one way to start is to list the most highly regarded researchers in the field, as well as anyone whose work you especially admire, and find out where they teach. I do keep track and all that. BUT there's one hitch - many, many, many... people do really great research in my field. So the list is quite long. I found a ton of differences between the Netherlands and the UK in terms of visa requirement, etc. but for actual applications it's not so different.) How did you find all of this stuff out? Online? Where? And how did you do with programs with websites not in English? Be sure when you start approaching the programs to ask to see if they have statistics about graduating grad students and the sorts of jobs and such their graduates go on to do. By approaching do you mean e-mail? You might also want to see if you can attend some sort of international conference. It's a great way to network and to see firsthand people you may only know through their writing and research. Are you kidding? There is no way in heaven or on Earth my adviser would let me do that! Not to mention my department...
yes, by approaching I mean email. It's not uncommon for grad applicants to email professors they want to work with and ask if they're accepting new grad students and to offer brief introductions as to their research and background. Once you've determined if this particular program is a viable option, you can ask for information like the email addresses of current students and perhaps a brief overview of some of the positions their graduates go on to take.
Why wouldn't your department or advisor let you go to a conference? Is it that they wouldn't help fund the trip or that they really and truly wouldn't want you to go?
Why wouldn't your department or adviser let you go to a conference? Is it that they wouldn't help fund the trip or that they really and truly wouldn't want you to go? 1) Funding is not available in these parts of the world. Heck, with this crisis the grad students in our lab are being paid a stipend of only $120/month.
2) They really wouldn't. Because I'm a "good" student they don't really want to let go of. And if I do get their permission, it'll be quite the living hell when I get back. And i still do need to complete my diploma!
Most programs have their requirements listed online these days. It does take some work figuring out where there are programs, but a lot of countries have academic communities on lj that can help you with that (nor_am_uk_ac is a useful source for UK admissions topics). I haven't been bothered much by sites that aren't in English, I'm multi-lingual and am obviously focusing on countries where I already speak the language, but you could use Google to get a rough translation. Also, a lot of universities have English sites for at least some of their programs.
"I do keep track and all that. BUT there's one hitch - many, many, many... people do really great research in my field. So the list is quite long." This is true of every field. What you need to do is narrow down the list. What articles/books absolutely stand out in your mind? Who has done work you really like AND has supervised students whose work you like? Who is using methodologies that fit what you want to do? Are there schools where multiple top people in your field are working? Who is writing articles that you wish you had written? Everyone finds ways to cut down the list from broad topics (i.e. "modern US social history" gets turned into "post-1945 US urban social movements, particularly anti-gentrification and tenants rights movements" or whatever), you just need to decide who you REALLY like.
Another thing: Maybe it's just me, or maybe it's just your overuse of exclamation points and your flare for the dramatic, but you seem almost dismissive of many of the suggestions people are making in this thread. You're getting good advice and every time you seem to respond with "yeah but..." and "oh believe me, I already do that!"
There is no easy way to figure this out and no one here can provide you with much more than the advice that has already been given. You will have to do this on your own/with the help of your professors.
I do keep track and all that. BUT there's one hitch - many, many, many... people do really great research in my field. So the list is quite long.
I found a ton of differences between the Netherlands and the UK in terms of visa requirement, etc. but for actual applications it's not so different.)
How did you find all of this stuff out? Online? Where?
And how did you do with programs with websites not in English?
Be sure when you start approaching the programs to ask to see if they have statistics about graduating grad students and the sorts of jobs and such their graduates go on to do.
By approaching do you mean e-mail?
You might also want to see if you can attend some sort of international conference. It's a great way to network and to see firsthand people you may only know through their writing and research.
Are you kidding? There is no way in heaven or on Earth my adviser would let me do that! Not to mention my department...
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Why wouldn't your department or advisor let you go to a conference? Is it that they wouldn't help fund the trip or that they really and truly wouldn't want you to go?
Reply
1) Funding is not available in these parts of the world. Heck, with this crisis the grad students in our lab are being paid a stipend of only $120/month.
2) They really wouldn't. Because I'm a "good" student they don't really want to let go of. And if I do get their permission, it'll be quite the living hell when I get back. And i still do need to complete my diploma!
Reply
Reply
This is true of every field. What you need to do is narrow down the list. What articles/books absolutely stand out in your mind? Who has done work you really like AND has supervised students whose work you like? Who is using methodologies that fit what you want to do? Are there schools where multiple top people in your field are working? Who is writing articles that you wish you had written?
Everyone finds ways to cut down the list from broad topics (i.e. "modern US social history" gets turned into "post-1945 US urban social movements, particularly anti-gentrification and tenants rights movements" or whatever), you just need to decide who you REALLY like.
Another thing: Maybe it's just me, or maybe it's just your overuse of exclamation points and your flare for the dramatic, but you seem almost dismissive of many of the suggestions people are making in this thread. You're getting good advice and every time you seem to respond with "yeah but..." and "oh believe me, I already do that!"
There is no easy way to figure this out and no one here can provide you with much more than the advice that has already been given. You will have to do this on your own/with the help of your professors.
Reply
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