Hi there! I am looking at applying to a US university for my Doctoral studies (a UK student myself) and was looking for some advice.
The system for applications is very different over there than here, where finding a supervisor is the first thing you do before applying, and the supervisor is the most important part of your selection process. How does that equate in the US? If you don’t settle on a research topic until your third year or so, and apply to a department rather than a supervisor, how do you go about selecting the right course? Does university ‘reputation’ come into it more, if you aren’t directly applying to the research group?
My particular area of interest (specifically neuromuscular diseases in the horse, but more generally molecular pathophysiology and genomics) is being researched at UC Davis, University of Minnesota (Twin Cities) and University of Florida, with related fields being studied at Cornell, Texas A&M and USF. How would you approach differentiating between programmes when you aren’t directly applying to the research groups, and how likely would one be to receive funding (here in the UK you don’t take a phd without full funding and a stipend!!)?
Thanks in advance for the help.
While you are not applying directly to the research groups, you have to plan for the eventuality that you will be trying to work with those groups. Therefore, the right thing to do is to find the groups that you think are the most attuned to your interests and apply to those programs.
If you study in the US you have to plan on taking at least 1 year (maybe more of coursework) and passing a qualifying examination. This is very different than the UK where your Ph.D. is guaranteed to take 3 years. You need to apply to several programs including a safety where it is most likely that you will be admitted with full support. As in the UK, you do not want to start a Ph.D. program without a guarantee of full support.
Thank you very much for your reply. So best to apply to the ideal programmes, and then a few I think I have better chance of funding for just in case?
I know the structure of the PhD is very different, and that’s actually part of what appeals to me, it’s the application process I’m still trying to get my head around. I’m not worried about the increased timescale - I’m a slightly older student anyway, having worked full time before and alongside my first Masters before going back to full time study for the second one, so I’ve taken my time learning what I want to do. And there really isn’t anyone researching my field in the UK - we even had a guest lecturer for our taught Master’s units from the US.
Yes, but make sure that the safeties are also programs that you can see yourself attending with enthusiasm.
Good luck!