Can I really start the program anytime?

You can start the program any semester. Our fall online course, EPSY 5710, is an ideal first course for students starting the program. Therefore, we recommend you start the program in the fall with EPSY 5710. However, you may begin the program at the start of any semester after you are accepted.

Why do former students call this the Three Summers Program?

Prior to 2020, students attended summer classes at the University of Connecticut across three summers. Recently, we found that many of our students came from our popular graduate certificate program and were able to complete the program in two summers. Therefore, we redesigned the program to fit into two summers. The Neag School of Education already had a Two Summers program in educational technology, so we could not select that name. We settled on GCT@UConn. We hope you like it.

How is the Master’s degree related to the Gifted Education and Talent Development online graduate certificate?

The four required online courses for the Gifted Education and Talent Development online graduate certificate are also required courses for the Master’s degree. Therefore, Master’s degree students should apply for the graduate certificate as well as the Master’s or Sixth Year.

What is the difference between the Sixth Year Certificate in Professional Education and the Master’s Degree?

The Sixth Year Certificate in Professional Education is unique to the University of Connecticut. It was designed for students who already had earned a Master’s Degree and were interested in furthering their education. Within our program, the requirements are similar for the Master’s and the Sixth Year Certificate. However, because the Sixth Year Certificate in Professional Education is technically not a degree, credits earned toward a Sixth Year Certificate can be applied toward a degree, such as a Ph.D., if students pursued that route.

How do I pay for the program?

Graduate assistantship support in the Giftedness, Creativity, and Talent Development Program generally is reserved to support Ph.D. students. However, you may qualify for financial aid or student loans. Graduate students are eligible for federal aid if the student is enrolled in a minimum of 4.5 credits per semester. However, financial aid assumes that all graduate students will register full-time (9+ credits), so in some cases, a part-time graduate student’s financial aid eligibility will be reduced – depending on how much aid the student has been awarded.
Fortunately, students pay for each class as they enroll, so you can pay for the classes as you take them. An advantage of the program is that students in the our Master’s program pay fees similar to in-state students, rather than out-of-state tuition. The course fees for campus summer courses and the course fees during fall and spring semesters when taking online courses as part of the certificate option differ. We have an estimate of the total program cost.

Do I write a thesis for the Master’s degree?

No, students in the program complete 30 credits of coursework and pass two comprehensive exams (Plan B). We do not offer a thesis option (Plan A). The program is designed to improve students’ understanding of giftedness and how to develop it. Therefore, this is the focus of the courses. Student do complete EPSY 5601, which enables them to read and understand educational research; however, the course is not sufficient to develop the research skills necessary to complete a research thesis.

I failed to do continuing registration and was severed from the program, what can I do?

Once students are accepted in the program and begin taking classes, they must register for a class every fall and spring semester to remain in the program until they graduate. If a student does not have a class during those semesters, they must register and pay for GRAD 5998 Continuous Reg (Master’s).  If a student fails to register for a course or GRAD 5998 during a spring or fall semester, the graduate school severs them from the program.

Students who have been severed from the program can complete a reinstatement form within one year of the lapsed enrollment. This involves paying missed fees and a penalty.

If more than a year has lapsed, the process to return is to submit a new application for admission. As a program, we can waive program requirements (such as letters of recommendation). Upon matriculation, you’ll have a new admit term, which is your catalog year. You will need to meet the requirements for the degree listed in this new catalog year. You’ll also receive a new time to degree deadline (six years from matriculation for master’s students). We can petition The Graduate School to include some or all of your previously earned credits on your new plan of study.

Just for fun…

Is there really a list of every tree on the UConn campus?

Yes, UConn’s Arboretum Committee (AC) helps to protect, promote, catalogue and manage the most spectacular natural resources on the Storrs Campus, the trees and shrubs. Every tree has a tag, which can be researched on a downloadable spreadsheet.

Does UConn really make its own ice cream?

The UConn Dairy Bar opened in 1953 to sell dairy products that were made by the Creamery. The Creamery was established in the early 1900s and bottled milk all the way up until 1991. Today, the Creamery makes ice cream according to its original recipe and sells this ice cream through the Dairy Bar retail establishment, along with a variety of cheeses. You can see them actually making the ice cream inside the Dairy Bar from dairy produced right on campus.