scully#01

Wow - so even though you accepted the fellowship and received the first one or two instalments, you can still be awarded the Bombardier? Can you elaborate a bit more please? For instance, did your letter of offer for the fellowship say that you were waitlisted for the Bombardier? I had no idea and am especially curious because I received the fellowship this past April. Thanks!

Congrats to all the winners! I received my letter yesterday in downtown Toronto and received the Doctoral Fellowship for up to four years. My score was 13.5/20 and I am entering my 2nd year of the PhD in the fall.

I have heard that PhD programs in 'Interdisciplinary Studies' specifically are not competitive. However, my potential main supervisor said that SPT and Com/Cult are both more specific, whilst being interdisciplinary, and are therefore more hireable. I have also heard that it depends what field and types of courses you want to teach one day. For instance, Com/Cult grads get hired in communications, information studies, cultural studies, etc., while SPT grad would get hired in another (and crossover) range of interdisciplinary programs or discipline-specific departments. So it really depends, from what I understand, as well as how you market yourself. Further, I have also heard that it really depends to what extent you are able to or are interested in relocating, such as away from the GTA, let alone Ontario as a whole.

You can take your electives (half the course load) in anything, so within SPT or from any other program, from what I understand. Same here - I can access the same professors through both programs, but am confused on which will provide the best groundwork for my research. I'd assume the research methods is unavoidable as it will be program specific, I suppose. I have heard from students that it typically takes more than 4 years, so as to not rush yourself, etc. But I'm sure it also depends on your project and work ethic. I am assuming it will take more than 4 years for myself. And same - I also have to decide by those dates - very stressful!

Yes, I have also been slightly lured by the seeming practicality of Com/Cult, but then again I think that, no matter what, a PhD has a low employment rate and one can never know what will be available upon graduation. Also, in regards to courses, I really like the unstructured nature of the SPT coursework (4 full courses being flexible, including the option to take courses from across the university, such as from Com/Cult) vs C/C's very specific requirements based on the streams as well as the required courses. It is so hard to know though - for instance, what courses will be offered each year as well as what interests cut across one's cohort let alone the program as a whole. I have also spoken with both directors and graduates of the programs. I do think, though, at this point I am leaning towards SPT due to the flexibility and openness, as I am not sure that there are as many courses in C/C that interest me and am not sure that I want my work to be embedded in a communication studies framework (I have always been more within a cultural studies discipline). I'd be interested in hearing any further thoughts as well!

Hey! I also got into the PhD in SPT and Com/Cult - how are you two deciding between them, or in relation to your other offers/applications? I am seriously struggling. For instance, what do you see as their individual strengths or weaknesses as a program? Thanks!