PhD Public Health - Funding

[SDOHEpi]

Hello all!

I thought I'd start a thread to discuss the funding situation at some of these PhD Public Health programs.  I've definitely been feeling overwhelmed in making a decision regardless, and have found that many programs haven't yet provided transparent funding packages, so thought this could serve as a venue for us to discuss our experiences and share insight/advice with one another.  

I'm currently deciding between the following three programs, all Epidemiology PhD, with the funding (as understood by me currently) described below:

• Columbia:  I haven't heard anything about funding yet, but heard during the interview that they generally have students on training grants or funded with specific professors. 
• Berkeley:  Some students are funded through departmental fellowships, or part or full-time work at other institutions (health departments, UCSF, etc.) or with Berkeley professors.  I currently work at an institution that I think would be my source of funding.
• University of Washington:  Most students are funded through research assistant or TA positions.  If you work at least 20 hours per week, then your UW tuition is waived and you get a general PhD stipend.  Most of these positions are acquired through persistence (lots of e-mails!) and applying to posted positions.  I don't currently have a position lined up, so am nervous at this point!

Any insight or shared experiences would be much appreciated!  Congrats to all on getting (almost!) through this year's application cycle.  

[Epi_2016]

2 hours ago, SDOHEpi said:

Hello all!

I thought I'd start a thread to discuss the funding situation at some of these PhD Public Health programs.  I've definitely been feeling overwhelmed in making a decision regardless, and have found that many programs haven't yet provided transparent funding packages, so thought this could serve as a venue for us to discuss our experiences and share insight/advice with one another.  

I'm currently deciding between the following three programs, all Epidemiology PhD, with the funding (as understood by me currently) described below:

• Columbia:  I haven't heard anything about funding yet, but heard during the interview that they generally have students on training grants or funded with specific professors. 
• Berkeley:  Some students are funded through departmental fellowships, or part or full-time work at other institutions (health departments, UCSF, etc.) or with Berkeley professors.  I currently work at an institution that I think would be my source of funding.
• University of Washington:  Most students are funded through research assistant or TA positions.  If you work at least 20 hours per week, then your UW tuition is waived and you get a general PhD stipend.  Most of these positions are acquired through persistence (lots of e-mails!) and applying to posted positions.  I don't currently have a position lined up, so am nervous at this point!

Any insight or shared experiences would be much appreciated!  Congrats to all on getting (almost!) through this year's application cycle.  

My only suggestion is that unless the early course load at UW is lighter than ours, 20 hours per week ends up being a lot (if it's a strict requirement). My program only allows our RAs to require 15 hours per week until core coursework is done; however, one person in my program had a funding mishap and got a late RA with an outside funding source that demanded a strict 20 hr minimum per week. They ended up incredibly stressed out and unable to take on the opportunities for outside research that many of the rest of us could. Ultimately, I think the fact that it's not guaranteed and it requires you to have a strict hour minimum is going to make your first year more stressful than it could be. (Then again, I think my school takes a really fantastic interest in the mental and physical health of its grad students in a way that most don't, so 20+ hours could be standard elsewhere.)

With regard to transparency in funding, a lot of the money that goes towards funding RA positions is independent of the program. I didn't know if my advisor would receive the grant I'm funded under until the July before my first semester. That does make things pretty difficult, but there should be resources at your schools to help you find a position. For example, we have a portal that matches up students with professors based on experience and interests that you can access as soon as you accept your offer. I don't think most people needed to do mass emailing unless they waited until the last minute (or unless their funding fell through abruptly). Maybe UW has something similar?

[EpiPhDGal]

 

3 hours ago, SDOHEpi said:

Hello all!

I thought I'd start a thread to discuss the funding situation at some of these PhD Public Health programs.  I've definitely been feeling overwhelmed in making a decision regardless, and have found that many programs haven't yet provided transparent funding packages, so thought this could serve as a venue for us to discuss our experiences and share insight/advice with one another.  

I'm currently deciding between the following three programs, all Epidemiology PhD, with the funding (as understood by me currently) described below:

• Columbia:  I haven't heard anything about funding yet, but heard during the interview that they generally have students on training grants or funded with specific professors. 
• Berkeley:  Some students are funded through departmental fellowships, or part or full-time work at other institutions (health departments, UCSF, etc.) or with Berkeley professors.  I currently work at an institution that I think would be my source of funding.
• University of Washington:  Most students are funded through research assistant or TA positions.  If you work at least 20 hours per week, then your UW tuition is waived and you get a general PhD stipend.  Most of these positions are acquired through persistence (lots of e-mails!) and applying to posted positions.  I don't currently have a position lined up, so am nervous at this point!

Any insight or shared experiences would be much appreciated!  Congrats to all on getting (almost!) through this year's application cycle.  

I agree with EPI_2016 that 20 hours sounds like a lot to take on, especially during the first couple of years while you are taking classes. Is there a minimum hour requirement at Berkeley? It sounds like you would be set there with funding, which is definitely an important consideration. Will you find out about funding from Columbia before they require a decision? 

[JSnow]

My understanding is that the first year stipend at Berkeley is "unattached" - so there are no minimum work requirements, but from year 2 you are expected to RA/TA or have fellowships that cover the stipend. I also have not yet heard from Berkeley about the actual amount of the stipend.

I found the 20 hour "you have to find your own funding before you even show up here, but don't worry 90% of students are able to make this happen" thing at UW to be very off-putting. Seems like a good way to gauge interest in the program, but as a person from a lower-class background, I found it discouraging....like an early sign that they weren't that interested in my training. But that's just me.

Edited March 14, 2017 by JSnow

[MCEpi17]

My favorite option right now is at Tulane for a PhD in Epi. I have an RA/TA with my advisor on one of her grants working 20 hours/week for $24,000/year. Then over the summer I can work 40hrs/week and make more. They typically recommend max 9 credit hours fall semester and 12 in the spring, which sounds more reasonable to me. Lots of credits from my MPH transfer, putting me in a more relaxed position. Plus I don't have kids.

During my MPH I was a full time student and working 30hrs/week. Plus senate and committees. I can't imagine continuing that during a PhD....

[SDOHEpi]

12 hours ago, JSnow said:

My understanding is that the first year stipend at Berkeley is "unattached" - so there are no minimum work requirements, but from year 2 you are expected to RA/TA or have fellowships that cover the stipend. I also have not yet heard from Berkeley about the actual amount of the stipend.

I found the 20 hour "you have to find your own funding before you even show up here, but don't worry 90% of students are able to make this happen" thing at UW to be very off-putting. Seems like a good way to gauge interest in the program, but as a person from a lower-class background, I found it discouraging....like an early sign that they weren't that interested in my training. But that's just me.

After speaking with someone at Berkeley, I think they may have admitted me thinking that I would continue working during my PhD, so weren't planning to allot a stipend for me the first year.  I'm hoping to meet with them soon to clarify this, or see if tuition is at least covered in this case.  I've talked to a couple of current and past Berkeley students who did similarly remain in their current position work situations, and they were expected to pay their tuition on top of living expenses out of their working salary. Mine is definitely currently not enough for that to be livable. :/ 

I completely agree about UW - I really loved the program, but am very concerned about consistently scrambling to keep funding. It also makes it seem difficult to explore additional research opportunities, and many of the initial RA/TA positions may not even be in some students field of interest.

[SDOHEpi]

21 hours ago, Epi_2016 said:

My only suggestion is that unless the early course load at UW is lighter than ours, 20 hours per week ends up being a lot (if it's a strict requirement). My program only allows our RAs to require 15 hours per week until core coursework is done; however, one person in my program had a funding mishap and got a late RA with an outside funding source that demanded a strict 20 hr minimum per week. They ended up incredibly stressed out and unable to take on the opportunities for outside research that many of the rest of us could. Ultimately, I think the fact that it's not guaranteed and it requires you to have a strict hour minimum is going to make your first year more stressful than it could be. (Then again, I think my school takes a really fantastic interest in the mental and physical health of its grad students in a way that most don't, so 20+ hours could be standard elsewhere.)

With regard to transparency in funding, a lot of the money that goes towards funding RA positions is independent of the program. I didn't know if my advisor would receive the grant I'm funded under until the July before my first semester. That does make things pretty difficult, but there should be resources at your schools to help you find a position. For example, we have a portal that matches up students with professors based on experience and interests that you can access as soon as you accept your offer. I don't think most people needed to do mass emailing unless they waited until the last minute (or unless their funding fell through abruptly). Maybe UW has something similar?

Thank you so much for this response and advice!  It's good to know that 20 hours a week may be less manageable during a PhD program.  I worked that much or more during my undergrad and Masters, but definitely would like some flexibility to explore research opportunities of interest and realize that 20 hours a week of work may not leave that space.  UW does have a portal where they'll post available RA/TA/Fellowship positions for current students, but they're usually shortly before students are expected to start, so many students do end up committing before they have a position secured.  They mentioned that they will allow an extension of your official decision if you're hoping to secure funding before receiving a large tuition bill, which was comforting.  

I haven't heard of similar portals at the other two schools, but hope to gain more clarity with those in the next couple of weeks!

[SDOHEpi]

21 hours ago, EpiPhDGal said:

 

I agree with EPI_2016 that 20 hours sounds like a lot to take on, especially during the first couple of years while you are taking classes. Is there a minimum hour requirement at Berkeley? It sounds like you would be set there with funding, which is definitely an important consideration. Will you find out about funding from Columbia before they require a decision? 

Thank you so much for your response!  While Berkeley doesn't have a minimum hour requirement, if I remained in my current position a reasonable living wage would mean I'd have to work around part-time (20 hours) similarly, although it would likely be somewhat flexible, I'm sure I'd need to at least put in what would equate to part-time work.  I've reached out to Columbia, but unfortunately haven't yet received a response, so I'm hoping to gain more clarity from them soon.  They mentioned that they were considering me for a fellowship, so I'm hoping to hear about that soon.  After being in loads of debt for paying for undergrad and grad school independently, I'm definitely not planning to take out any more loans, so secure funding is definitely a driving factor for me at this point!

[SDOHEpi]

2 hours ago, MCEpi17 said:

My favorite option right now is at Tulane for a PhD in Epi. I have an RA/TA with my advisor on one of her grants working 20 hours/week for $24,000/year. Then over the summer I can work 40hrs/week and make more. They typically recommend max 9 credit hours fall semester and 12 in the spring, which sounds more reasonable to me. Lots of credits from my MPH transfer, putting me in a more relaxed position. Plus I don't have kids.

During my MPH I was a full time student and working 30hrs/week. Plus senate and committees. I can't imagine continuing that during a PhD....

That's great - congrats!  That definitely sounds like a reasonable load, and a pretty standard/livable stipend. 

[MCEpi17]

14 hours ago, SDOHEpi said:

That's great - congrats!  That definitely sounds like a reasonable load, and a pretty standard/livable stipend. 

I thought so too. Now I have fear of missing out on other opportunities!

[MCEpi17]

On ‎3‎/‎13‎/‎2017 at 8:12 PM, Epi_2016 said:

My only suggestion is that unless the early course load at UW is lighter than ours, 20 hours per week ends up being a lot (if it's a strict requirement). My program only allows our RAs to require 15 hours per week until core coursework is done; however, one person in my program had a funding mishap and got a late RA with an outside funding source that demanded a strict 20 hr minimum per week. They ended up incredibly stressed out and unable to take on the opportunities for outside research that many of the rest of us could. Ultimately, I think the fact that it's not guaranteed and it requires you to have a strict hour minimum is going to make your first year more stressful than it could be. (Then again, I think my school takes a really fantastic interest in the mental and physical health of its grad students in a way that most don't, so 20+ hours could be standard elsewhere.)

With regard to transparency in funding, a lot of the money that goes towards funding RA positions is independent of the program. I didn't know if my advisor would receive the grant I'm funded under until the July before my first semester. That does make things pretty difficult, but there should be resources at your schools to help you find a position. For example, we have a portal that matches up students with professors based on experience and interests that you can access as soon as you accept your offer. I don't think most people needed to do mass emailing unless they waited until the last minute (or unless their funding fell through abruptly). Maybe UW has something similar?

What were the opportunities for outside research you are describing? Was this at your school, local agencies, or elsewhere over the summer? Just curious as to what may be out there.

[Epi_2016]

3 hours ago, MCEpi17 said:

What were the opportunities for outside research you are describing? Was this at your school, local agencies, or elsewhere over the summer? Just curious as to what may be out there.

I mostly meant during the school year (thus the time commitment issue) at the university or in collaboration with other universities/institutions. Summer is a whole different ballgame, but there should be plenty of opportunities then as well. (And all the free time in the world to take advantage of them!)

[joshre01]

On 3/13/2017 at 5:58 PM, SDOHEpi said:

Hello all!

I thought I'd start a thread to discuss the funding situation at some of these PhD Public Health programs.  I've definitely been feeling overwhelmed in making a decision regardless, and have found that many programs haven't yet provided transparent funding packages, so thought this could serve as a venue for us to discuss our experiences and share insight/advice with one another.  

I'm currently deciding between the following three programs, all Epidemiology PhD, with the funding (as understood by me currently) described below:

• Columbia:  I haven't heard anything about funding yet, but heard during the interview that they generally have students on training grants or funded with specific professors. 
• Berkeley:  Some students are funded through departmental fellowships, or part or full-time work at other institutions (health departments, UCSF, etc.) or with Berkeley professors.  I currently work at an institution that I think would be my source of funding.
• University of Washington:  Most students are funded through research assistant or TA positions.  If you work at least 20 hours per week, then your UW tuition is waived and you get a general PhD stipend.  Most of these positions are acquired through persistence (lots of e-mails!) and applying to posted positions.  I don't currently have a position lined up, so am nervous at this point!

Any insight or shared experiences would be much appreciated!  Congrats to all on getting (almost!) through this year's application cycle.  

I'm on a similar boat, trying to decide between a fully-funded guaranteed 3-year program at Drexel Epi vs. UNC Epi with no word on funding (except words from students/admin folks who say that 99% students get funding and are super happy with the program). The Drexel program comes with 20 hrs of work requirement but my advisor is super nice and said this will be around my own dissertation work and will benefit me the most! Plus I've been here for 2 years and have taken doctoral level classes while working 20 hrs while being on a quarter system so I know I can do it! I know that everyone raves about the program at UNC, but it's such a tough decision to make. This is especially true for international students like me (since we would never qualify for in-state tuition) and considering the current political circumstances, who knows what it will be like next year even if I find an RA position this year. I'm really not sure how to decline a perfectly good offer, not knowing what it will be like at UNC later! Is the name/quality of the program worth the risk? 

[SDOHEpi]

7 hours ago, joshre01 said:

I'm on a similar boat, trying to decide between a fully-funded guaranteed 3-year program at Drexel Epi vs. UNC Epi with no word on funding (except words from students/admin folks who say that 99% students get funding and are super happy with the program). The Drexel program comes with 20 hrs of work requirement but my advisor is super nice and said this will be around my own dissertation work and will benefit me the most! Plus I've been here for 2 years and have taken doctoral level classes while working 20 hrs while being on a quarter system so I know I can do it! I know that everyone raves about the program at UNC, but it's such a tough decision to make. This is especially true for international students like me (since we would never qualify for in-state tuition) and considering the current political circumstances, who knows what it will be like next year even if I find an RA position this year. I'm really not sure how to decline a perfectly good offer, not knowing what it will be like at UNC later! Is the name/quality of the program worth the risk? 

I completely understand that, and am so, so sorry that you're having to consider these oppressive political circumstances when you deserve the space to choose the best fit for you.  Does one university over another have a committed support to international students?  Where I did my MPH, they had a huge focus on ensuring that there were continuous opportunities and funding for international students, and from speaking with some of my classmates who were international students, I think it factored into their decision to chose our university.

Do most students commit to UNC before securing funding?  Or is it something where you could hold out a couple of weeks?  Also, after being at Drexel for 2 years, could you complete your PhD in a shorter amount of time?  That would be a plus!  I'm not familiar enough with the professional sphere or both programs to comment on the quality/name query, I wish we had a hiring manager in the public health field to consult!

[SDOHEpi]

15 hours ago, MCEpi17 said:

I thought so too. Now I have fear of missing out on other opportunities!

I spoke with some students at UW who were doing the 20 hour/wk commitment along with other smaller research projects (usually no more then 8-10 hours), so it seems like it may still be manageable if you still have a light course load, and can do some work remotely/on weekends!

[joshre01]

9 hours ago, SDOHEpi said:

I completely understand that, and am so, so sorry that you're having to consider these oppressive political circumstances when you deserve the space to choose the best fit for you.  Does one university over another have a committed support to international students?  Where I did my MPH, they had a huge focus on ensuring that there were continuous opportunities and funding for international students, and from speaking with some of my classmates who were international students, I think it factored into their decision to chose our university.

Do most students commit to UNC before securing funding?  Or is it something where you could hold out a couple of weeks?  Also, after being at Drexel for 2 years, could you complete your PhD in a shorter amount of time?  That would be a plus!  I'm not familiar enough with the professional sphere or both programs to comment on the quality/name query, I wish we had a hiring manager in the public health field to consult!

Thanks for your feedback! As far as I know, Drexel has many international students and is committed to supporting us any way they can, although supporting diversity of intl students is a completely different thing than being able to support them financially. But I'm speaking to an international student from UNC today so will find out today!

The benefit to staying at Drexel is that it's already a shorter program and the fact that I've taken a bunch of the required doctoral classes means I can get started on my research earlier. I still have to fulfill the credit requirements so I think it will take me as long as it does any one else, but will have less restrictions on what classes I can take to fulfill that. 

Haha, that's true about the hiring manager! Did you figure out where you may be going yet?

[SDOHEpi]

12 hours ago, joshre01 said:

Thanks for your feedback! As far as I know, Drexel has many international students and is committed to supporting us any way they can, although supporting diversity of intl students is a completely different thing than being able to support them financially. But I'm speaking to an international student from UNC today so will find out today!

The benefit to staying at Drexel is that it's already a shorter program and the fact that I've taken a bunch of the required doctoral classes means I can get started on my research earlier. I still have to fulfill the credit requirements so I think it will take me as long as it does any one else, but will have less restrictions on what classes I can take to fulfill that. 

Haha, that's true about the hiring manager! Did you figure out where you may be going yet?

I hope your chat with the current UNC student was insightful and helped you in your decision!  

I still haven't decided where I'll be going.  Honestly, I'm still trying to weigh the funding, because the only concrete funding situation I have currently is with Berkeley through remaining in my current position.

[joshre01]

11 hours ago, SDOHEpi said:

I hope your chat with the current UNC student was insightful and helped you in your decision!  

I still haven't decided where I'll be going.  Honestly, I'm still trying to weigh the funding, because the only concrete funding situation I have currently is with Berkeley through remaining in my current position.

It was! She was really honest about everything, and said that as an international student, the only reason she took the UNC offer was because her advisor had an RA position for her right away. I am hoping that this is the case for me when I speak to the advisor, but I guess we'll see! 

Is there a timeline for when you will hear from Columbia? It seems like there's a possibility of finding funding there. I would reach out and ask about the fellowship (when you will find out, what it's going to look like) and let them know that you need to know soon. How about your advisor at Columbia? It's tough to make a decision, if you don't have full information on your different options. 

I also may have missed this info, but do you have a preference for one school over another (without looking at funding)? 

[juilletmercredi]

I went to Columbia and got my PhD in public health (sociomedical sciences). In that department, and in social psychology - my other field - 20 hours a week is a pretty standard load for an RA.

[SDOHEpi]

7 hours ago, juilletmercredi said:

I went to Columbia and got my PhD in public health (sociomedical sciences). In that department, and in social psychology - my other field - 20 hours a week is a pretty standard load for an RA.

Thanks for sharing! That's definitely good to know. Did you enjoy Columbia's program? What was your favorite and least favorite thing about it?

[juilletmercredi]

I'll send you a PM, @SDOHEpi!

[SDOHEpi]

On 3/17/2017 at 7:50 AM, joshre01 said:

It was! She was really honest about everything, and said that as an international student, the only reason she took the UNC offer was because her advisor had an RA position for her right away. I am hoping that this is the case for me when I speak to the advisor, but I guess we'll see! 

Is there a timeline for when you will hear from Columbia? It seems like there's a possibility of finding funding there. I would reach out and ask about the fellowship (when you will find out, what it's going to look like) and let them know that you need to know soon. How about your advisor at Columbia? It's tough to make a decision, if you don't have full information on your different options. 

I also may have missed this info, but do you have a preference for one school over another (without looking at funding)? 

That's so good to hear!  Have you heard back from your potential UNC advisor yet regarding an RA position?  Where are you currently leaning?

I heard back from Columbia regarding funding, and they offered a multi-year funding stream.  I'm not sure yet who my advisor would be, but I've connected with a few faculty who are doing research that would definitely be aligned with my interests!  

I'm still deciding between Columbia and UW, but am visiting Columbia in a couple of weeks so will see if I like it as much as or more then I liked UW when I visited.  

[joshre01]

On 3/27/2017 at 0:04 AM, SDOHEpi said:

That's so good to hear!  Have you heard back from your potential UNC advisor yet regarding an RA position?  Where are you currently leaning?

I heard back from Columbia regarding funding, and they offered a multi-year funding stream.  I'm not sure yet who my advisor would be, but I've connected with a few faculty who are doing research that would definitely be aligned with my interests!  

I'm still deciding between Columbia and UW, but am visiting Columbia in a couple of weeks so will see if I like it as much as or more then I liked UW when I visited.  

Hope your trip to Columbia goes well, and that you find something worthwhile! 

I have decided to stay at my current program. The call with my UNC advisor was pretty useless. She did not have a position, neither did she advice on another professor who may have opportunities. Basically, just told me the same thing other admins/students said. So, I decided not to take that chance

[SDOHEpi]

On 3/30/2017 at 9:52 AM, joshre01 said:

Hope your trip to Columbia goes well, and that you find something worthwhile! 

I have decided to stay at my current program. The call with my UNC advisor was pretty useless. She did not have a position, neither did she advice on another professor who may have opportunities. Basically, just told me the same thing other admins/students said. So, I decided not to take that chance

That definitely makes sense - congrats on making your final decision and best of luck in your graduate studies!!