If you are interested in applying to a Clark University College of Professional and Continuing Education (COPACE) graduate degree program, the first step should be meeting with an appropriate Graduate Programs staff member for an informational session. This meeting is also important for those who have been taking courses but are now ready to apply for admission.

To be considered for acceptance to a graduate degree or certificate program, an applicant must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. All degree candidates must submit the following to the COPACE office:

• Official transcripts of all previous undergraduate and/or graduate education

• A completed application for admission and the appropriate fee

• Three letters of recommendation (at least two from academic sources)

• A one-page statement of experience or accomplishments, long-term career goals and the steps envisioned in achieving these goals.

Prior to acceptance into a graduate degree program, applicants must have an admissions interview with the Program Director or his designee. Applicants are accepted throughout the year. Students may enroll in programs at the start of any semester. Accelerated BA/MA degree students should have this interview during Part 1 of the application process.

Applicants for most COPACE graduate degrees are required to submit either GRE or GMAT scores. However, upon successful completion (i.e., minimum grade of B) of two courses, one of which being a foundation course, the GRE/GMAT requirement will be waived. Students who have already taken the GRE and any subject examinations should submit scores with their applications. GRE/GMAT scores are not required for graduate certificate programs.
Non-native Speakers of English Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)Students whose native language is not English must provide evidence of facility in English. Exam scores of 233 or higher on the TOEFL or its equivalent are required for admission.This requirement can be satisfied in a number of ways:

• The International TOEFL Examination (either computer-based or written).

• A Clark University Institutional TOEFL exam administered every semester by the American Language and Culture Institute.

• Students whose first degree was from a U.S. university or any other English speaking country need not submit an examination score.

• We also accept the equivalent score from either of the two prominent European tests of English: Test of English for International Communcation (TOEIC) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

• The TOEFL Equivalent examination developed for our branch campus in Israel and administered in Israel, Poland and the U.S.

• Students who take courses in branch campuses outside the U.S. will be able to take courses instructed in their native language prior to meeting the English language requirement. Students admitted to the one-year program must achieve a score of 500 or its equivalent on the TOEFL or an approved TOEFL equivalent prior to commencing studies. Students who are admitted to the two-year program must achieve a score of 440 or its equivalent on the TOEFL or an approved TOEFL equivalent before commencing studies.

Students who have strong academic achievement, but less than required TOEFL score or its equivalent, will be reviewed for continuation of their studies by the Director of Graduate Programs. Until they reach the required TOEFL score or its equivalent, the student remains admitted as a provisional graduate student.

Please contact Graduate Programs staff for details.

All new students must consult an academic advisor at the time they matriculate or begin their first course. Graduate Programs staff is available to provide academic advising. Students should meet with an advisor at least once each year.

Students are allowed to take two or three courses either before or while making formal application to the program. Before a student may register for courses, proof of college graduation must be provided to the Director of Enrollment Management. Once application is made, students are required to have an admission interview with a staff person from Graduate Programs. A committee consisting of the Director of Graduate Programs, the Dean of COPACE, and one faculty member will review each application.

Students whose academic records do not fulfill admission criteria, but whose professional record and admissions interview suggest potential for successful completion of the program, may be admitted on a provisional basis. Formal admission will be considered after completion of at least three graduate courses. To be admitted, the student must achieve a grade of at least a B in the three courses. Provisional students receiving a grade of B- or below course will not be recommended for admission.

At the discretion of the Director of Graduate Programs, applicants to COPACE graduate degree programs may file a petition to transfer selected previous course work toward fulfillment of program requirements. Professional training may be submitted for consideration for course equivalency. However, this will be approved only with proper documentation that must include a curriculum, a certification of completion and an evaluation or grade of the work by the training organization.
Courses and course equivalents that have been taken toward the completion of another graduate degree can be transferred into the Clark/COPACE masters' degree programs at the discretion of the director of graduate programs.

[NOTE: all COPACE graduate courses are credited for 1 unit, which equals four semester hours. Transfers approved for courses of less than four hours will be transferred as partial units.]

Waivers may be granted for foundation courses if competency in the academic area can be demonstrated by prior academic work. Also, mastery of skill areas through extensive professional experience can be used to waive some foundation course requirements. If a waiver is granted, an elective may replace the foundation requirement. The waiver does not reduce the total number of courses required for graduation.

The M.S.I.T. degree program provides an exemption for the Management Information Systems and Technology course when a student can show a similar completed undergraduate or graduate MIS course or through work experience that demonstrates foundation skills in management information systems. Approval must be given by the program director. An exemption reduces the total number of courses needed for graduation. Exemptions are not offered for other courses in the curriculum.

Graduate students are permitted to select from courses offered in all COPACE graduate programs and selected courses offered by the Master's in Business Administration (MBA) Program/Graduate School of Management. Contact the Director of Graduate Programs for further details.

The letter grades are in performance evaluation as follows: A Outstanding (4.0); B Good-performing at a graduate level (3.0); C Marginal Pass (2.0) (The symbols + or - attached to letter grades increase or decrease the grade respectively by 0.3. There is no C- grade); F is failing (0); I Incomplete: An Incomplete is given at the discretion of the instructor when circumstances beyond the control prevent him or her from meeting specific out-of-class requirements after the last day to withdraw. Only the instructor of the course may assign an incomplete. The letter W is a Withdraw: Indicates that the student withdrew from the course. Withdrawal requests must be submitted in writing). The academic record for each student is reviewed every semester. Good standing indicates that a student's cumulative grade point average is at least 3.0 (B). While the grade of C earned in a course is a passing grade, a cumulative average of B is required for graduation. A cumulative grade point average below 3.0 is considered inadequate academic performance. Students are placed on academic probation when their GPA is below 3.0 after completing four or more units. Students who remain on academic probation after two semesters may be dismissed from the COPACE graduate programs. ion to receive the graduate degree or certificate. An F grade in any course may constitute grounds for dismissal from the program. An F received as a consequence of a violation of academic integrity will result in expulsion from the University.

A Pass/No Record grade option may be elected: P (pass) signifies performance at a B- or above level. Although the P appears on the official transcript, good standing is still determined by the letter grade submitted by the faculty member.

A directed study is a course taken during a semester but outside the normal class schedule. There are two types of individual study classes. The directed readings (MSPC/MPA/MSIT3990) is an existing course with an approved syllabus. This is approved only for exceptional circumstances such as an irresolvable schedule conflict or graduation requirements that cannot be met any other way. The preference is for a study to study the subject as part of a regularly scheduled class. Alternatively, a student seeking an independent study (MSPC/MPA/MSIT3950) must demonstrate: 1) that it will explore a body of knowledge or area of theory and practice receiving little or not treatment in any existing course, and 2) that this course is integral to the student's career goals.

• The student must register prior to the beginning of the semester or summer session in which he or she wishes to take the directed or independent study. The registration requires the approval of the Program Director or the Director of Graduate Programs.

• Upon approval by the Program Director of the Director of Graduate Programs, the instructor assigned to work with the directed or independent study will be the regular classroom instructor of that course or a person otherwise designated by the Program Director or the Director of Graduate Programs.

• A directed readings or an independent study are both considered part of the student's normal course load.

• The content and requirements for a directed readings or an independent study are similar to those prescribed for the regular course.

• To register, the student must complete the directed readings/independent study form in the COPACE office, have it signed by the teacher and either the Program Director of Director of Graduate Programs. It must have a syllabus/plan of study attached to it.

Accelerated Bachelor/M.S.P.C or M.P.A. Degree Programs Clark University full-time day undergraduates may combine their bachelor's degree with either the M.S.P.C. or M.P.A. degree at an accelerated pace by beginning the graduate degree program during their senior year and finishing it within a fifth year of study. Those who qualify may do this tuition free.

By no later than April 1 of their Junior year, students must complete Part 1 of the Application to the Accelerated Degree Program. This form must be signed by the Dean of Graduate School and the COPACE graduate program staff. Applicants will also be asked to arrange an interview with the Graduate Program staff and to submit with Part 1 of the form a one-page essay required for admission which clearly delineates career objectives and how the selected degree program will help achieve those objectives.

Applicants for the accelerated BA/MA degree program (in addition to the regular program requirements), will also be required to register for the Internship and the Internship Seminar during one of their beginning semesters. Details are to be worked out with the Graduate Programs staff.
Up to four courses for both graduate and undergraduate credit may be taken during the senior year. Students expecting the fifth year to be tuition-free must pay careful attention to University restrictions. After graduation, students may take no more than ten courses tuition-free. Therefore, it is advisable to take at least two courses during the senior year in order to complete the graduate degree tuition-free.

An Internship is required of all student with less than three years experience (waivers available from program directors). It is purposefully structured to enable students to:

• Bridge theoretical models and practical applications;

• Apply concepts learned in courses;

• Bring real-world experiences back to the academic classroom for reflection and evaluation;

• Gain exposure to the career path for which they are preparing;

• Encounter the normal flow of communication in a professional organization;

• Build proficiencies that can be leveraged for later employment;

• Develop the appropriate work habits, attitudes, and ethics required of a professional manager.

Interns will be placed in carefully selected, mutually-agreed-upon sites where they will engage the full range of duties assigned to entry-level employees. More menial tasks will be balanced with challenging responsibilities that will contribute to their professional growth. Interns will report to a designated on-site supervisor who will provide guidance and feedback on performance. The on-site supervisor will interface with the internship professor and participate in the evaluation process.

Interns are expected to make a serious commitment to:

• Work at least 20 hours per week for a period of at least 14 weeks. These 20 hours must be scheduled in blocks of no less than four hours each.

• Attend a regular seminar to integrate workplace realities with theory and research.

• Keep an Internship journal that will be reviewed regularly by the Internship Academic Coordinator.

M.S.P.C. students may opt to take two elective courses in lieu of a thesis. MALA students may opt to take four elective courses including a capstone project in lieu of a thesis.

Completion Requirements
M.S.P.C. and MALA students selecting the thesis option must:

• Meet with the Graduate Programs staff to discuss plans, topics and procedures. They are an important resource throughout the thesis process.

• Complete the Thesis Colloquium (MSPC/MALA3998), a course taken at the beginning of thesis work. Students may elect to repeat the colloquium as often as desired at no additional cost.

• Register for Thesis (MSPC/MALA 3999) the semester in which the degree will be completed.

• Fulfill Active Student Residency Requirements as detailed in the section "Preparing to Graduate" below.

• Submit the completed thesis manuscript to COPACE no later than March 15 as detailed in the section "Preparing to Graduate" below.

Students enroll in the Thesis Colloquium after they have completed all of their coursework. This workshop provides guidance in planning and designing a thesis project. The outcome of this workshop should be the formal thesis proposal, a research plan and a schedule for completion. Students meet both as a group and individually with the Colloquium professor.

The first step in completing the thesis requirement is to select a committee of three readers. In most cases, a student works with the first reader, who is the major Thesis Advisor through the first and second drafts of the project. The second and third readers join the first in reviewing subsequent drafts. The Thesis Committee then approves the final draft. The Dean of COPACE and the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, acting on behalf of the University's Graduate Board must approve the Thesis Committee, consisting of at least a first, second, and third reader.

Before registering for the Thesis, the student develops a formal project proposal in consultation with the major advisor ("first reader"). The proposal should indicate focus, as well as significant preliminary research and thought. A description of the work to be undertaken, methods to be employed, and rationale for the endeavor should be included. Once the major Thesis Advisor has approved the proposal, the student then submits it to the Director of Graduate Programs.

Every thesis must meet University format criteria. Information on thesis format and submission procedures is available through the Office of Graduate Studies and Research (located on the second floor of the Geography Building). Students are urged to make an appointment with the University Thesis and Dissertation Format Advisor in the very earliest stages of thesis preparation. Rules for the final form in which the thesis must be submitted are stringent. A handbook, Format for Theses and Dissertations is available from the Office of Graduate Studies and Research.

Students must defend the thesis or project in a final oral examination. The first reader/major Thesis Advisor will, in consultation with the student, recommend the most appropriate format. If the first reader and the committee choose to examine the candidate in areas related to his/her thesis, they will communicate this orally and in writing while thesis research/writing is under way. A statement of agreed-upon parameters for the oral defense must be forwarded to the Director of Graduate Programs.
General guidelines for orals are available through the COPACE Graduate Programs office. The student should request these guidelines at the time of filing for candidacy or registering for the Thesis.

Upon completing the course work, the student must file an application for candidacy with the COPACE office. Students planning to graduate in May of the coming year should verify their status with the Graduate Programs staff prior to the final semester. For M.S.P.C. and MALA students choosing the thesis option, filing for candidacy should be done at the same time as registration for the thesis. Students choosing the thesis option should register for MSPC/MALA 3999. Then, they are allowed a maximum of three years from filing for candidacy to complete their final project or thesis. Active Student Residency Requirements for Thesis Students.
Once all their course work is completed and they have registered for the Thesis course, students have a full calendar year before being considered "non-resident", and, therefore, inactive. A non-resident fee must be paid each semester to maintain active (also called "resident") status. If fees are unpaid, students will be dropped from the degree program. Non-resident students completing thesis requirements are limited to two years of student deferment status on their college loans.

Degree Completion Time Limits All program requirements must be completed within seven years of formal admission. Any student compelled to extend their tenure must file a petition. The Assistant Dean reviews petitions and forwards recommendations to the Dean of COPACE.

Theses are due to COPACE Graduate Programs by March 15 to ensure adequate time to schedule an oral defense. Theses are due to the University Format Advisor by April 15 for May graduation. Diploma fees must be paid when the thesis is submitted. Students who have completed all requirements will receive additional graduation information by mail during the spring semester.

Information concerning registration, graduate tuition, fees and financial assistance is detailed in the current COPACE catalog. For additional program or admission information, call the Graduate Programs Office of the College of Professional and Continuing Education: 508-793-7451, or visit our web site at www.copace.clarku.edu.
Written requests for additional information should be addressed to the appropriate degree program at: COPACE, Jonas Clark Hall, Clark University, 950 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610-1447.

Since 1994 Clark University has managed a bilingual graduate program in Israel in cooperation with Israel College. In 1996 the program was established as the Clark University Branch Campus in Israel. The program, with courses offered in Tel Aviv and Haifa, is directed toward students living in Israel (or willing to spend a number of semesters in Israel), and are bilingual (English and Hebrew). Thirty percent of the twelve courses are offered by Clark University's faculty during either the Worcester Summer Session or the Summer Session in Israel. The degree programs are designed to expand and strengthen the academic and managerial skills of students thus enabling them to achieve a higher quality of performance, as well as advance in their professional specializations.
Two graduate degrees are offered through this program: Master of Public Administration with a concentration in health systems, as well as the Master of Science in Professional Communication with a concentration in Human Resource Development and Training. The degree programs are designed to expand and strengthen the academic and managerial skills of students thus enabling them to achieve a higher quality of performance, as well as advance in their professional specializations.
These degree programs are identical in requirements to the degree programs offered in the United States.

The degrees, taught by Clark University faculty, can be completed as a full -time program or as a part-time program. Thirty percent of the courses are offered as a concentrated summer session taught in English by Clark faculty. The rest of the program is taught in Israel by local Clark faculty. The summer session may be held either at Clark University's Worcester campus or at Clark University's Israel campuses. The Capstone presentation for the M.P.A. degree is also completed during the summer in both the U.S. and Israel.