Advice for Prospective Graduate Students

The type of graduate program best suited for an individual student depends upon his or her interests and long-term goals. Each university and marine laboratory has unique areas of specialization based upon the research interests of the faculty, the facilities available at the institution and the courses taught by the various departments. HPU's Marine Science Masters' Degree seeks to foster a broad understanding of marine systems through an interdisciplinary program of study and a research-based education in areas of marine and environmental science, preparing students for careers or entry into Ph.D. programs in related fields.

Read more about the program's objectives

I recommend approaching a MS program as an opportunity to gain valuable new skills to go on to a Ph.D., get a research job, or enter the resource management field. Therefore, it is critical to carefully review the resources and opportunities at each program before you apply. I also suggest making a list of the skills / tools you want to learn in graduate school and evaluate how each institution / department / professor will help you reach these goals.

In addition to this background research, talk to all of the professors you are interested in working with, and make sure you talk to their students. Remember that these students are currently going through what you will experience going to graduate school with their professor, so they should have very good insights into the system.

Even though it is not critical to have a research project outlined when you apply to graduate school, the better sense you have of the type of research you want to do, the easier it will be to complete the program in the normative time (approximately 2 years). Access to datasets and monitoring programs, cruise opportunities for piggy-backing your project, or paid field work are great assets for putting together a thesis project. Make sure you discuss these opportunities in your letter of intent and phone calls. Please note that I will not take on a student without having a secure dataset or a field work opportunity available for the student to complete a dissertation, unless he or she can demonstrate the initiative and skills to start a research project from scratch. Nevertheless, bringing some of these research resources to graduate school will expedite the successful completion of the dissertation research and the MS degree.

Funding is another very important aspect of graduate school, which should be discussed up front. My goal is to support all of mystudents - at least in part (e.g., 50 % during the school semesters and the summer) - through "research assistant" positions funded from grants. To this end, I will work with students to submit fellowship applications to external (e.g., National Science Foundation) and internal (e.g., HPU graduate program) funding sources, before and after they apply to the program. Contact me early enough to ensure these fellowship applications - and the supporting letters of recommendation and documentation - are submitted on time.

Admission into the Graduate Program

I am looking for students who will use the skills and knowledge they acquire at HPU towards resource management and conservation - both research and applied. Ultimately, my goal is to help students gain new skills so they can pursue their career goals - whether this means doing a Ph.D. or getting job with a resource management agency or NGO.

I envision taking only a limited number of students (2 - 3) each year. Currently I co-advise a first-year (2007) student (Brenda Asuncion), and two more students will start their degrees in the fall of 2008 (Pam Michael, Andrew Titmus). Because I receive more inquiries into the possibility of graduate work with me than I can accomodate, I only agree to advise students who contacted me before they apply to the program.

While I will help students in need of financial support to obtain fellowships and funding , I will not take on a student without the necessary funding to complete their thesis project. Those students who bring their own funding will still have to convince me that their research projects are feasible and exciting. I encourage students to rely - to the fullest extent possible - on existing datasets and ongoing projects for their dissertation research, and to participate in the lab's research and projects as research assistants.

As the first step, I ask potential students to send me (preferable via email) the following:

1) Unofficial copy of your undergraduate transcript.

2) Copies of any reports, published papers, technical reports, or class
research projects that you feel demonstrate your ability to assimilate complex information and research into a well-written product

3) Copy of a curriculum vitae (resume) summarizing your work and academic experience

4) A brief (up to 1 page) statement of purpose outlining your short- and long-term career goals, a brief description of the kind of research project you would like to undertake and its relevance (if any) to conservation.

5) Unofficial copy of GRE results - if available

6) Names, addresses, telephone numbers, and emails of 3 references

Once you have sent this material, it's a good idea to check back via email.

The next step involves talking on the phone and meeting face-to-face with promising students. This gives us an opportunity to get to know each other better, and allows the students to learn more about HPU. In addition, I encourage potential applicants to talk to our current graduate students, to see what the HPU MSMS graduate experience is like.

The final step entails applying to HPU. Please keep in mind that this is our "unofficial" way of getting to know you, and you will have to go through the formal process of applying through the University. If you have any questions, consult the HPU MSMS Graduate Program - Admission Requirements.

I look forward to hearing from you, David

Time-line for Application

If you are interested in applying to the HPU MSMS program, check out the tentative schedule below:

- July - August:

Contact me to see if I will be taking any students next year

- August - September:

If relevant, e-mail me your information package described above

- November:

If relevant, submit National Science Foundation graduate fellowship

- January:

Apply to HPU graduate program

- February:

If relevant - submit NOAA graduate fellowship and HPU scholarship

- March:

Find out decision concerning application to HPU

Potential Project Opportunities -Check for updates

* Datasets available for student projects (last updated: Jan 1, 2008)

* Field work opportunities (last updated: Jan 1, 2008)

* Funded research positions (last updated: Jan 1, 2008)

Relevant HPU Web Pages

* Graduate Scholarships

* Application Online

Other Fellowships and Scholarships

* NOAA - coastal programs

* NOAA - coral conservation

Questions?

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