Congrats on commencing your first semester in the Applied Linguistics Online Program! :-)
This info-post has been a long time coming, but before I wrote it I wanted to collect some frequently asked questions from you and your fellow peers that came before you in order to put together a more comprehensive write-up!
In your first semester, the Applied Linguistics program registered you (or will register you if you're reading this before it's done) for two introductory courses so that you don't have to worry about registration. So, what’s next, you might ask? Well, the fact that you are reading this means that you are on the right path!
The first thing that you should do is to read the main posting located in the New on-Campus Student Information group. The information there deals mostly with administrative aspects of the program. This post is meant to address the more academic-related matters of studying in Applied Linguistics.
One big thing to do, before classes start, is to order your books. We usually aim to have textbook information for Spring semester available by December 20th, and Summer and Fall course information available by May 1st. We usually post an announcement in the Announcements Block of this site (if you click on the Homepage menu item, you will see announcements top and center). By providing you with textbook lists early on, you have an opportunity to find the cheapest prices, and also to thumb through the books to get a feel for the material. When I was a student, I took the opportunity to read texts for fall courses over the summer; this made my fall semesters feel a little less compact :)
Once you have textbooks ordered, the next big thing is to make sure that you are able to log into your student email, into WISER, and into Blackboard. The credentials for logging on are the same across all three systems (UMB email and password).
In the New Student Information Group, there are instructions for accessing email. Simply login one time to make sure things are working. Once you check this out, you should also get a library barcode (instructions to do so are in a discussion in the New Student Info group).
OK. With all this prep-work done, what about classes? What should you do to get prepared for classes (and attending classes on campus)?
First, we have some helpful information in our FAQ! Second, a number professors (but not necessarily all) usually send a quick introduction email (check your UMB emails!) the week before classes begin to welcome new students to the course and to make them aware of any class-specific tips and strategies.
If you can think of more questions - please email applied.linguistics@umb.edu and let us know!
I thought I was signed up, but I don't see anything in Blackboard yet. What's going on?
If the semester has not begun yet, it's normal not to see anything in Blackboard. Courses do not show up there until the first day of the semester. If the semester has begun, and you still don't see courses there yet - do contact us to troubleshoot! As always our email is applied.linguistics@umb.edu.
How much interaction is there with professors?
Professors are highly interactive in our on-campus courses; it is extremely rare that you will be subjected to a lecture of any kind. By and large, students can interject and ask questions as problems arise. Most in-class instruction involves some measure of dialogue and peer-to-peer interaction. Moreover, professors are ready and willing to expand upon any topic that you are either having trouble with or find particularly interesting.
Each professor holds regular on-campus office hours should you require more assistance, have any personal questions, or would like to strategize about short-term or long-term course or program goals.
What does an average class look like?
The average class is small to medium sized; thus, you will never be packed into a room or overwhelmed by swarms of classmates whose names you’ll never know. Classes are 2.5 hours long and run one day per week. (Some professors provide a break in the middle to allow people some time for stretching, water, bathroom escapades, and snack-fetching). Moreover, all of our classes run in the evenings to ensure that those who work fulltime (especially teachers) do not have to adjust their daily routine too radically.
What is the outcome of this program? I want to know what this program would prepare me for. Is it more theoretical or practical?
Broadly speaking, our entire curriculum revolves around language and literacy and is very much anchored in the discipline of applied linguistics. We do cover methodology for teaching language, but we don't go in depth for classroom management techniques, or tackle specific content (i.e. social studies curriculum, teaching math to ESL students, etc.). So, our program is somewhere in the middle of the road, between theoretical and practical. I am an alumnus of the program (on-campus) and from my own experiences, some courses go more toward the theoretical, and some go more toward the practical. In recent years we've also expanded our research options, so if research is something you think you might want to pursue, do contact our Thesis Coordinator!
How is assessment done? What methods of evaluation do the professors use? Do students receive GPA/letter grades as in other programs?
This depends. Participation in class is a common factor in all of our courses. Beyond that there are exams, papers, group projects, presentations, annotated bibliographies and many more methods. This really depends on the subject matter of the course. Students do receive letter grades (and they have a calculated GPA) like all other programs.
How much time of studying does it take per course?
This really depends on the learner. Each course is 3 credits. The usual formula is that students study/prepare for 4-5 hours for each credit, each week. So, if a student is taking 1 course, the student should be expected to spend 12-15 hours each week working on materials for that course (2.5 hours of class attendance + outside of class activities such as doing the readings, watching any assigned video materials, participating in discussion boards, researching and writing papers, etc.). Granted, some weeks will be lighter than others, and some people are speedier readers than others. These are just general guidelines to help you plan your weekly schedule.
What is the campus like?
UMass Boston is located on the Harbor Point peninsula next to the JFK Library and Museum. Campus Center faces the water, and there are walking trails (The Harbor Walk) along the ocean on three sides. UMass Boston is in the midst of an architectural overhaul; three modern buildings have been erected over the past ten to fifteen years, including University Hall/.
Where and how do I park?
As long-term building plans continue to unfold, how and where to park has become less straightforward. By and large, Bayside Lot on Mt. Vernon Street (about a half mile from campus) always has spots available at any time of day. Moreover, there is a free shuttle bus that regularly runs from Bayside Lot to the Campus Center. There are also lots that are closer to the school (no shuttle bus necessary!), but spots in these lots are less reliably vacant. Such lots (Central Parking, “D” Lot, and the parking garage beneath Campus Center) surround many of the main campus buildings and should not be difficult to find. However, if you are traveling during rush hour, you may get bogged down in campus traffic if you try to access these lots. A good resource to have handy is the Parking & Transportation website of our university. This site will provide you with important information as the parking situation changes on-campus.
What other kinds of paperwork do I need in order to study on campus?
If you are enrolling as a full time graduate student, UMass Boston mandates that you provide a vaccination history. If you have not received all mandated vaccinations, you will have to do so prior to the beginning of your second semester. You should receive information about vaccinations from University Health Services prior to the beginning of your first semester.
If you have trouble supplying proof of vaccination but you are sure that you have received all appropriate vaccinations at a previous point in time, Health Services can in some cases take a blood sample to determine whether or not you still carry the appropriate antibodies. This is a quick and (relatively) painless procedure that can be performed on campus.
If I’m moving into the Boston area for the first time, what should I know?
If you are coming in from out of state (or from out of the country) to study with us at UMass Boston, you will need to know a few things about how Boston works.
First, you will have to secure some form of housing for yourself as UMB does not offer any on-campus housing. Some students elect to live in one of the large apartment complexes adjacent to campus (Peninsula Apartments and Harbor Point Apartments), while others elect to live in various neighborhoods in the city (Allston, Brighton, Savin Hall, and Dorchester are favorites). UMB hosts a Department of Student Housing—so if you need help figuring out where to start, send an email their way.
If you will not be bringing a vehicle with you to Boston, you will have to make use of the MBTA, Boston’s system of public transit. This consists of various bus and train lines that cover, for the most part, the entirety of Boston and many of its suburbs. A one-way train ticket on the MBTA costs $2.40, so budget accordingly. If you think that you will be using the MBTA quite frequently, you can instead purchase a Monthly LinkPass for $90, which comes with unlimited rides within the city. Drop by the customer service desk at one of the major subway stops and ask about your options.
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As always, if you found this post helpful please click on "like" :-) If you have suggestions for this FAQ please email us your suggestions to applied.linguistics@umb.edu and we'll incorporate them!
