Admission to any of the teacher education master's degree programs at UNH involves acceptance through the Graduate School. This admission may be granted to graduates of all accredited colleges and universities. While the majority of applicants are admitted, this is a competitive process and an individual must meet specified admissions standards. In determining admission of students to teacher education graduate programs, several criteria are used:

• (1) The undergraduate record. The undergraduate grade point average of the middle 50 percent of students admitted to the graduate programs in teacher education falls in the range of 2.93 to 3.48.
• (2) Scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The Graduate Record Examination scores of the middle 50 percent of students admitted to the graduate programs in teacher education fall in the following range: Verbal-440-560; Quantitative-460-620; Analytical-500-650.
• (3) Positive recommendations from EDUC 500, Exploring Teaching, EDUC 935 or the equivalent and from those able to relay information about a candidate's performance in teaching situations or related areas.
• (4) Positive recommendations regarding academic ability, motivation, and interpersonal skills.

In our admission process, we seek evidence that our students have the following knowledge, abilities, and dispositions: (1) motives to teach that include a strong social commitment to contribute to society through education; (2) a disposition to care for their students-each and every one; (3) an ability to interact positively with children and adults; (4) a capacity to win the respect of their peers and be effective in group interaction, showing openness to the needs and views of others; (5) well-developed communication skills, including speaking, writing, and listening skills as well as an ability to engage others in both the giving and receiving of information and feelings; (6) perceptiveness-the ability to identify and process the relevant details in their environment, especially in the context of a classroom; (7) the ability to make reasonable judgments in a context of complex situations that change from moment to moment; (8) the capacity for clear thinking and an ability to translate their thoughts into simple and clear explanations; (9) superior academic skills, extensive knowledge of at least one major discipline, intellectual curiosity, the ability to be open to the unknown; (10) a disposition to take charge of their own learning, which includes the active pursuit of feedback and the willingness to take thoughtful risks.
Applicants to the Graduate School must submit the following materials:

* official UNH application
* two copies of official transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate academic work
* at least three letters of recommendation from persons able to assess an applicant's
experience and preparation for graduate work in teacher education
* nonrefundable application fee
* a personal statement as follows: in no more than two pages, describe the reasons you wish to become a teacher; relevant personal qualities, and how your life experiences have shaped your beliefs about teaching and learning.
* Graduate Record Examination General Test scores taken within five years

Information on the GRE is available from Career Services in Huddleston Hall, the Graduate School or from:
Educational Testing Service
Box 600
Princeton, NJ 08541
(609) 771-7595

Applicants should realize that four to six weeks from the date of testing are typically required for GRE scores to be received by the Graduate School unless tests are taken on the computer.

Applications and supporting materials for admission must be received at the Graduate School by the following deadlines for your desired semester of acceptance:*

November 1 for spring, summer or fall admission, and
February 1 for summer or fall semester admission.
(programs may continue to review applications on a rolling basis after
this date; please consult the appropriate program coordinator for
additional information)

*Note that UNH undergraduates are strongly encouraged to apply by November 1 for admission for the following fall. The earlier deadline allows for necessary lead time to plan for the full-year internship. Also, many decisions for various sources of financial aid are made during the spring. Once admitted, a graduate student may attend either part- or full-time.

Early Admission

Provision exists for UNH seniors to apply for "early admission" to the Graduate School, i.e., admission for the second semester of the senior year. Such candidates may petition to have up to eight credits in graduate course work simultaneously count toward the bachelor's and master's degree. A student must be admitted to the Graduate School before the start of the semester in which the course(s) will be taken in order to receive graduate credit. One would typically need to have a minimum of a 3.2 cumulative grade point average to qualify for early admission.
A student would apply for early admission on the regular graduate school application.

Financial Assistance

For Undergraduate Students

The UNH Financial Aid Office assists promising students who are unable to meet their educational expenses entirely from their own family resources. Aid is available in the form of grants and scholarships, loans, and part-time, work-study employment. The financial aid issue of the Bulletin of the University of New Hampshire contains specific program information.

For Graduate Students

Need- and merit-based aid is available to graduate students through the Graduate School in the form of assistantships and tuition scholarships (apply on the graduate school application); and through the UNH Financial Aid Office in the form of loans (e.g., Perkins Loans) and the college work-study program. For more information, see the UNH Graduate Catalog and contact the Financial Aid Office (603-862-3600). Decisions on assistantships and scholarships are often made early in the spring semester for aid during the following academic year.

Several Excellence in Teaching scholarships are awarded by the Department of Education each year to students who display potential for excellence as a classroom teacher, have a strong educational background, and are involved in the full-year graduate internship. For information on this scholarship and others that might be available, contact the Coordinator, Department of Education.
For further information regarding loans and the college work-study program, contact the UNH Financial Aid Office, Stoke Hall.

Paid Internships

Financial assistance may be available through paid internships, which represent a minority of the intern placement sites that are available. While stipends are not equal to full salaries, they often are enough to defray costs of tuition and fees. Students wishing to be considered for paid sites should indicate their preference when they submit their internship application. The UNH Department of Education has made it a priority to develop additional sources of aid for teacher education students.