Master of Arts in Process Work: Frequently Asked Questions

Can I finish the program early?
Yes. If a student fulfills all requirements and her study committee approves her graduating early, she can do so.

Do I have to pay for all four years if I finish the program early?
No. A student need only pay for the semesters in which she studies/is enrolled. For example, if a student finishes the program at the end of her third year, last semester, then she need not pay at all for her fourth year. If she finishes in her second semester of the fourth year, she pays through that semester, but does not pay for the third semester.

What are the requirements for taking Phase I Exams?
MAPW Students must typically be enrolled in the program for a minimum of 18 months prior to the date of exams (midway through the second year of study). Recommendation from the student’s study committee as well as the completion of 80 hours of personal therapy are also required.

What does it mean to be full-time and is that required?
A full-time student takes a minimum of 3 classes per semester as well as ongoing therapy and independent study (reading, journaling, etc.). This applies to the first three years of the MAPW program. The fourth year requires fewer credits from classes and more supervision and research/writing. It is assumed that the student’s study committee is tracking that a fourth year student is completing a full time amount of work. The State of Oregon defines full time to be 35-45 hours per week divided between interaction with teachers and independent preparation. The teacher instruction portion ordinarily comprises 10-20 hours weekly. We count personal therapy hours as part of teacher instruction. We require that each MAPW studies on a full time basis. Dropping below a full time course load is allowed by authorization by the student’s study committee and for extreme medical conditions. This applies to both foreign and non-foreign students. See section on interim status for more information on leaves.

Can I go on interim at any time, for how long and for what reasons?
MAPW students may take leave from the program in the form of interim period(s) as approved in writing by their study committee. During an interim period the student pays a $100 administrative fee, but no tuition is paid. If a student has paid tuition in advance for the quarter during which she is on interim, these fees will be applied to the tuition due once they return from their interim status. No more than 12 months of interim time are granted. Interim periods must be taken in 4 month increments (4 mos., 8 mos., or 12 mos.) beginning and ending according to the academic quarters which are as follows: August – November, December – March, and April – July. In other words, a student cannot begin their interim period in the middle of any of these quarters, e.g. September. For more details, see page 23 of the MAPW Handbook. International Students wishing to take interim should contact the Center office.

How many hours are equal to one credit?
35-45 hours are equal to one credit. However, this includes independent study by the student over the course of the weeks of the class. Classtime itself must total between 12-15 hours to obtain one credit. Classtimes totally between 6-11 hours equal a half credit. Classtimes below 6 hours are counted as hours until enough stray hours equal 6 hours (one half credit) in a particular curriculum area. For example, First Thursday lectures are two hours long. They receive 2 hours towards credit in a particular area of study.

Can I get credit for the Intensive course? If so, how many credits and in what areas?
Yes, MAPW students can receive 5 credits for taking the entire Intensive course. The credits are applied one each to the following areas: Foundations, Somatic/Bodywork, Relationships, Inner/ Group Work, and Extreme States of Consciousness. During the winter semester that the student decides to take the Intensive course, he must inform the PWI office that he wishes to take the course and apply the class fee portion of his tuition to the Intensive tuition costs. The class fee portion for one semester is $428.33. Once the student pays PWI for his semester tuition of $1295, PWCP will pay the Intensive $428.33 and the student will be responsible for the remaining balance to the Intensive. This arrangement is good for one semester only. If the student wishes to take the Intensive a second time, he is responsible for paying his entire MAPW tuition as well as his entire Intensive tuition. If the student fails the complete the entire 5-week Intensive course, his class fees of $428.33 will not be refunded to him. He will receive one credit per week of Intensive class participation in any area he so chooses.

Can I still apply for scholarships to individual classes even though part of my tuition covers class fees?
Yes, however there are no scholarships given for tuition. Therefore the PWCP will grant scholarships to classes that are beyond what is covered with the student’s MAPW tuition. In other words, the first 2.5 classes are covered with tuition. Beyond that, the center will consider giving possible scholarship assistance to the student.

Does the class fee portion of my tuition cover all my required classes over the four-year program?
No. It covers 30 classes over four years which breaks down to 2.5 classes per semester. This includes all of the core curriculum areas, however it does not cover electives. The student is responsible for paying separately for all electives and classes beyond the 2.5 per semester allotment.

How much of my tuition pays for classes?
$428.33 of the semester tuition of $1295 pays for classes. This equals on average 2.5 classes.

How is the class fee portion of my tuition applied to the classes I choose?
The center office applies the class fee portion of a student’s tuition to 2.5 classes of the student’s choice. Electives are not covered by tuition. The center will apply this to the most expensive course first and go down from there.

What if I don’t take 3 classes in a semester, can I roll over money or credits to the next semester?
No, you cannot roll over money or class credits to future semesters. If you are taking fewer than 3 classes in a semester, you may be in violation of the full time requirement. Exceptions may include being in your fourth year of study.