Street, NW, Washington, DC 

20526; phone: 800.424.8580, ext. 1812. 

PEACE CORPS CAMPUS REPRESENTATIVES

The Peace Corps contracts with universities to supplement the work of full-time

recruiters. In general, campus representatives are paid by the universities at rates 

equivalent to other graduate assistants. In some cases, partial or full tuition remissions are

granted. In return, campus representatives spend about twenty hours a week talking with 

and recruiting prospective PCVs. RPCVs are encouraged to consider this option for

graduate study.

 

The Peace Corps seeks representatives on campuses where prospective minority PCVs 

and/or where “scarce skills” might be found. Representatives are also needed on 

campuses that are far from a Peace Corps area office. Preference in the selection of 

campus representatives is often given to students who are matriculating in programs in 

these scarce skills areas (i.e., agriculture, health, nutrition, math, and science). However, 

enrollment in a specific program is not a requirement for selection. All qualified 

candidates are thus encouraged to apply.

The following universities have Peace Corps representatives on campus during the 2003-

2004 academic year (information current as of August 2003). Contact the indicated Peace 

Corps regional office below for further information on this program or to determine 

potential employment opportunities in subsequent school years. You may also access the 

regional recruitment office link at www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=meet.regrec. 

Selections of campus representatives are usually made by the universities in agreement 

with the Peace Corps regional managers. 

Atlanta Regional Office: 404.562.3456

Florida State University

University of Florida 

University of Georgia 

 52
University of South Florida 

Boston Regional Office: 617.565.5555 

University of Massachusetts-Amherst 

University of New Hampshire 

University of Rhode Island 

University of Vermont 

Chicago Regional Office: 312.353.4990

Indiana University-Bloomington 

Michigan State University

Ohio State University

Ohio University

University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign 

University of Michigan 

University of Missouri-Columbia

Washington University 

Dallas Regional Office: 214.767.5435

Oklahoma State University-Stillwater

University of New Mexico 

University of Texas at Austin 

Denver Regional Office: 303.844.7020 

Colorado State University

University of Colorado-Boulder 

University of Kansas 

University of Nebraska-Lincoln 

University of Utah 

Utah State University

Los Angeles Regional Office: 310.235.7444

Arizona State University

Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo 

Northern Arizona University

University of Arizona 

University of California-San Diego 

Minneapolis Regional Office: 612.348.1480

Iowa State University

University of Iowa 

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

University of Wisconsin-Madison 

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

 53
New York Regional Office: 212.352.5440

Cornell University

Penn State University

Rutgers University

Syracuse University 

University of Pittsburgh

University of Rochester 

San Francisco Regional Office: 415.977.8800

California State University-Chico 

Humboldt State University

University of California-Berkeley

University of California-Davis 

University of California-Santa Cruz

University of Hawaii-Manoa 

University of Nevada-Las Vegas 

Seattle Regional Office: 206.553.5490 

Oregon State University

Portland State University

University of Montana

University of Oregon 

University of Washington

Washington State University

Western Washington University

Washington, DC Regional Office: 703.235.9191

North Carolina State University

University of Maryland-College Park

University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill 

Virginia Polytechnic Institute 

ACADEMIC COMMON MARKET AND REGIONAL CONTRACT PROGRAMS

The Academic Common Market, a program of the Southern Regional Education Board 

(SREB), is an interstate agreement among 16 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, 

Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Maryland, North Carolina, 

Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. The program 

enables a student to enroll in a graduate program in another participating state without 

having to pay out-of-state tuition if that university offers a program not offered by the 

public institutions in the student’s home state. 

The SREB Regional Contract Program offers students pursuing professional health 

degrees the same benefit while also providing reduced tuition at private institutions. The

program assists students in the fields of dentistry, medicine, optometry, podiatry, 

veterinary medicine, and osteopathic medicine. 

 54
For eligibility information and the name and address of your state coordinator for the

Academic Common Market, visit the SREB website at www.sreb.org or call SREB in 

Atlanta at 404.875.9211.

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION AND GRADUATE PROGRAMS SERVICE

(IEGPS) 

Part of the U.S. Department of Education, IEGPS’ overall mission is to promote, 

improve, and develop international and graduate education throughout the educational 

structure of the United States. Under the international education component, IEGPS helps 

train specialists in foreign languages and area studies as well as internationalizing

curricula in institutions of higher education in the United States. IEGPS funds and 

administers a variety of domestic and overseas programs to meet these goals. In 2003, 17 

programs operate under both the international and graduate components of IEGPS. The 

majority of these programs are funded in the form of grants to U.S. higher education 

institutions. Only two of the 17 programs accept applications directly from qualified 

individuals. The remainder provide individual funding indirectly via institutional grants. 

The Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad Program provides short-term study/travel 

seminars abroad for U.S. educators in the social sciences and humanities for the purpose

of improving their understanding and knowledge of the people and culture of other 

countries. There are approximately seven to 10 seminars annually, each lasting four to six

weeks. The award includes roundtrip airfare, room and board, tuition and fees, and 

program-related travel within the host country. All seminars are held in countries outside 

of Western Europe. 

To qualify, applicants must be educators or administrators from U.S. elementary, 

secondary, or higher education institutions, as well as libraries or museums who teach, 

administer, and/or develop curriculum in fields relating to humanities, languages, and/or

area studies. Applicants must be currently employed full-time and have at least three

years of full-time experience. For more information and an application package, visit the

program’s website at www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/HEP/iegps/sap.html. 

The Jacob K. Javits Program offers fellowships to students who have demonstrated 1) 

superior academic ability and achievement; 2) exceptional promise; and 3) financial need

to undertake graduate study leading to a doctoral degree or a master’s degree in which the 

master’s degree is the terminal highest degree in the selected field of study. The 

Department of Education awards fellowships in selected fields of study of the arts, 

humanities, and social sciences. Subject to the availability of funds, a fellow receives the 

Javits fellowship annually for up to the lesser of 48 months or the completion of their 

degree. The fellowship consists of an institutional payment and a stipend. 

Eligible applicants include students who, at the time of application, have not yet 

completed their first full year of study, or are entering graduate school for the first time in 

the next academic year. For more information, application, and forms, call 800.433.3243 

or visit the program’s website at www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/HEP/iegps/javits.html. 

 55
NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS (NHSC) 

RPCVs interested in continuing educational opportunities in health care are encouraged 

to consider the NHSC. Administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services, the NHSC assists medically underserved communities in the United States by

recruiting primary care clinicians, including dental and mental behavioral health 

professionals. Currently in 2003, there are more than 2,700 clinicians/health care 

professionals providing primary health care to nearly four million people in underserved 

communities around the country. To recruit more primary care clinicians, the NHSC 

offers the following incentives to trained health professionals and students: 

NHSC Loan Repayment Program. The NHSC Loan Repayment Program offers 

repayment of qualifying educational loans to fully trained health professionals who 

choose to serve in a community of greatest need. In addition to loan repayment, clinicians 

receive a competitive salary and some tax benefits. To request an application, or if you 

have any questions, call 800.221.9393, or visit the website at nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov. 

NHSC Scholarship Program. The NHSC offers a competitive scholarship program

designed for students committed to providing primary health care in communities of

greatest need. Scholarship recipients serve where they are most needed upon completion 

of their training. The program offers the following benefits for up to four years of 

education: payment of tuition and fees; 12 monthly stipend payments per year of 

scholarship support; payment of other reasonable educational expenses, such as books, 

supplies, and equipment. To be eligible, applicants must be U.S. citizens enrolled or

accepted for enrollment in a fully accredited allopathic or osteopathic medical school, 

family nurse practitioner program, nurse-midwifery program, physician assistant 

program, or dental school. Directly upon completion of training, the scholarship recipient 

will choose a practice site in a federally designated health profession shortage area 

identified as having the greatest need. Period of service is one year for each year of 

support, with a two-year minimum commitment. To request an application, or to inquire 

about additional opportunities for students, call 800.638.0824, or visit the website at 

nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov. 

FULBRIGHT AWARDS

The Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship program in international 

educational exchange, has provided more than 250,000 students, scholars, and 

professionals worldwide with the opportunity to lecture or conduct research around the 

world. Founded in 1946 and funded by the U.S. Department of State, the program funds a 

number of different awards. For a comprehensive listing of grant opportunities, visit the 

program’s administrative body, the Institute for International Education (IIE), at

www.iie.org. Three popular programs are described below: 

Fulbright U.S. Student Program is an annual competition for grants for graduate study

or research abroad. The program awards approximately 1,000 grants annually to 

American students, and provides funding for 1,400 foreign students to study at U.S. 

 56
campuses each year. The program provides roundtrip transportation to the country of 

assignment, a monthly living stipend based on the cost of living in the country of 

assignment, a research allowance, tuition waiver if applicable, and medical insurance. For 

more information, visit the website at 

www.iie.org/TemplateFulbright.cfm?section=Fulbright1. 

 

The U.S. Fulbright Scholar Program. Each year the Fulbright Scholar Program sends 

800 U.S. faculty and professionals abroad where they lecture and conduct research in 

virtually all academic and professional fields. For more information and application 

materials, including the Awards Catalog and tips for applying, visit the CIES website at

www.cies.org/us_scholars. 

Fulbright Teacher and Administrator Exchange Program. The U.S. Department of 

Agriculture Graduate School’s International Institute administers the Fulbright Teacher 

and Administrator Exchange Program. Educators from the elementary, secondary, twoyear college, and four-year institutions are eligible to apply. The program provides 

opportunities for teachers, administrators, and other school or college faculty to 

participate in direct one-to-one exchanges for six weeks, a semester, or an academic year. 

There are also a limited number of one-way placements. Most often, the United States

and international exchange participants remain on their home institutions’ payrolls while

exchanging classrooms. The exchange of accommodations is not required for 

participation in the program, but may be recommended for particular countries. For more

information, visit the program’s website at www.fulbrightexchanges.org. 

 

U.S. OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (OPM) PROGRAMS

Presidential Management Intern (PMI) Program. The PMI Program is designed to 

attract to federal service outstanding graduate students (master’s and doctoral-level) from 

a wide variety of academic disciplines who have an interest in, and commitment to, a

career in the analysis and management of public policies and programs. Assignments as a

PMI may involve domestic or international issues, technological changes, criminal 

justice, health research, financial management, and many other fields in support of public 

service programs. Federal departments and agencies strive to provide interns with 

challenging and rewarding assignments. All cabinet departments and more than 50 

federal agencies have hired Presidential Management Interns. For more information, visit 

the website at www.pmi.opm.gov. 

Outstanding Scholar Program. The Outstanding Scholar Program is a special hiring

authority established as a supplement to the competitive examination process for some 

entry-level federal positions (GS-5 and GS-7 grade levels). Positions in the following

occupational fields are not covered: accounting and auditing, engineering, physical

sciences, biological sciences, and mathematics. Applicants must be college graduates and 

have maintained a grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale for all 

undergraduate course work or have graduated in the upper 10 percent of his/her class or 

major university subdivision, such as the School of Business Administration. For more 

 57
information, including how to apply and a listing of career fields for the Outstanding

Scholar Program, visit the website at www.usajobs.opm.gov/EI22.htm. 

NEW ENTRY PROFESSIONAL (NEP) PROGRAM 

The New Entry Professional (NEP) Program is the U.S. Agency for International 

Development’s (USAID) program for bringing well-qualified applicants into the

Agency’s Foreign Service. USAID’s Foreign Service provides successful applicants with 

a career-long system of rotational assignments in Washington, DC and overseas. Like the 

U.S. Department of State and other agencies employing Foreign Service personnel, 

successful applicants are offered a clear path for planning their career from the intake 

level through the most senior executive positions. 

USAID recruits officers in skill areas such as: democracy and governance, 

environment/natural resources/energy, financial management, population/health/nutrition, 

program/project development, contract management, administrative management, 

lawyers, education, private enterprise, agriculture/rural development, food for peace, and 

economists. For more information, visit the website at 

www.usaid.gov/about/employment/nepbro.htm. 

NATIONAL SECURITY EDUCATION PROGRAM (NSEP)

The National Security Education Program (NSEP) was created by Congress in 1991 to 

address the need to increase the ability of U.S. citizens to communicate and compete

globally by knowing the languages and cultures of other countries. NSEP recognizes that 

the scope of national security has expanded to include new challenges of a global society,

including sustainable development, environmental degradation, population growth and 

migration, and global disease and hunger. 

The NSEP David L. Boren Graduate Fellowships, administered by the Academy for

Educational Development (AED), enable U.S. graduate students to pursue specialization 

in area and language study or to add an international dimension to their education. The 

program stresses less frequently studied areas of the world that are critical to U.S. 

national security. For more information contact the program’s website at nsep.aed.org. 

POPULATION FELLOWS PROGRAMS 

The Population Fellows Programs, administered by the University of Michigan School of 

Public Health and funded by the United States Agency for International Development and 

other donors, train potential individuals in international population assistance. The 

programs are designed to further the professional development of those building careers 

in international family planning and reproductive health; exploring the emerging field of 

population-environment; or engaged in essential dialogue on the relationship among

population dynamics, environmental degradation, and international security. For more 

information on these and other Population Fellows Programs, visit the website at 

www.sph.umich.edu/pfps. Two of five programs are described: 

 58
The Population Fellows Program offers professional fellowships to individuals with 

advanced degrees in population-related areas. Fellows receive two-year assignments with 

organizations working to improve family planning and reproductive health programming

in the developing world. 

The Population-Environment Fellows Program (PEFP) offers two-year fellowships to 

individuals with advanced degrees in population and environment-related areas. Fellows 

work on projects that combine assistance for threatened environments with attention to

the population dynamics and reproductive health needs of the communities living within 

them. 

 59
APPENDICES

STATEMENTS OF PURPOSE 

SAMPLE ONE 

I was raised in a culturally advantaged environment and influenced by middle-class 

values. It was important to work hard, acquire a liberal arts education, travel, take risks, 

experience life’s challenges and contribute to society. The past 10 years of my life 

include all of the above and more. My employment history and formal education 

demonstrate common elements of my background. I have the ability to take risks and I

am able to work with people on their terms and within the constraints of their 

environment. 

Work Experience In a Black Community 

A different education began with my first cross-cultural experience at the age of 16. I

worked in a low-income African-American neighborhood as a lifeguard and swimming

instructor for five consecutive summers. Although I was raised with a social conscience 

and educated in an integrated school system, I had to overcome cultural barriers in order 

to be successful at this job. My authority was limited because of my sex, race, and 

uniform. It was difficult to gain acceptance, but during each summer as I made more 

friends locally, learned the rules of their community, and adopted realistic expectations, I

became more integrated into the neighborhood. 

Undergraduate Education, Field Work, and Health Education Work 

Experience at The University of California, Los Angeles 

At UCLA, I studied psychology and took advantage of several field work opportunities 

working with the developmentally disabled. I wanted to learn about how people 

functioning outside the mainstream of society are influenced by their environments. I was 

also interested in health education and worked for two years as a Peer Health Counselor 

(PHC). I co-directed the seven clinics of the PHC program during my junior year of

college. This student-run program was designed as a preventive-health strategy of clinics 

and counselors available to assist students in meeting their health needs. My partner and I

trained and supervised 50 student volunteers and coordinated the daily operation of 

clinics located throughout the campus: 1) hypertension screening, 2) cold care, 3) 

nutrition and weight management, 4) stress management, 5) women’s health, 6) fitness 

inventory testing, and 7) peer counseling.

 

I developed this interest further the year after I graduated by working as a health 

education assistant in UCLA’s Student Health Services (SHS). I learned about the inner 

workings of the health service as well as the university’s administration. I proposed and 

implemented a referral-based stress counseling clinic with SHS and a suicide prevention 

program in campus residence halls. Also during my junior year, I was a behavioral 

therapist for two children undergoing treatment through the UCLA Autism Project. As a 

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senior therapist the following year, I trained parents and fellow students in behavioral 

modification techniques. During my final two quarters of school, I lived and studied at 

Lanterman State Hospital through the Developmental Disabilities Immersion Program. 

This program incorporated classroom study with mental retardation fieldwork and 

research. I was fortunate to participate in an ethnographic study about the work stress and 

health of psychiatric technicians. Our research team used the naturalistic observation 

methodology to collect data on psychiatric technicians in different units of the hospital. 

After the data was collected, we designed a cataloging system in order to observe patterns 

occurring simultaneously in the various units. The findings were published in “Stress, 

Social Support and Health of Psychiatric Technicians in a State Facility,” Browner, Ellis, 

Ford, Silsby, Tampoya & Yee. (1987 Mental Retardation, Vol. 25, No, 1, 31-38.) 

Peace Corps And Health Care Tragedies In Zaire 

After working for five years as a student and employee at UCLA, I decided to further my

education in an atmosphere beyond my established frame of reference. I joined the Peace 

Corps, certain I had what it takes to meet any challenge. Despite my self-confidence and 

cross-cultural experiences going into the Peace Corps, I was not prepared for what lay

ahead in Zaire. While I had the proper training and leadership abilities to be a fisheries 

extension agent, I was not qualified to handle the health problems that confronted me. It

was the health-care tragedies I remember most about my Peace Corps experience. 

 

Since the health-care establishment broke down in Zaire 20 years ago, the population at 

large experiences health crises daily. People talked to me about their ailments constantly: 

muscle pulls, sprains, infected wounds, malaria, measles, and AIDS. I remember when a 

woman complained to me about her back pain and baby’s life-threatening bout of 

diarrhea. I asked how she planned to handle these worries and she said, “Mpesha buanga 

bua batoka,” which means, “Give me some white people’s medicine.” I said, “Mama, you 

are exhausted from working in the fields and carrying too much weight on your head 

every day. Why don’t you rest?” I thought about what is not available to her: Ben-Gay

and a good back rub. Then I asked if she was giving her baby plenty of water and an oral 

rehydration solution (ORT). She said, “No, I stopped giving him water because it leaks 

out, making the diarrhea worse.” My UNICEF-donated ORT packets came in handy,

because she did not have enough sugar for a home-made solution. 

 

The next day the woman was relieved and grateful to find that her baby was better. I was 

relieved but also frustrated. I could not conceive of a solution for that woman’s long-term 

health-care needs—my services were only a “quick fix.” In reflecting upon this type of 

scenario that may exist in any developing country, I understand that it is related to other 

complex issues such as the lack of education and the amount of daily labor expended to 

obtain necessities such as fuel, water, and food. Therefore, even when health services are 

available, if people do not understand what they are and how to use them, they remain 

inaccessible and people may resign themselves to their desperate fate. 

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Future Plans

Presently, I am prepared to work towards solving a common public health problem in the

less developed world: The health threats women and children face every day. I would like 

to work as a public health professional for a nonprofit organization such as Oxfam, 

Project Concern, Save the Children, or Catholic Relief Services. I also see the need to

have an academic background in African studies as I continue to be fascinated with this 

area of the world and would welcome another opportunity to work there. As a fisheries 

extension agent in Zaire, I had not previously studied any aspect of African geography,

history, politics, or culture. Now my curiosity is stimulated. I would like to learn more

about what I could not understand during the two years I lived in Zaire. 

 

The articulated master’s program in African area studies and public health at UCLA

strongly matches the integration of academic and technical preparation I would like to 

have in order to attain both my personal and career goals. I am particularly interested in 

Bantu language study since I speak Tshiluba and am functionally literate as well. As 

indicated on my application, I would like to apply for the Title VI fellowship and study

Swahili intensively. I believe I would learn it quickly as the grammatical structure is 

similar to Tshiluba and I am confident learning new languages. This would provide me

with an in-depth educational experience no other university offers in this fashion; the

opportunity to acquire these two particular degrees sequentially. This will be well 

integrated into any public health career I undertake in Africa. 

SAMPLE TWO 

My application to the University of Minnesota’s Graduate Program in Conservation 

Biology is the consequence of my desire to integrate my life experience with my

intellectual and career objectives. 

 

My first post-baccalaureate work experience was in research at the Bockus Institute in 

Philadelphia where my responsibilities included laboratory preparation and assistance in 

experimental design and data analysis. During that period, I became a working member

of a Philadelphia food cooperative which was very active in promoting natural products, 

vegetarian diets, and recycling. This prompted me to learn more about resources and the 

environment. As a volunteer for the Clean Air Council of Philadelphia I did a literature

search on pollution caused by wood-burning stoves. In gaining experience through this 

and other volunteer work with the League of Conservation Voters and the Grass Roots 

Alliance for a Solar Pennsylvania, I began to understand that environmental problems are

based on complex relationships, often involving cruel choices. 

I continued to learn about resources and the environment in the southern lowlands of 

Nepal as a Peace Corps Volunteer. There I worked with farmers as a fisheries extension 

technician. I assisted them in obtaining bank loans to build new fish ponds and advised 

them about pond management and pond integration methods. These methods included the 

use of appropriate stocking rates for matter from pig or duck sheds. My exposure to 

Nepal’s environmental problems came in my fisheries projects and other daily activities. 

 62
One problem that directly affected me was making compost for my vegetable garden. 

Twice during my first month of collecting and turning over the cow manure, straw, and 

grass, I returned from work to find the compost pile gone. It had been taken by local 

villagers to be formed into logs to be used as fuel for cooking. The use of fresh organic 

matter was common, because the land had been cleared of its original forest for rice, 

wheat, corn, and tobacco cultivation. This trend was disturbing because there was little 

material to fertilize fields or to generate plankton growth in the new ponds that the 

farmers were developing. As natural fertilizer was critical to the success of these ponds, I

encouraged farmers to plant fast-growing leguminous trees for firewood. Admittedly, this 

effort was not going to shift the balance of environmental protection and development in 

an underdeveloped country. Nepal will continue to be challenged by the dilemma of 

either saving trees or cooking the daily meal. 

 

Conflicts over biological resource conservation are not limited to underdeveloped 

countries. Currently, I am dealing with more sophisticated approaches such as risk 

assessment and habitat enhancement in the cleanup of toxic waste for the Environmental

Protection Agency’s (EPA) San Francisco office. Using my background in biology and 

my experience as a project manager, I have developed my current position as Superfund 

Natural Resource Coordinator. Frequently, I must address the competition between the

urgency to begin site remediation and the longer time needed to evaluate strategies which 

will be protective of wildlife present at a waste site. 

 

While this has been exciting work, it has also been frustrating. The lack of information 

regarding ecosystem restoration, biological community relationships, and species 

behavior pose significant problems to scientists and government decision-makers. At a 

site near San Francisco Bay, areas of salt marsh have been contaminated by wastes 

containing metals, solvents, and pesticides. The Endangered Species Act protects the 

California clapper rail, a bird that utilizes this marsh. The local government is interested

in having the site made available quickly so that it may begin redevelopment of the area

for an industrial park in order to enhance the tax base of its small, impoverished 

municipality. However, EPA is mandated to evaluate the possibility of restoring the

marsh to its original condition in order to protect the clapper rail. In doing so, we at EPA 

have found that little baseline data is available about the effects of the site contaminants 

on the clapper rail. 

Despite these experiences, I believe that protection of biological resources can be 

accomplished in the context of human economic development. To be a part of this, 

biologists must be able to work with the public, government, and industry. This is why I

am preparing myself to work in conservation biology. I plan to be involved in the 

development of projects in which I can complement training as an ecologist with the

communication, analytical, management, and consensus-building skills I have already

developed. 

 

I want to study in the University of Minnesota’s Graduate Program in Conservation 

Biology because of the depth of its programs in ecological sciences and the emphasis 

placed on the social aspects of conservation biology. I am particularly interested in

 63
coursework about watershed management, wetlands ecology, wildland hydrology, and 

remote sensing. Through my conversations with Professor John Tester, I am impressed 

with the level of faculty commitment to develop this program and the level of support 

given to it by the university. I believe your program will allow me to achieve my goals to 

become a professional scientist and environmental activist. 

SAMPLE THREE 

Alhaji Sannoh’s tear-filled eyes, his embarrassed smile, and his small, wrinkled, yet firm 

hand shaking mine symbolize the successful culmination of a two-year-long international 

partnership. I was an agricultural consultant for the Peace Corps, assigned to Firawa, a 

small, remote village in Sierra Leone, West Africa. Alhaji Sannoh was a Firawa farmer 

who planted rice just as his father and grandfather before him, by burning virgin, hillside

forests and scattering seeds. Every week for an entire year I trekked out to Alhaji 

Sannoh’s farm where we discussed the advantages of planting rice in swamp paddies. I

emphasized that heavy rains wash nutrients from the hillside soils into the swamps. It is 

advantageous, therefore, to plant rice in swamps where crop yields are easily doubled. 

 

We became friends, but eventually it struck me—a painful realization—that my ideas and 

suggestions were not materializing. Life became very frustrating. My ideas were logical

in my own mind, yet Alhaji Sannoh’s planting techniques remained the same. Where was 

the key?

 

After lengthy deliberation, I decided on a new approach. I leased an acre of Alhaji

Sannoh’s farm and hired two men. In just two months we produced a fantastic crop of 

rice. Alhaji Sannoh came to me and said, “If you can plant such fine rice on this land, so 

can I!” Alhaji Sannoh harvested rice twice that year and quadrupled his yearly rice yield. 

The key had been his witnessing first-hand what I had tried to convey only in words. 

Two years have elapsed since I returned from Africa and first applied to the University of 

Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. The vivid images of palm trees silhouetted 

against a crimson sky, and of children’s laughter emanating from tiny mud huts have 

faded. I have recognized the true worth of my experience not from a romantic 

perspective, but from a pragmatic one. In my reapplication to Wharton I cannot 

emphasize enough the importance my Peace Corps experience has played in the 

realization of my personal strengths, and in the formation of my career goals. 

 

My greatest strength, perseverance, has propelled me through an array of frustration, 

obstacles, and setbacks. While working with men like Alhaji Sannoh I encountered an 

initial rejection, a mistrust in my sincerity and skills, a language barrier, and crosscultural embarrassment. While coordinating shipments of food aid and agricultural 

products from the coast to my remote village, I encountered a dilapidated infrastructure, 

corrupt officials, black market prices, and nearly impassable road conditions. I

persevered. I succeeded. 

 

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Equally as important has been my ability to take a step back, reevaluate my position, and 

generate creative alternate approaches. For example, after numerous disappointments, I

traveled to the capital to discover that the village food aid had been sitting on the docks 

for three months. Instead of irately reproaching the local project managers, I treated a 

project driver to a simple meal. The shipment arrived the following week. 

 

I am driven by a desire to improve the lives of others. In November 1956, my father 

crawled across a mine field that separated Hungary from the Western world. My mother 

and her family, post-war refugees, had fled Hungary 10 years earlier. They both 

encountered a great deal of fear and hardship during their childhood. Their lives were in a 

continuous state of jeopardy and turmoil until finally, as newly arrived immigrants to the 

United States, they were given the opportunity to begin again. Starting from scratch, they

put themselves and their children through college. I had no worries while growing up in 

the diversely ethnic community of Cleveland, Ohio. I was able to pursue the education I

desired. I was spared the trials and tribulations of war. I feel very, very fortunate. 

Because of the circumstances surrounding my life, I am driven to assist those who are 

less fortunate. My work in Africa has provided me this opportunity. My goal is to 

continue this work, but in a different capacity. 

Because of recent economic crises, less developed nations have been abandoning new 

investments to cope with their increasing debt burdens, and depressed commodity prices. 

In order to be self-sufficient, these nations have to realize the importance of small-andmedium-scale enterprises in meeting their domestic demands for manufactured products. 

They must also exploit openings in niche export markets. In Sierra Leone it really

disturbed me to see idle lathes and mills in the National Workshop in Freetown. I often 

passed a modern jelly/marmalade-producing facility that was shut down due to a lack of 

technical and managerial expertise. Sierra Leone, as well as other less developed nations, 

must set up a national forum to encourage entrepreneurial activity. I want to help make

that happen by promoting manufacturing enterprise in West African nations, and by

facilitating foreign investment in these ventures. 

 

Two years ago, my Wharton interviewer, as well as managers of international 

development organizations, pointed out that my lack of manufacturing experience would 

limit my effectiveness. Consequently, my application was rejected. Although I was 

disappointed, I soon began to chart a new course. I drove to California from Washington, 

D.C., and in one month joined a start-up company as a mechanical/manufacturing

engineer. At Menlo Care, Inc., we design and manufacture an improved intravenous 

catheter. I have been heavily involved in the production rate of 5,000 devices per week. 

Because of the small size of our company, my position has enabled me to consistently

implement my decisions. I have improved our designs and processes and have helped to 

bring down the cost of goods by a more efficient use of company resources. I take a 

hands-on approach. I am seldom at my desk, but often on the production floor, 

troubleshooting machinery, streamlining workstations, coordinating the activities of our 

six person assembly crew, and providing technical feedback to our design engineers. 

Working at a start-up company has exposed me to valuable experiences that I could not 

have gotten at a larger company.

 65
My preparation for a career in international development has not been confined to the 

workplace. Twice a week I practice French with a tutor so that I can more successfully

operate in the business environment of West Africa. I want to be as fluent in French as I

am in West African Krio and, incidentally, Hungarian. 

 

Upon graduating from Wharton, a variety of options are available for pursuing my

objectives. The United Nations Industrialization Development Organization’s primary

objective is the promotion of industrial development in developing countries. 

Development Alternatives, Inc., and Transcentury Corporation are just two of the 

numerous profit and nonprofit organizations that encourage economic development by

promoting entrepreneurial activity. Whatever path I choose to follow, I will concentrate 

my operations in the countries of West Africa and make every effort to encourage their 

self-sufficiency and active participation in the global economy.

Wharton’s international business and entrepreneurial programs are of interest to me. I

would like to do my internship in West Africa and my third semester in France. In my

investigation of Wharton’s entrepreneurial program, I have spoken with Professor P.C. 

Moldt. He was very enthusiastic and encouraging. He mentioned the possibility of my

working with visiting African scholars who are trying to promote joint African and U.S. 

ventures, but lack the hands-on practical experience that I can provide. 

 

The last two years have enabled me to view Peace Corps experience from a different

perspective and to gain additional experience in the challenging environment of a start-up 

manufacturing company. I feel that I can now make a unique contribution to your 

program. 

SAMPLE FOUR 

When people ask me why I want to get a Ph.D. in mathematics, I reply that there are

several topics in mathematics I would like to study in more depth than I have as a 

master’s student; in particular, algebra and chaos theory. Algebra has been an interest of 

mine ever since I first heard about “les groupes, les anneaux, et les corps” in Morocco, 

where I was serving in the Peace Corps. I have pursued the study of these objects here at

San Francisco State University (SFSU) and have in turn been intrigued by even more 

curious objects, such as those in algebraic geometry. I would like to continue my studies 

in this arena, as well as explore a new phenomenon, commonly known as “chaos.” I wish 

to investigate properties of Feigenbaum’s constant, of iterative maps on the complex

plane, as well as the topology of fractals. The University of Minnesota appeals to me 

because of its strength in algebra and the presence of the Institute for Mathematics and Its 

Applications. 

 

Ever since high school, when my scientist uncle caught me studying calculus during

holidays and exclaimed, “I’ve never heard of anyone enjoying calculus so much!” I have 

considered this profession. This was in contrast to the main emphasis in our household, 

which was language. My mother’s French background and her own advanced studies in 

English gave me a desire to study languages: French, German, and Latin. My father’s 

 66
training as a cartographer and photogrammetrist exposed him to a world of mathematics 

and science he always wanted to understand more deeply; he took me to the Museum of 

Science and Industry and his workplace to pass along these glimpses. In this way, I found 

myself interested in many things people considered diverse; I perceived them as 

complementary. In that epsilon-delta proof in calculus, I saw the effort of a poet to 

describe, with as little obstruction as possible, a very subtle relationship. The joy of

decoding it was greater than that of reading Keats; here the message was entirely fresh. 

When I went to William and Mary as an undergraduate, I wanted to embrace all my

interest at once. I studied Latin, linear algebra, art, history, and literature. There is 

something about college that regularly channels women out of the sciences and into the 

humanities; this happened to me. I graduated in 1983 with a bachelor’s in English, but 

since I had continued taking math courses, I was able to join the Peace Corps as a math

instructor. 

 

Not only did the scenery change from Williamsburg to Morocco; so did the mathematics. 

To teach on the secondary school level in French-speaking Africa, one has to know the 

rudiments of modern algebra. Our two months of training consisted of learning about 

groups, rings, and fields, as well as how to lecture about them in French. This sort of 

mathematics was new to me and tantalizing. Teaching it to a class of 42 young, Arabicand-able-French-speaking “letters” students was another matter. However, I was able to 

pick up some Moroccan Arabic and observe one very important thing. I saw how hard 

students abroad work and how admired they are by their culture for their dedication and 

thoroughness. This struck me, an American, as quite novel. When I came back to the 

United States, I was determined to apply myself to studying mathematics in this way.

This eventually led me to San Francisco University where I worked through the upper 

division of undergraduate and graduate courses in two and a half years. 

My intent was to get a master’s in applied mathematics, specifically numerical analysis, 

and then a job in nearby Silicon Valley. However, the graduate courses in analysis and 

algebra, taught here by enthusiastic Ph.D.s from Berkeley, were too exciting, too 

compelling to be discounted. I began to think it would be the most wonderful thing to 

throw myself into the study of category theory, algebraic geometry, or topology—though

perhaps impractical. When the teaching positions I was given this summer and fall 

demonstrated that my dream was not such an untenable one, I decided to pursue it. 

I believe I am capable of handling the demands of a Ph.D. program at your institution. I

have participated in several independent study courses here at SFSU. I compiled a report 

of stiff differential equations for our study group last spring. Currently I am working with 

Professor Jean-Pierre Langlois on a constructive, numerical analysis solution to the

oligopoly problem in economics; a paper including my name will be coming out next

year. I have a California Graduate Fellowship as well as a Graduate Equity Fellowship, 

both of which are merit-based awards. 

 

There is one final reason why I would like to teach mathematics at the university level. I

believe the presence of female faculty encourages and facilitates learning not only for

women, but for a good majority of the average American student population. It frees 

 67
them from their insecurities about themselves, encouraging them to ask questions they

might otherwise keep to themselves. I see this in my students and in my fellow graduate 

students. I am seeking a school where I will be able to pursue my studies to the furthest 

extent possible so that I can pass along a true understanding of mathematics, as well as 

my love of it. 

SAMPLE FIVE 

Did you ever build a laundromat? I did, and I do not mean just the actual, physical, 

construction of a building. I mean participating in the development of the idea, having it 

adopted by a group of women from a culture far different than our own, working with the 

women’s group to overcome both their own inertia and the active resistance of other 

more dominant segments of their society, planning its construction, performing the work, 

and programming its operation. It happened on the Pacific Island of Yap, in the Federated 

States of Micronesia, a million miles away. 

 

For 26 months, I participated as a Peace Corps community development advisor in Yap. 

The Community Development Program was a pilot project that attracted me, despite its 

nebulous title, because of the flexibility it offered. It allowed the volunteer to respond to 

the particular needs of the community rather than arriving with a pre-planned list of 

activities to impose.

 

However, when I arrived at my new home, the village of Rummu (population 250), and 

asked what types of projects I would be implementing, I wondered whether I would even 

last long enough to understand the people let alone their needs. In short, the first several 

months in Yap were the loneliest of my life. Cut off from all that I knew, isolated from 

my family, friends, and culture, I was neither their friend nor their foe. I was not even 

their neighbor. I was more like an exotic village pet, a curiosity to be observed and 

tolerated. And, on top of it all, one who didn’t have a program until I had a sense of what 

would fit in with their desires of the villagers. (I do not mean to suggest that I was 

inactive. There was school to teach, fields to farm, a language to learn, and a family to 

discover how to live with. But the central core of the job I envisioned, helping a 

community improve itself, was missing.) 

 

I am still not fully aware of how this impasse dissolved. It began with the smallest 

glimmers of friendship, the slightest of movements toward acceptance. Gradually, the

frustrations and loneliness disappeared. I learned to live one day at a time. Time passed 

and we, the villagers and I, eased our way into each others hearts and lives. Spontaneous 

thought became collective ideas which in turn became realities. The Rummu Women’s 

Group Laundromat is one example. 

 

A women’s group had existed in the village for some time. Its purposes were consistent 

with the traditional role of women within the community; to do the gardening, the

weeding and, in general, maintain the village’s communal land. There was a strong desire 

on the part of the members to expand their responsibilities and achieve some

independence, but no funds to support any such effort. Gradually the idea developed—its 

 68
origins I cannot now recall—of building a laundromat. It would both fill a need and 

provide a source of funds for other projects as well. 

Initially I resisted the idea, preferring that their energies be directed toward a different 

end. Gradually, I was won over remembering that the development of this idea and the 

rallying of the village women around it were critically important components of the 

whole concept of a community development program as I envisioned it. 

 

After many months and seemingly insurmountable obstacles, the laundromat was built. 

The results were measurable in far more significant ways than merely the successful 

completion of a project and an ongoing profit generating business. The village women, 

for the first time, had collectively determined their goals and their future for themselves. 

The end result was not just a laundromat, but a united, dynamic, and far more confident 

women’s organization. Its success proved to be a catalyst for further development as 

envisioned by the Peace Corps Development Program. Upon completion of the 

laundromat, the new-found leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills were

immediately channeled into other projects. A village dispensary was designed and 

constructed. The shelves were stocked and village women were trained as dispensary

aids. Currently, a handicrafts cooperative is in the final stages of completion. 

 

I do not write this to inform you of the success of a small group of Yapese women, or my

participation in that effort, nor to support continuation of the Peace Corps program. 

Rather, I write to provide you with more information about me that is hopefully relevant 

when considering my qualifications to law school. My Peace Corps experience was more 

than a confirmation of the ancient but still true maxim that in giving there is receiving. It

gave me the opportunity to discover how to transform ideals into action, to maintain 

commitment in order to win acceptance, to work as part of a group without dominating it, 

and to accept failure yet build on it. 

 

What I have done is what I want to continue to do. I intend to continue to work with 

society’s less fortunate. I want to help these groups organize so that they can take 

effective, concerted action. I want to help them marshal the facts, identify their problems, 

and define the solutions. I want to help those who do not have a laundromat build one. 

After all, isn’t this what lawyering is all about?

 

For a more comprehensive description of my duties while in Yap, I have enclosed my

official Peace Corps Description of Service. I have also enclosed a series of excerpts 

from letters home during my stay in Yap. They are compiled by my mother, a gradeschool teacher, for use with her students who had decided to aid one of my projects. The 

words are all mine. The editing is just as my mother prepared it. For reasons known only

to her, the excerpts are not in chronological order. Nevertheless, they provide a more 

thorough description of both the frustrations and rewards experienced while serving in 

Yap. 

 69
BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL 

APPLICANTS

Note: The publications listed in this bibliography represent a small sample of the 

hundreds of titles that are in print. For a comprehensive list of specific titles, consult 

local bookstores, colleges, university bookstores, libraries, or websites. 

10 Minute Guide to Applying for Grad School by Sharon McDonnell and Ellen 

Liechtenstein (New York, NY, Macmillan, 1997). An easy-to-use guide to the graduate

school application process. Includes illustrations, line drawings, and charts.

The Best Graduate Business Schools, 3rd Ed. by Thomas Bachhuber (New York, NY, 

Macmillan, 1999). Definitive portraits and rankings of the nation’s top 50 business 

schools: campus environment, academic outlook, and job placement record. 

Best Graduate Schools 2003, U.S. News and World Report. (U.S. News and World 

Report Specialty Marketing, 2002.) Provides in-depth ranking tables comparing schools 

on numerous attributes, over 1,000 programs’ statistics, and 27 articles about graduate 

schools.

Cash for Grad School: The Ultimate Guide to Grad School Scholarships by Phillip C. 

and Cynthia Ruiz McKee (New York, NY, HarperResource Book, 2003). Contains 3,000 

entries representing over 4 billion dollars in scholarship grants. Also contains strategies, 

instructions, and sample letters.

The Complete Medical School Preparations and Admissions Guide by Dr. Andrew 

Goliszek (Winston-Salem, NC, Healthnet Press, March 2000). Includes information 

about medical and premedical curriculums, the MCAT, study and test-taking skills, 

interviews, minority admissions, financial aid, and alternate health careers. 

Cracking the GRE 2003 by Karen Lurie, et al. (Princeton, NJ, Princeton Review, annual). 

Examples of the GRE standardized tests and study tips. 

Dan Cassidy’s Worldwide Graduate Scholarship Directory, 5th Ed. by Daniel J. Cassidy

(Franklin Lakes, NJ, Career Press, 2000). Lists thousands of grants, scholarships, loans, 

fellowships, and internships from colleges, foundations, and corporations in every major 

field of study.

Free Money for Graduate School, 4th Ed. by Laurie Blum (New York, NY, Checkmark 

Books, 2000). More than 1,000 sources of grants and scholarships are listed.

Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student’s Guide to Earning a Master’s Degree

or Ph.D. by Robert L. Peters, Ph.D. (New York, NY, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1997). 

Instructions on applying to schools and for financial aid, writing a thesis, day-to-day life 

as a graduate student, and tips for the job search.

 70
Graduate Programs in the Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences 2003 (Princeton, NJ, 

Peterson’s, 2003). Provides advice and program data from hundreds of institutions and 

their programs, entrance requirements, tuition and financial aid information, and faculty

research interests. 

The Grad School Handbook: An Insider’s Guide to Getting in and Succeeding by Richard 

and Margot Jerrard (New York, NY, Perigree, 1998). A guide for prospective graduate

students, from applying and financing to the post-degree job hunt. 

The Grad Student’s Complete Scholarship Book by Student Services, Inc. (Naperville, IL, 

Sourcebooks, Inc., 1998). Contains over 1,100 sources of money, representing over 

27,000 awards.

Graduate Admissions Essays: Write Your Way into the Graduate School of Your Choice

by Donald Asher (Berkeley, CA, Ten Speed Press, 2000). Includes advice on admissions 

essays and letters of recommendations, and provides sample successful personal 

statements. 

Graduate Study in Psychology 2003 (Washington, DC, American Psychological 

Association, 2002). Provides information on more than 500 graduate departments, 

programs, and schools of psychology in the United States and Canada. 

Guide to Undergraduate & Graduate Nursing & Health Programs in the USA 2000 by

Education International (New York, NY, Education International, 2000). Contains twopage profiles of over 80 programs. Each program’s unique features and strengths, 

admission requirements, expenses, and more are profiled. 

How to Write a Winning Personal Statement for Graduate and Professional School by

Richard J. Stelzer (Princeton, NJ, Peterson’s, August 1997). Provides advice from 

admissions officers at the nation’s top law, business, medical, and graduate schools as 

well as dozens of examples of sample personal statements. 

Newsweek Graduate School Admissions Advisor 2000: Selection, Admissions, Financial 

Aid by Ltd. Staff Kaplan Educational Center (New York, NY, Simon & Schuster, 1999). 

Advice on the application process, how to match career goals with graduate school 

options, and the employment outlook in multiple fields. 

The Official Guide to U.S. Law Schools edited by Bonnie Gordon (New York, NY, Times 

Books, 2001). Compiled by the creators and administrators of the LSAT and updated 

annually with information about admissions, finances, and salary and placement 

statistics.

The Ph.D. Process: A Student’s Guide to Graduate School in the Sciences by Dale F.

Bloom, Nicholas Cohen and Jonathan D. Karp (Oxford, England and New York, NY, 

Oxford University Press, 1998). Illustrates the entire Ph.D. process chronologically with 

tips from students and professors. 

 71
Peterson’s Graduate Programs in the Physical Sciences, Mathematics, Agricultural 

Sciences, the Environment & Natural Resources 2003 (Princeton, NJ, Peterson’s, 2002). 

Profiles of 46 physical, agricultural, and environmental science disciplines, over 3,300 

graduate programs, and the schools that offer them. 

Peterson’s Graduate Schools in the United States (Princeton, NJ, Peterson’s, annual). 

Considered by many to be the most comprehensive graduate school guide book. It is a 

standard resource and can usually be found in a college or university library. Published 

annually, its six volumes describe individual programs in the humanities, social sciences, 

biological sciences, agricultural sciences, health sciences, mathematics, engineering,

applied sciences, law, business, and education. 

Peterson’s Grants for Graduate & Postdoctoral Study (Princeton, NJ, Peterson’s, 

annual). Covering 1,900 grants, scholarships, awards, fellowships, and prizes targeted 

exclusively to graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and beginning researchers. 

The Real Guide to Grad School: The Humanities by Edward Batchelder and John 

Palattella (New York, NY, Lingua Franca Books, August 2001). Profiles of humanities 

and social science disciplines and the departments that offer them at various U.S. 

universities. 

The Social Work Graduate School Applicant’s Handbook: The Complete Guide to 

Selecting and Applying to MSW Programs by Jesus Reyes (White Hat Communications, 

2002). Ninety-three schools of social work provide tips to applicants and tell the most 

common mistakes applicants make, and also provide information about their programs.

 72
STATE TEACHER CERTFICATION WEBSITES

Alabama www.alsde.edu/html/sections/section_detail.asp?section=66&footer=sections

Alaska www.eed.state.ak.us/TeacherCertification

Arizona www.ade.az.gov/certification

Arkansas arkedu.state.ar.us/teachers

California www.ctc.ca.gov/

Colorado www.cde.state.co.us/index_license.htm

Connecticut www.state.ct.us/sde/dtl/cert

Delaware deeds.doe.state.de.us/certificate/deeds_doc_certhome.asp

District of Columbia www.k12.dc.us/dcps/teachdc/certification.html

Florida www.fldoe.org/edcert

Georgia www.gapsc.com

Hawaii www.htsb.org/

Idaho www.sde.state.id.us/certification

Illinois www.isbe.state.il.us/teachers

Indiana www.state.in.us/psb

Iowa www.state.ia.us/boee

Kansas www.ksbe.state.ks.us

Kentucky www.kyepsb.net

Louisiana www.doe.state.la.us/lde/tsac/home.html

Maine www.state.me.us/education/cert/cert.htm

Maryland certification.msde.state.md.us

Massachusetts www.doe.mass.edu/educators/e_license.html

Michigan www.michigan.gov/mde

Minnesota education.state.mn.us/html/intro_licensure.htm

Mississippi www.mde.k12.ms.us/license

Missouri www.dese.state.mo.us/divurbteached/teachcert

Montana www.opi.state.mt.us/cert

Nebraska www.nde.state.ne.us/TCERT/TCERT.html

Nevada www.nde.state.nv.us/licensure

New Hampshire www.ed.state.nh.us/Certification/teacher.htm

New Jersey www.state.nj.us/njded/educators/license

New Mexico sde.state.nm.us/div/ais/lic

New York www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/certificate/certificate_index.htm

North Carolina www.dpi.state.nc.us/licensure

North Dakota www.state.nd.us/espb

Ohio www.ode.state.oh.us/teaching-profession/teacher

Oklahoma www.sde.state.ok.us/pro/tcert/profstd.html

Oregon www.tspc.state.or.us

Pennsylvania www.teaching.state.pa.us

Rhode Island www.ridoe.net/teacher_cert

South Carolina www.scteachers.org/cert

South Dakota www.state.sd.us/deca/OPA/cert.htm

Tennessee www.state.tn.us/education/lic_home.htm

Texas www.sbec.state.tx.us

 73
Utah www.usoe.k12.ut.us/cert

Vermont www.state.vt.us/educ

Virginia www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/newvdoe/teached.html

Washington www.k12.wa.us/certification

West Virginia wvde.state.wv.us/certification

Wisconsin www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dlsis/tel

Wyoming www.k12.wy.us/ptsb/certification.htm

 74
RPCV CREDIT FOR TEACHER CERTIFICATION BY STATE

Alabama

If an RPCV does not have a state approved internship, s/he is directed to a college or

university teaching preparation program. An individual Dean of Education must request a 

waiver to the Alabama Department of Education “based on one full year of experience at

the level(s) and in the teaching field or instructional support area.” 

Alaska

The Alaskan Department of Education does not credit Peace Corps teaching service 

through alternative certification programs. Crediting Peace Corps teaching experience 

hours toward teacher preparation requirements is at the discretion of the accredited 

university hosting the teacher preparation program.

Arizona

Arizona does not give Peace Corps-specific credit, but certification requirements include 

either student teaching or “two years of full-time contract teaching,” which should be 

stated in an official letter.

Arkansas

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Arkansas’s Professional Licensure or 

the Non-Traditional Licensure Program. 

California

“Professional preparation requirements for a teaching credential may be met by

certification by the Director of the Peace Corps of the United States or the Peace Corps 

Country Director that the applicant has satisfactorily completed not less than 18 months 

in a Peace Corps assignment in a foreign country, during which time 50 percent or more 

of his or her duties consisted of classroom teaching of resident children of the foreign 

country. An applicant meeting the requirements of this section shall not be required to 

complete any education or methodology courses or meet any other requirement relating

to professional preparation.” The Assistant at the Commission on Teacher Credentialing

notes that Peace Corps service is in lieu of the “Teacher Preparation Program” but other 

educational requirements do exist. 

Colorado

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Colorado’s licensing requirements. 

 75
Connecticut

Connecticut does not give Peace Corps-specific credit, but teaching experience can be 

submitted with other requirements in the application. The teaching experience (within the 

Peace Corps) would have to be subject and grade appropriate. Form #126 “Statement of 

Successful Professional Experience” would have to “be signed by someone in the Peace 

Corps.”

Delaware

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Delaware teaching certification. 

District of Columbia

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to District of Columbia teaching

certification. 

Florida

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Florida teaching certification. 

Georgia

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Georgia teaching certification. 

Hawaii

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Hawaii teaching certification. 

Idaho

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Idaho teaching certification. 

Illinois

Illinois does not give Peace Corps-specific credit, but general teaching experience of 

grades K-12 does apply to Illinois teaching certification when certified by another state. 

Indiana

Peace Corps teaching experience does apply to teacher licensing. Three years of 

experience are required, so another year would be needed in addition to the two years of 

teaching in the Peace Corps. 

 76
Iowa

Peace Corps teaching experience does apply. Three years of experience are required to

move from “Initial Licensure” to “Standard Licensure,” so another year would be needed

in addition to the two years of teaching in the Peace Corps. 

Kansas

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Kansas teaching certification. 

Kentucky

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Kentucky teaching certification. Valid 

teaching certification requires completion of the teacher preparation program.

Louisiana

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Louisiana teaching certification. 

Maine

Peace Corps teaching experience does apply to teacher credit with the submittal of an 

official letter confirming that the volunteer has been a teacher and stating the area in

which the volunteer has taught. 

Maryland

If an RPCV has been previously certified by another state, then Peace Corps teaching

experience might count towards teaching certification in Maryland. Peace Corps teaching

experience is considered equivalent to any other out-of-state teaching experience. If an

RPCV has not been previously certified, then Peace Corps teaching experience does not

apply to Maryland teaching certification. 

Massachusetts

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Massachusetts teaching certification. 

Certification requires completion of the teacher preparation course or passing the MA 

Test for Educator Licensure. 

Michigan

Peace Corps teaching experience might apply to Michigan teacher licensure. Teacher 

licensure requires completion of the Michigan teacher preparation program at a particular

college or university. Crediting Peace Corps teaching experience hours toward the 

teacher preparation program is at the discretion of the accredited university hosting the 

teacher preparation program.

 77
Minnesota

Peace Corps teaching experience does not directly apply to Minnesota teacher licensure. 

However, documented Peace Corps teaching experience does meet the Minnesota Human 

Relations Program requirements, which, along with the teacher preparation program and 

the Praxis I exam are all requirements for teacher licensure. 

Mississippi

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Mississippi teaching certification. 

Missouri

Peace Corps teaching experience does apply to Missouri teaching certification if it is

accepted by the review board judging the certification application. 

Montana

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Montana teaching certification. 

Nebraska

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Nebraska teaching certification. The 

Nebraska Department of Education does not accept foreign teaching experience except 

through the Department of Defense. 

Nevada

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Nevada teaching certification. The 

Nevada Department of Education does not accept foreign teaching experience except

through the Department of Defense. 

New Hampshire

Peace Corps teaching experience might apply to New Hampshire teaching certification. If

Peace Corps teaching experience demonstrates and documents at least three months of 

“full time teaching” (employer reference), then it applies to “Alternative 3” of the New 

Hampshire Department of Education certification system. The RPCV must create a 

portfolio to take before an oral review board of a specific subject area to be 

recommended to a department by the review board

New Jersey

Peace Corps teaching experience does apply to New Jersey experience credit as long as 

the RPCV already holds a New Jersey teaching license. 

 78
New Mexico

Peace Corps teaching experience might apply to New Mexico teaching licensure. If the 

RPCV applies for an alternative licensure teaching program, s/he might receive credit for 

Peace Corps teaching experience once accepted into the program. If the RCPV applies for 

an alternative licensure teaching program via portfolio, then s/he should state Peace 

Corps teaching experience within that portfolio. However, this route has additional 

requirements. 

New York

Peace Corps teaching experience does apply to New York teaching licensure with the 

submittal of an abstract detailing where the RPCV taught, what subject, etc. However,

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to New York City where the Department

of Education requires one year of full-time, paid teaching experience. 

North Carolina

Peace Corps teaching experience does apply to North Carolina teaching licensure as long

as the RPCV was in fact positioned as a teacher and worked at least 15 hours per week. 

North Dakota

Peace Corps teaching experience might apply to North Dakota teaching certification 

during an interim of emergency licensure for teacher shortage. In this case, the RPCV 

must have a B.A./B.S. in the prospective subject area and must prove completion of 

clinical practice under mentorship as well as completion of education coursework at an 

accredited university.

Ohio

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Ohio teaching certification. 

Oklahoma

Peace Corps teaching experience does apply to Oklahoma teaching certification along

with the alternative certification program. The RPCV must at least have a B.A./B.S. with 

a major in a field of study corresponding to one of the specified certificate areas in order 

to apply for the Alternative Placement Program. In this case, Peace Corps teaching

experience can fulfill the required two years of work experience in that subject area of

specialization. The RPCV must then pass the Oklahoma testing requirements and a 

review panel. 

Oregon

Peace Corps teaching experience might apply to Oregon teaching licensure. This is at the 

 79
discretion of the accredited college or university. The RPCV applying for renewal of a 

Basic Teaching License with a special education endorsement or with a subject matter 

endorsement valid for use in grades five through twelve or in pre-primary through grade 

twelve may submit verification of 12 months of Peace Corps teaching service during the 

life of the current license. This applies to the RPCV applying for renewal of an Initial 

Teaching License as well. 

Pennsylvania

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Pennsylvania teaching certification. 

Rhode Island

Peace Corps teaching experience does apply to Rhode Island teaching certification as 

long as the grade level of the Peace Corps teaching corresponds appropriately to the 

certification position. In this case, in order to accept two years of teaching service to 

waives the “student teaching requirements,” the Rhode Island Department of Education 

requires an official statement of service. 

South Carolina

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to South Carolina teaching certification. 

South Dakota

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to South Dakota teaching certification. 

Tennessee

Peace Corps teaching experience might apply to Tennessee teaching licensure at the 

discretion of the accredited college or university at which the required professional 

education courses and student teaching requirements are sought. Acceptance of Peace 

Corps teaching experience as credit also depends on the subject area and grade level at

which the RPCV taught. 

Texas

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Texas teaching certification. 

Utah

Peace Corps teaching experience does apply to Utah teaching certification under the 

alternative licensure program. Credit is awarded based on the RPCV’s individual Peace 

Corps teaching experience. The extent to which the RPCV’s experience meets the 

required training preparation (coursework, one year of student teaching under 

mentorship, and two references) is determined. 

 80
Vermont

Peace Corps teaching experience does apply to Vermont teaching licensure renewal via 

the “Green” Professional Development Form #12. Peace Corps teaching experience can 

satisfy up to 2/3 of the credits required for license renewal within a seven-year period. 

For the RPCV pursuing Vermont’s alternative licensure route by “Peer Review,” Peace 

Corps teaching experience might also apply to the coursework and experience 

requirements. 

Virginia

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Virginia teaching licensure. 

Washington

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Washington teaching certification 

because student teaching requirements for the teacher preparation program mandate

supervision by the accredited university at which the program is being completed. 

West Virginia

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to West Virginia teaching certification 

unless a valid teacher certification was held prior to the Peace Corps teaching experience. 

Wisconsin

Peace Corps teaching experience does not apply to Wisconsin teaching licensure. 

Wyoming

Peace Corps teaching experience might apply to Wyoming teaching certification as 

applicable to completing student teaching requirements. This is at the discretion of the 

accredited college or university at which the RPCV pursues the teacher preparation 

program. Peace Corps teaching experience might also be accepted through a portfolio for 

alternative certification. 

 81