Name

Hogan Hayes

School

University of California, Davis

Degree Program

Second year PhD student in Education with dual concentrations in Language, Literacy & Culture and Composition & Rhetoric

Previous Degrees

Master of Arts in English with emphasis in Creative Writing from University of California, Davis, 2004; Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from University of Wisconsin, 1999

Dissertation Topic

Transfer of writing skills

Advisor

Dana Ferris

Advisor’s Research Focus

Teacher feedback on student writing; English as a Second Language programming

Hobbies

The outdoors, hiking, skiing, SCUBA, music, my new baby

Graduate School – Application Process

How did you select your graduate school and program?

I chose University of California, Davis to earn my PhD in education because I felt that the program was the strongest among the schools I initially considered. In order to select a graduate school for my PhD in education, I first searched for schools through the consortium of PhD programs in composition and rhetoric. I looked for schools that offered education programs with an emphasis in composition and rhetoric, and I narrowed down a list of schools that were appealing based on location and reputation.

University of California, Davis was on the list, and I decided to apply because that is where I earned my masters degree. After I began the application process, I did more in-depth research on the education program at UC Davis, and I learned that the university is doing some very innovative things.

What did you do to prepare yourself for graduate school?

In order to prepare for doctoral study, I consulted other people in the academic environment. I asked for advice from other people in PhD programs. That was quite helpful in navigating the application process.

In addition to enlisting the help of people I knew, I also contacted the directors of the different programs I was considering. I asked if they thought I might be a good fit for the program and also gathered information from them.

Did your application requirements include standardized test scores?

Yes, when I applied to my PhD program at University of California, Davis, I submitted GRE test scores.

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

In my personal statement, I wrote about my research goals and explained how my research could benefit the institution. I also clarified that, although I had jumped from another subject to education, my interests were in education and I planned to stay in the classroom. I described how my skills would help me secure teaching assistantships, because I wanted to set myself up for assistantship funding once I entered the program.

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

For letters of recommendation, I asked faculty who I knew well, particularly those with bigger names. I asked the head of the creative writing department at Davis because she was known in the fiction world and I thought that would be a nice touch. I also asked people who I had met while working in Hungary a few years before, because I thought that would show my international experience.

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

For students who are considering applying to graduate school in education, I recommend forming a professional network as early as possible and forging relationships with faculty. It is important to have academic contacts because admissions committees can tell the difference between letters written by people who truly know the applicant and letters written by people who don’t.

Graduate School – The Program

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

During the first 2 years of my PhD program in education, students attend formal classes. In the third year, students take qualifying exams. Once they pass the exams, students move on to dissertation work. The dissertation is supposed to take 2 years to complete, but students have up to 4 years if necessary.

What is the focus of your dissertation research?

I have not begun my dissertation yet, but I plan to focus on writing skills. More specifically, I will examine the way that the writing skills which students learn in early undergraduate composition courses transfer into upper-level and professional work. I also plan to research why these writing skills currently don’t transfer well, and what educators can do to improve that. Some extremists say that the American education system should stop teaching introductory composition courses, and I don’t agree with that, but I think that critical thinking is something we should be teaching along with writing skills. In my dissertation, I hope to develop tools to better teach those skills and also ways to measure whether our teaching methods are effective.

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

The biggest difference between my dissertation and my masters thesis is the intention behind the work. My PhD will help me become a professional academic researcher, while my masters thesis was geared toward helping me become a professional.

What role does your advisor play in your education?

I have an excellent advisor who plays an important role in my education. She is hands-on and interested in both my educational and professional development. She helps me navigate my coursework effectively, and she also helps me locate funding opportunities.

Does your doctoral program require comprehensive exams prior to graduation?

I will have to take qualifying exams next year in order to move on to my dissertation, but aside from that, there are no comprehensive exams in my program.

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

My PhD program differs from my studies at the masters level mostly because of the nature of my coursework. In my masters program, I took the coursework and then I completed my thesis, but the 2 were not necessarily interdependent. However, in my PhD program, everything I do relates to my dissertation in some way. In my courses, I try to learn everything I can to eventually integrate that knowledge into my dissertation.

Graduate School – Paying for It

How much does your PhD program cost?

Because I receive full funding, I don’t know how much my tuition costs.

How are you funding your education?

I am funding my education through teaching assistantships. Working as a teaching assistant covers the cost of my tuition and related fees, as well as my student health insurance. However, when I begin my dissertation research, I will have to find a way to fund the work because my research is not covered by my assistantship. Usually, professors are able to help secure research grants, and I plan to start writing grant proposals for funding as well.

Graduate School – Living Life

What are the time commitments for a PhD in education?

Earning my PhD in education is like working at a full-time job. I spend a lot of time in classes, and I also work at my teaching assistantship. I expect my schedule to get fuller as I transition into my dissertation work, and I don’t know where I will find the extra time.

How has graduate school affected your family life?

So far, it has not been difficult to balance school with my family life. However, as my dissertation work increases I think it will be harder to juggle both. I hope I won’t have to cut into my family time too much, especially because I have a newborn son.

Graduate School – After Graduation

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I have a lot of possible options in the future. Ideally, I would like to work at a research university and pursue an administrator position in a writing program. I would also be happy in a contracted position in academia. I don’t plan to work in the for-profit education sector, but I think that I could offer valuable skills at the community college level immediately after graduation.

Graduate School - Advice

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

If you are interested in pursuing a PhD in education, I have 2 pieces of advice for you.

First, don’t enter a PhD program simply because it feels like the next logical step. Develop your interests. Have an issue that you would like to address or a question that you would like to research. That should be what drives you through your PhD program, not a feeling of obligation.

Second, gain some experience in the education field before you pursue a PhD. Don’t try and pursue a PhD right out of your undergraduate study because most programs would not accept you and the ones that would are not the kind of programs you should consider. I highly recommend that you spend time teaching or working as an administrator before pursuing a PhD.