M.A. in Intercultural Studies or Intercultural Studies/TESOL in conjunction with ELIC
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ELIC Cooperative Program

Through a cooperative arrangement between English Language Institute/China (ELIC) and Wheaton College, students who are accepted by both ELIC and Wheaton will have the tuition for their MA in Intercultural Studies or MA in Intercultural Studies & TESOL paid by ELIC. Intensive Classes are conducted every summer for 3 or 4 weeks and every winter for 2 weeks. All new teachers with ELIC receive pre-field training that is conducted by Wheaton College faculty. This training can be taken for 6 hours of credit that count toward the 40 credits for the MA degree. The remaining 34 credits are earned through 3 winter sessions in Thailand and 3 summer sessions at Wheaton College. Advance work (reading, research, projects) is required for all intensive courses. It is necessary to apply to BOTH Wheaton College and ELIC because the application processes are distinct from each other. Acceptance by one does not guarantee acceptance by the other. For more information, contact the Wheaton/ELIC Program Administrator.

For more information about ELIC, please click here.
For a degree application, please click here.

• FAQs about the ELIC program

  Eligibility Admission Requirements Application Deadline Accepted # of Students

  GRE/MAT Non-tuition Expenses Program/Course Information Comprehensive Exam/Thesis

  
  
  Am I eligible to apply for the tuition-free M.A. program with ELIC?
  
  In order to be eligible to be considered for the M.A. program in Intercultural Studies or Intercultural Studies/TESOL at Wheaton College, you must first get accepted with ELIC. For more information on ELIC, click here. Once you get accepted with ELIC, you may apply to the M.A. program. You can get a special application from either your ELIC Country Directors, ELIC Graduate Programs Manager or Wheaton/ELIC Program Administrator. For more information, please contact the Wheaton/ELIC Program Administrator.
  
  What are the admissions requirements for this program?
  
  Normal Graduate School admissions requirements are applicable for the ELIC program since participants in this program are degree candidates.
  
  When should I apply to Wheaton?
  
  For an MA degree application in conjunction with ELIC, click here.
  
  There are two application deadlines: March 15 (the early admission) and October 1 (regular admission). Both application deadlines will allow you to begin MA courses a year later. For example, if you apply either in March 15 or October 1, 2008, you are eligible to begin Wheaton courses in January 2009.
  
  Notification will be given no later than April 1 (for early admission) and November 1 (for regular admission). Please note that the early admission deadline is very competitive and selective. Because of the limitations on enrollment, applications will be reviewed in pools rather than on a rolling basis.
  
  How many students are accepted into this program?
  
  Every year, Wheaton accepts a maximum of 25 students into this cooperative program. On average, approximately 10 students get accpeted to the Intercultural Studies program; while 15 students get accepted to the Intercultural Studies/TESOL program.
  
  Do I need to take the GRE?
  
  Yes. Everyone applying to the Wheaton Graduate School must take the GRE or the MAT. Applicants completing the computer version of the GRE can self report their scores to Wheaton to expedite the application process. Please keep in mind that the GRE is offered on a limited basis in China and the MAT is only offered in North America so it would be best to complete the GRE or MAT prior to leaving the US to begin teaching for ELIC.
  The minimum GRE scores required by Wheaton are
  
  Verbal: 550
  Quantitative: 550
  Analytical Writing: 3.5
  
  What about non-tuition expenses—who pays for those?
  
  ELIC incorporates incidental expenses (travel to and from campus, housing, meals, and books) into the support profile for people involved in an MA program. You can decline this method and pay for these expenses yourself, but most people choose to raise support to cover these costs. Please contact ELIC for more information.
  
  How many core courses are there and how many electives?
  
  Both MA degrees are 40 credits. For the Intercultural Studies MA, there are 24 hours of required courses with non-core courses filling the remaining 16 hours. For the Intercultural Studies & TESOL MA, there are 32 hours of required courses and 8 hours of non-core classes.
  
  Click here for a sample schedule for Intercultural Studies
  
  Click here for a sample schedule for TESOL
  
  Do I get to choose my electives from all the courses offered?
  
  Due to the nature of the program, Wheaton does its best to offer electives that are suitable and practical for people living and working in Asia. This means that not all of the electives listed in the catalog are available to students in the ELIC program.
  
  Will I need to write a thesis?
  
  Most students in the Intercultural Studies Department do not write a thesis. Rather, they are required to take comprehensive exams, which cover the core courses in the curriculum. Due to the extensive amount of work that is involved in putting together a thesis, it does not fit well with the ELIC program. If there is a specific area you would like to research further, it is possible to pursue this through an independent study. This type of arrangement can be negotiated with the appropriate faculty member.