Need help:Statement of Intent

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by bruinsgrad, Jul 31, 2003.

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  1. bruinsgrad

    bruinsgrad New Member

    These essays required when applying for doctoral study are major stressors. I got flumoxed by the question "what is your theoretical/research interest?" I dunno. Until I've delved deeply into the topics, I don't know where curiosity or need for thesis will lead me. How do you answer the question and get admitted?
     
  2. Dr. Gina

    Dr. Gina New Member

    A suggestion that I utilized in my application essay (and got accepted):

    Discuss your experiences (employment, personal,and educational) that led you to persue the degree in the subject of your choice, and discuss how your "varied intrests" related to the field has motivated you to persue a doctorate to explore a subject for your thesis/diss. The goal of any doctoral program is to help you think "critically", so try to emphasize how you need that training/focus to help you think critically about a thesis subject or interests. These are just general suggestions, but to ask, what field are you persuing your degree in, because that would make a difference in how you would approach you essay.
     
  3. bruinsgrad

    bruinsgrad New Member

    re: statement

    My major would be Psychology with a concentration in Behavioural Medicine.
     
  4. Mike Albrecht

    Mike Albrecht New Member

    The research interest does not have to be your final one, which could change as you do the course work (for US based) or the preliminary literature review, etc. but, it should at least be related to some of the research interests of the faculty you will be dealing with (at least on there of). If what you express interst in has nothing to do with anything they are interested in, ther is no one to supervise you.

    This is especially true at UK, SA, & Oz schools. And there is where many have problems. It is usually good to do a search of the faculty you will be dealing with and adjust your intent to fall with in the framework of what they are already doing.

    For some of the trulu non-traditional schools this is less important, but you still need a supervisor (or mentor as some cal it) and if that person does not know anything about what you are planning to study they cannot be much help, especially when you come to the defense.
     
  5. bruinsgrad

    bruinsgrad New Member

    "It is usually good to do a search of the faculty you will be dealing with and adjust your intent to fall with in the framework of what they are already doing."

    How would you find this information? Their catalog gives the mentor's name and degrees, not their specialty. Where could you
    find what research they're undertaking?
     
  6. jelliot

    jelliot New Member

    Call or email and ask them?
     
  7. Mike Albrecht

    Mike Albrecht New Member

    Since you use the term "mentor" that means it is probably one of the newer non-traditional progams liek Wladen.

    One way is to do a Google search on the names of the "mentors" and see what they have published. Also look up in the on-line/electronic dissertations to say what has been published with tem as advisor, etc. If you don't get any hits they are obviously not very well known in their field.

    BTW, there are several discussions recently on this forum about how to do this, and it is called research, and yes it is time consuming and boring, but it will seem like childs play once you start doing your "real" research.

    good luck.
     
  8. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    Mike's right about both aspects of this. It's boring preliminary stuff and it will seem like child's play once you're into your dissertation. Look up every faculty member in your general area (multiple areas in some cases) and look at their research interests. Find the intersections with your own interests. etc. etc.
    One final note. You didn't say which school was involved. In the US schools you get more flexibility as they know you'll be doing coursework and interacting with faculty/students and that this may effect your interests and dissertation topic. In the British system all that preliminary coursework has already been done by the time you're accepted into the PhD program and so there is an expectation that you have already narrowed down your area of interest re your dissertation topic. While some flexibility remains, you have to have a pretty clear idea of your topic. Research is the key. Read, read and read some more. Good luck,
    Jack
     
  9. David Williams

    David Williams New Member

    Re: re: statement

    BG, What is your goal for how you would like to use the degree?
     
  10. bruinsgrad

    bruinsgrad New Member

    Goal

    My main motivation is personal satisfaction. Secondary would be possibly teaching at university level. Trying to find the mentor's interest is not that easy, since this is a DL school. I'd also like to keep it as general as possible while still answering the question.
    I'm content with the essay up to that point, then I get writers block ;)
     
  11. David Williams

    David Williams New Member

    Re: Goal

    OK, my concern was whether you plan to ever function in a clinical setting. If you check the division of health psychology at the APA website you'll see that a number of the programs are clinical in nature and a number are not. If you never plan to see patients and be able to bill for services this shouldn't be a problem. If, on the other hand, you ever hope to be able to do so that's another matter.

    David
     

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