Jump to content

lyrehc

Members
  • Posts

    235
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    2

Everything posted by lyrehc

  1. http://www.natcom.org/uploadedFiles/More_Scholarly_Resources/2013%20SED%20Report.pdf
  2. Most of the time decisions are made based on what is there. Depending on who has what piece of paperwork there's a good chance your department won't even know one is missing.
  3. Being called "Professor" isn't the norm in my department either, but there are TAs who choose to use that. My students call me "Ms. ___" I found this to be the most helpful pedagogy book. http://www.amazon.com/Critical-Communication-Pedagogy-Deanna-Fassett/dp/1412916267I also really like Paulo Freire's work. Using the dialogic model instead of the banking model of education as a core element in my teaching helps a lot.
  4. Where you choose to go will have an impact, because the university culture affects undergraduate attitude. You can look up the university and department on Rate My Professor and see how instructors are talked about. In my department a couple of younger grad students have chosen to be called "Professor ____" by their students which has helped create distance from those who look very young. Read books on pedagogy and think about how you'll incorporate skills in your classroom. I teach a flipped class which works very well for me - my class tends to be active and it makes it harder for students to check out. But there are many different ways to do things.
  5. I'm in my 40s and there are several students my age in my program. I'm in communication but I take sociology classes at my university too. At least one student is my age over there.
  6. If you want to do the thesis, tell them that you're wanting to keep future options open. The thesis option is more work for a committee because they have to read and criticize and have you defend. An extra student in a class is less effort on their part.
  7. It depends on the school and program. The Comm department at my university calls the funding packages "assistantships" but the Mass Comm department calls their funding "fellowships" - same level of teaching/research responsibilities for both.
  8. I think the "impoverished international" was self-identification by the poster and not a label directed toward others.
  9. You might consider applying to Oregon State as well to their MAIS. Gregg Walker is well-respected in the field.
  10. Does Canada require the GRE? I know that many programs look at the whole package rather than just one factor. Test scores, GPA, research/publications, interactions with the department and references all play a part.
  11. That's where asking students in programs helps. I can talk about the funding my department offers because it's across the board and for 4 years (which is when most students finish here). I'm sure there are others who can talk about the funding where they are at.
  12. It really depends on the program you're in. A lot of sociology programs focus on qualitative research. I switched from sociology to communication, but my GRE scores were 151, 143, 5.0 and I got into a program that is ranked in the top ten for my specialization. Letters of reference and the rest of your application frequently mean more than GRE numbers.
  13. Do you want something applied or something theoretical? Do you want to gain basic knowledge that will help you no matter what field you end up seeking employment in or do you want to pursue specialized knowledge that will help you do xyz? (For the record, communication can be as applied as business). Do you want to conduct research or do you want to work on projects/develop business proposals? Do you want to write a thesis? Where do you see yourself in 20 years? Answering those questions will help you determine which path is the right one for you. And even if you make one choice you're still young and you have time to reconsider or make a different choice later. My master's is in emergency management and I'm not an applied scholar, but I in no way regret the education I have.
  14. I'm 44, married, have 3 sons, and am in the 2nd year of a PhD program. I haven't found that there is a huge divide between me and other students - the person I'm closest to in my cohort is 21. I don't go out drinking but many of the other students aren't interested in partying, while some are. Personality plays into this as much as anything. The biggest thing for me is to schedule EVERYTHING. I tell my family all the time "if it isn't on my calendar it doesn't happen." Assignments due for me, assignments due for my students, activities for my children, appointments, etc. I put it all on a calendar. I am rigid about making sure I stick to my schedule because having a family takes time. Kids get sick at the least opportune moments. My first semester I got pneumonia and my father-in-law had a massive stroke - being scheduled kept me on track when it would have been easy to get derailed. I agree with the advice to stay involved. I moved from one office to another my 2nd semester, and being in an environment with a lot more students allowed me to connect with others better. My advisor told me that when I go on the job market prospective employers will care about the type of service someone has put in for the department as well, and those who can demonstrate participation do better.
  15. If you're just taking a single course elsewhere I wouldn't even mention it. You can have the transcript submitted elsewhere if you're admitted.
  16. ASA had a study a couple years ago that was posted on their site which showed that because of baby boomer retirement there are currently more people leaving the field than new sociology PhDs each year. I don't have the link anymore but you might want to look for it. I'm in another field now but I find that information very reassuring.
  17. This is where the contacts you make with potential advisors goes a very long way. I only applied to one program. It was the program that made the most sense based upon where my research interests fell at the time I applied. I got in even though my GRE scores weren't spectacular. I'm sure my LOR played a role, but at first I was admitted without funding. I had a professor I wanted to work with, who was my sole reason for applying to my program, and we had been exchanging emails for several months prior to my admission to the program. I let him know that I really wanted to attend the university but that I would not go into debt for the doctorate and based on email and telephone interactions there is no doubt in my mind that he found me the assistantship I was offered. I wanted to work with him, but he also wanted to work with me, and he pulled strings to make sure that it would happen. Ironically my research interests have shifted and I no longer am working with that professor, but I will always be grateful that he was willing to advocate for me. And I firmly believe that anyone who seriously wants the doctorate needs to find someone, somewhere, who will advocate on their behalf if necessary.
  18. She will want to be sure that the campus allows ecig if she goes that route. My campus is completely tobacco free including ecig and chewing tobacco.
  19. Hi. I'm at the University of Oklahoma which is the only school I applied to, so I can only answer for where I am. 1 - I didn't mention a project in my SoP at all. I stated my areas of interest and why OU was the school I believed to be the best fit for what I wanted to study. 2 - See question 1 3 - OU wants applicants based on percentile. Based on what you've put down you'd be fine here. I don't know for other programs.
  20. I'm at OU in the department of Communication but have taken classes in the sociology department. Are there specific questions you want to ask me?
  21. FWIW, changing mentality can be challenging but you can do it. I switched from sociology to communication. The adjustment took about a year, but in hindsight I can see that it really was the right decision for me.
  22. I don't know if this fits your area but Bowling Green University has a reputable program. http://www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/media-and-communication/graduate/phd-program.html
  23. Many programs require you to take their methods courses even if you have taken methods elsewhere. I'm in communication and my department requires students to take all of the required classes in department. The only PhD students who don't repeat methods from their master's programs are the ones who get the MA here.
  24. Sometimes locations you think might be bad end up being okay. And other times locations you think you can be okay with end up being miserable. I was unsure about coming to Oklahoma but it has ended up being a good place. Part of that is related to how much I love my program, though, and having a place where my husband and sons are happy. But then I lived in other places and the climate contributed to a very bad experience. If you think you could be happy even if the location isn't ideal, then go for it, because having a decent fit is huge. But misery in location can make grad school a lot more challenging than it needs to be.
  25. Definitely check out Indiana's program in Communications.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use