Home

Duolingo English Test Scores Accepted

March 26, 2020 by White, Brian

For the duration of the Coronvirus pandemic, Graduate Admissions will accept scores of 105 or higher on the Duolingo English Test to demonstrate satisfactory English language proficiency. The Duolingo English Test is a modern language proficiency tool that prospective students take online from anywhere, anytime; all that is needed is an internet connection, a webcam, and microphone.

The computer adaptive Duolingo English Test is designed to measure the entire spectrum of English language ability from basic to very proficient, and scores are reported out of 160 in 5-point increments. Again, the minimum score required for graduate applicants to programs at UNC Charlotte is 105. The registration fee is $49 USD, and the test can be completed in under an hour.

The proficiency score is calculated by a computer adaptive engine, while the entire test session is certified by a human proctor to verify the test taker’s identity and detect instances of rule breaking. The results, including video interview and writing sample, are available within 48 hours of the test session; test takers can send an unlimited number of score reports to institutions for no additional cost.

For more information on testing requirements, please visit Graduate Admissions English Language Proficiency.

Teaching Assistant Awards Go Virtual

March 26, 2020 by White, Brian

The Center for Graduate Life has cancelled its annual Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award Ceremony originally planned for April. This year’s winners will be announced via email next week.

The award honors one doctoral and one master’s-level teaching assistant who has demonstrated exceptional teaching skills and commitment with a $1,000 award and a plaque.

CGL Seeking GLF Candidates

March 26, 2020 by White, Brian

The CGL is recruiting applicants interested in serving as Graduate Life Fellows during the 2020-2021 academic year. Candidates must be enrolled full-time to be eligible.

Graduate Life Fellows serve as mentors and help to plan and run CGL programming throughout the academic year. Fellows receive a $5,000 award that can be paid on top of an assistantship. All individual and team interviews will be conducted via Webex sessions.

The application will remain open until April 3.

Contingencies for Students Due to COVID-19

March 26, 2020 by Stanchina, Karla

Due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, students may face issues when trying to finish the semester due to social distancing guidance and mandated closings (e.g., student teachers, interns, research activity having to be curtailed). Below please find some of the Graduate School’s updates concerning this subject:

Graduation Clearance

While the Graduate School has moved to working remotely, graduation pre-clearance activities continue. 1,439 Graduate students have applied to graduate for spring 2020. Currently, 101 doctoral, 1,017 masters, and 184 certificate students have been pre-cleared to graduate. Overall 93% of the students who applied to graduate have been pre-decisioned by our office. Please remember that we need milestone forms in order to clear students for graduation. Please scan or email the form to Aura Young – doctoral forms or Julie Green – thesis forms.

Placeholder Course

The Graduate School created a non-credit, placeholder course, which may be used by students who were planning to graduate in May but, due to closings, could not complete a course. If they take an incomplete, they may complete the work in the Fall semester, register for GRAD 6777 – no cost- and apply to graduate in December. This course is available by petition to the Graduate School and is only available for the Fall semester.

Dissertation, Thesis Deadlines Extended

Because of the disruption to schedules caused by the nationwide response to COVID-19, the deadlines for dissertations and theses have been extended.

Dissertation and thesis defense deadlines are now May 1. Submission deadline for both dissertations and theses is May 14.

Thesis and Disserations

The Graduate School will be very flexible regarding defenses. Committee chairs and students should agree on the best method for a given defense. ALL committee members must participate in the defense, whether in person or virtually. This flexibility extends to students who need to defend remotely.

It is the chair’s responsibility to ensure that all committee members sign-off on the final defense form. Scanned signatures are allowed and additional time will be extended so that a form can be signed by all members. When this is not possible, we will accept the defense form with the chair’s signature, accompanied by emails from each committee member stating their approval. Read more.

ETS Webinar Set for @Home Testing

March 25, 2020 by White, Brian

ETS will host a series of webinars beginning Mar. 26 to brief clients on its recently-announced at home solutions for the TOEFL iBT^® test and GRE^® General Test.

Topics include:

An overview of the TOEFL iBT^® test and GRE^® General Test at home solutions, how they compare to regular testing options and score reporting
Information on test-taker eligibility and requirements for equipment and test environment
Details about security measures, including the use of real-time human monitoring and artificial intelligence technology
Updates on how ETS is supporting test takers during test center closures

A Q&A session will follow.

For more information and to register, please visit ETS.

Reminder - Deadline Extended for Scholarships and Fellowships

March 24, 2020 by White, Brian

The deadline for Graduate Program Directors to nominate a student for the Wayland H. Cato Jr. First-Year Doctoral Fellowship, the Herschel and Cornelia Everett First-Year Graduate Fellowship (Master’s and Doctoral), and the William F. Kennedy Graduate Fellowship has been extended to March 28^th. Nominations should be submitted in the USO portal and faculty should tell students to complete the application, once they are nominated.

The deadline to submit completed applications for all of the Graduate School Fellowships in the Ninerscholars Portal is March 30^th.

Workshops Focus on Online Networking, Interviewing

March 23, 2020 by White, Brian

The Center for Graduate Life (CGL) will host live online workshops Mar. 31 that offer timely information on how to get the most from networking and interviewing online.

For more information and to register, please visit Networking in a Virtual World and Interviewing in a Virtual World.

The CGL also plans a Virtual Writing Workshop and a Virtual Coffee Hour. Visit the CGL for details.

ETS Postpones Testing

March 23, 2020 by White, Brian

ETS has published updated status on testing by region and begun online administration of some GRE and TOEFL exams. For more information, please visit ETS.

No Change Seen for Start of Summer, Fall Registration

March 23, 2020 by White, Brian

From Academic Affairs: Currently, there are no plans to move registration for upcoming summer and fall semesters. Students are encouraged to check My UNC Charlotte for registration holds and times. Following conversations with their advisor, students can begin building their potential schedules in Schedule Wizard, which allows students to send their schedule to Banner Self Service when their registration time opens.

Online Q&A Set for Summer, Fall Applicants

March 23, 2020 by White, Brian

UNC Charlotte prospective students who have applied for or been admitted to our summer or fall 2020 semesters, are invited to join our Admissions Counselors Mar. 26 at 12 p.m. EDT. Counselors will answer questions and address concerns brought about by the coronavirus COVID-19 crisis.

You may register to participate via Webex.

Graduate Assistantship Guidance in Response to COVID-19

March 20, 2020 by White, Brian

Dear Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators,

As we work through the adjustments to a remote operation as a way to slow the spread of COVID-19, I want to address the role of graduate assistants and provide the following guidance to ensure we are focused on doing what is right, both for our students and for the University.

The safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff must always be central in developing changes to any operational plan – even if temporary. Keep in mind our graduate assistants and teaching assistants, even though they are in paid positions, are primarily students. I encourage everyone to pay particular attention to graduate assistants who are in a high-risk category, either with their health or as care providers to others. Please consider this in your plans to fulfill their assistantships for the duration of the semester.

Existing contracts for graduate assistants should not be shortened or reduced in hours, except under the most extreme circumstances. If a program wishes to shorten or reduce a contract (hours and/or compensation) for any reason, they should first contact Dr. Julie Goodliffe in the Graduate School at jmgoodli@uncc.edu to discuss. As a reminder, graduate assistants are eligible for paid Administrative Leave as long as they remain on their current contract. Thus, it is critical to keep the students’ contract in place to ensure no disruption in pay. The Graduate School monitors any change or cancellation of a graduate assistantship.

We have received guidance locally and from the UNC System Office to be flexible to the greatest extent possible with our graduate assistants. If you have work they can do remotely, it is recommended that it be planned and assigned, even if it is outside of their normal duties. Teaching assistants may continue to assist faculty in a remote capacity, and you are encouraged to work with the Center for Teaching and Learning to learn more. As directed by the Office of Research and Economic Development, research employees, including graduate research assistants and technicians, should follow the guidance provided for all University employees. All research staff should coordinate with their supervisors to discuss tasks that can be completed remotely or safely on campus through social distancing protocols.

Our cooperation as an institution, community, and as individuals will help keep the spread of Coronavirus to a minimum. If we do what we can now, the return to normal campus activities will come that much sooner. Thank you all for your willingness to adapt while supporting the needs of our students.

Stay safe and healthy,

Tom

Graduate Admissions Encourages Additional Recruitment Efforts

March 19, 2020 by Stanchina, Karla

The coming months may prove difficult in recruiting new graduate students, particularly international students, so Graduate Program Directors are encouraged to review their Graduate Enrollment Management Plans and modify/append efforts as necessary. Here are a few additional efforts our Graduate Admissions team is doing in an effort to enroll new/continuing students:

With ETS administrations of the TOEFL and IELTS canceled, we are evaluating a new online test to enable international applicants to submit English proficiency scores;
Anticipating use of ETS’s new online GRE which is expected to be available by the end of March;
Offering GPDs maximum flexibility to waive GRE, GMAT, and MAT requirements for summer/fall 2020 and 2021 applicants;
Extending individual outreach to applicants/admits with personalized help;
Promoting additional virtual admissions information and admitted student sessions, and we encourage programs to offer these virtual sessions as well (contact us!);
Increasing digital and social marketing, particularly in North Carolina, with the assistance of University Communications;
“Over-booking” newly funded students in anticipation that individuals from some countries will not be able to obtain their visas and/or travel;
Exercising more flexibility with deadlines, as appropriate.

Please reach out to our graduate admissions counselors, Maryanne Maree-Sams and Ellie Ivey, if you have any questions.

State Dept. Suspends Visa Services in Most Countries

March 19, 2020 by White, Brian

On March 18, 2020, travel.state.gov (U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs Visa Office) posted the following news alert:

“In response to worldwide challenges related to the outbreak of COVID-19, the Department of State is suspending routine visa services in most countries worldwide. Embassies and consulates in these countries will cancel all routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments as of March 18, 2020. Check the website of the embassy or consulate for its current operating status. As resources allow, embassies and consulates will continue to provide urgent and emergency visa services.
These Embassies will resume routine visa services as soon as possible but are unable to provide a specific date at this time. Although all routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments are cancelled, the MRV fee is valid and may be used for a visa appointment in the country where it was paid within one year of the date of payment.
This does not affect the visa waiver program.
Services to U.S. citizens continue to be available. More information is available on the Embassy’s website.
Applicants with an urgent matter and need to travel immediately should follow the guidance provided at the Embassy’s website to request an emergency appointment.”

Faculty Information from Emergency Management

March 18, 2020 by White, Brian

The Office of Emergency Management has published a list of tips and resources to assist faculty in performing their roles during the Coronavirus pandemic. Please visit Emergency Management for more information.

Additional Guidance on Theses and Dissertations

March 18, 2020 by White, Brian

While deadlines remain unchanged, the Graduate School is will consider exceptions when necessary. We do not know if Commencement will change, so we are not prepared to modify deadlines at this time.

Food Pantry Available

March 18, 2020 by White, Brian

The Jamil Niner Student Pantry remains open at reduced hours. For more information, please visit the Food Pantry.

Research Related Travel Suspended

March 18, 2020 by White, Brian

Currently, travel to all research related in-state gatherings of 50 or more people is suspended and all travel outside the state (including international travel) is suspended, unless an exception is authorized by the Chancellor or Provost. University P-cards should not be used to book flights or accommodations unless an exception has been granted.

Research Awards Deadlines Extended

March 18, 2020 by White, Brian

The application deadline has been extended to Mar. 23 for both STEM+ and Arts and Humanities Catalyst programs. Applications should be submitted electronically to Lesley Brown, labrown@uncc.edu. Although we still hope to offer the program in a traditional, in-person format, we are preparing to deliver the program virtually, if needed.

Faculty with University-sponsored Chancellor’s Diversity Challenge Grants or Faculty Research Grants with timelines that are affected by the change in campus operations should contact Tonya McMannen, tmcmannen@uncc.edu to discuss expenditures that may need to be carried over to FY2021. Faculty with externally sponsored awards that anticipate needing to request a no-cost extension (NCE) to an existing award should contact the cognizant program officer for their award. Instructions for submitting an NCE are available here.

Placeholder Course Available to Assist with Delayed Graduation

March 18, 2020 by White, Brian

The Graduate School created a non-credit, placeholder course, which may be used by students who were planning to graduate in May but, due to closings, could not complete a course. If they take an incomplete, they may complete the work in the Fall semester, register for GRAD 6777 – no cost- and apply to graduate in December. This course is available by petition to the Graduate School and is only available for the Fall semester.

Guidance Provided on Research Operations

March 18, 2020 by White, Brian

From the Research & Economic Development: Consistent with the UNC System’s directive to reduce campus population density, faculty, staff, and students are strongly encouraged to work remotely and to engage in social distancing practices when conducting on-campus research. As of Mar. 17, access to campus research facilities, including laboratories and buildings, are restricted to authorized personnel with key or card-swipe access. In anticipation, PIs are asked to develop and implement research continuity plans that limit on-campus activities to those who are critical to maintaining vital research assets, experiments, and data collections. Plans should be filed with the supervising department or unit and should focus on preserving and advancing existing lines of research, keeping research team members safe, and ensuring facilities and resources are secure. PIs are encouraged to consider the following questions when developng their plan. For more information, please visit Research & Economic Development. For questions, call the RED Hotline at 704-687-8428.