Name

Elena Cohen

School

City University of New York

Degree Program

Second year PhD student in Political Science

Previous Degrees

Juris Doctorate from Yeshiva University, 2010; Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Italian from Southern Connecticut State University, 2007

Dissertation Topic

Feminism and gender studies

Research Interests

Food studies; Animal rights

Advisor

None

Hobbies

Vegan cooking, contemporary dance, musical performance

Graduate School – Application Process

How did you select your graduate school and program?

I chose City University of New York’s political science doctoral program because I wanted to stay in New York City and because I valued the public university environment.

City University of New York also has a very strong gender studies program within political science that fit my research goals. Most of the faculty also shared my interest in feminism and food. After exchanging several e-mails throughout the application process with faculty from multiple universities, I ultimately decided that City University’s program and its faculty were the best fit for me.

What did you do to prepare yourself for graduate school?

One way that I prepared myself for graduate school was by getting my juris doctorate. My law degree helped me build relationships with prestigious and powerful people whom I knew could write me strong recommendations, and it also demonstrated that I could commit to and complete difficult goals.

Did your application requirements include standardized test scores?

Yes, my application required me to take the GRE and a GRE subject test. I prepared for the tests through an online course that gave me access to Kaplan GRE software for 3 months. To be honest, I only began studying 3 weeks before the tests, although I still managed to score well.

What kind of information did you include in your personal statement?

My personal statement included information about my ideal academic path and the type of research that I wanted to pursue at the doctoral level. I was not specific about my dissertation topic, but I did offer a few ideas.

How did you choose faculty to approach for letters of recommendation?

I chose 2 notable professors from law school to write my letters of recommendation, as well as a professional acquaintance of mine. My first letter came from a distinguished professor who I had co-authored a few law articles with. My second letter came from a professor who worked for a Supreme Court judge and had helped me complete a law school project. For my third letter, I approached a friend of mine who is also a partner at a well-known law firm.

Do you have any other tips for a student who is considering applying to graduate school in political science?

Yes, I advise students who are considering applying to graduate school in political science to hone their personal statements. In my opinion, admissions boards want applicants to show that they have read about the program and are aware of the faculty. The added benefit of this approach is that applicants can point out the ways that their own research interests align with those of the professors.

I also think that students should start cultivating relationships with their undergraduate or masters program professors as soon as possible, because ultimately, these are the professors who will be writing their letters, and professors who know students personally can craft the best letters.

Graduate School – The Program

How long is your program and how is the curriculum distributed?

My political science program is designed to take 5 years to complete, but most students complete it in 8 years. The first 2 years of the program consist of coursework and include a qualifying exam for a major and minor in the program, as well as a language fluency test. Once students in my program qualify for and start on their dissertations, they also have to prepare for a comprehensive oral exam.

What is the focus of your dissertation research?

The focus of my dissertation research will be an aspect of gender studies, such as the oppression of women and men in social, cultural and legal contexts. This topic has interested me since high school and my interest has only grown throughout my academic career.

I haven’t picked a specific research area, but I think that 1 reminder I would give to other doctoral students in my position is that at some point, we will need to stop searching for the perfect idea and pick a topic so that we can finish our programs. It may not be exactly what we imagined, but it will be functional.

How is the dissertation process different from working on a masters thesis?

The biggest difference between the dissertation and masters processes is the final goal. In my opinion, a dissertation has to be written with the understanding that it may become your first book, whereas most people do not plan to publish their masters theses.

Does your program have an internship component?

Yes, my program has an optional internship component. To qualify for internships, students in my program must meet GPA and experience requirements or have completed a certain level of coursework in their programs.

For my internship, I am the editorial assistant of a feminist journal that the women’s studies department publishes. When this spot opened up, a professor who had seen me around the office nominated me because she had heard about my experience and interest in this area.

That sort of insider help is the result of my careful networking with professors, which I recommend students learn to do if they want to find internships like mine. Few things get in the way of success like a professor who does not even know a student’s name.

What role does your advisor play in your education?

The role of my advisor in my education is to help me select classes, although students also have informal faculty advisors who participate in dissertation committees. The university selected my formal advisor, but I am responsible for choosing my informal advisors.

My current informal advisor is the executive program director for political science and when I enter my dissertation phase, he will help me complete it, including the defense at the end.

Does your doctoral program require comprehensive exams prior to graduation?

Yes, my program requires qualifying exams for both a major and minor in the program, a language fluency exam and a comprehensive oral exam. All of these tests except the oral exam are written, and each focuses on research areas specific to each student.

How does a doctoral program differ from graduate study at the masters level?

The biggest difference between doctoral and masters programs is length. Masters students may commit to a few years at most, but doctoral students look to invest in their universities and faculty for the long-term.

Graduate School – Paying for It

How much does your PhD program cost?

Tuition for my PhD program costs around $10,000 for in-state students, but CUNY typically waives tuition and provides a stipend of around $20,000 for political science students who teach or get fellowships.

The most expensive part of a PhD program, in my experience, is the secondary expenses, such as rent. I recommend that students use their university libraries and get metrocards to help them limit these extra costs, although public universities often do a great job of keeping the costs down.

How are you funding your education?

I am funding my education through my tuition waiver, a research assistantship position, a part-time job and a federally funded work study. Although I had to take a small student loan to help cover a few costs during my first year, I have not had to take out any additional loans since I got these jobs.

How difficult do you anticipate it will be to pay off your loans after graduation?

I anticipate that the small loan that I took out at the beginning of my political science program will be easy to pay off. I am more worried about the massive student loans I acquired in law school.

Graduate School – Living Life

What are the time commitments for a PhD in political science?

The time commitments for a PhD in political science are reasonable, although my 4 jobs make my weeks hectic. I spend about 6 hours a week in class and an additional 15 to 20 hours completing assignments. The rest of my time, including weekends, is spent working.

How has graduate school affected your personal life?

Graduate school has affected my personal life much less than law school did. In law school, I had no free time for anyone, but now I spend fewer hours in class and studying. I find that I can do coursework on my own time.

My classes only take about 6 hours a week, and I find that my homework is more consistent and straightforward. Even my 4 jobs are relatively flexible and let me spend time with others.

One strategy that I picked up in law school to help me manage my work is skimming. Doctoral programs assign way more reading than anyone can review in depth, so to cope, I scan my reading assignments to find the critical points and spend less time on everything else.

Graduate School – After Graduation

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In 5 years, I hope that I will have completed my doctoral program and have found a way to pursue my ultimate goal, which is to teach at a law school. I have worked with several of my professors to make sure that this goal is achievable after graduation.

Graduate School - Advice

What insights can you offer a student who is interested in pursuing a PhD in political science?

One insight that I have for students who are interested in pursuing a PhD in political science is that they should choose their programs carefully. I think that students should find programs with faculty who share their interests and make sure that program graduates have good things to say.

I also think that students have to recognize that doctoral coursework, assistantships and dissertation research require a certain personality. Someone who wants to flourish in a program has to budget time and work without being pushed or supervised. People who cannot keep themselves motivated and on task will likely never make it through a doctoral program.