Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply?
How can I defer my admission date?
What degrees do you offer?
How can I get more information about the Sustainable Development Program?
What are the tuition rates?
What are the residency requirements?
How can I get financial aid?
Where can I get information about available housing in Boone?
Where can I find course descriptions?
How do I register for a class?
Are there any scholarships available?
How can I get a graduate assistantship?
What is the Academic Common Market?
Who is my advisor?
Where is the Living Learning Center?
Where can I park and where can I get a parking permit?
Are there any graduate organizations on campus?
Where can I get forms/instructions for an Independent Study?
Where can I get forms/instructions for an Internship?
How can I get a seat in a class that is filled?
What are the requirements for writing a thesis?
What are the requirements for the foreign language proficiency?
What do I need to know about the Comprehensive Exam?
How do I change my graduation date?
What types of careers do graduates of your program have?
What can I expect in regards to student life and sense of community among graduate students?
Can I get books from the Center for Appalachian Studies published by the Appalachian Consortium Press?
Graduate Students - www.graduate.appstate.edu/gradstudies/prospective/applications.html
Undergraduate Students - www.admissions.appstate.edu/apply/index.html
How can I defer my admission date?
Fill out a Request to Defer Graduate Admission form. Email the form to the Center or Program Director for signature. We will forward the form to the Graduate School for approval.
MA degree in Appalachian Studies with three concentrations: Culture, Sustainable Development, and Appalachian Music: Roots and Influences.
Graduate Certificate in Appalachian Studies
Graduate Minor in Appalachian Studies
BA degree in Appalachian Studies
Undergraduate Minor in Appalachian Studies
Undergraduate Minor in Appalachian Music: Roots and Influences
See Degree Programs for detailed information and required courses.
How can I get more information about the Sustainable Development program?
Contact Mr. Chuck Smith, Director of the Sustainable Development program at 828-262-2241 or at smithcl@appstate.edu.
What are the tuition rates? Tuition Rates
What are the residency requirements? See the Registrar's webpage for classification determinations.
How can I get financial aid? See the Financial Aid webpage for information or call 828-262-2190.
Where can I get information about available housing in Boone?
See the Housing Options at the SOGS website. Also check out the following websites for the Boone area:
Off-Campus Housing Resources
http://www.rentals.com/North-Carolina/Boone/
http://www.holtonmountainrentals.com/
http://www.app-mgt.com/
http://www.boonerent.com/
http://www.boonestudentrentals.com/
http://www.rentspeed.com/cities/NC_Boone_North+Carolina.aspx
http://www.boonerentalhouses.com/
Craig's List
Where can I find course descriptions?
How do I register for a class? Registration tutorial.
Are there any scholarships available?
The Center for Appalachian Studies offers the following scholarships:
Cratis Williams Memorial Graduate Fellowship in Appalachian Studies (up to $5000) for graduates
Do Unto Others Scholarship in Appalachian Studies (up to $2850) for graduates
William C. Friday Graduate Research Fellowship (up to $1000) for graduates
Carl A. Ross Appalachian Studies Memorial Scholarship (up to $500) for graduates and undergraduates
Anne and Alex Bernhardt Endowed Scholarship in Appalachian Music (up to $500) for graduates and undergraduates
Edward J. Cabbell Endowed Scholarship in Appalachian Studies (up to $250) for graduates
There are also scholarships/fellowships available from the Graduate School.
How can I get a graduate assistantship?
Students must meet the following requirements to be considered for a graduate assistantship:
- Regularly admitted to a graduate degree program. Students admitted probationally or as exceptions are not eligible for graduate assistantships. Students who are taking classes under Applicant Status are also not eligible.
- A full-time graduate student, enrolled for at least 9, but not more than 12, semester hours during each academic-year term or enrolled for no more than 6 hours during any summer term.
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.A limited number of graduate assistantships are available through the Center for Appalachian Studies. Additionally, there are graduate assistantships available with other departments and offices throughout the University. Go to the Graduate Studies webpage for more information.
What is the Academic Common Market?
Appalachian and the State of North Carolina participate in the Southern Regional Education Board's Academic Common Market, a clearinghouse for unique programs in which out-of-state students may be eligible for a reduction in their tuition to in-state levels. Currently, only graduate programs are included in the inventory for North Carolina Colleges and Universities.
The Appalachian Studies program has Academic Common Market status at ASU. Students who are interested in pursuing ACM status in one of these programs should contact the ACM representative for their home state (AL, AR, DE, FL, GA, KY, MD, MS, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV). Contact information for participating states may be found on the SREB website.
Dr. Katherine Ledford advises all incoming graduate and undergraduate students for their first semester. After the first semester graduate advisors will be assigned according to the student's concentration or track.
Where is the Living Learning Center? See map for directions.
Where can I park and how do I get a parking permit?
See the information on parking on the Social Order of Graduate Students parking webpage and information on the Parking and Traffic webpage.
Are there any graduate organizations on campus?
Social Order of Graduate Students (SOGS)
Graduate Student Association Senate (GSAS)
Other organizations popular with our graduate students include:
Appalachian Popular Programming Society (A.P.P.S.)
Appalachian Heritage Council (part of A.P.P.S.)
Appalachian & the Community Together (ACT)
Where can I get a form/instructions for an independent study?
(Courses numbered 2500, 3500, 5500, 6500)
Independent Study is a special course not listed in the regular curriculum in which the student designs and pursues a project under the guidance of a faculty member who serves as a consultant for the student during the course of the study. Independent study must be approved by the faculty member, who will direct the student's work, the chairperson or director, and University College. Anyone wishing to pursue an independent study must be a candidate for a degree at ASU or working toward teacher certificate.Graduate students must complete 9 semester hours and have their Program of Study and Admission to Candidacy approved and on file before undertaking an independent study. Independent studies/special topics are limited to no more than 25% of the credits on the student's Program of Study.
For undergraduate students no more than 6 semester hours of an independent study may be used in an undergraduate degree program and no more than 3 semester hours in a minor. An undergraduate student may take no more than 4 semester hours of independent study in any one term.
To fill out or print an independent study form, see Student Forms.
Where can I get a form/instructions for an internship?
Internships can be taken by both undergraduate and graduate students. The guidelines are printed on the form which can be found on our Student Forms page.
Internships are to be graded on an S/U basis. To register for an internship a "Special Course Form" must be completed with departmental signatures before obtaining the Graduate Dean's signature.
Most, if not all, internship hosts require professional liability insurance prior to a student's participation in an internship or practicum. ASU requires coverage for all students enrolled in internship or practicum courses, except student teaching. When registered for an internship, a fee is applied to the student's account for instatement of professional liability insurance coverage.
The following administrative policy governs internships:
1. An applicant for an internship must be working within a reasonable distance of the University.
2. The number of registrants for the internship is limited.
3. The intern must work under a fully licensed supervisor.
4. The supervisor must express a willingness to supervise the work and provide the experiences necessary for the intern.
How can I get a seat in a class that is filled?
First ask the permission of the instructor, then have the instructor email the Center's administrative assistant their consent. Call the Center (262-4089) with your request and the administrative assistant will add the seat.
What are the requirements for writing a thesis?
See the Thesis Handbook for complete information and requirements. Also see Graduate Studies tips for ensuring a quick review of your thesis. Graduate students cannot take thesis hours unless their Program of Study and Admission to Candidacy are approved and on file.
What are the requirements for the foreign language proficiency?
A reading knowledge of a foreign language, normally Spanish, French, or German may be required. A language other than one normally required may be substituted with the approval of the student’s advisor and the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research. Two years of successful college study in a language will meet the requirements. One who has not completed two years of college credit must take a language examination. The student should apply for the language examination directly to the chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures not later than three weeks before the date the examination is scheduled. The departmental chair, after reviewing the student’s examination paper, will submit to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research a report of the student’s performance. The Dean of Graduate Studies and Research will inform the student and the student’s advisor by mail whether the student has passed the examination. The student must have passed the examination in a foreign language before being permitted to file an application for a master’s degree.
The Admission to Candidacy form includes a section to note any proficiency requirements. If the student has not fulfilled the proficiency requirement when the candidacy form is completed, then the program can email the Registrar's graduate program staff to report completion of the proficiency.
What do I need to know about the comprehensive exam?
Several rules govern the timing and approval process for all comprehensive exams:
• Students must be admitted to candidacy before scheduling comprehensive examinations.
• Comprehensive examinations must be completed in the last 1/3 of the program.
• Comprehensive examinations must be evaluated by at least 3 members of the graduate faculty, all of whom must sign the Report of Comprehensive form prior to submission to the Registrar’s Office.
• The report of successful comprehensive exam completion must be received by the Graduate Records staff in the Registrar’s Office no later than the day before final exams begin in the term of graduation.Each Master's Degree candidate in the Center for Appalachian Studies is required to take and pass a Comprehensive Exam before graduating. The exam is usually taken in the student's last semester. Below are the steps to be taken to schedule and take the exam:
1. Contact three of your instructors and ask if they will be on your comprehensive exam committee.
2. Set a date for your exam.
3. Email the administrative assistant for the Center (bauerdk@appstate.edu) with the instructor's names and exam date.
4. A request will be sent to your committee to email two questions each for your exam.
5. When the questions have been received, the exam will be emailed to you. The answers are due back at the same time three days later (for instance, if you receive your exam questions on Friday at noon, they should be emailed back on Monday at noon).
6. The answers will then be sent to the committee members for evaluation. Each committee member evaluates their own questions only.
7. After the evaluation has been received, the Center Director or Program Director will send notice of your pass/fail/or rewrite.If you have any questions on these procedures, please call or e-mail the Center's administrative assistant (bauerdk@appstate.edu; 262-4089).
How do I change my graduation date? Fill out a Request to Move Graduation to a Later Semester form.
What types of careers do graduates of your program have?
Our students represent a diverse array of careers that include:
professors/instructors of political science, anthropology, Appalachian music, culture, communications, English, women's studies;
Director of the Appalachian Center at Berea College;
Director of the Reece Museum at ETSU;
Director of the Appalachian Studies Minor at ETSU;
Curator for the John Henry Center for Culture and History Exchange;
Rector of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Paris, KY;
NCSU graduate admissions staff;
Project Director for the Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources;
Executive Director of the Yancey County/Burnsville Chamber of Commerce;
Executive Director/Curator of the Ralph Stanley Museum and Traditional Mountain Music Center;
Genealogy and Local History Librarian with the East Central Georgia Regional Library System;
Technical Services staff at the Galax-Carroll Regional Library;
Folklorist for the Watauga Arts Council;
Berea College Learning Center student mentor;
freelance writer and photographer;
Appalachian Collection Librarian at Radford University;
Managing Editor for The Mountain Times;
Legal Counsel for the Montana Dept. of Natural Resources and Conservation;
Executive Director at Appalachian Native Plants, Inc.;
Assistant Professor and Archivist for the University Archives unit of Belk Library at Appalachian State;
Managing Editor, The Business Journal of Tri-Cities Tennessee/Virginia;
Trustee of a charitable organization doing home repairs;
City Council President;
University Librarian at the UNC-CH;
Director of the John B. Stephenson Center for Appalachian and Comparative Highland Studies at Lees-McRae College; Traditional Music Coordinator at Appalshop;
W.L. Eury Appalachian Collection archivist;
Anthropology Educator for the Moveable Museum Program at the American Museum of Natural History;
Program Manager, Preschool Health Promotion Project, Health Behavior Research Center at WVU;
Center for Rural Strategies staff in Knoxville, TN;
College Bookstore Manager for Sodexo Corp. at Spartanburg Methodist College;
Donor Relations Coordinator for the University Library at the UNC-CH;
Field Representative for the Rural Heritage Development Initiative;
Assistant Director of Pine Mountain Settlement School;
Director of Pine Mountain Settlement School's new sustainability project;
Project Specialist in the Appalachian Center at Berea College;
Librarian at Appalachian State University;
and several Ph.D. candidates: Anthropology/UNC; History/WVU; Continuing Education/Duke; Anthropology/UK; Ed.D./Harvard; MD/Princeton.
What can I expect in regards to student life and sense of community among graduate students?
Here are some answers from our current graduate students:
I have generally found my experience with other students to be very good. I think there is a great sense of community here with other students becoming friends outside the classroom, and just the community of Boone in general. Of course it is important to put yourself in those places were you can meet people and be a part of the community. For me it also helped to get involved with a local church. Even just participating in the local music, festivals, [music] lessons at the Jones House, etc., adds to that sense of community. The [small] size of the program alone I believe adds tremendously to a tighter community feel. You get more attention and are better able to get to know the other students because there aren't as many compared to other programs. As long as you are open to these new things and people, I feel the community element will happen on its own time.
The Appalachian Heritage Council was the best way I found to connect to student life. Getting involved with a university organization like AppHeritage or [Graduate] Student Senate is probably helpful. In general, it seems that a group forms in each class that goes out for dinner and supports one and another. Since everyone has to take Fred's [Bibliography and Research] class first semester as well as Pat's class [Appalachian Culture and Social Organization], that helps form comradery right off the bat. Opportunities at the Rec Center, swimming pool, yoga classes, etc., are a nice bonus as well as the many educational speakers/performers and entertainment on campus that make up student life. Finally, there is a nice "old-time" community of students and non-students, e.g. local residents, that play music at the Jones House on Thursday nights, attend square dances at ASU and contra dances at the Apple Barn, partake in molasses boilings and cider pressings, Sunday shape-note/folk singing and much, much more.
Can I get books from the Center for Appalachian Studies published by the Appalachian Consortium Press?
No. The Appalachian Consortium Press is no longer in operation. Please contact Ms. Denise Foutz at 828-262-6119 for information.
