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Students interested in the Peace Corps can integrate Peace Corps service into their degree.

The entry-level threshold for launching a career in development is often a master’s degree plus experience in the field, so Options for Peace Corps Service is ideal for anyone looking to start a career in the highly competitive world of international aid work.

How It Works

  • Spend the first year of your degree program at the Middlebury Institute campus to complete core classes, electives, and second language requirements.

  • Fulfill your Peace Corps service.

  • After completing your service, return to the Institute to fulfill course work and capstone projects needed for graduation.

Scholarship

Students who successfully complete their Peace Corps service within the program timeframe and return to the Middlebury Institute are guaranteed a 50 percent tuition scholarship for their final semester.

Requirements

  • Students must receive approval from their department dean.

  • Students must apply 9 to 12 months before they plan to leave for service.

  • Students must apply directly to the Peace Corps and be accepted for a position related to their degree program.

  • Depending on your program you will need to complete eight credits of language studies of four credits of intercultural competence prior to starting service.

Our Peace Corps Connection

The Middlebury Institute and Peace Corps have partnered for more than 20 years. When the now-retired Peace Corps Master’s International (PCMI) program was offered, the Peace Corps described the Institute as a prolific producer of PCMI students and regularly ranked us among the agency’s top programs. Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) feel at home on our diverse campus, where their Peace Corps experience is highly valued and relevant to our programs of study.

Next Steps

Prospective students

Speak with an enrollment advisor or request more information.

Partner representatives

Contact Senior Director of Institutional Partnerships Jill Stoffers.

Peace Corps Online Discussion Series

Watch recordings of our online discussion series featuring Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and other members of our campus community. Hosts share stories of reintegration, offer practical advice on how to take the next steps in your professional development, and discuss how to best leverage your Peace Corps experience.

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