Right in uh with where you are joining us from today.
Wonderful it seems like our audio is working and we have folks joining us from Texas, Colorado, North Carolina. Washington DC, an Boston. We're so glad to be able to spend some time with you today and to learn help you learn more about our programs here at the University of Chicago that can help you pursue a career in research and academia first I want to give you a chance to get to know who we are, and so I'm Devon, Reber Dreamer on the director of student recruitment.
I am the member of our team, who works closely with the PhD Committee as well as perspective. Students who are interested in the MA. CRM program, then I'll be helping to give an overview during our webinar today and then I'm joined by 2 of our current students. Emily you introduce yourself a bit about your background and where you are in the program. Sure, I started as an MA Serum students last year. So I was admitted to the PhD program in this is my first year as a PhD student.
My focus is an education policy and I am from Wisconsin. Great parents on my name is Terrance and I was also have a certain student in the 27 teen cohort. Yeah, an now PhD student here at Harris. My interests are in migration and machine learning and I'm from Costa Rica.
We seem to have had a small audio issue. We got our with our Wi-Fi. Here at the University. I think were reconnected Terrence was giving us a background and talking about his work with Professor Demon Jones in Professor Kroger. I'm going to get him back to Terrance to continue talking about his work with faculty and so I mostly work with Professor Grog around like applications of machine learning to the economics of Crime.
Great thank you how about you, Emily so as a macrium I started my apprenticeship with Angele. Duke yeah, she is the second headshot on the Top and we have been working on a project about textbook bias in my bias in children's textbooks and even though I'm no longer Malcolm student. I still work with her on a daily weekly basis, depending on my school schedule and she has been not only a great person to learn about like the research process from but also a really good mentor.
And I think that's something I really appreciate about the hairs faculty is that they're not just um. They're not just excited about research, but also excited about investing in their PhD students, which has been really helpful. For me, so I know a common question. I will get from pH D applicants will be if they have to have a faculty advisor identified and secured when they're applying for the program, the way our PhD program is designed here. You do not so you don't have to worry about reaching out to faculty at this time and that is something that would be put in place once you're in the program.
So that might be different than some of the other PhD application processes that you're going through. But in our case. You do not need to be reaching out to Harris, faculty during the application process.
Let me give an overview about our PhD program an you know it. Typically takes about 5 years for students to complete the program beginning with course work in the first few years, culminating in qualifying exams and a paper and then students transition into their research and dissertation ears. The PhD program is fully funded with a fairly generous living statement that we hope to increase each year.
An it's a small program because of that full funding. We typically have about 5 to 7 students per year in the program so I'm going to Emily in Terrence to talk a little bit about where they currently are in their PhD studies and what that experience is that like so far. I think that our experiences our experience slightly unique because we were Masters students and so because of that. We have a little more flexibility with when we take the Qualls and when we have to finish our field.
Courses so right now, I have taken 2 calls and I have one more to take in the summer normally as a first year, you have to take the calls at the end of the summer, but because I was admitted as a master student. I could decide whether not I wanted to take them that some Aurora next summer so right. Currently, I'm taking field courses and we take our field courses within booth and E con and so currently I'm taking the labor sequence an?
Uhm Seung Yeah, like it was a very flexible. I guess process because I actually was not as forward looking as I'm lonely and I decided to defer all my calls until the 2nd year, which ended up being fine, but could have also not so. So yeah, so I'm pretty much done with the labor field as sort of like in 2 weeks or something like that, and I might do like a separate field.
Either trying to metric ton of metrics or or machine learning. But unclear beyond that. Yeah, I guess like I'm starting to move into like 30 or which would be stopping no longer taking classes and start working like research and turning in a paper at the end of the year. Great could you talk a little bit about the process for putting together your dissertation committee and your advisor for that.
So it's actually pretty unclear to me right now, but from what I understand it's pretty flexible. You just basically you have to start knocking on doors and, like talking to the faculty and trying to pick like someone who is a good match for you and usually it will be.
You can get people that are not in the arrows in your committee, but I believe the head of your committee needs to be from Harris and usually they will say something along the lines of at least with Professor Ashford said. Would you want like something that's like really young and like is really good with like new techniques you want someone that's like older and you know has a bigger network and will get you a job and then you want someone for like emotional support basically anything that speaks to the you know.
Variety in the advising process for students in the PhD program so professor, Scott Ashworth serves in that academic role, especially during the early years for students in the program and then Cynthia Conley is the staff member who serves as the professional advisor for students in both the PhD in May, serum programs. An then students will kind of more individualized that advising once they're in the research years of their program.
So now for why you're doing the PhD right and you know you're looking forward to a career in academia or research. So I have some recent career outcomes for our PhD students from 26 to 8 to 2018 that I'm highlighting here, so you'll see you know a variety. Anna mix of people going into academic faculty rules typically in economics or public Policy Department set Top institutions around the country.
People may choose to do a postdoc an then folks might choose to work in the private or public sectors in a consulting or data science roll so this would be as you're thinking about getting a PhD. These would be the types of career outcomes. You would be expecting while investing in a program like this.
So you know, we also have a Masters degree program here at the University of Chicago for students who either aren't sure if they're ready for a PhD yet. You know might want to do some pH D coursework get some research experience, but they're not quite ready to commit to a full 5 year. PhD program or they made you that whole application process for the PhD and they don't get into the program that they want to and know that they need some additional training and support to really make themselves most competitive for that process.
An the degree, we have is our Master of Arts with a certificate in research methods. This program is offered over 4 quarters with some research work. That's done in the summer and so at the University of Chicago were on the quarter system. Those quarters are fall. Winter Spring, the summer. Typically, there's no coursework. But some research work and then the following fall is when students would complete their work. You do the same coursework as PhD students. An then you're paired with a faculty member to do research this gives you.
The ability to demonstrate your ability to be successful and PhD level coursework gives you the opportunity to connect with faculty members to rate you strong letters of recommendation for your PhD applications and then it also gives you some research to be able to talk about in your research statements your PhD application. Let's take a look at the coursework for this program.
So you get a sense of the curriculum here in terms of the way students are approaching the their coursework. You get some electives, but not a lot and so sometimes students aren't quite sure if they want more electives. I would recommend taking a look at our MPP program. You would still have some flexibility to take more advanced versions of the core but would get kind of that full second year of electives. But in this program. You're pretty set in terms of your curriculum and get some choices.
An and let's take a look at where are you know recent na CRM students have landed from 2017 and 2018 so again you'll see a mix of students going on to PhD programs in public policy or economics at Top institutions in the USA and then others may take a research position at a public or nonprofit organization and so again. You have some different career outcomes from this program and then we also have the option in the MA Serum.
Program to apply directly into the PhD program to separate an much easier application process. I know what it looks like from my perspective. But Emily you just did it this year. What did how did you learn that it was an option and how like? What were your next steps. I think it's made very clear that it's an option. It's super easy to apply even if you wanted to apply to other programs. I would still recommend just applying in this like the early admission just so you know.
On one downfall is that because they do have this early admission process that's the only school you can apply to so whether or not you get into whether not you get in during the special missions time doesn't doesn't exclude you from applying in the general pool, but it let's you know a little bit earlier and it makes it an easier transition. As far as the actual application. It was very easy because all I had to do was update my statement of purpose a little from last year and send it in. They don't have you.
Ask for letters of recommendation because they just ask the advisor that you've been working with the year so the the application took maybe.
Half an hour to complete UM, which was really nice. and I think everything was laid out very clearly. It was very easy transition to apply and then learn the outcome. That's right So what will happen is the pH D admissions process will happen during the general pool, so those of you who are interested in applying to the PhD program. Your applications will all be considered at the same time, and then based on space available. The committee will know how many spaces are available for MACRM students to apply.
So those students are given the opportunity to say. Yes, I'd like to be considered an can submit some additional information on the back end were able to take their original application an update that for this new round for the PhD program and add their updated information. The committee then reconsiders and then the number of students were admitted it depend on sort of the budget an what's been approved by leadership so this year. We had 4 students admitted out of a major program into the PhD in past years.
May have been 1 or 2 Terrance. I think in your year. It was 2 students and so that's going to vary year to year and it certainly isn't something we can guarantee will happen. But as space is available. It certainly can be a really nice option for students.
So let's take a look at what our next steps are here, so for the PhD program. Those applications are due on January 6th and consists of your resume or CV your candidate statement with your research interest. We recommend about 800 words for that a researcher rating sample. This is when I get a lot of questions on people will ask you know, I'm a third author on this published paper. Can I submit that for my writing sample and I often will say don't give the committee a reason to question whether you were the author right so.
You know encourage you to find an original piece of writing that you did, either for undergrad or Graduate School if you have a published paper in which you are a single author or first author that would be fine. I also encourage you to think about the length of it. So on our end. I think last year. We had someone submit a writing sample that was over 100 pages long and I couldn't figure out why the printer kept breaking and then realized that was it so for the committee think about their reading and how many applications, they're reviewing I would say.
Be mindful of that in terms of the page lens of what you're choosing to submit for your research and writing sample your transcripts at the time of application can be your unofficial transcripts and then your official ones would need to be submitted at the time of enrolling you have 3 letters of recommendation for the PhD program an academic letters or primarily? What is the committee is looking for so think about those faculty members you can ask to be writing those letters for you and then the GRE you can submit your unofficial scores again for that, your official ones would be required at the.
Time of enrollment and then um for international students. Oftentimes, the tofu. Lauriault is also required and you can take a look at the university's website in the office of international affairs for more details. If you qualify for a waiver for that, so things like if you are an international student, but did your undergraduate schooling in the United States within the last 5 years typically would not need to submit your toll floor. Isles and then for those of you interested in the MA Serum program. We have 3 upcoming deadlines.
And the 1st is very soon quickly approaching on December 3rd. I think you still have time to get it. In January, 21st and then May 4th an for that. If you're following more of our Masters level application process. So, your resume or CV your motivation statement. In short essay transcripts again. Those can be unofficial as well as the jury scores and those letters of recommendation can certainly be academic. But in this case professional letters would be fine as well. Often times people will want to apply to both programs and they're not quite sure how to do that.
What I would recommend is submit your application for the PhD program and Mark that if you're not admitted you'd like to be considered for the MACRMRMPP and then in that case. Once the PhD committee finishes their review of applications. You'll if you're not admitted to the PhD program. Your application will adjust the copied and reviewed for that, your second choice program. You don't need to submit to applications. You don't need to kind of do everything twice one application is sufficient.
The two of you recently went through kind of the big application process do you have any tips or things that you would recommend for people who are going through this process right now?
You mean in terms of like religious 6 or the application. I think anything that you found helpful or any advice that you got along the way that you want to pass along sure so I think like.
In terms of like what you actually put down in your statement. One thing I've heard a lot from process that like you don't necessarily have to say it like a very, very, very specific research and trust, but you definitely want to signal in some way that Lake you can come up with some sort of hypothesis and some way to test it if you're doing empirical work an like the more you can signal that I think like because at the end of the day would it seems to me that people mostly be interested in seeing in your application.
You will do well in the course is or do fine and that you can produce some sort of research.
So the more you signal that look better. That's great. I think adding to that a broad question like I'm a broad statement like I'm interested in labor is not specific enough. But like a very, very specific question like I. I'm looking at this and I want to use. This data is maybe a little bit too. Specific maybe somewhere in between a question like I'm really interested in how like this particular tax credit affects this group of people and you don't have to have an identification strategy or data an?
At that moment but just talking about the kinds of questions. You're interested in that are specific but not necessarily like a research proposal. They're not expecting a research proposal. That's what they'll teach you to do here.
That's great and I think something else that will often is important, too, especially as you're thinking about that. PhD research statement is take a look at what Harris faculty are working on an make sure your research areas of interest. Sarah fit with what? What is currently happening here so you know a terrific student who has a research area that's totally different than anything else happening at Harris. It's probably not going to be very satisfying academic home for you for 5 years and it you know, there's not going to be fit with the faculty so that's another area that people will be looking at on the committee as the reviewing applications that they want to.
And people who have have a research area that's going to be a fit with what's currently happening at Harris if you look on our website. There is an search like the Chicago Harris expert guide that will give you kind of a list of the different areas of research that are happening here at Harris and you know, we're going to be continuing on here in our conversation, but also want to give you the chance to start asking us questions so anything that's on your mind or you'd like to ask Emily in Terrence.
Please add it into the chat feature and will be able to address those questions, yeah, so far. We only have your updates about the audio so we'd be very happy to kind of answer any other questions, you have about the program.
I think while we're waiting for questions one. One thing that I really like about this program is. I love the collaboration between cohorts like Terrence is technically a cohort above me, but we studied the calls together because we took him at the same time, and he's been a great resource for me. I think the collaboration, both within and between cohorts is really wholesome. I don't feel like I'm competing with my classmates. I feel like we're building each other up and that's something I love that's great what was it like to move to Chicago.
Costa Rica only from Wisconsin. Those are going to feel very different. I think yeah, indeed well. It is definitely not warmer like Costa Rica. I can tell you that? Yeah. Yeah, it's it's a It's a change. You know, possibly getting used to the fact that winter is actually longer than you would think it is it last forever. Yeah, I think I live in Hyde Park, some students live downtown.
But I have a a son in a partner and so we love living in Hyde Park because it feels like like a small community. It feels like. Some parts of it feel like you're in like a little suburb. That's a little bit excluded from the rest of the University and I love that but you can live right next to the University you live downtown. There's a lot of variety and it's very easy to commute. So I'm like you mentioned you have a son and will often you know, I think just phase of life for a PhD program. It's also when people start their families could you talk a little bit about?
How you and samira classmates balance time you know being a parent and having family commitments while also being successful in the program. I think it varies from student to student. We do have one student here that had a baby during her program and she was able to like take some time of- uhm and it was very easy for her to come back and pick that back up for me. I already had like my sons, 8, so by the time I was in the program. I didn't have like a newborn child. This take care of which is nice, but there are a lot of resources here during the summer like for example.
During the summer since I had to say for calls. I was able to enroll him in some lab school programs. the Chicago lab schools are affiliated with the University, obviously and they have some really nice. Summer programs that he went to and he loved they actually took him on a Field Trip like every Tuesday Thursday so he got to go to Navy Pier and he was like going on. Cruises, an going to like jungle gyms and he's seen way more Chicago so there's a lot of resources and there is a good.
Family Resource Center here at you, Chicago, where to connect families to connect parents specifically to like babysitting resources or all sorts of all sorts of things, yeah, so we're not seeing any questions come through. But certainly you can always email. The Harris admissions email address. That's on the screen here with any questions. You have and someone from our team will get back to you. It's also possible to schedule kind of a one on one with someone from our team or one of our current students so you can reach out about that.
As well if that's helpful. We really wish you all the best as you're finishing up your application process. and I know that our committee really looks forward to reading. All of your applications. I want to think Emily and Terrance for joining us today and taking some time out of their busy PhD lives to share their experiences with all of you an will look forward to seeing your applications come in in the next few months.