Frequently Asked Questions

The purpose of this degree is to prepare effective leaders in the internationalization of schools and communities and to be positive facilitators of cross-cultural understanding. The focus of this degree program is to prepare a global educator who is able to:

• infuse education policy and practices with cross-cultural awareness
• serve as a leader in internationalizing curriculum
• foster international educational partnerships.

The MACIE program welcomes applicants from a variety of academic backgrounds, experiences, and expertise, so there are endless opportunities available for those who seek to increase their professional opportunities by earning a degree in our program.  MACIE graduates are currently working in a variety of positions in international development, with international organizations and non-profits, school policy reform, international and study abroad education, transitional schools for prospective international students, and acting as school administrators and teachers. The interdisciplinary nature of the MACIE degree allows our students to pursue any of these options, plus many more.

The required core courses enhance your research, analytical, and writing skills, as well as those skills developed in the cognate (minor). These combined skills are a foundation of knowledge for success in a cross-cultural and international environment.  Whether you work in the US or abroad, successfully serving diverse populations requires the cultural sensitivity, critical knowledge, and attention to context that the MACIE program seeks to instill.

Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is located in the lovely and affordable college town of Bowling Green, Ohio. BGSU enrolls approximately 18,000 students on its campus, and the city is home to about 30,000 people from all over the US and world. BGSU enrolls outstanding undergraduate and graduate students, and was recognized in 2014 as one of the Top 100 Public Universities in the country by US News and World Report. In addition to its excellent tradition of teacher education, BGSU has strong programs in American Culture Studies, Popular Culture, English, Music, Higher Education, and many others.  

BGSU is located about 15 miles from Toledo, Ohio, where regular train and bus service connects to Chicago, Cleveland, and other major cities. Bowling Green is about one hour south of Ann Arbor and Detroit, Michigan, and the Detroit Metropolitan Airport connects to cities around the world. Bowling Green has four distinct seasons, with pleasant summers, colorful autumns, cold, often snowy winters, and flowery springs.

Bowling Green is a very affordable community, and you will find that average rents that are far lower than larger university towns and big cities. BG is a center for learning, culture, sports and entertainment for the Northwest Ohio Region. Bowling Green has many activities for families with children, bars and restaurants for socializing, and BGSU and the community host many activities and events throughout each year.

Please go to the Office of the Bursar page, Graduate students - Calculate your cost of attendance for information about the cost of graduate courses at BGSU. The MACIE program is held on the Main BGSU campus. MACIE students general take between 9-12 credits as full-time students and 4-8 credits as part-time students. All BGSU students need to provide proof of insurance, see the Student Insurance Office page, Student Insurance Program for more information about requirements for domestic and international student health insurance.

Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) who are admitted to MACIE become Paul D. Coverdell Peace Corps Fellows after we receive your Description of Service (DOS). There is no additional application, nor special assistantships for Coverdell Fellows. Admitted RPCVs are awarded Graduate Assistantships like all other MACIE students.

Between the time RPCVs are admitted and begin the program, they should submit their DOS (Description of Service) Document to become Coverdell Fellows. The DOS can be obtained from your country officer or from the Peace Corps Headquarters in Washington, DC.

Students may apply to the program for the upcoming semester at any time; however, for best consideration for graduate scholarships and GA funding, an applicant should meet the stated deadlines.

• Fall Term Application Deadline: February 15, to be considered for a graduate assistantship in the following academic year. A student admitted to the Fall Term may defer until the Spring Term with approval of the Program Coordinator.
• Spring Term Application Deadline: October 21. Students may join the program in the spring, but graduate assistantships are generally not available until the following Fall Term. 
• Summer: MACIE does not admit students for the Summer Term.  

Students wishing to attend part-time or those who are not seeking funding may apply until July 1 for fall admission.

Please consult the BGSU Graduate Admission requirements to ensure that you meet basic requirements for admission to the university. Please consult the MACIE Application Process page for full details.

The program takes between three to four semesters to complete for full-time students. Those who write a thesis usually take four semesters plus one summer, or about two years. Students completing the program by the comprehensive examination can complete the program in three semesters, or about 18 months.

Students may transfer up to nine relevant graduate hours from another university, with approval from the Program Coordinator and Graduate College. In that case, it may be possible to complete the program with comprehensive examinations in one calendar year.

MACIE welcomes part-time students as well, particularly teachers and other education professionals.

Students with bachelor’s degrees from a variety of disciplines and fields are welcome to apply. However, some background and/or experience in an area of education (formal or non-formal) and/or social sciences is preferable.

It is not necessary to have a teaching certificate in order to enroll in the MACIE program.

As of Fall 2014, BGSU has a new M.Ed. in Teacher Education that allows students to become certified in mathematics, science, and world language education. Students in the MACIE program may count some of their classes toward this second, separate master's degree. For more information about the M.Ed. in Teacher Education, please visit their website.

MACIE admits students with a wide variety of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives. We generally seek applicants with at least one year of immersive experience living, working or studying in another culture or country; however, some students enter the program immediately after receiving their undergraduate degree. 

An undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 is desired.

Yes, a student may defer enrollment for up to a year without reapplying. Deferral applies to enrollment in the academic program. If a financial package (i.e. a tuition scholarship and/or Graduate Assistantship stipend) was offered upon acceptance, those funds are not guaranteeed for a deferred enrollment.  

Yes. The MACIE program has a limited number of competitive Graduate Assistantships available. These assistantships range from Research Assistantships with MACIE faculty, Teaching Assistantships in courses in the College of Education and Human Development, and Administrative Assistantships in various offices around BGSU.

Yes. All applicants interested in enrolling in the MACIE program on a full-time basis, regardless of country of origin, are eligible to apply for a Graduate Assistantship.

Students may submit application items when they are available. The first step is to complete an digital application form for the Graduate College.  Once the Graduate College receives your application, they will create a file for your materials as they are uploaded.

Graduate assistantship (GA) positions are awarded through each academic department. Many times, the MACIE program places incoming MACIE students in GA positions within the College of Education & Human Development, but sometimes, students apply to other departments and colleges. A list of open GA positions is usually posted on the Graduate College's page. For more information check the Available Graduate Assistantships. Please pay attention to the dates listed for the positions to be filled, as well as the deadline for applying. (Note, do not apply to a position until you have been accepted to the MACIE program.)

Graduate Assistantships are typically limited to full-time students with few exceptions; however, part-time students may be awarded partial tuition scholarships as available. 

There are no minimum criteria to be considered for a Graduate Assistantship. All students who apply by February 15 and are accepted to MACIE will be given full consideration for a GA position.

Yes. BGSU now has a 12-credit Graduate Certificate in TESOL. Students interested in this cognate should take the courses required by the Graduate Certificate program. For more information on the TESOL Certificate, please visit their webpage. 

Yes. In the past, MACIE students have pursued graduate certificates, and second master’s degrees in education and foreign languages. After graduation, several MACIE graduates have enrolled in the Ed.D. in Leadership Studies at BGSU. For more information about the doctoral program in Leadership Studies, please visit their website. 

The MACIE Internship Program is designed to allow you to complete an intensive professional experience in a setting that is cross-cultural to you. We encourage students to seek out internships that will further their professional goals, whether at a school, a social service agency, NGO, or other non-profit. The internship usually is completed during the summer after the first year.

Internationally, MACIE students have worked in formal schools, informal education agencies and universities in South Africa, Guatemala, China, Chile, Costa Rica, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan.

Domestically, MACIEs have interned at the American Cultural Exchange Service, Catholic Charities, First Peoples Worldwide, World Learning, and on experiential education trips to the Navajo Nation; local schools and agencies including the Ohio Migrant Education Center, Global Connections, the World Affairs Council of NW Ohio, and the Great Lakes Consortium, to name a few.  

Please visit the MACIE Internship page for more information.

Please Note: Coverdell Fellows' internships must be in the United States or its Territories as part of the Peace Corps' Third Goal.

Yes. MACIE has a modest amount of funding to supplement the costs of travel and housing for internships.

There are occasionally courses available online, including Statistics in Education, some TESOL Certificate and other cognate courses. However, core courses are generally only available on campus. 

Yes.  Part-time applicants are welcome. Our core and research courses are always taught in the evening, allowing working professionals to take courses after work, and some cognate courses are available online. We welcome applications from educators, administrators, and other professionals.

Yes. The Program Coordinator will be happy to speak with you by phone, exchange emails, or participate in video conversations with applicants from the US and abroad.

In addition, we regularly host prospective students on campus, and coordinate meetings with faculty and students in the program.

If you would like to speak with students and faculty, or visit Bowling Green State University and the MACIE Program, please contact the Program Coordinator, Dr. Hyeyoung Bang at hbang@bgsu.edu or +1 (419) 372-4251, or the MACIE Graduate Assistant at macie@bgsu.edu.

Please direct all other inquiries to the MACIE Program Coordinator, Dr. Hyeyoung Bang at macie@bgsu.edu or +1 (419) 372-4251.