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Frequently Asked Questions

Applying

Where do I pick up an application for the graduate school?
1. You can pick up an application at the Continuing Education office located on the lower level in the Maxwell Library or request an application by mail or email: Please phone 508-531-1300 or Gradschool@bridgew.edu.
What items do I need for my application?
1. You will need the filled out application
2. Graduate GPA of 2.75 or 3.0 held during Jr and Sr years.
3. Three letters of recommendation
4. Official copy of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts
5. Appropriate test scores for the GRE
  - >900 for full admittance
  - 600-899 for conditional acceptance
6. Check made out to Bridgewater State College in the amount of $50
7. Those applying to a post-bacc certification program will also need a qualifying score on the MTEL test (>70).
What is the GRE and what skills does the General Test measure?
1. The GRE is a test composed of verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing sections. It is similar to the SATs. You can take it written or on a computer.
  - Analytical Writing
    - articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively
    - examine claims and accompanying evidence
    - support ideas with relevant reasons and examples
    - sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion
    - control the elements of standard written English (this factor plays a role only to the extent that poor writing skills impede readers' understanding of the argument)
  - Verbal
    - analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information obtained from it
    - analyze relationships among component parts of sentences
    - recognize relationships between words and concepts
  - Quantitative
    - understand basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis
    - reason quantitatively
    - solve problems in a quantitative setting
2. What is the analytical writing section like?
  - The analytical writing section consists of two analytical writing tasks: a 45-minute "Present Your Perspective on an Issue" task and a 30-minute "Analyze an Argument" task. The "Issue" task states an opinion on an issue of general interest and asks you to address the issue from any perspective(s) you wish, as long as you provide relevant reasons and examples to explain and support your views. The "Argument" task presents a different challenge--it requires you to critique an argument by discussing how well reasoned you find it. You are asked to consider the logical soundness of the argument rather than to agree or disagree with the position it presents. These two tasks are complementary in that the first requires you to construct a personal argument about an issue, and the second requires you to critique someone else's argument by assessing its claims.
Where/how do I sign up to take the GRE?
1. You can register on-line at http://www.gre.org or through Bridgewater State College’s Testing center, call for information 508-531-1780.
2. Students who have an earned Masters degree are exempt from taking the GRE.
How much does the GRE cost and is there a way to get the fee waived?
1. The GRE costs $115 for the General Test.
2. Yes, there is a way to get the GRE fee waived if you have financial aid. Just visit the financial aid office, located in room 100 of Tillinhast Hall, (508) 531-1341, to find out if you qualify and they will give you a waiver form that you submit when you take the test.
What do I do with the results of the GRE?
1. When applying to take the GRE, you will enter Bridgewater’s CEEB code of R3517 so that the results will be sent directly to Bridgewater.
What are the deadlines for applying to the graduate school?
- October 1 for spring semester admission
- December 1 for late spring semester admission
- March 1 for summer session admission
- June 1 for fall semester admission
What is the fee to apply to grad school?
1. $50 payable to Bridgewater State College
Should I hand write out the application or should I type it out?
1. While you can write it out, it is highly recommended that you type it out because it is essentially a first impression of you.
Can all of my recommendations be from the same area or do they have to be from different disciplines?
1. They all can be from professors but, if two are from professors, one can be from an employer.
What do I do if my GPA isn’t quite that high?
1. A GPA under 2.75 but above 2.5 will categorize you as a conditional admit as well as holding a GRE score of 600-899
Who do I send the application to?
1. You send the application to the Graduate Studies Department located in Maxwell Library.
How long do I have to wait till I get a response?
1. Typically, the graduate office should respond within 6 weeks after the deadline for application has passed.
How many classes can I take before I am officially accepted into the graduate program?
1. Currently, you are allowed to take 2 classes at BSC and 2 from another accredited institution before admissions. These credits include any credits earned in courses in which the student is enrolled at the time of acceptance. It does not include prerequisites. Approval is subject to the following conditions: 1) that not more than six of credits being transferred are from an accredited institution other than Bridgewater State College; 2) that a grade of B or better has been earned in all courses being transferred; and 3) that courses being transferred have not been used to fulfill the requirements of another degree or certificate. A form entitled Petition for Acceptance of Transfer Credit is sent to the student by the graduate office at the time of acceptance. If courses enrolled in prior to acceptance are to be applied toward fulfillment of requirements for a master’s degree or CAGS program, it is the student’s responsibility to submit the transfer credit form to the graduate office approved by the program adviser. All transfer courses are subject to the regulations governing time limits – no graduate course offered for the degree may be more than six years old when degree requirements are completed. After a student has been admitted to a master’s degree program, a maximum of six graduate credits of grade B or better, taken at an institution accredited at the graduate level other than Bridgewater State College, may be transferred if approved by the adviser. No more than a total of six credits can be transferred from other graduate schools. An official transcript of courses taken at another institution after acceptance must be sent directly to the Bridgewater State College Graduate Admissions Office.
What constitutes a full time graduate student?
1. Full-time graduate study for master’s degree and CAGS students is defined, for academic purposes only, as being enrolled in nine or more graduate credits in a given semester. To be considered full-time, post baccalaureate program students must carry a course load of at least 12 credits each semester, as defined under “Course Loads” in the “Undergraduate Academic Policies” section of the BSC catalog.
2. Full-time graduate students may register for up to 15 credits during the fall and spring semesters, and up to six credits during each of the two summer sessions. Students wishing to register for more than the maximum credit load must receive permission in writing from their graduate adviser and program coordinator.
3. All full time students must show proof of immunization against childhood illnesses. The following are required:
  - At least one dose of mumps, and rubella vaccine given at or after 12 months of age;
  - At least two doses of live measles vaccine given at least one month apart at or after 12 months of age and after 1967;
  - A booster dose of tetanus/diptheria within the last 10 years

Graduate Programs and their Classes

There are different types of graduate programs. Which one should I choose?
1. You should select a program that focuses on the topics in which you are interested in as a possible career. View the recommended courses and see if they cover important issues for that career. The best thing to do is talk to your advisor.
Why are there only a few classes offered each semester?
1. Student enrollments influence whether or not a course will be offered. Chances are that if a course has had a good previous enrollment, it might run again.
Do I need to take elective classes?
1. Yes, there are required classes for each program but you will need electives to get all the credits you will need for the degree. Choice of electives will be determined by you and your advisor according to what would be best for the program.
What would be an example of an elective class?
1. Taking a Biomechanics class to help further your knowledge of exercise science.
What are the core classes required in the MAHPLS graduate program?
1. Please see the links to the individualized programs under the graduate web site or ask the graduate coordinator for the recommended classes.
How do I choose between either taking COPMS or doing a thesis?
1. This depends on whether you desire to conduct an actual study which will require actual fieldwork or taking COMPS which is a written exam in all areas.
What are COMPS?
1. COPMS are exams which are given at the end of the program. Graduate students must take a comprehensive examination that reflects the full range of their program. The design of the comprehensive examination must show a relationship to the program and to the program’s exit seminar. It is based upon the student’s major area(s) of study, as well as related areas, and may include work done on a thesis. Students must give evidence that they can integrate information and ideas from the various areas in which they have studied. The examination may be written and/or oral, as determined by the student’s department. In order to be eligible for a comprehensive examination, the student should have completed all of the necessary course work specified by the major department. A student who plans to take the comprehensive examination should file the graduate office form entitled Examination Request, together with a nonrefundable comprehensive examination fee of $60 for master’s degree candidates. Checks should be made payable to Bridgewater State College and submitted to the Office of Graduate and Continuing Education. The form should be completed and filed along with the fee on or before the appropriate application deadline. Ordinarily, comprehensive examinations are given during the months of November and March/April. All students who take the comprehensive examination will be notified of the results by mail in a timely fashion. Students who fail the comprehensive examination shall be given one further opportunity to pass. The student should meet immediately with the faculty adviser or designated person to review weaknesses of the student’s performance, and a prescribed program of study should be designed to help guide the student to prepare for the second examination.
What would I have to do if I were to do a thesis?
1. Graduate students submitting a thesis must have a thesis committee, which is comprised of at least three faculty members, including a thesis committee chairperson. All thesis committee appointments should follow consultation with the student’s adviser and the student. Students should refer to the course entitled Research (which appears in the catalog under their major department and in this section under Independent Study) and consult with the advisor, relative to the matter of earning credit for research done in conjunction with a thesis. Students must be enrolled in research during any period in which a faculty member is directing the thesis.
2. Two unbound copies of the approved thesis must be submitted to the graduate office not later than the completion of all other degree requirements. Each copy must contain an abstract of the thesis. The graduate office arranges for the binding of theses. A fee of $12 per copy is charged. Checks should be made payable to Bridgewater State College and submitted to the Graduate Office.
What is a directed study?
1. 503 Directed Study (credit to be arranged) – This course is designed for the graduate student who desires to study selected topics in his or her field. Directed study may not be used to substitute for courses which are required in the program or to study topics which are covered in required or elective courses in the program. The number of directed studies approved by the Dean in a given academic year will be limited due to both academic and budgetary reasons. Directed study follows the same registration procedures as all other academic course work on campus; that is, arrangement for directed study must take place prior to the time of registration with all forms completed and on file at the appropriate departmental office. Enrollment in directed study is limited to students who have been accepted to a graduate program at Bridgewater State College and who have completed a minimum of 15 approved graduate credits.
What are the drop/add deadlines?
1. The Drop/Add schedule is as follows:
  - The Drop/Add period for 15-week semester courses ends after the sixth weekday of the semester.
  - The Drop/Add period for five-week summer courses ends after the third weekday of the session.
  - The Drop/Add period for 10-week summer courses ends after the fifth weekday of the session.
  - The Drop/Add period for non-regular courses ends one weekday after the first class meeting. However, students cannot add intensive – e.g., weekend or one-week – courses after the first class meeting.
2. No adds or drops will be permitted after these deadlines.
3. Drop/Add forms are available at the Registrar’s Office during the drop/add period. It is advisable that students discuss changes in their schedule with their adviser.
4. If students fail to drop courses appropriately, a grade of “F” will be entered on their academic record. This grade will be used in computing the GPA.

Certification Tests

I want to enter into the teaching Master’s program. What type of certification test do I need to take?
1. You need to take the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) teacher certification test for content (physical education or Health), communization, and literacy.
Where can I apply for this test?
1. You can apply to take the test through the test’s web site: http://www.mtel.nesinc.com or by mail and phone at:
  MASSACHUSETTS TESTS FOR EDUCATOR LICENSURE
  NATIONAL EVALUATION SYSTEMS, INC.
  P.O. BOX 660
  AMHERST, MA 01004-9013
  TELEPHONE: (413) 256-2892
What are the deadlines for the test?
1. These are the deadlines for the 2004-2005 year, but can give you a basic idea of the approximate dates:
  Test Date Regular Registration Deadline*

Test Date	Regular Registration Deadline*	Late Registration Deadline (additional $30 fee required)	Emergency Registration Period§ (additional $50 fee required)	Score Report Mailing Date
	RECEIPT date (by 5:00 p.m. eastern time) for registration via the Internet and reregistration by telephone POSTMARK date for registration by mail	RECEIPT date (by 5:00p.m. eastern time) for registration via the Internet and by mail and for reregistration by telephone	RECEIPT period (by 5:00p.m. eastern time, last day of period) for registration via the Internet and by telephone
September 11, 2004	July 30, 2004	August 20, 2004	Aug. 23-Sept. 3, 2004	October 15, 2004#
November 20, 2004	October 8, 2004	October 29, 2004	Nov. 1-Nov. 12, 2004	December 27, 2004
March 5, 2005	January 21, 2005	February 11, 2005	Feb. 14-Feb. 25, 2005	April 8, 2005
May 14, 2005	April 1, 2005	April 22, 2005	April 25-May 6, 2005	June 17, 2005
July 23, 2005	June 10, 2005	July 1, 2005	July 5-July 15, 2005	August 26, 2005

What are the fees associated with this test?
1. If you wish to take the Communication and Literacy Skills (01) test or the Vocational Technical Literacy Skills Test (91), fill in the corresponding oval. The fee for taking either test is $60. This fee plus the nonrefundable registration processing fee must be included in addition to the test fee for any afternoon PreK–12 or Adult Basic Education subject matter test you select. If you wish to take the Foundations of Reading (90) test, fill in the corresponding oval. The fee for the Foundations of Reading test is $90. This fee plus the nonrefundable registration processing fee must be paid in addition to the test fee for any afternoon PreK–12 or Adult Basic Education subject matter test you select.
What is a qualifying score on this test?
1. Scores are converted into a 0-100 scale. A score >70 is considered a qualifying score.
You can attain more information about the MTEL test at:
1. http://www.mtel.nesinc.com/PDFs/MA_20042005regbulletin.pdf

Finance Questions

Are there any scholarships that I may apply to in order to help pay for classes?
1. There are a couple of scholarships which are available to graduate students. Contact the student affairs office in Boyden Hall, located in room 106, in December to attain information.
Are there any other sources of financial help?
1. Yes, one might be able to attain a Graduate Assistantship. There are typically 35 offered each year on campus on a competitive basis.
What is a Graduate Assistantship and how do I go about applying for one?
1. The graduate office offers a number of graduate assistantships in areas associated with the college’s graduate programs. Only those who have been accepted into a Bridgewater State College graduate program are eligible to be awarded a graduate assistantship. Graduate assistants must be enrolled full-time (9 credits). Application forms may be obtained online at http://www.bridgew.edu/GCE/GA_App.pdf or from the Office of Graduate and Continuing Education.
2. Completed assistantship applications should be returned to the Office of Graduate and Continuing Education. Applicants who are awarded an assistantship will receive a letter of appointment from the Office of Graduate and Continuing Education. Graduate Assistants receive a stipend for either a nine month (September-May), or 10-month (September-June) position. Assistants will also receive tuition and fee remission for nine credits of course work during each of the fall and spring semesters. With permission
  from the hiring department, they may also receive tuition and fee remission for up to six credits of course work during Summer Session I. The tuition and fee waiver applies only to graduate and continuing education courses which are offered after 4 PM and during Summer Session I. Graduate assistants are expected to work a minimum of 20 hours per week. The maximum period of appointment for any graduate assistant is 24 months or two academic years. For information regarding additional forms of financial assistance, see the “Financial Aid” section of this catalog.

Graduation

I’ve completed all my classes and am ready to graduate. Where do I get the application?
1. Students who are nearing the completion of their graduate program requirements and who plan to receive a master’s degree or CAGS in January, May or August, should request from the graduate office the form Application to Graduate. This form should be completed by the student and filed, together with the candidate’s Graduate Program Proposal, approved by the faculty adviser, in the graduate office on or before the appropriate application deadline.
  These forms are available on your Blackboard site.
How many credits do I need to graduate?
1. In order for a student to exit from a graduate program, he or she must satisfactorily complete all credit requirements (with a minimum GPA of 3.0), and, in most programs, pass a comprehensive examination.
2. MS programs in PE are 30 credits. Med in Health is 33 credits.
What is the fee for applying to graduate?
1. There is no fee for commencement
What are the deadlines for the application to graduate?
1. October 1 for January graduation
2. February 1 for May graduation
3. June 1 for August graduation
The application to graduate is available on your Blackboard site.

Last Modified: February 16, 2005

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