Frequently Asked Questions: MA in Urban Education Studies

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Can you send me any information in the mail about the MA in Urban Education Studies, or a hard copy application?: No, all of our information is online, and the application is only available online.
Is your program open to candidates in Elementary Education, Early Childhood, Special Education, Educational Administration, ESL/Bilingual, or Art Education?: No. We only accept candidates who want to teach Grades 7-12 in English, History/Social Studies, Spanish, Math, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or General Science.
Can I take just a single course without being enrolled in the entire program?: No. Our courses are open only to those enrolled in the MA in Urban Education Studies.
Can I pursue two subject areas while in your program?: No, the structure of our program only makes it possible for you get certified in a single subject area. We can advise you on how to pursue cross-endorsement at a later date.
Do you have fall or spring start dates?: No, the only start date each year is at the beginning of June.
Do you accept applications from international students?: No, we do not.
Do you accept applications from certified teachers?: Yes. We have had certified teachers join the program. Be aware that you will not be exempt from any of the program's components, including Student Teaching.
Do you accept applications from candidates seeking to transition into teaching as a second career?: Yes.
I'm currently teaching in a school in or near New Haven. Can I continue teaching while enrolled in your program?: No. Our program is full-time and our candidates may not hold other employment that requires a significant time commitment.
Is your program open to applicants who are not Yale alumni, or who are not Connecticut residents?: Yes, we seek applications from candidates around the country who have a strong academic background and who possess the disposition to succeed in an urban classroom.
How competitive is your program?: Our admissions process is quite competitive, and we admit only 5 to 10 students each year. Ideally, applicants will have a GPA of 3.0 or better and GRE Verbal scores of at least 600.
What is a "semester hour of credit"?: A semester hour of credit is the most commonly used system of measuring course work at the university level. Some universities may award only one "credit" per course (as Yale does), but at every university that does so, those credits can be converted into "semester hours of credit". For instance, at Yale a "credit" is equivalent to 3 semester hours of credit. At some universities it is equivalent to 3.3 or 4 semester hours of credit. That information will be available from your university registrar and will most likely also be printed on the back of an official hard copy of your transcript. So for most applicants, the requirement of "30 semester hours of credit in the subject you wish to teach" will translate into 10 courses.
How do I know whether I meet the CT course requirements for a certificate in my subject area?: First review the coursework prerequisites for the subject you wish to teach, and then download and fill out a first draft of the appropriate worksheet. For any courses that you are not sure about, gather the course descriptions from your university. Email your draft of the worksheet and the extra course descriptions to urbanteaching@yale.edu.
Can I use AP credit to fulfill some of the coursework prerequisites?: Yes, but only if the credit appears on your undergraduate transcript.
Do all my coursework prerequisites have to be completed by the application deadline?: No, you may take courses during the spring semester as well. Applicants may decide to postpone the completion of up to 3 credits (1 course) until the second summer of the program (i.e. between the completion of the program and the start of your teaching commitment). The cost of those credits would not be covered by the tuition fellowship.
What subjects are included in "History/Social Studies"?: A History/Social Studies certificate is a single certificate. Teachers holding this certificate in New Haven teach world history, United States history, and civics, and may teach psychology as well. Visit the following website for more information on New Haven's social studies curriculum.
I am a native Spanish speaker. Do I still need to fulfill the coursework prerequisites if I want to teach Spanish?: Yes, you must meet the requirement of 24 credits either through coursework or through standardized testing. Credit is awarded for the ACTFL OPI (2 to 12 credits, depending on your score) and the CLEP tests in Spanish.
If I fulfill some of my coursework prerequisites online or at a community college, will it hurt my chances of getting in?: No, not if the majority of your content coursework was done at an academically rigorous institution.
What tests are required before I apply?: The GRE Teneral Test, the Praxis I (if not waived) and the one or two subject area tests in your subject (Praxis II, or ACTFL OPI/WPT for Spanish candidates). The GRE and Praxis exams are administered by ETS, and the OPI/WPT are administered by ACTFL.
I already have an advanced degree. Do I still need to take the GRE General Test?: Yes, the GRE Teneral Test is required of all applicants, as is the Praxis I (if not waived) and all the required subject area tests (Praxis II, or ACTFL for Spanish candidates).
My GRE scores have expired. Can I still use them?: Yes, but only if you possess a hard copy of your original score report.
What are the average GRE scores for admitted students?: We do not calculate an average. However, we are looking for scores of 600 or better on the math and verbal sections. We do consider applicants who do not meet this standard, and we look for other strengths in their application.
Are the Praxis exams offered outside of Connecticut?: Yes, but they are only offered every other month and every test might not be offered on every test date. See ETS for a listing of test centers.
I am (or will be) certified in a state other than Connecticut. Do I still need to take the Praxis exams?: You may have to. Please read "Certification for Out-of-State Applicants - Fact Sheet #106", and contact the Connecticut State Department of Education for more information.
Is there financial aid available to candiates in your program?: Yes. Every student enrolled in our program automatically receives full financial support, which means a full tuition scholarship ($32,500 in 2009-2010) plus a room and board stipend ($25,500 in 2009-2010) and a health award that funds the full cost of a single student's Yale Health Plan Basic and Hospitalization/Specialty coverage.
How do I apply for financial aid? Do I need to submit financial information with my online application?: There is no application, and you do not need to fill out the Financial Statement supplemental form within the online application. If you are admitted into our program you will automatically be awarded the full aid package.
How is the stipend paid? How much can I expect to have to live on per month?: The stipend is distributed twice a month, over 14 months. A stipend of $25,500, for example, will be distributed in 28 equal installments of $910.71, beginning on June 15 and ending on July 31 the following year. More information is available from the Graduate School Office of Financial Aid.
I have an outside fellowship that provides funding for graduate school. Will I still receive the full amount of the Urban Teaching Fellowship?: Yes. The amount of any funding you have outside of the Urban Teaching Fellowship does not affect the level of financial support you will receive from Yale University.
How big is your program?: We admit 5 to 10 students each year. We have an intensive focus on building your teaching practice, and we take a highly individualized approach based on the strengths that you quickly get to exhibit in the summer teaching practicum.
What kind of support and professional development do graduates receive during the two-year teaching commitment?: Alumni teaching in New Haven are supported both formally and informally, and are expected to in turn provide support to candidates currently in the program. Alumni attend monthly induction dinner meetings, where theory and research are applied to case studies from each teaching site. Yale faculty continue to observe and provide feedback, and less formal social and mentoring opportunities are structured through the years following graduation.
Will I get to choose the schools I am placed in during the program?: Placement decisions are made by the faculty. You will be placed in one school in the fall and a different school in the spring, and both placement decisions will take into account your teaching strengths and challenges.
Can I take electives or design my own course of study?: No, the program operates on a cohort model, and each student takes the same courses. There is not time during the program to take additional courses.
Do you offer classes at night or part-time?: No. Our MA is offered full-time only. Classes are scheduled between the hours of 9am and 6pm, Monday through Friday, year-round.
Can the teaching commitment be fulfilled in another urban area besides New Haven, CT?: No, the two-year teaching commitment must be fulfilled in the New Haven Public School District.
Are teachers compensated during the two-year teaching commitmet?: Yes, teachers are hired by the New Haven Public Schools as regular full-time teachers at MA-level salary.
I have taught for several years already. Will those years be counted towards my salary scale when I begin teaching in New Haven?: Yes, most likely. For more information contact the New Haven Public School Personnel Office at (203) 946-8808.
Can candidates choose not to accept the financial support offered through the Urban Teaching Fellowship, and then not fulfill the teaching commitment or fulfill it outside of New Haven?: No.
After I complete the teaching commitment in New Haven, can I teach outside of Connecticut?: Yes. You must contact the state department of education in the state to which you wish to transfter. Additional tests or specific coursework may be required. For more information see the NASDEC Interstate Agreement.
How are the teaching placements made?: For your two-year teaching commitment, we do not place you in a specific school. You are free to interview for any position that is open in your subject area.
What if I would really like to teach a particular grade or teach at a particular school?: It is not possible to forsee where the openings will be at the time you are applying.
Where is your office located?: Please use this map to locate our office. Putting the address "35 Broadway" into Google Maps will not identify the location of our building. The building does not face Broadway, but rather is on the back side of Broadway, behind Toad's Place on York Street.
If I have further questions, what should I do?: Email Program Administrator Kendra Mack at urbanteaching@yale.edu.

Yale University

Frequently Asked Questions: MA in Urban Education Studies