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Receive Your Ph.D. With ESC

The Ph.D. degree (Doctor of Philosophy) is a doctorate, the highest academic degree it is possible to obtain. The Ph.D. requires original research. It qualifies the recipient to teach and conduct research. People with the Ph.D. go on to become professors, researchers, or administrators in government or nonprofit positions that involve teaching and/or research.

Ph.D. students are an essential part of ESC. You can receive a Ph.D. degree advised by ESC faculty in the following programs:

We have compiled a short list of ESC advice about Ph.D. programs:

  • The deadline is usually December 1.
  • The Ph.D. is a full-time degree. Part-time or evening Ph.D.s are not possible.
  • The Ph.D. takes about 4 years to complete. Usually the first part involves mostly coursework, the last part involve mostly independent research.
  • You do not have to pay tuition to get a Ph.D. Successful applicants are paid for 4 years as apprentice teachers and researchers. During this time you will make about US$41,000 (as of 2024) per year for about 12 months of work. It may be possible to take the summer off (e.g., to complete a paid internship relevant to your degree). You receive health, life, and dental insurance.
  • You do not need to be a US Citizen to be admitted. International students are common. You do not need to be a US Citizen to have your tuition paid and receive the money described just above.
  • A master’s degree is not required to apply to some programs, but it may help you stand out from other applicants.
  • Ph.D. students are adults. It is normal to return to school for a Ph.D. after you have been in the workforce.
  • The GRE exam is NOT required.
  • If the application fee (around US$90) is a barrier to your application, programs will waive the application fee. Write to the relevant graduate program’s email address (see links above) for this.
  • Michigan has additional funding and incentives for students whose admission will reduce disparities in graduate education. You do not need to apply separately for this funding, but you must mention the relevant circumstances in your application, for instance in your personal statement. As one example, additional resources may be available if you are a US citizen, green card holder, or DACA and you:
    • have an educational, cultural, or geographic background that is underrepresented
    • have demonstrated a commitment to diversity
    • have experienced financial hardship
    • are the first in your family to graduate from a four-year college
    • are the first in your family to be a US Citizen

Here is a short list of ESC advice about Ph.D. applications:

  • Since the Ph.D. is a research degree, your description of what you want to achieve with the Ph.D. in your statement of purpose should focus on the research you wish to complete. For example, it can be helpful to think of the Ph.D. dissertation as writing a book. If you are admitted, what would your book be about? Why does this book need to be written? Why are you the right person to write it? Who needs to read it?
  • You do not need to be a computer programmer to work with ESC faculty. Several Ph.D. programs do not require or involve computer programming.
  • Letters of recommendation should come from former professors if possible. If you an applicant who spent time away from school, it is still helpful to get at least one letter from a professor who taught you, even if this is a long time ago. That’s because non-university letters are often written differently and convey different information.
  • Ph.D. positions are competitive, but many successful candidates have exceptional strength in some of a wide variety of areas — not in all areas. For example, impressive work experience (or other achievements) can outweigh middling grades earlier in your life. Not all successful Ph.D. students were “A” students.
  • To help your application stand out, avoid using space in your essays to convey generic information that is likely true of most people who are applying. e.g., you are passionate about your discipline or your own topic, you enjoy school, there was a moment of realization when you decided this was the field for you, you care about the students that you will teach.
  • Some advice we have seen recommends e-mailing your potential faculty advisors. However, it is OK if you did not do that, or if you did e-mail them and they didn’t respond. Your application will still be considered seriously. Some faculty don’t answer these e-mails because they receive so many, or they only reach out only to admitted Ph.D. students not prospective ones.

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