Frequently Asked Questions for Fellows
What are the requirements for admission to the program?
The Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development requires items listed on the Task List. All items are shared with an applicant’s academic department. Applicants who have not taken the prerequisite courses described below are considered for admission and for financial support on a case-by-case basis. Please apply by March 1st for Fall admission and October 15th for Spring admission for fullest consideration. Later applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Departmental Requirements from the 2009-2010 Graduate Catalog:
- Master’s in Applied Economics: Program applicants must submit Graduate Record Examination scores. In normal circumstances and without additional information to indicate potential success in the program, a minimum acceptable score is 950 (combined verbal and quantitative) for GREs taken prior to fall 2009. Admission to the program without course deficiencies requires that the student has successfully completed principles of economics, a basic course in calculus and in statistics, and courses in intermediate microeconomic and macroeconomic theory. For students with a strong undergraduate quantitative background, the course requirements in intermediate theory may be waived by the department. An applicant must have earned at least a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale in the last four of the six required courses.
- Master’s in Political Science: To be admitted to the Master’s degree program in Political Science, an applicant should have a 3.0 grade point average in the last 60 hours of undergraduate work and also have completed at least 15 hours of undergraduate course work in the Social Sciences with a 3.0 average. Applicants with less than 15 hours of Social Science courses may be required to take additional courses after admission to the Department. The Department requires submission of GRE (General Test) scores. Students must submit three letters of recommendation and a written personal statement. The personal statement, preferably typed, should address reasons for seeking admission to the Political Science graduate program at Illinois State. Students are also encouraged to submit an example of their written academic work. (Note that applicants to the Fellows programs must also have had at least one course in Economics.)
- Master’s in Sociology: To be considered for admission to the Master’s program, a student must have at least a 3.0 grade point average (on a scale in which A equals 4) for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work and submit scores from the general test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). A personal statement of purpose, a writing sample, one-page resume, and at least three letters of recommendation must be submitted. Entering students should have a minimum of 9 semester hours in Sociology including Sociology 270 (History of Sociological Thought), 271 (Introduction to Sociological Research), and 275 (Social Statistics) or demonstrate equivalent competency. Enrollment for such undergraduate courses may be used to remove deficiencies but hours do not count toward the 38-hour minimum for the graduate degree. (Note that applicants to the Fellows programs must also have had at least one course in Economics.)
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Do I need to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)?
Yes, the GRE General Test is required. The GRE Institution Code for Illinois State University is 1319.
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What types of financial assistance are available?
Applicants must be accepted by their department and the Fellows Program to be eligible for graduate assistantships. These assistantships are then awarded on a competitive basis. A graduate assistant must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average in order to continue to keep the assistantship. Of course, all students accepted by these departments are eligible to apply for student loans.
Fellows awarded assistantships currently receive a stipend of $850-$893 per month during the Fall and Spring semesters only. Graduate assistants are required to work up to 20 hours per week in exchange for these awards. Some assistantships involve work in their department and some assistantships require work with local non-profit organizations or government agencies relevant to community/economic development. Fellows currently receive a stipend of $1,700 a month during their second-year internship. They also receive a waiver of all tuition charges over the two-year period of participation in the Fellows program, worth up to $21,372. Fellows with appointments totaling at least 50% during the fall or spring are eligible for reimbursement of the Student Insurance fee assessed for that term.
Availability of graduate assistantships and internships is contingent upon the programmatic needs of the Center, the programmatic needs of academic departments, and/or allocation of funds for the positions. The same applies for the tuition waivers that come with these positions.
The Stevenson Center may be able to offer AmeriCorps Member status and benefits to some graduate students as they serve communities in Illinois through their graduate assistantships or internships. A benefit of successful AmeriCorps service is the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of up to $5,720.
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What are my out-of-pocket costs?
Costs for student health insurance (currently $170 per semester) and student fees (currently $68.23 per credit hour) are charged to the student. Graduate assistants (GA's) with appointments totaling at least 50% during fall or spring are eligible for reimbursement of the Student Insurance fee assessed for that term. The university does not reimburse GA's who do not purchase ISU Student Insurance, and there is no reimbursement for insurance for the summer term, even if the GA holds a summer contract. Eligible GA's must pay their insurance charge through their student account. ISU will reimburse the amount of the insurance fee through payroll (taxes will apply). With or without financial assistance, students are responsible for payment of these fees and all other expenses, including books and photocopying, housing, food, and other typical living expenses. The Financial Aid Office provides estimates of these costs. Applicants are also welcome to ask current and recent students about the relative costs of living in central Illinois and internship placement sites.
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What is the average number of students enrolled at any given time?
The Stevenson Center has approximately 30 active students at any given time (including both Fellows and Peace Corps Master’s International students in all three academic programs), half of whom are on campus.
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How long do most students take to complete the requirements for graduation?
The program is designed for completion in two years, with 71-85% of academic credits completed in the first calendar year. Much of the remaining academic work involves research for a thesis or other capstone exercise, which may be conducted simultaneously with the second year internship.
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Does an applicant need special experience in community development work?
Fellows’ experience does not need to be specialized. Obviously, it can be helpful, but the on-campus academic and practical training is sufficient to provide the general knowledge and specific skills needed for success in community work.
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Where do I get information on available housing?
Information regarding on-campus housing, including University Apartments, is available through the University Housing Office (309-438-8611). Off-campus housing information is available through Off-Campus Housing Services (309-438-2151). Local classified ads can be viewed in local newspapers, such as the Pantagraph, and at sites like Apartment Finder and Craig’s List.
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Do Fellows need to own an automobile?
Most Fellows have assignments that require considerable movement around rural and urban communities and regions. Therefore, it is advisable that Fellows have a car. In most placements, assistance will be available to pay for non-local mileage costs.
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When I graduate, what types of jobs or other professional opportunities may be available to me?
Fellows have had great success in finding work in their field. Most Fellows completing their placements have been offered permanent employment from their placement hosts. Many of these have taken short-term contracts and then found other work in the same career area. Some choose to pursue Ph.D. programs or law degrees. Alumni of the Fellows Programs hold various positions in their chosen fields.
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