Graduate School 101 & FastTrack Grad Program

Nancy M. Amato

Graduate School - Why?• Not just to avoid getting a job!

• Opportunities– Want to learn a topic in greater depth, perhaps start out a rung or

two up the ladder– Interest in research – these opportunities almost always require

advanced degrees– Meet job goals/requirements

• Demand– There is an acute shortage of U.S. engineers with advanced

degrees– Companies are highly motivated to help attract more engineers into

advanced studies

Advantages of Graduate Education

• Greater job flexibility and responsibility

• Challenging job assignments

• Development of specialized skills

• Development of research skills

• Higher wages

• Confidence in solving complex problems

• Develop leadership and teamwork skills

• Develop oral and written presentation skills

• Become an independent learner

• Become a better life-long learner

Life-Long Learning

• Your career could be 40-50 years long

• No degree or training will keep you valid for this length of time

• Technology will outpace your current education in a few short years

• Regardless of your plans for formal education, you need to

continually learn

• Once you leave school, most of your future education will take place

in an informal setting

Grad School – Types of Programs

• Professional Programs– MBA– Law School– Medical School

• Masters– Coursework Only– Thesis (research oriented)

• PhD

Industry

Government

Defense

National Laboratories

Academia

Questions you may ask…

• What % of students are

on financial support?

• What is the salary of a

graduate student?

• What is the cost of living

/ attending school?

Paying for it all…• Assistantships

– TA, RA, etc.– Stipends, tuition/fees, health

insurance, often

• Fellowships– External (e.g., NSF, DOE) –

flexible, portable, employment obligation

– Internal

• Outside Jobs• Loans…especially for

professional degrees

Finances

Options for Graduate EducationGrad School Options

Pros Cons

Continue graduate school immediately after finishing bachelor’s degree

• Flexibility - Not tied to a particular career path

• Don’t have to disrupt career

• How will you fund?• Some students are already

burnt out after 4-5 years of school

Work for a few years and then go back to school

• Can save up money to self-fund graduate school.

• Can put complete focus on school

• It is very difficult to give up full-time salary once you have become accustomed to receiving it

• Will you have to give up your job?

Get a full-time job and go to school part-time

• Easy to self-fund graduate school

• Time constraints• Time to graduation can be

very long• Reduced flexibility

Life in Grad School• Coursework

– Varies significantly– Occasionally leveling required– Usually 1-2 years– Deeper, more specialized courses

• Research (Thesis MS or PhD)– Start early and get involved– Identify a faculty advisor/research area– First assist others, then take your own direction

Searching for a program• Talk to your professors• Talk to current/previous

graduate students, people that have the job you want

• Attend graduate school workshops or career fairs/conferences

• Rankings

Deciding on a program• Faculty working in my area

of interest - VISIT!!!• Research areas• Degree programs

(M. Eng., M.S., Ph.D.)• Employability of graduates• Rankings• Available resources

Where should I go?

• Start Early• GPA, GRE scores are important as

filters– GRE General Test, GRE Subject test

• Letters from Faculty– Not bosses– Best, profs you did research with

• Statement of Purpose (Research Interest)

• Other supporting information– CV– Courses taken– Research projects/publications

• How to Apply– ApplyTexas at Texas A&M– Check dept websites for other

institutions

Grad School Applications What are Schools

Looking For?

Deadlines – When Should I Apply?

• Check with university/department; varies by program/department

• Posted deadline may be in early spring (e.g., Feb. 1 or Mar. 1)

• Target Dates (in order to be considered for all possible funding opportunities):

– Get application in by December 15th

– Get all other materials in by January 1st

Application Advice - How Can I Make My Application Stand Out?

• Get experience (both research and industry)• Internship and Co-Ops• Undergraduate Research – class credit (291s, 485s, 491s), summer research

programs (USRG, REU), etc.

• Show interest• Establish contacts with faculty and staff• Visit the campus and department

• Spring/Summer before your Senior year is critical• Have a plan

• Programs/faculty• Deadlines (admissions and fellowships)• GRE (where to send scores)

• Have a back up plan - Work?• Request recommendation letters EARLY

• Professors can be procrastinators too!

Undergraduate Summer Research Grant (USRG)Dwight Look College of Engineering

Benefits:

· $5,000 stipend

· Housing (or allowance)

· Professional development seminars and GRE Prep Workshops

· Gain research/lab experience

· Mentoring from faculty and graduate students

· Develop research poster and paper

Eligibility:

· 3.25 GPA or higher

· Completed sophomore year in engineering

· Graduate no sooner than December 2016

Contact:

· USRG@tamu.edu

· http://tx.ag/usrg

May 31 - August 5, 2016Applications open: November 1, 2015

Summer NSF REU Programs @ TAMU

• Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)

• Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF)

• Departments w/ programs: AERO, ETID, CSCE, ECEN…but typically not restricted to those majors!

• Programs collaborate with the USRG program

Searching for summer research programs outside TAMU

• NSF REU database– http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/

• Pathways to Science: Institute for Broadening Participation database– http://www.pathwaystoscience.org

• Active list maintained by us– http://

engineering.tamu.edu/graduate/undergraduate-bridges

Texas A&M FastTrack Graduate Programhttps://engineering.tamu.edu/academics/fasttrack

• Allows students to take up to 3 graduate courses while an undergraduate that can count towards BOTH the undergraduate and graduate degree– Departments specify pairs courses: an undergraduate course

(typically 400-level) and a graduate course on same topic– Students take the grad course and get “credit by exam” for the

undergraduate course– The undergraduate course is applied to the BS and the grad

course is “reserved” to be applied to a future graduate degree• MS degrees with thesis typically require 8 courses, so

with proper planning students can get a BS & MS in 5 years

• Most (but not all) departments in the college participate– Eligibility and application info on the web (url above)

Why Texas A&M?• Highly ranked programs

• Faculty visibility

• Wide range of degree programs offered– M.Eng., M.C.S., M.S., Ph.D.– Fast track– Distance Education

• Employability of graduates

• Less “start up” time, especially if continue/extend undergraduate research

Curriculum/Degrees Offered

Visit http://engineering.tamu.edu for detailed information

Faculty Visibility

• Tenured/Tenure-track Faculty: 391• National Academy of Engineering members: 10• National Academy of Science: 1• Endowed Chairs and Professorships: 121• Distinguished Professors: 10• Regents Professors: 15• Young Investigator Awards (NSF CAREER, Airforce, PECASE, DARPA, Navy): 84• Several serve on State and Federal policy making committees• Several editors of journals• Many Fellows in professional societies

Resources

• Notre Dame University Graduate Fellowship Database

http://graduateschool.nd.edu/professional_development/research/

Questions?

Nancy AmatoSr. Director for Engineering Honors ProgramsUnocal Professor, Computer Science and Engineeringamato@tamu.edu

Matthew Pariyothorn ‘06, M.S.Graduate Program SpecialistPh.D. Student, Human Resource Developmentmattp@tamu.edu