Admissions Requirements for the M.A.T. in Chinese Program

Minimum Requirements to Enter the M.A.T. in Chinese program:

  • B.A. or B.S. degree or higher with minimum GPA of 3.0
  • Minimum of 3 years of formal instruction in Mandarin Chinese
  • For International Students only: TOEFL

Supporting Application Material to be Submitted When Seeking Admission to the Program:

  • Official transcripts: one set of official transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended (including Rutgers) is required
  • Three letters of recommendation: Letters should be written by people in supervisory positions (teachers, school officials, work supervisors, etc.) who are familiar with your academic and/or professional strengths. Letters can be submitted either electronically or through postal mail. In the latter case, please make sure that letters are sent in sealed envelopes to you for inclusion with other supporting materials.
  • A personal statement: a short essay of approximately 500 to 800 words about your plans for graduate study and your career goals is required. Include a brief description of your academic and/or professional background and qualifications, as well as your interest in the program.
  • A brief résumé or CV: this should include information related to your education and professional experience.
  • For International Students only: TOEFL Score (see below)

Other Relevant Information:

Transfer credits: The Graduate School - New Brunswick has very strict requirements as to transfer credits.  Credits from other schools can be transferred only if the course(s) for which the credits were earned:

  • Was taken at an accredited college/university
  • Was at the graduate level on a topic related to Chinese language, linguistics, literature, history, etc. and was taught in Chinese
  • Was not part of the curriculum for any degree that you previously completed

In addition, the Graduate School – New Brunswick limits the number of credits that can be transferred to 12 credits.

Minimum Duration of Course of Study: The 30 credits, representing at least one academic year of advanced study, must be completed no later than three years after first registration unless an extension of time is granted by the Graduate School-New Brunswick.

Continuous Registration: The student's registration in the Graduate School-New Brunswick must be continuous from the time of admission to graduate study until the time the degree is conferred.
Students who lapse their registration during a particular semester need to fill out a short application for readmission.  The relevant form can be downloaded at http://gsnb.rutgers.edu/forms/readmission.pdf. Please forward the completed and signed form to the Graduate Program Studies Director. At the moment the program does not provide any financial support, scholarships, or merit awards.

"No graduate student should regard a program of study as the mere accumulation of numerical credits and meeting of formal requirements. Progress toward mastery of a discipline depends largely upon the guidance of the professors in charge of the effort and upon the student's initiative."

 

For international students only:

TOEFL or IELTS is required of all applicants whose undergraduate education was completed in a non-English speaking country. Even if you hold a master's-level degree from a US or other english-speaking country you must still take the TOEFL or IELTS test. Scores must be current within 2 years of the applied semester.The only exemptions are for US trained undergraduates and international applicants coming from english-speaking countries. An undergraduate degree from a U.S. 4-year college or university satisfies the requirement. Applications missing required scores may not be reviewed by the admissions committee.The minimum Paper based TOEFL score is 550. 

The minimum Computer based TOEFL score is 213.

The minimum IBT-internet based TOEFL is as follows:

Writing 22
Speaking 23
Reading 21
Listening 17
The acceptable IELTS score is bandwidth 7. 

Individual programs may have higher requirements for language intensive areas, such as History, English, Psychology, and others.

For more general information for international students, see also:
http://gradstudy.rutgers.edu/inter.shtml