WHICH SCHEDULE IS USED FOR THE EDUCATION INITIATIVE COURSES?
All Education Initiative Courses follow the AUC academic calendar, for fall, spring and summer semesters.
COURSES
HOW MANY COURSES ARE REQUIRED FOR EACH CERTIFICATE?
A total of six courses are required for each certificate.
HOW MANY CLASSES SHOULD I TAKE PER SEMESTER?
If you are working full time and have heavy family commitments, or if you have been out of school for some time, it is recommended that you take one class in the first semester. You may take two courses when you feel able to do so. The maximum load per semester is 2 courses, in addition to the practicum course (e.g. CELE 506 & 507).
ARE THERE SUMMER COURSES?
A summer course will be offered for the Early Literacy Education, Special Needs Education, and Teaching (for Non-Teaching Majors).
COURSE TIME / DURATION
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COMPLETE A CERTIFICATE?
Certificates may be completed in three semesters.
HOW LONG IS EACH CLASS?
Each class lasts three hours per week, for a total of at least 36 hours.
HOW MUCH TIME IS REQUIRED PER WEEK PER CLASS TO COMPLETE ASSIGNMENTS?
For each hour in class, an experienced learner should expect to spend 2-3 hours outside of class. If you have not been a student for some time, or if you need to improve your study skills, you may need more time to complete readings and assignments.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO STUDY TWO CERTIFICATES AT THE SAME TIME?
No, you may enroll in only one certificate program at a time.
DO THE CLASSES TAKE PLACE AFTER WORKING HOURS?
Yes, all certificate classes take place after 4:30 p.m. Parenting classes take place both in the morning and after 4:30 p.m.
TUITION
HOW MUCH DOES EACH CERTIFICATE COURSE COSTS?
Each certificate course costs LE 2,800.
MUST I PAY ALL TUITION FEES AT THE SAME TIME?
You are expected to pay the entire tuition fee for each course before you register for the course. If your school is registered with the Industrial Training Center (ITC), you will be required to pay 20% of the tuition, in addition to submitting a letter (signed by your school and ITC) which guarantees payment (by ITC) of the 80% tuition to AUC upon your completion of the course.
ADMISSION AND REGISTRATION
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ENROLLMENT IN ANY OF THE CERTIFICATES?
For All Certificates: A bachelor's degree with at least "Good" (3.0 grade point average out of 4.0) and a satisfactory score on PCTEFLA Admissions Test.
For Educational Leadership Certificate: Two or more years experience as a teacher or school administrator.
For Early Literacy Education Certificate: One or more years as a pre-primary or primary school teacher.
Special Needs Education Certificate: Two or more years experience as a teacher as a classroom teacher.
Teaching for Non-Education Majors Certificate: No teaching experience is required.
For Parenting Courses: There are no formal requirements to parenting classes. Intermediate level competence in spoken English is recommended.
WHEN DO ADMISSIONS AND REGISTRATION BEGIN?
Admissions: You can apply for admission by registering to take the PCTEFLA entrance exam any time during the day from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the AUC School of Continuing Education Building, Room 03, Falaki Street, SCE Gate.
Registration: Once you have met the Education Initiative admission requirements, you may start registering for the relevant courses. Registration deadlines are usually 10 days before the beginning of the semester.
WHEN ARE THE ADMISSION EXAMS?
The English proficiency exam (referred to as PCTEFLA) is offered three times a week: Sunday and Tuesday at 10:00 a.m., and Thursday at 12:00 noon.
WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA FOR EXEMPTION FROM THE PCTEFLA ENTRANCE EXAM?
Exemption is given to applicants:
(1) With a bachelor’s (or higher) degree from AUC, or an international English-medium university;
(2) Who are native speakers of English; or,
(3) Who have recently obtained the required score on an alternative English proficiency exam
WHAT IS THE SCORE ON THE PCTEFLA ENTRANCE EXAM THAT QUALIFIES ME TO REGISTER FOR COURSES IN THE EDUCATION INITIATIVE?
A score of 550 on the main test and 4 out of 6 on the writing test qualifies you to register for courses in the Education Initiative programs.
IS THERE ANY ADVISING DONE FOR APPLICANTS TO HELP THEM IN CHOOSING THE RIGHT CERTIFICATE THAT MATCHES THEIR CAREER AND BACKGROUND?
Yes, we offer advice to help you select from among the different alternatives.
WHERE CAN I OBTAIN A DESCRIPTION OF INDIVIDUAL COURSES?
You may obtain a printed copy of individual course descriptions from the Education Initiative Office at 19 El Boustan St., 2nd floor, Apt. 25, or e-mail us at educprog@aucegypt.edu for a soft copy. You may also obtain these descriptions online, by checking the Education Initiative web pages.
WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT IF MY CLASS IS ON HOLD OR CANCELLED?
During the first week of the semester, classes with low student enrollment will be put on hold. If low enrolment persists for more than one week, the class is cancelled. During the hold period, students may transfer to another class after seeking help from the Education Initiative office. At the end of the hold period, or in case of a cancelled class, you may obtain 100% tuition refund or may choose to postpone your tuition fee for the coming semester.
HOW CAN I FIND OUT IF MY CLASS IS ON HOLD OR CANCELLED?
You can check for classes on hold or cancelled by contacting the Education Initiative office (TEL 2797.6546).
INSTRUCTORS
WHAT ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE INSTRUCTORS WHO TEACH THE COURSES?
• All Instructors are required to have completed an MA or PhD in a relevant field. Excellent English language proficiency and teaching experience in their subject area are also required.
CERTIFICATES/ACCREDITATION
DO I RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE AFTER PASSING A COURSE?
Certificates are issued after you have successfully completed the six courses required for the specific certificate area you have studied.
WHAT RECOGNITION IS GIVEN TO THESE CERTIFICATES?
We are in the process of applying for recognition in Egypt and t he United States Recognition of certificates in specific content areas in the us requires that the certificates have been implemented for a minimum of two years. When accreditation is granted, it will be retroactive.
DOES A CERTIFICATE MEAN THAT I WILL BE CERTIFIED IN A SPECIFIC FIELD?
Obtaining a certificate means that you have completed the knowledge requirements for a particular field. However, to be a “certified” teacher means that you have completed the detailed assessment process required of all professionals. During your coursework, you will carry out the applied part of this assessment. Once you have successfully completed the six courses, you will be able to take the remaining part.
DOES BEING CERTIFIED IN A SPECIFIC FIELD MEAN THAT I HAVE COMPLETED MY CAREER PREPARATION AS A PROFESSIONAL TEACHER?
Obtaining a certificate and becoming a “certified” teacher are important steps in the process, but you must always remember that “being” a teacher involves “becoming” a teacher in profound ways. An important goal of the education initiative is to foster the development of professional educators, in the context of lifelong learning. To learn more about the model of educators’ professional development which we are sharing, visit: www.ncate.org/documents/currentfutureteachers/teachercontinuum.pdf
INTERNSHIP/TRAINING
DO THESE CERTIFICATES INCLUDE ANY ON-THE-JOB EXPERIENCE IN SCHOOLS?
Every certificate includes extensive supervised application through supervised teaching practice, fieldwork, or internship as part of your coursework.