Heinz MSISPM or UCI Sociology

[crock1255]

I got into Heinz' MSISPM with 12k/semester. I visited Heinz and I just got this sense that there is a A LOT going ont there and it's an interesting place to be. I'm interested in social networks, but I'm interested in doing applied research. Maybe work for a think tank or consulting firm or government when I'm done with school. My alternative is a PhD (full funding 5 years) in sociology at UC Irvine. I'm having a really tough time deciding between the two. Both have things going for them:

Heinz

Pro

Location (East coast is home for me)

Recruitment/job placement history

Strong name

Some cutting edge people/research going on

UCI

Pro

Strong program in social networks

Seem to do some more applied research

Would potentially graduate as an expert in social networks (at least relative to an MA from Heinz)

Strong faculty in Networks - with one specifically doing really fascinating work (Got his phd at CMU - coincidence?)

THANKS!

[hoobers]

I got into Heinz' MSISPM with 12k/semester. I visited Heinz and I just got this sense that there is a A LOT going ont there and it's an interesting place to be. I'm interested in social networks, but I'm interested in doing applied research. Maybe work for a think tank or consulting firm or government when I'm done with school. My alternative is a PhD (full funding 5 years) in sociology at UC Irvine. I'm having a really tough time deciding between the two. Both have things going for them:

Heinz

Pro

Location (East coast is home for me)

Recruitment/job placement history

Strong name

Some cutting edge people/research going on

UCI

Pro

Strong program in social networks

Seem to do some more applied research

Would potentially graduate as an expert in social networks (at least relative to an MA from Heinz)

Strong faculty in Networks - with one specifically doing really fascinating work (Got his phd at CMU - coincidence?)

THANKS!

Carter Butts is probably the best person in the world to get a social networks training from. He's at the head of his field right now, works very closely with all of his students, and has truly insane amounts of research funding. His adviser at CMU was Kathleen Carley, who was quite strong in the 90s, but he is far ahead of her now. The only caveat about the UCI program is that you end up pretty far outside of the mainstream of sociology, so it's not the best place to go if you final goal is to teach at a top-tier sociology department (even if you intend to specialize in soc nets). But since this really doesn't sound like your goal, go with UCI.