MSE-PD Online Cohort Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the program completely online?
A: The program is fully online. All assignments, interaction with faculty and students, book and materials purchases, and other activity will take place via the Internet.
Q: What is the application deadline?
A: To be guaranteed a space in program courses throughout the program, be sure to apply for admission no later than August 1st, for the upcoming fall semester.
Q: How do I sign up for classes?
A: To apply for admission to the program, complete the online form at http://apply.wisconsin.edu. There is a one-time, $56.00 application fee. Once you are admitted, you will receive instructions about registration for courses each semester.
Q: Do I need to take the GRE or MAT, or provide letters of recommendation to qualify for admission?
A: The main requirements for admission to this program are a bachelor's degree with a grade point average of at least 2.75 on a four-point scale.
Q: Will I have an academic advisor in the program?
A: There will be a cohort coordinator to oversee your enrollment and preparation for learning in the online environment. At the start of the program, you will be assigned an individual academic advisor who shares some of your interests whose main role will be to help you relate your course work to your professional goals in research, practice, and voice, and in particular to help you throughout the program to think about a culminating project that synthesizes and applies your learning.
Q: What about technical support? I am comfortable with computers but not a programmer.
A: At the start of the program, you will complete instructional modules online to familiarize you with the various learning tools and resources that will be used in the courses. There are online self-help resources within the course management system. You will also have ready access to expert, live technical support through the UW-Whitewater computer Helpdesk.
Q: What kinds of course work and assignments can I expect in the program?
A: Each course in the program will have a unique design that takes advantage of some of the many ways to learn in an online environment. In addition to reading assigned texts and doing some formal writing, you can expect to participate in online discussions, view videos, engage in simulations, and create some of your own media for online distribution.
Q: What kind of time commitment is involved in completing the online course work?
A: The program is designed to be rigorous, yet to allow students who teach full time to be able to complete six credits each semester. Students each week can expect to be online for at least the same amount of time they would expect to be in class meetings in a traditional class for the same number of credits, and should expect the equivalent amount of "homework" for each class.
Q: Will there be specific online "meeting times"?
A: There will be weekly deadlines, but no set times for completing class activities. You will work on course assignments and participate in discussions and other activities at your convenience. However, you may find it useful to set aside a few specific, regular times per week for course work to ensure that you meet deadlines. Good time management is even more essential in an online course than it is in a traditional one.
Q: What is a Capstone Project?
A: Capstone projects in the MSE-PD can take many forms, including classroom action research, curriculum development, and creation of materials, art works, and multimedia. Students develop project ideas in consultation with their advisors starting with the earliest courses in the program. What projects have in common is that they are individual, they are based on research, they tie research to practice, and they are presented to an audience for feedback. Capstone projects are substantial and have a formal, written component, and they evaluated on a satisfactory/no credit basis.
Q: I've heard that there is a presentation of capstone projects. Is this online, too?
A: Yes. The Capstone Project Seminar will culminate in an online presentation of each student's project.
Q: If I start the MSE-PD online cohort in fall 2009, how soon can I earn my master's degree?
A: If you successfully complete all the listed courses in the cohort, you can finish in spring 2011.
Q: How much does the program cost?
A: Cost for the online cohort is the same as the cost for regular graduate classes (Wisconsin Resident) on campus. See uwwcost.uww.edu for the cost per credit of enrolling in courses.
Q: Do I pay for the program all at once?
A: Fees will be assessed upon enrollment each semester.
Q: My school district sometimes sponsors graduate courses for credit. Can I take one of these courses and transfer the credit into the MSE-PD program?
A: Up to nine credits earned at another institution can be applied to the MSE-PD. The course work must be in a format similar to a UW-Whitewater graduate course offered for the same number of credits, and the course content must be equivalent to the content of one of the online cohort classes. There will be no substitutions for the MSE-PD Core Courses: EDFOUND 780 Readings in Educational Research, CIGENRL 723 Issues, Perspectives, and Directions, EDUINDP 724 Planning for Change, or EDUINDP 789 Capstone Project Seminar.
Q: I've already completed some graduate course work at UW-Whitewater. Can I count the credits toward the MSE-PD?
A: If the content is equivalent to MSE-PD online cohort course content, and if the credits were earned within the past four years, the credits will be evaluated and up to twelve credits previously earned at UW-Whitewater may be counted.
Q: Can I get a teaching license by completing the online cohort?
A: The MSE-PD online cohort is designed for educators who wish to improve their practice, become familiar with research, and strengthen their professional voice as licensed teachers, but not to obtain a new or additional teaching license. For information about licensure programs at UW-Whitewater for individuals who already have bachelor's degrees, visit www.uww.edu/coe.
Q: What specific course work is included in the program?
A: A complete listing by semester can be found at http://msepd.uww.edu.
Q: Where can I find information about the individual courses?
A: Basic descriptions of UW-Whitewater courses can be found at the School of Graduate Studies website, http://www.uww.edu/gradstudies/catalog.php. However, because this is a new program, a few of the courses are still under development and may not yet be included in the catalog.
Q: I have heard a lot about UW-Whitewater and look forward to being part of the community of learners there, but I wonder whether being in an online cohort will allow me to have this experience. Can I visit the campus sometime?
A: Of course! As a student in the MSE-PD online cohort, you will have many of the rights and privileges of any UW-Whitewater student, including use of the library, an email account, a student ID card, and the opportunity to schedule a face-to-face meeting with your individual advisor, if you happen to be in the Whitewater area.
