Apply Now For City's Graduate Scholar Course

By REUVEN BLAU

The city's testing department is currently accepting applications for the Mayor's Graduate Scholarship Program, which offers full or partial scholarships to city employees seeking graduate degrees.

The deadline for city workers to apply to the employee's agency personnel office is Nov. 19.

City employees interested in obtaining applications and details about scholarship opportunities should visit the MGSP Web site at www.nyc.gov/mgsp , the Department of Citywide Administrative Services said.

Highly Competitive

Workers are encouraged to apply early, DCAS added. Last year, nearly 400 applications were received, and 49 scholarships were awarded.

Interested employees should call 212-669-4163 for general information.

The scholarship application includes three separate essays. An employee must describe his or her present responsibilities, explain why graduate school is important, and explain what professional benefits could be gained personally and for city government by the employee having a graduate degree.

Selected scholars must remain full-time city government employees and students in good standing during the entire course of study.

The participating schools for the 2008-09 academic year are listed below. Interested employees should refer to the MGSP guide at www.nyc.gov/mgsp for further information about offerings in specific degree programs and additional deadline requirements.

The schools:

City University of New York (CUNY)/Baruch College's School of Public Affairs, and Zicklin School of Business; CUNY/Hunter College's Department of Urban Affairs and Planning; College of New Rochelle's School of Nursing; Columbia University's Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy, Mailman School of Public Health, and School of Social Work; Cornell University's School of Industrial Labor Relations;

Fordham University's School of Arts and Sciences, School of Education, School of Law and School of Social Service; Hofstra University's School of Education and Allied Human Services; Iona College's Hagen School of Business; Long Island University's Brooklyn Campus MPA program and CW Post Campus programs; Metropolitan College of New York; The New School's Milano The New School for Management and Urban Policy;

New York Institute of Technology; New York Law School; New York University's NYU School of Social Work, Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, School of Continuing and Professional Studies, and Steinhardt School of Education; Pace University's Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, Lienhard School of Nursing, Lubin School of Business, School of Computer Science and Information Systems, School of Education, and School of Law; Polytechnic University's Graduate Center; Pratt Institute;

St. John's University's Peter J. Tobin College of Business, and School of Law; St. Joseph's College; Seton Hall University's College of Education and Human Services; Touro College's School of Business, and Touro Law Center; and Yeshiva University's Wurzweiler School of Social Work.