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lyrehc

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Everything posted by lyrehc

  1. I don't know anything about the programs you listed, but that doesn't mean that you can't be funded in the right program. My MS is in Emergency Management and Homeland Security and I am fully funded where I'm at. What will help you the most is determining which program(s) are best for you and writing clear letters explaining why you are applying and how your experience will lead you to succeed where you are applying. Good luck!
  2. You don't "need" to apply to a specific number of schools. You may choose to in hope that at least one will admit you, but the number of applications is entirely up to you. I only applied to one program. I knew that I wanted to attend my school no matter what, and that if I was rejected I would find other ways to get admitted. I was willing to have to take time off and "back door" my way in if I had to (I didn't). So if you have three programs that you really like that maybe all you need to do. That said, you mention an unusual area of cultural anthropology being your research interest. You might explore whether or not anthropology is the best discipline for you. Do you look at popular culture?Are you more general in terms of social science? Do you look at how culture is communicated? You may find that a doctoral program in popular culture, social science, mass media, or communication will be better in terms of your long-term goals. I *always* knew that I would pursue a doctorate in sociology. A chance encounter shifted me to an entirely different field. It took a year in my program to get used to not thinking of myself as a sociologist but I am very glad that I was open to considering other options. At the end of the day only you can decide where you are willing to consider attending graduate school. If you aren't willing to go, don't apply. If you're looking at fit, look at recent journal publications on the topic(s) that you find fascinating and explore the academic backgrounds of the authors. You might be surprised with what you find will work for you. Good luck!
  3. My areas of research are policomm, activism and social justice, and group comm. Policomm focuses on how people talk about politics/political issues. Stratcomm is more PR, where students learn how to talk about crises as they occur. The university I attend is ranked in the top 10 for policomm, but I don't think from what you've described that you would find a program like mine very helpful. I am willing to answer questions in case I've misjudged your interest. Have you thought about a degree in urban planning? That might be a better fit for you.
  4. Talking to current students is an excellent approach. It's easy to look at faculty and ranking and lose sight of what the experience will be once admitted. I'll be honest. I only applied to one program because I wanted to work with a specific professor and I was determined to do whatever I had to do to work here. I'm incredibly lucky that this program is as positive as an experience as it is for me as a student. Departmental climate is HUGE. (And it became even more important because my research interests shifted and I'm no longer working with the professor who was the reason I came here.)
  5. If you have a low undergraduate GPA and a good graduate GPA then you should be okay. Most programs care about how you do in your field, and a 3.92 MA GPA should be fine -- especially because many students need extra time to mature and get serious about their studies. I can't answer for every program, but letters of reference are huge for many. In addition, if you have communicated with faculty at the programs you apply to and developed rapport with them that can also make a huge difference.
  6. Try not to get too discouraged. There are a lot of options available -- good ones. Finding the right schools and the application process is stressful, but if you are serious about the advanced degree there are strategies for getting admitted and funded. Hang in there!
  7. You have media studies listed. Are you also looking at policomm? If so, there are several good policomm/media programs out there.
  8. Hi! I have strong ties to sociology and until I ran across the communication program I'm in thought I was going to pursue a PhD in that discipline. Now I'm a critical, political communication scholar. I found that what mattered to my application was being able to express why I wanted the communication degree (I focus on how communication shapes society and how the ways we communicate not only express messages but act to control/exert power) versus who my letters of recommendation were from. When I applied to my program my references were from political science, geography, and emergency management. The ability of letter writers to address my academic abilities knowledgeably mattered much more than the disciplines those letter writers came from. That said, the communication program I am in focuses on communication as a social science. You might have a different experience if you apply to programs that focus on communication as a humanity. Finally, if you want to get a doctorate in sociology you might consider applying to masters programs at schools that have PhD programs in sociology as well and take classes outside the department. That could potentially make the application process easier.
  9. I have taken independent study/directed reading courses for each of my degrees (I have a BA and MS and am a 3rd year PhD student). I don't know whether an independent study will have any impact on your application but I have found these courses to be extremely beneficial in allowing me to define myself as a scholar. Sometimes what you want to learn/need to know isn't available in a class.
  10. I would not take out loans of over 50k for a single year. I don't think the US allows you to take out that much unless you get private loans as well. I would probably look at something that would give me experience in my field and reapply next round for both doctoral programs and funded master's programs.
  11. My department chair recommends always submitting to IRB. There are frequently times when they will kick back the submission with a note that IRB approval is unnecessary, but having it is protection in case someone questions you down the road. Often journals want that verification even if the university IRB doesn't care.
  12. This was on CRTNET this morning. Suzanne Enck, Suzanne.Enck@unt.edu One Teaching Assistant Opening for Fall 2015 The Department of Communication Studies at the University of North Texas is able to offer one more teaching assistantship to begin this fall! Our graduate teaching assistants are assigned to teach a variety of courses. TAs most frequently teaching "Introduction to Communication" - COMM 1010 - during their first year and then adding additional teaching opportunities as students gain experience and confidence (other TA opportunities include guiding recitation sections for: Interpersonal Communication, Performance of Literature, Rhetoric & Argument, Communication Perspectives, Small Group Communication, Organizational Communication, Storytelling, and Communication & Praxis Capstone). Each semester, the assistantship provides a salary of $1,232.22 per month at .50 HTE for 4.5 months. Under the terms of this program, TAs will receive a 6-hour tuition scholarship each fall and spring semester (currently valued at $2,502.05) that will be automatically applied to their graduate tuition (TAs are required to take 9 hours/semester to maintain full-time standing). UNT's master's-only program is designed to facilitate student mastery of theory and research in the field of Communication Studies, to develop student research capabilities, and to enhance student preparation for various career paths or further graduate study. UNT's Department of Communication Studies offers coursework in rhetorical/critical studies, performance studies, and social science traditions (interpersonal & organizational communication). Students are afforded opportunities to explore communication from applied and theoretical perspectives, using analytical, critical, quantitative, and qualitative methodologies. The graduate experience is enhanced by opportunities to engage in one-on-one research with faculty members, participate in regional and national professional conferences and performance festivals, and complete internships with corporations, social service organizations, and government agencies. For information about our program and how to apply, please visit us: http://communication.unt.edu/graduate-studies-overview Application to this program involves TWO steps: First, submit the following to the UNT Tolouse Graduate School: http://tsgs.unt.edu/admissions/programs --Online application (ApplyTexas) and $75 fee --Official transcripts from ALL colleges attended --Official GRE scores TO: Toulouse Graduate School University of North Texas 1155 Union Circle #305459 Denton, TX 76203-5017 Second, send all additional application materials directly to the Department of Communication Studies: --A signed application letter in which you address your purpose in undertaking graduate study in Communication. Please include professional aspirations, career goals, and areas of research interest as they relate to the UNT program in Communication Studies. Also indicate the semester and year you would like to enter the program. -- Vita or resume highlighting relevant skills & achievements -- 2 letters of recommendation (preferably both from faculty members who can attest to your abilities to succeed in a graduate program in Communication Studies) -- An upper-division research writing sample -- TA Application (from the UNT COMM website) TO: Graduate Standards Committee Chair Department of Communication Studies University of North Texas 1155 Union Circle #305268 Denton, TX 76203-5268 +++ Note, at UNT, we MEAN GREEN! Feel free to e-mail these materials directly to the department: COMMStudies@unt.edu Review of applications are continuing until all positions are filled. For questions about the graduate program, teaching assistantships, or how to apply, please contact me via email at suzanne.enck@unt.edu or Dr. Brian Richardson (Director of Graduate Studies) via email at richardson@unt.edu. All best, Suzanne Enck UNT Communication - Graduate Standards Committee
  13. A lot of NCA divisions are on Facebook. The ones I have joined have been very inclusive (Activism & Social Justice & Political Communication).
  14. The April 15 deadline has to do with funding. Accept B, and move. If you're *that* worried about A, since they aren't funding you anyway don't notify the department directly, send information to the graduate school. How reputable is School A?
  15. FWIW, one of my committee members constantly tells me that grades don't matter at the doctoral level. While I don't 100% agree with her, I also know that it is common to get a B and it isn't looked at negatively by the department or university. The question is, do you want to work in the lab? If you liked it don't let the B scare you away. Sometimes the most demanding of graders can teach us the most in our disciplines.
  16. The work you produce will have more of an impact on job prospects than the school you come from. If you're publishing and attend Podunk Hills University that will be better than not publishing and attending Prestigious University. It sounds to me like your heart has already decided and you want someone to tell you it is okay to follow your desires. It is. What you make of your education will have the longest-lasting impact.
  17. Rankings vary from year to year based upon a variety of factors including the # of publications a faculty has in a given year, the number of publications graduates have, etc. This is why they tend to be so different. I can only speak for myself, but when I chose which school to attend I cared about how open the faculty was to mentoring students and class availability. Knowing what I do now, and I was incredibly lucky because it wasn't a consideration when I applied, I would also care about how well the other students interact with each other as well as how well the faculty gets along. You can get answers to interpersonal questions by asking current students. Chances are there is someone here who will know. You can get answers to class availability for asking for a schedule of predicted classes. Organized departments can tell you. Good luck.
  18. If you are the top person on the waitlist, then if one person declines you should get in. If you're on the top with a couple other people, then that becomes a guessing game.
  19. I've never heard of more being admitted than the number of seats, unless you mean admission with funding. Sometimes more are admitted than schools will fund, but the waitlist only kicks in if there are seats made available by applicants who don't choose to attend a specific program.
  20. For what it's worth, my master's is in Emergency Management and Homeland Security from Arkansas Tech University and I was admitted to the University of Oklahoma with full funding (that's the only place I applied). My letters of reference and academic writing samples meant a whole lot more than where I got my MS.
  21. I think both have equal reputation. I would hesitate to go to Wisconsin right now, though. I have a friend who is a full professor at UW-Milwaukee and the cuts being pushed by the governor are affecting everyone dramatically.
  22. My master's is in emergency management and it wasn't terribly difficult to transition to a program in communication. What do you want to study?
  23. Talk to the graduate students. Ask about: Faculty dynamics - who works well together, who doesn't Interest areas - if you wanted would you be able to add intercultural and rhetorical and social influence scholars to same committee, that type of thing Department culture How interactive the faculty are with students - easy/hard to get appointments, opportunities to collaborate on research, what types of mentoring Community - what students you would teach are like Teaching opportunities - support/discussion sections, able to teach stand-alone courses, able to develop own curriculum Graduate classes - when taught, what faculty are like, how often the classes you really want are truly offered Another thing to consider asking the students is, if they were choosing which PhD program to attend now would it be the same. And also find out about the community where the university is located. Are there times when you aren't able to go anywhere because of activities? Are members of the community open to students/faculty? Good luck!
  24. I don't think age should affect you that much. Some of the people in my program are very young -- two are barely 21 -- while still gaining recognition for their research.
  25. I'm a member of NCA so maybe that's why it came up for me. They sent it in an email. http://www.natcom.org/Secondary.aspx?id=5902(Try this link instead).
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