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profev

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  1. I actually had the opposite experience. I transitioned from a PWI to an HBCU. I agree with juillet completely. I didn't do anything in particular to transition. I knew the issues on both sides of the coin, and believe me, both types of institutions have their issues. I've throughly enjoyed my experience at an HBCU as a graduate student and if I had the chance to do it again, I'd do it just the same. I could be that I'm older or just more appreciative, but both experiences have shaped who I am now. And like juillet said, as the end of the day, people are just people. At your new institution you will find that your peers have their own imposter syndromes. It could be that they are the first in their families to go to college, or their family members don't understand why they are continuing their education (as opposed to getting married and having kids), or maybe they have mental health challenges or very demanding family members who expect nothing but the best and they too are afraid of failure; everyone has something. And its when you meet other people outside of your comfort zone you realize at the end of the day we are all humans, imperfectly so. Good luck and enjoy your journey! PS. I did the big chop 10 years ago and have been going strong ever since!
  2. I work full-time and go to school full-time. From work to school it's a 2 hour commute; however, I am only on campus two times a week. It helps that my program is geared towards working adults and all of the courses are at night. Also, I communicate openly to all of my professors and do most of my work on the weekends. I also teach and have a day off during the week, so that helps as well. It is possible to do. I would say start off will taking 2 classes at the most your first semester, and then you will see how you can negotiate your time. After that, you will probably pick up more classes as you get more comfortable with the demands of your job, school and home life.
  3. Well, if you want to teach graduate students you must have a PhD. If you want to teach undergraduates, especially at a community college, you can get by with a master's, but in the economy it is the exception, not the rule. You also might want to consider changing your location. Florida has a surplus of professionals with ESOL credentials. So you might consider working in another state where that is not the case and you won't have as much competition. Have you considered working in another country? There is a huge need for ESOL professors abroad, and some pay very well, especially in the Middle East and Asia.
  4. Bonjour Laura, Have you been taking French classes while living in France? One of the issues in language studies, even though you are interested in teaching as opposed to research, is reading and writing. Graduate language classes are reading and writing intensive. So, are you certain that after 4 semesters of formal French, a year of living abroad in France (which I am sure has increased your listening and speaking in French, but not necessarily academic writing and reading in French) that you'd be able to take classes in academic French and write at that level? I could see a couple of situations being beneficial. If a university does not agree that your preparation has prepared you for graduate studies in French, after you are back to the US you can take some 300-and 400 -level French courses, and then apply for a master's degree. I also think a language placement exam might also help you determine where you are. Also, consider speaking to a French professor in a French program in the US about your questions and if possible, exam the textbook that they use in the graduate level courses. This will also give you a better sense of your abilities. You can even ask to audit a course, or sit in on a few courses to see what it would be like. If the professor thinks that you would be ok, then you might look into a MAT French program which is geared towards teaching French. It prepares you to teach K-12, but I have seen a few people use it at the community college level especially if you decide to take more than the minimal amount of coursework for the French content area. Any program in second language aquisition, foreign language education, applied linguistics would help you to teach French as well. Another more traditional approach that would take more time, but give you a strong foundation would be to enter a post-bac program or enter as a transient, transfer or non-degree student while taking upper-level French courses to gain your footing in academic French and then apply to a master's degree the next year. You can always enter into a related program like European Studies, Education, etc., and take the French coursework on your own. There are many options. Another good way to decide is to look at job postings for French teachers. They will tell you the preparation that they prefer for their candidates. Some say MA French or MA in related area with at least 18 graduate hours in French. This will give you an idea of what program you should consider entering. Also, look at the education preparation of French teachers who teach as the level that you want to teach by going to the school's website. This will help as well. I entered into my French studies a nontraditional way as well. I speak other romance languages which helps. I am currently auditing lower-level courses and will study abroad this summer, and should be ready for graduate-level French classes next year. Anything is possible! Bonne chance!
  5. profev

    FLAS 2013

    That answers my question. Thanks!
  6. I would advise always approaching the professor of the class. Even if the class is full, if you explain your situation, or volunteer to help with the class, it shouldn't be a problem. Most professors like motivated students who get it. So, you might find that you are a breath of fresh air, especially in the lower-level courses. I am currently auditing an undergraduate level French class and have had no problems doing so.
  7. I'm very sorry that you are going through this. That hasn't been my experience either. I love my professors. They are great. I'm finishing up my first semester and being the person I am, I wouldn't be able to tolerate the situation that you are dealing with. You are in graduate school to learn from your professors. In my experience, you have to trust and respect your professors at this level in order to work with them; as soon as you are finished with your degree, you will be colleagues. Don't forget that. You still have options. You can always transfer if you are not happy or you can wait it out. Being on both sides, as a faculty member and PhD student, there is no way I would stay in that situation in either capacity. Life is way too short. Toxic departments are just that, toxic. Sooner or later the good people end up leaving. Good luck to you.
  8. Thanks for all of the feedback! I implemented the first phase of my plan for the fall semester and it went very well. Taking the French for graduate students course was a lifesaver. Even though it was taught in English, the text that we used had a lot of exercises and I was able to understand the grammatical structure of French. Since I speak other romance languages, it was that much easier. I used my Spanish to help me a lot! I bought a cheap audio program that I listened to in the car to get oral practice with French and for reinforcement I sat in on an undergraduate first year course in French. I'd have to say, sharing a class with freshman had to be the most difficult task out of everything! Sometimes I wouldn't go to class and would just meet with the professor during office hours. Due to your feedback, I am planning to go to France instead of Canada either this summer or next summer. I am also auditing the intermediate French level class for the spring semester. So, I think I will be in great shape by the time I get to towards the end of my courework, again, I only need 3 classes. I've also found a meetup group in my area where French speakers get together and speak French, so that is another outlet. Merci!
  9. Easy. He or she probably completed his or her MA degree, started the PhD program and then started applying for jobs, and got hired. To be a lecturer, you only need a master's degree. A lot of professors are ABD.
  10. profev

    FLAS 2013

    Has anyone been successful in being awarded a summer FLAS as a non-affiliated graduate student? Here's my situation. My institution doesn't have a FLAS award, and I am looking to apply through another university. However, I am not sure of what this process looks like. If anyone has experience or suggestions, I am all ears! Thanks in advance!
  11. www.meetup.com works for me in most all cities that I have moved to. A group of strangers get together with other strangers in a public space for a common cause. It's a great way to meet people that you are sure to have something in common with, and everyone goes knowing that they are going to meet strangers, so it is not weird or uncommon to strike up a conversation with people you've never met before. Look at your social media websites for people that you may have known previously that you might have lost contact with. I used to live in North Carolina too, and I found two people who I went to high school with who had moved there before me. Meeting up with people offline that I already knew opened up my community and they were really helpful in making me feel at home very quickly. Even if you don't end up becoming best buddies, people who you know from the past who live in or near your new city are great for recommendations on where to live, eat, go out, etc. Joining the gym or Y in your city is good too, especially if you are like me and like group classes. The same people tend to go to the same classes and you can meet people that way. Once you start to go to orientation and have classes, you will start to get to know people. Once you feel comfortable with a few of them, invite them over for a potluck-style lunch or dinner. Creating your own event is a remedy to fulfilling a schedule void. You can also look for young professionals groups in your city or student organizations on your campus. This is also a good way to meet people. Since you are a language student, volunteering your language services to non-profit organizations is a sure way to build your community. There are many volunteer sites that list projects going on in your community that need volunteers. This is also a great way to meet people and help your new community at the same time. Good luck!
  12. It depends on where you want to teach. Different regions and colleges have different requirements. For example, at R1 universities, you most definitely have to have a PhD, published articles, funding, etc., to even consider being a contender. However, for more teaching-focused colleges, this is not always the case. More often than not, you can apply for a professor position with just a master's degree. Of course, you need experience and it really helps if you have been diligent about networking, if so, you will see doors start to open up if you are successful at the latter. If you are willing to work in the more rural areas where professor recruitment may be a bit more difficult, you will also find people who occupy professor positions with master's degrees. Community colleges also do not require that professors have PhDs. However, in a recession, you might find that due to competition and PhDs not finding as many job openings in larger universities, these candidates have gone to smaller colleges and community colleges and have started to occupy positions that used to only require a master's degree, thereby upping the requirements for other applicants. Your discipline area is also important. Do you possess a skill that is in demand and that is harder to find in other candidates? If so, you might find yourself in a position to become a professor with just a master's degree. What is your native language? Do you have credentials in it? Being able to teach more than just one area is a desirable trait, especially in this economy. The terminology used for college teachers also depends on the institution. There are PhDs who are adjuncts and others who are instructors. It just depends on this institution. Some community colleges call all of their college teachers "instructors", while others use the term "professor". Look up some of the smaller colleges and community colleges and you will see that their faculty, even sometimes department heads, possess just a master's degree. I once worked at a community college, that later took out the "community" in its name, and two of the academic deans who also taught classes, just had master's degrees. While what I have written may not be a popular option, and it may not be the norm, but it is possible.
  13. Did anyone get a scholarship to attend? I've browsed their website and they seem to have some funding opportunities available. For those of you that have received such funding, do you have any advice for those applying? I am looking to attend in the summer of 2013. Thanks in advance!
  14. Greetings all! I am a new doctoral student in a PhD program in Romance Languages (emphasis on languages). In addition to my program's core courses, I need 24 credit hours in two different languages. The only viable options I have at the moment for the two languages are Spanish and French. I have a master's in Spanish, so taking other courses in Spanish is no problem. However, I am trying to figure out a plan to have enough background in French to take some graduate courses at the very end of my coursework. I need at least 3 classes. I took French in high school, years ago, but I haven't taken it since. In addition to Spanish, I speak Portuguese and have previously successfully taken graduate coursework in both languages. I work at a university, and have been auditing an Elementary French course, and slowly it's coming back. Speaking two other romance languages has helped immensly. This fall, I am taking a graduate-level reading class in French, because I do have to pass a reading exam in French, however, this class does not count towards the 9 credits that I need in French. I've thought of applying for Middlebury for a summer and/or going to Quebec for a couple of weeks as well in the summer. I work full-time, so studying abroad for a year, is not an option. However, I have all of my summers free. Any other recommendations? Thanks in advance!
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