Things to Consider when Choosing a PhD Program

The successful completion of a doctoral program calls for perseverance and commitment. The preeminent step in this process is to consider what doctoral program will be the best fit for your preferences and goals. Also, whether academic life is best for you. What is key to making the decision? Being a doctoral student, the first two years of your program will be used to explore interest areas through coursework.

The following two to three years, you will select and shadow your own research topic, which will contribute to the existing body of knowledge that is in your field. Your original research climaxes in an immensely written document known as the doctoral dissertation. If you are contemplating your career options, there are some questions that one should consider.

• Is now the time for me to pursue a PhD?
• What are my goals after completing the PhD?
• Do I have a strong enough academic background in order to be accepted by a program?
After you have answered those questions and have decided to pursue a doctoral program, consider the following questions regarding your program.
• Am I technically prepared to research in my chosen field?
• What is the department’s placement record? What jobs do graduates take and where?
• What opportunities are there to work with various approaches in research (work with data, experiment design)?
• Finally, how well do graduates in the same program do in contributing to society (contributing to publication in the field, management of practice, earning tenure)?