WHY CHOOSE PG STUDIES @ DSU(ME)?WHILE WORKING HERE

MOTIVATION: WHY DO ANOTHER DEGREE IN MECH ENG?

Reason #1: Time

Reason #2: Employment

Reason #3: Salaries

Reason #4: Research

Source: Dr. Nitin Madnani @ CS, Princeton

REASON # 1: TIME (ENGINEERS FINISH EARLIER)

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

10.0

7.4 7.77.0

9.2

6.8 7.16.3

7.9

Computer Science Engineering

Med

ian

PhD

Com

pleti

on T

ime

(yea

rs)

With GRA With GTA With Fellowship With No Financial Aid

Source: National Science Foundation Survey of Earned Doctorates for 2003http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf06312/

TIME AGAIN

Median CS PhD awardee age is 31.4 and Engg. PhD awardee age is 30.5

REASON # 2 : EMPLOYMENT

REASON # 3: SALARIES

Academia

Industry

Government

Non-profit

0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00 80.00 100.00

51.00

27.00

6.00

5.00

%age of 2008 PhD graduates that chose a particular employment sector

Source: National Science Foundation Survey of Earned Doctorates for 2008http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/nsf10309/

THE MONEY TRAIL

Sources: College and University Professional Association for Human Resources Survey, American Association of University Professors Survey, Chronicle of Higher Education Survey of Graduate Assistants

University President

Provost

Deans

Tenured Profs

Untenured Profs

Grad Students

0 50000 100000 150000 200000 250000 300000 350000

$320K

$242K

$189K

$95K

$70K

$18K

2008 annual academic salaries (in thousands)

MYTH: THERE IS NOTHING LIKE “FOREIGN”• An MS/PhD from the is one of the best learning and rewarding

experiences in the world if you make an informed choice to pursue it!

• An MS/PhD in a land far away … Usually three choices in a PhD process: –

• Do I want to do a MS/PhD? • With whom do I want to do my MS/PhD? • What to research?

• As an international student, one more choice:

• Do I want to undergo the stress of an international move, at the same time as an MS/PhD?

• How do decide? Do your homework!

• It is more than just academic or a tourist trip• Know where you’re moving to• Your time studying is not counted as experience• They can make or break you –Finances, finances,

finances –The X factor 

DOING A DEGREE @ YOUR WORKPLACE

• Leverage (you know the system … and how to hack it)• You are on job while studying….getting paid• Your managers (DJ wala babu) know your stress and may reduce

your teaching load • You publish while working…brownie points in Annual Report ($ in

increment)• Your job experience in academia is counted (early promotions)• You build a local network among peers• You are near to your dear ones• You can still go abroad 4 months (Dr. Abdul Rauf Malik @ CS)• You pay only half the tuition fee (yes 50% off all items)• Bleed Green!