1. How many credits are involved in completing the LPA Certificate at the Monterey Institute, and what are the required LPA Certificate courses?
The LPA Certificate requires seventeen semester credits beyond the MATESOL or MATFL. Completing the LPA Certificate involves staying at the Monterey Institute one semester beyond the usual three-semester time to complete the MA degree. Obtaining the Monterey Institute LPA Certificate entails successful completion of the following graduate courses. Semester credit values are given in parentheses after each course.
Introduction to Language Program Administration (2)
Language Teacher Education (2)
Language Teacher Supervision (2)
International Marketing (3)
Budgeting (4)
Accounting (3)
Elective (1)
2. What sorts of elective courses are available?
LPA Certificate candidates can take a variety of elective courses related to their own professional goals. These courses include (but are not limited to) Professional Writing, Working with Legislators, Computer Assisted Instruction, Consulting Across Cultures, Running Effective Meetings, Advising International Students, International Situational Leadership, Japanese Business Systems, International Human Resource Training, Organizing Change and Innovation, Administrative Ethics.
3. If I already have an MA can I enroll in just the LPA Certificate courses?
It depends. Completion of the Monterey Institute LPA Certificate presumes that a candidate already has, or is currently completing, all of the courses for our MATESOL or MATFL. If your MA degree is very similar to ours, it may be possible. If your current MA is not similar to ours, you may have several prerequisites to take, in order to participate in the LPA Certificate Program.
4. What are those prerequisite courses?
For a complete listing of prerequisite courses click on the Degree Map button to the left and review the MATESOL and MATFL coursework requirements. The MATESOL degree entails successful completion of 37 units of coursework and the MATFL degree is 40 units in length.
5. If I do already have a comparable master’s degree in the field, can I complete the LPA Certificate in one semester of work?
No. Many of the courses are offered only in Spring Semester or only in Fall Semester, so it is not possible to complete the LPA Certificate by attending MIIS for only one semester. However, if you do have an analogous master’s degree, it may be possible for you to complete both the LPA Certificate the CALL (Computer-Assisted Language Learning) Certificate in one academic year.
6. Do I need a background in business to enter the LPA Certificate Program?
No. Business experience is not required to enter the program, though it may help you be more competitive when you enter the job market.
7. Can I get financial aid to take the LPA Certificate courses?
Not if you are only enrolled in the Certificate courses. If you are combining the LPA Certificate with the MATESOL or MATFL degree, and if you complete your LPA Certificate at the same time you finish your master’s degree, you will be able to receive financial aid (assuming you are eligible for it financial aid).
8. Are the LPA Certificate courses offered via distance education, or must I be in residence in Monterey to take them?
At the present time we are not offering the LPA Certificate courses via distance education.
9. When did the LPA Certificate begin and how many people have actually completed the certificate?
The LPA Certificate began in 1989. To this date more than 35 graduates of the Monterey Institute hold a Language Program Administration Certificate.
10. What kinds of jobs do the LPA Certificate holders get upon graduation?
LPA Certificate holders have often taken positions where they are teaching language but also doing administrative work as well. Others have written grant proposals to offer teacher training courses as part of their professional responsibilities. Still others are managing intensive English programs or technology resource centers connected to universities. The following titles describe just some of the positions held by our graduates: ESL Program Coordinator, Foreign Language Program Coordinator, Language School Director, Teacher Training Coordinator, ESL Instructor, Foreign Language Instructor, Faculty Development Program Manager, etc.
11. What if I don’t like math? Can I waive the requirements for accounting and budgeting, and still get the LPA Certificate?
No. The LPA curriculum is designed to produce well rounded and well prepared individuals who are ready to take on administrative responsibilities in a wide variety of circumstances. Some students who are primarily interested in the teacher education and or teacher supervision courses choose to take just these seminars as the electives in their TESOL or TFL master’s work, rather than completing the entire LPA Certificate.
12. What sorts of practical experience will I gain in the LPA Certificate courses?
The courses are designed to provide a wide range of practical experience. For example, in the Introduction to Language Program Administration, students report on the experience of shadowing an administrator. They also complete a fifteen-hour administrative internship. In other seminars, students gain experience in supervising language teachers, marketing a program, analyzing budgets, and designing teacher training programs.
