General Issues to Consider
When you review different Ph.D. programs, you should consider the following topics:
| 1) | Are the professors active in research? Are they publishing in the areas that you wish to study? | ||
| 2) | Does the program have a history of graduating students on time? A Ph.D. is a Marathon, not a sprint. However, there is no need to extend things to an ultra-marathon. | ||
| 3) | Does the department have a lot of political battles? This is a key issue that most Ph.D. students don't consider. However, after you complete all your coursework and comprehensive exams, you don't want to put together a thesis committee that has people on it that can't work together. It increases the odds that your program may be extended or that you may not graduate. | ||
| 4) | A key way to find out these issues is to talk with the current Ph.D. students...without any faculty present. The students will always provide key insights you need to know to make an informed decision. | ||
| 5) | If you are married, make sure your spouse is a key part of these discussions. A Ph.D. program can have an even bigger impact on the spouse than it has on the student. | ||
| 6) | A key asset of the College of Business at UT Arlington is that we have minimal politics. The faculty enjoy researching and working with each other. Ph.D. students are also not just a knowledge asset or employees. The faculty truly cares about students. If you work hard, we'll work hard to get you out successfully. |
