Frequently Asked Questions about the COMET Program
What does COMET stand for?
Is the COMET program only open to California residents?
Do I have to be teaching currently?
What is the cost of the program?
When is the deadline to apply?
What are the admission requirements?
Am I required to take the GRE?
Can the GRE requirement be waived?
How many units are required?
How long does it take to complete the program?
How do the 1-unit workshops work?
Where can I find an application for the program?
Is it possible to take more than one course a semester?
When does the program begin?
Will completing the program give me another teaching
certification?
Must students commit to moving at the same speed
as the cohort for the entire program?
Is EVERYTHING online or are there times when I will
need to commute to San Diego?
What are the technology requirements?
Would this program be appropriate for adult school
educator?
Will there be regularly scheduled online meetings?
What is the weekly time commitment?
Is coursework tailored to the K-12 teaching profession,
or are students exposed to the broader use of EDTEC skills in
the professional world?
Are there any advantages to doing the on-campus
Master's program, as opposed to the online?
If I am admitted to the COMET program, am I committed
to teaching in the K-12 setting until I graduate?
Would the COMET program internship opportunities?
What does COMET stand for?
Cohort Online Masters in Educational Technology
Is the COMET program only open
to California residents?
The program is open to K-12 teachers from anywhere, however examples
and curriculum will refer to California standards and the non-resident
tuition is actually higher than that of our general distance program
that is not cohort based. TOP
Do I have to be teaching currently?
No, but if you are not planning on a teaching career you should
look into our more general distance
program which targets a broader audience-including those seeking
careers in the corporate, government, nonprofit, and military
sectors. TOP
What is the cost of the program?
The cost of the program for California residents is set by the state
each academic year. Because the program caters to California residents,
COMET students will pay the same fees as their on-campus scounterparts.
Currently, the fee for up to 6 units per semester (Fall and Spring)
is $1,228; it's $1,071 for the Summer session. See the latest
fee schedule at http://bfa.sdsu.edu/fm/co/sfs/.
Tuition for international and non-California residents would be
$339 per unit based on 2007 non-resident fees which are subject
to change whereas our general distance
program is offered through the College of Extended Studies
for $273 per unit.
The fees do not include the cost of books, computer equipment, Internet service, or software. They do include online library database access, a university e-mail account, and space on the server to post web-based projects. TOP
When is the deadline to apply?
For students seeking admission in Fall 2008, the deadline for submitting
the university application is May 1. Other materials such as the
department application, GRE scores, transcripts, letters of recommendation
must be received by June 15. TOP
What are the admission requirements?
For detailed information, see: http://edtec.sdsu.edu/apply.htm.
TOP
Am I required to take the GRE?
The university requires all graduate program applicants to take
the GRE. The EDTEC Dept. takes into account your scores on the
verbal, quantitative and writing tests. Please contact ETS to
request that your GRE scores be sent directly to SDSU (Institution
Code 4682). TOP
Can the GRE requirement be waived?
Students who hold advanced degrees from institutions that are members
of the Council of Graduate Schools are exempt from the GRE requirement. TOP
How many units are required?
Our Master's program is 30 units; in addition we require two prerequisite
courses (EDTEC 540 and EDTEC 541), each worth 3 units. TOP
How long does it take to complete
the program?
This program is designed for a cohort which facilitates a sense
of community and collaboration among students. Each semester, including
summers, you'll complete six units. At that pace, you'll earn your
degree in about two years. Students starting in the Fall 2007 semester,
for example, will graduate at the end of the Summer session in 2009. TOP
How do the 1-unit workshops
work?
The plan is to have students take three of the 1-unit workshops
during each of the Summer sessions. Each workshop features two to
four online (synchronous) meeting sessions over a period of two
to four weeks with projects/assignments completed in-between meeting
times. TOP
Where can I find an application
for the program?
You can apply online at: http://www.csumentor.edu/.
More information about the application process is available at: http://edtec.sdsu.edu/apply.htm. TOP
Is it possible to take more
than one course a semester?
The program is designed for students in the cohort to complete 6
units per semester. During the regular academic year, this will
likely translate to taking two 3-unit courses. During the Summer
Session it will include a single 3-unit course and three 1-unit
workshops. TOP
When does the program begin?
The first cohort staredt in the Fall 2007 semester (end of August).
The next cohort launcehs in Fall 2008. TOP
Will completing the program
give me another teaching certification?
No. You will receive a Master of Arts in Education with a concentration
in Educational Technology. In most school districts this will earn
faculty a salary increase. TOP
Are students committed to moving
at the same speed as the cohort for the entire program?
This program is designed to help students take advantage of the
experiences of their peers; thus, moving forward as a cohort is
critical. If you do not feel that you can commit to taking the prescribed
courses in this program, we encourage you to look into our general distance
program, previously described. TOP
Is EVERYTHING online or are
there times when I will need to commute to San Diego?
The program can be completed entirely online from any location with
a broadband Internet connection. We will schedule some optional
events several times a year in which you can meet your peers and
the faculty face to face. TOP
What are the technology requirements?
For specific information, point your browser to: http://edtec.sdsu.edu/distance/compreqs.htm.
Would this program be appropriate
for adult school educator?
The principles and practices covered in this program are applicable
for an adult school educator; however, we'll focus more extensively
on K-12 standards. TOP
Will there be regularly scheduled
online meetings?
All courses will include weekly synchronous online meetings that
last 60-90 minutes and feature rich media applications that allow
students to chat with one another, interact with the faculty, and
participate in multimedia presentations. To allow scheduling flexibility,
all of these class meetings will be recorded (archived); students
who cannot attend live will have ready access to the archives. Additional
communication will take place via e-mail and a variety of learning
management systems that offer participants a wealth of experience
using a variety of communication methods and new media tools. TOP
What is the weekly time
commitment?
In addition to the 60 to 90-minute online lectures for each class,
most students find that they put in about 5+ hours per week for
reading, e-mail/correspondence and project-based assignments. Like
any endeavor, what you gain will reflect your effort. Many of our
students devote extra time because they know that the skills are
immediately useful and because the projects can often be put to
use in their classrooms. TOP
Is coursework tailored to the
K-12 teaching profession, or are students exposed to the broader
use of EDTEC skills in the professional world?
This program is more focused than our general Master's programs.
We'll target the K-12 world-with far less discussion about instructional
design and development as it unfolds in other sectors. TOP
Are there any advantages to
doing the on-campus Master's program, as opposed to the online?
It's easier to get to know people face-to-face while sharing the
experience of going out for coffee together or discussing course
projects while online courses allow flexibility along with no travel
time or expense. TOP
If I am admitted to the COMET
program, am I committed to teaching in the K-12 setting until
I graduate?
No; ultimately, your career choices are your own! TOP
Will the COMET program include
internship opportunities?
We don't have internships built into the COMET schedule, but we
can review requests on a case-by-case basis. TOP
Return to COMET page.