lyrehc

You might also look and see if you can find communication programs that focus on collective memory.

I'm in a different department (communication) but the sociology program at The University of Oklahoma is extremely quantitative in focus. I don't know if you've looked into them or not.

Just be honest and tell him what you posted. CC the co-advisor.

If you want there is nothing wrong with having an extra letter of recommendation. If you don't want to go that route, when you think about your possibilities who can you envision being the most passionate about you and why you should attend a PhD? That passion will go further than anything else. When someone can specifically discuss your strengths and weaknesses and not sound like a cookie cutter programs pay attention. Good luck.

You don't really have to say much. Most classes have you introduce yourself. Just say "I'm ____, a 1st-year PhD student interested in _(area of focus)_, and I'm getting married in June." The details of wedding planning don't need to be shared. Depending on the size of the program, just like some people have a cat, or have kids, or like sushi, you'll be someone engaged. It happens a lot. In my program 3 women were married this summer.

Are you required to wait a full year before choosing your own advisor? Does the department frown on your seeking informal advice from someone else? Does the department have a graduate liaison? First-year advisors are a mixed bag. I came to my program wanting to work with someone specific. I filled out the paperwork the day I met him and had my plan of study meeting by November (setting records). By April I realized that my interests had shifted and while my advisor really was a great guy, he was not a good fit for me. Because he was my official advisor I had to have a fairly uncomfortable meeting to tell him I needed to switch to someone whose research methodology and interests better fit with mine. Often the first year is fairly straightforward regarding the courses you enroll in. A lot of departments have a foundational course that explains what the discipline is all about, and then there are methods classes to take. If your department is similar, you will have very few "elective" type classes because you'll be taking core courses. And the electives will help you to be sure about where you want to focus.

ebooks rock, because the notes aren't going to be impacted by ink color.

My department cares more about seeing a student's writing ability/style than content of the sample. I would definitely ask, though.

I don't know the answer to that. I'm a social scientist. I'm sure if you write the department they would be happy to answer your questions, though. Their geoscience program is great - I took a couple classes from that department. Oklahoma is also a good choice. I currently am in this state and it definitely has a petroleum influence. Not many mountains, though, and I miss the ocean.

I am entering my 2nd year in a Communication PhD program and I'm going to throw out some things for you to think about. What will you do if your research interests shift? I came to the program I am so that I could work in a specific area with a specific professor. I had my entire committee together by November when I had my plan of study meeting (I set a department record). By April I knew that although the professor I came to work with is amazing I really don't like that area of emphasis as much as I thought I would. Fortunately, I have found a new professor who is a really good fit for me who is guiding me as I navigate this academic shift. When you look at programs, what is the school's reputation for mentoring? Do the faculty work with students or does the program pride itself on "weeding out" students even if those students could be very successful? What do you want the PhD to prepare you to do? Some programs focus on preparing students to work at a research institution and are very focused on getting students conducting their own research and pursuing publication. Other programs focus more on students becoming academic educators and working in a teaching institution. Deciding where you want to end up should influence where you choose to apply. Regarding your specific questions: > How important was the University's prestige? I only applied to one program because of who I wanted to work with. My program is glamorous but it is solid. In addition, once I made the decision to apply and was accepted, when I told established people in the field of communication where I would be attending they expressed that my program is much better than is often assumed. > Was it more important the Advice than the University? I believe that the most important piece in the puzzle is how well you will fit with the faculty. Are they ego-driven? Do they care about nurturing your interests or want to force you to study what they like? > Are there really bigger future benefits if I study in U.S.A.? The biggest benefit to studying in the US is that US institutions will automatically understand what your degree means if you apply to work for one. There is a certain amount of suspicion about the quality of schools outside of the US if it does not have an international reputation. Oxford will always be Oxford, but other schools which are lesser-known may be a stumbling block in the future. I have a family member who has a doctorate from a Mexican university and she cannot get it recognized. > Should I choose a place I like over a prestigious place? Absolutely! Fitting in with your department will help you stay focused and finish. If you are accepted somewhere prestigious and hate it you are much more likely to drop out and never finish. > What about my future plans of marrying? Are you worried that you can't get married if you get a doctorate? I am married with 3 children and, with a very supportive husband, I am doing well in my program. I'm not the only married PhD student. I'm not the only PhD student with kids. My question for you is, why do you want a PhD? If it is your passion and you want it more than anything, then you will find a way for it to happen. Good luck!

Oregon State has a good reputation and Corvallis is a great place to live. Having lived in both Galveston and Corvallis, I would pick Corvallis over Houston. The friends I knew when I was there in the engineering programs were very pleased with the placement rates OSU had as well. Good luck!

Definitely plenty of time. I took mine in late-November and had the scores by the February 1 application deadline.

Do you know what universities you would be more likely to apply to for the doctorate? A lot of times they will respond to a query about "will you accept my degree from xxxxxxx." Depending on your field, what matters more is what you're going to do with the degree once you have it. I shifted fields from my MS to the PhD and my department didn't bat an eye - I was accepted to my first choice program and haven't looked back. Clearly articulating how my MS prepared me for the program I wanted allowed me to attend where I want to. The program you're looking at - how does it prepare you for the future better than other programs, other than through monetary savings?

I am not familiar with either program, but based solely upon what you have written I'm guessing that the ICR program is more of a journalism/new media focus while the other is more of a social science focus. A lot of universities do that. What are you wanting to study?

I'm 44 and in my 2nd year of a PhD program. I've found that people tend to connect more based upon similar research interests than based upon age. In fact, the person I'm closest to in my cohort has a mother who is only 1 year older than me, but we tend to take the same classes and focus on the same topics in the studies we conduct. Honestly, don't worry about it. I would be annoyed if someone young was to come in and tell me how to raise my kids but that hasn't happened. And if you're aware enough to have concerns the I think you'll probably be just fine.

What is your field? Are you using SPSS? In SPSS you can run crosstabs to filter information.

I have moved from the Lower 48 to Alaska twice, driving, and only moving what I could fit in my car. I found that it was important to avoid hard edges. No suitcases, no boxes. Set bedding in the vehicle flat - put sheets inside blankets to protect. Set everything you plan to take next to your vehicle and see how the amount compares. Use a tape measure to figure out interior cubit space, then measure what you have. Shove things into nooks and crannies. If you plan ahead and practice, you can do it.

Have you thought about looking at border states as well as Colorado? Moving is expensive but if the state is adjoining it might not be all that much more and you are fairly close to some solid communication programs. Most programs that offer funding waive out of state tuition as well.

Good luck to all of you preparing for Fall 2015. I spent a lot of time and money preparing for the GRE two years ago. I found GRE for Dummies ended up being the most helpful out of all the resources I used - I could have saved quite a bit of money. I also found that having someone to practice with and verbally discuss the vocabulary helped immensely. Hopefully one or more of you will end up in my program at the University of Oklahoma. Feel free to ask me anything about the program if it catches your interest.

I'm a student at the University of Oklahoma and I want to suggest that you look here for political communication as well. I really love my program, the faculty is very approachable/helpful, and we have the Political Communication Center which hold's the world's largest archive of political advertising.

I'm a GRA and my only research experience was with my undergrad and Master's thesis. My position was not listed but was offered as part of my funding package. It depends a lot on the program you are applying to.

Definitely watch how you phrase things. After my Master's I entered a certificate program in Communication. I then decided to pursue a PhD in Communication rather than in Sociology like I thought I would. Not completing the certificate program has not been a factor, because I was able to easily explain why I did not need the certificate. If Interdisciplinary Studies is not what you want to pursue your doctorate in, I think explaining your choice not to complete it could be fairly simple.

I think rank matters. Those in the field know how schools are ranked; HOWEVER I think how you do in the program is the most important. The way material is taught/presented is a huge deal as well. I completed my entire Master's online but I felt like I was in a bubble and other than writing my thesis don't feel like I learned/accomplished a lot. Is the ranking specific to the online program? Do you know how places you want to work feel about online degrees? Sometimes waiting and finding something in person is a better decision.

Very few of the programs I looked at required interviews or campus visits. I decided on OU and didn't set foot on campus until I moved here. If you're not local to the school(s) you apply to you're going to find it rare that they expect to see you before the start date. Also, if a faculty member wants to meet with you see if the meeting can take place on Skype.

That's outstanding. Last year when I was looking at programs I found one professor who was an ideal fit with my research interests. There is no doubt in my mind that he advocated to admit me - and I received a full funding package as well. If you find faculty to connect with that's really going to help when they review candidates.