Concentration on Transcript

[michigan girl]

Does it matter to have a concentration listed on your official transcript? I post an example below that can be applicable in any context. 

 

Let's say I'm interested in Basketweaving. In order for your transcript to say "Master of Arts in Craftmaking with a concentration in Basketweaving", you must take all the pre-approved classes in Basketweaving. If you only take some of the classes in Basketweaving, your transcript will simply say "Master of Arts in Craftmaking."

 

Do hiring managers or admissions committees care about this level of detail? If not, how do you state your interest in basketweaving on the resume or cover letter?

 

[msafiri]

Have you seen this related thread over on the Chronicle? It might answer your question... Actually, you don't post that over there, did you?

[michigan girl]

msafiri, thanks for the Chronicle thread. I see the faculty perspective, but I want to hear what other graduate students think.

 

No, I'm not the person using that username since I don't attend SIU.

Edited January 1, 2013 by michigan girl

[fuzzylogician]

This may differ depending on program and field, but in my field I hardly think the concentration on my transcript will matter to anyone. What matters is my published work and my thesis, and my stated interests on the research statement. Since I have an academic presence as an X scholar, that's what I'm perceived as. To my knowledge, that matters more than whether I took 2 or 4 courses in X. I imagine it's different for professional programs or if for some reason you need to have "official credential X" in order to be able to teach X or to be hired as an X scholar. Generally, it's not a requirement in my field, as far as I know. 

[CarlieE]

I think it might matter if you are planning on teaching. Say, you did a Gender studies concentration and got your PhD in History.. 

 

And University X is hiring. They're looking for a historian and you're era is just a little off, or your region is just a little to the west or whatever... BUT their Gender studies dept or their regional dept is also hiring, or that school is well known for their Gender studies program, then you might be a pretty contender for the spot, even if your History is off by a century or one or two longitudes. With universities getting budget cuts, dual appointments in different depts might become more and more common. 

 

Sometimes, they are looking for people who can teach specific courses ie. Theory X or Y. And if you did take a few courses in your concentration on that subject, it might help you - not to get the position - but to get the hiring committee to NOTICE your application and put you in the "YES, let's interview him/her" pile. 

 

Just a possible scenario I've been given by others... 

[SymmetryOfImperfection]

From what I know, for physics and chemistry it is necessary. The resumes I've seen in industry from PhD holders in these 2 fields always specified their concentration, as in "PhD in Condensed Matter Physics" or "PhD in Physics, concentration in optical physics"

 

That is because skillsets in the different subfields are TOTALLY different.

 

A organic chemist and a physical chemist have NOTHING in common. One is familiar with pipettes, reaction vessels, fluids, biological substances and synthesis strategy. Most organic chemists know very little math. The other is skilled with computer modeling, thermodynamics and nanoscale fabrication techniques using industrial machinery. Most physical chemists would be completely lost in an synthetic lab where they actually had to personally touch chemicals.

 

Likewise, an astronomer and a condensed matter physicist have NOTHING in common; one is skilled in statistics, signal processing and general relativity, the other is skilled in solid state physics, nanoscale fabrication and electrical testing.

 

If you just wrote "physics" or "chemistry" how do they know which one you are? If you apply to a finance job, they don't want to see your skill in nanofabrication and circuits; they want to see your applied math and statistics skills.