Peace Corps Programs

  • Fellows Program: Elementary Education Licensure/Master’s Degree (PK-6)
  • Fellows Program: ESL Licensure/Master’s Degree (PK-12)
  • Master’s International Program: ESL Licensure/Master’s Degree (PK-12)

FAST TRAIN is an approved site for the Peace Corps Fellows and Master's International Programs. While FAST TRAIN has traditionally prepared teachers for international service, it has also entered into an agreement with the Peace Corps to offer the Peace Corps Fellows Program which trains returning volunteers to teach elementary education or English as a Second Language (ESL) in multicultural settings in the Washington, D.C. metro area. FAST TRAIN also participates in the Peace Corps Master's International Program that prepares outgoing volunteers for their ESL teaching assignments abroad as well as provides a program for completion of licensure and a Master's degree in ESL.

Peace Corps Fellows Elementary Education Licensure/Master’s Degree Program

 

Curriculum

This program consists of completing:

  • Six courses (18 credit hours) to obtain a Virginia teaching license
  • An additional five courses (for a total of 33 credit hours) to obtain a Master’s degree (MEd) in Curriculum and Instruction

For detailed information about the course work, view the curriculum.

Program Format

Students in the elementary education Fellows program start in either fall or spring and participate in the evening part-time program (this program is offered during the week at the Arlington, Virginia, campus).  For more detailed information about the schedule, view program schedule.

 

The Peace Corps Fellows ESL Licensure/Master’s Degree Program

 

Curriculum

The program consists of completing:

  • Eight courses (24 credit hours) to obtain a Virginia teaching license
  • Two courses (for a total of 30 credit hours) to obtain a Master’s degree (MEd) in Curriculum and Instruction

For detailed information about the course work, view curriculum/schedule.

Program Format

Students in the ESL program take:

  • Online courses in the fall and spring
  • Complete one summer (two summers for those finishing the Master’s degree) of a five-week intensive summer study schedule at the Fairfax, Virginia, campus.

 

This program may be started at any semester.  For more detailed information about the schedule, view program schedule.

 

The Peace Corps Master's International Program (MIP)

The ESL Licensure/Master’s Degree allows students to earn preliminary licensure and complete nearly all courses (eight out of ten) for a Master's degree (MEd) in Curriculum and Instruction in the year prior to volunteer service (click to view curriculum and program schedule). During this initial year of course work, students will be placed for practical training in urban/multilingual schools in the Washington, D.C. metro area. These settings are as relevant as possible to the schools in which they will teach overseas and return to once their Peace Corps service is complete. On return from their overseas assignment, the volunteers may also complete the remaining courses for their Master's degree.

 

For more detailed information about the course work and the program format, view curriculum and program schedule.

 

Stipends

  • Official Peace Corps Fellows (returning volunteers who stay in the local area to teach) will receive $1,000 for three semesters while completing their licensure courses, not to exceed three semesters.
  • MIP students will receive a $1,000 stipend after their Peace Corps service.
  • Returning Peace Corps volunteers who are admitted to the FAST TRAIN program and want to complete their internship requirement overseas, not in the local area, are considered a traditional FAST TRAIN student, not a Fellow.  These returning Peace Corps volunteer students will receive a one-time $1,000 stipend their first semester of course work for their commitment to the Peace Corps.

 

Field Experience

All course work requires field experience each semester in selected local schools. It is expected that Peace Corps Fellows and MIPs will work one to two days per week.  Field work requires:

  • Observing, tutoring and working with students in small groups in a classroom  
  • Working in selected schools with significant numbers of economically disadvantaged students in Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax counties and Washington, D.C.
  • Attending monthly mentoring meetings with the Field Experience Coordinator.
  • If possible, Fellows and MIP students will be partnered at school sites.

 

Internship

All programs require an internship in order to be licensed in the State of Virginia.

  • Those students in the Peace Corps Fellows Programs will complete their internship locally.
  • In lieu of student teaching, Peace Corps Fellows may teach for one year, full time, in an accredited school as an elementary education or ESL teacher. However, because of the “No Child Left Behind” legislation, it may not be possible for students to obtain a job without first completing a formal student teaching placement. In that case FAST TRAIN will place the Fellow in a local school as a student teacher once all licensure requirements have been met and will cover the cost of the six credit hours required for student teaching. Peace Corps Fellows who have taught in the Peace Corps for two years in the licensure area, may use this experience as their internship. Proof provided by the Report on Experience by a Peace Corps official should suffice for the State of Virginia.
  • Students in the MIP will complete the internship during their Peace Corps service by teaching ESL at their assigned site.

Endorsement Requirements
Endorsement requirements (undergraduate general education courses) also exist for elementary education students.  As part of the admission process, you will be required to perform an endorsement review to determine what, if any, credit hours are required. Below is a summary of endorsement review requirements.  For more detailed information, visit the Endorsement Requirements page.

Fifty-seven  hours of general education course work are required.  This course work does not have to be completed prior to applying to the program, but must be completed before applying for licensure.

    1. 12 credit hours of English (3 credit hours of English composition and 9 credit hours of English electives)
    2. 15 credit hours of History and Social Sciences (3 credit hours of U.S. History, 3 credit hours of Economics, 3 credit hours of Geography, 3 credit hours of World History and 3 credit hours of Civics)
    3. 12 credit hours of Mathematics (no statistics, computer science, finance, or remedial math courses will be accepted)
    4. 12 credit hours of the Natural Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science, Geology or Astronomy; courses must be from at least two disciplines and one must be a laboratory science
    5. 3 credit hours of the Humanities (Philosophy, Religion, Humanities or Foreign Language)
    6. 3 credit hours of Art or Music (Art, Music or Theater only; no Dance accepted)

All course work must be college level or a student may test out of certain subjects with CLEP exam.

 

 

For ESL students, the requirements are:

  • Six credit hours of a foreign language
  • For those students whose first spoken language is not English, these six credits of study must be in English.
  • Proof of language proficiency through by the Peace Corps should suffice for the foreign language requirement

These requirements must be completed prior to student teaching.

 

Testing

Students in all programs must take qualifying exams before they file for a license. Elementary education students must take:

 

ESL students must take the VCLA exam. Students who plan on student teaching must have fulfilled all of the testing requirements prior to student teaching.