Applying to Doctoral Programs: Crafting the Letter of Intent and Academic CV

Applying to Doctoral Programs:Crafting your Letter of Intent & Academic CV

by Laurie Prange-Martin

cc: chrissy.farnan - https://www.flickr.com/photos/57275427@N05

Agenda• What else could be considered a letter where you outline your intent to pursue doctoral research?• How is a Letter of Intent like a job interview?• How can you make your Letter of Intent unique?• What guidelines can you adapt from advice on writing Cover Letters for academic job applications?• What is an Academic CV?• How are Academic CVs organized?• What must you do or include in your letter and CV?

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What else could be considered a letter where you outline your intent to pursue doctoral

research?

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This document may also be a Cover Letter or a Statement of Purpose

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In the business world, such a letter would be called an Agreement to Negotiate or a

Memorandum of Understanding.

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Like interviewing for a new job, the Letter of Intent is the institution’s way of asking you to explain why you

think you should be accepted into the program.cc: Alan Cleaver - https://www.flickr.com/photos/11121568@N06

How is a Letter of Intent like a job interview?

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You want to let your personality and unique life path shine as valuable contributions to the program, the discipline of study, and to the institution as a whole.

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It is also expected that your Letter will explain any anomalies elsewhere in your application

package.cc: storyvillegirl - https://www.flickr.com/photos/10897362@N00

How can you make your Letter of Intent unique?

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A short, memorable sentence to engage their interest at the beginning.

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A tone of respectful familiarity.

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Share how you came to the conclusion that pursuing doctoral studies was right for you.

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If you are too modest in an early draft, have someone help you craft sentences that sell

you well.

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If you sound too much of a braggart in an early draft, have someone help you reframe stories where you demonstrate

what you mean without having turning off the reader.cc: i k o - https://www.flickr.com/photos/37182073@N06

Use specific and unique statements describing where you see yourself going and how that

makes you stand out from the crowd.cc: Mark Dumont - https://www.flickr.com/photos/23661161@N02

Without being dramatic, share a story where you learned an important lesson while working

on a project or in the workplace.

cc: Len Radin - https://www.flickr.com/photos/9080018@N07

Give interesting examples where you demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities

to achieve a goal that benefited academia.cc: JD Hancock - https://www.flickr.com/photos/83346641@N00

What guidelines can you adapt from advice on writing Cover Letters for academic job

applications?

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When describing an example of a project you successfully completed, show how you were

leader.

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Do not include stories of how you were a boss, which is different from being a leader. Nor, do you use stories of you

as an activist with no followers. The committee is looking for evidence of collegiality.

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Collegiality is the ability to engage actively and respectfully in discussions, and share equally in the decision-making process.

Source: http://bit.ly/2eP7Zgdcc: Direitos Urbanos - https://www.flickr.com/photos/78787798@N04

Show (don’t tell) in your Letter how you have operated in a collegial manner to meet goals.

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Keep in mind that you have already proven your mastery of the subject area by

completing a masters degree.cc: Rich Moffitt - https://www.flickr.com/photos/16488513@N00

Instead, the reviewing committee is considering your admittance to a doctoral

program and to their professional practice!cc: nubui - https://www.flickr.com/photos/65183610@N00

What is an Academic CV?

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An academic CV is not a resume. The length of a typical one will indicate that

right away!cc: jakebouma - https://www.flickr.com/photos/30885355@N00

There are very few books out there that will help you craft your academic CV.

I recommend Kelsey, K. (2015). The professor is in: Turning your PhD into a job. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press.

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There is also a detailed website for The Professor Is In http://theprofessorisin.com/

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Find a detailed set of formatting rules here: http://theprofessorisin.com/2016/08/19/dr-karens-rules-of-the-academic-cv

/

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How are Academic CVs organized?

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There is a very specific order that the committee will be looking for in your CV.

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1. Education. 2. Employment3. Evidence4. Experience5. Other

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1. Education: By degree, not institution, in descending order and with a little bit of detail

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2. Employment: Emphasis your professional work experience, particularly if you are a

mature student (over 25).cc: SeeMidTN.com (aka Brent) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/94502827@N00

Keep this information brief. You will include details about those jobs later under the 3

pillars of being faculty.cc: morebyless - https://www.flickr.com/photos/27121172@N00

If you have part-time work elsewhere or student-like work, such as T.A. experience, include this in a section separate

from the main employment experience.cc: yewenyi - https://www.flickr.com/photos/30265340@N00

Unfortunately for younger applicants, T.A.-type work is not considered professional

experience.

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Having T.A.-type experience will still help applicants to a doctoral program, but it is often not weighted as

heavily as some people expect.cc: Vandy CFT - https://www.flickr.com/photos/90729502@N05

3. Evidence: This evidence of scholarship, such as journal articles, books, conference

presentations, editorials, creative works, etc.cc: F. Jourde - https://www.flickr.com/photos/67942096@N00

Be very specific about the publication status of items and never exaggerate the value of the publication (e.g. making it

seem an article was peer-reviewed when it wasn’t).

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Don’t have much evidence to show your potential for scholarship?

There are still ways to present yourself.cc: ell brown - https://www.flickr.com/photos/39415781@N06

Emphasize instead where you have been active. For example, my CV is heavy on two areas: community

development and conference presentations.

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In my CV, I emphasize and explain the relevance of community development work and conference presentations to my career path and research agenda; thereby, tailoring it

to my specific discipline.cc: DavidDennisPhotos.com - https://www.flickr.com/photos/50852241@N00

There are other options too. For example, show you have writing and publishing experience in other ways, such years

of experienceproducing a departmental newsletter.

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What the committee is looking for is someone who has experience putting their work out there for constructive criticism because this is an important skill to have as a

doctoral student and future professor.cc: uniondocs - https://www.flickr.com/photos/8207752@N03

4. Experience: This is where you articulate the work experience you have under the 3 pillars of faculty

work – scholarship, teaching, and service.

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If applicable, you can include one section outlining your work supervisory experience or a section outlining your experience in the creative arts.

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5. Other: This is anything unique to your background that shows your suitability to

doctoral research.cc: ShironekoEuro - https://www.flickr.com/photos/41893519@N07

For example, any evidence of your experience and ability to innovate in the workplace.

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There is also a growing understanding how important it is to admit people who can include evidence of having worked

with Indigenous peoples and experience supporting equity groups.

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Also, include any relevant professional affiliations, awards, honours, etc.

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And if you have it, where you have online profiles, such as on the CapU website, on LinkedIn, or a

professional website with your portfolio.cc: nan palmero - https://www.flickr.com/photos/97402086@N00

What must you do or include in your letter and CV?

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Make sure to use letterhead on your cover letter.cc: ntr23 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/65919269@N00

In the finer details of the letter, follow the rules of business letters

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Your letter needs to be 2 pages, no more and no less.

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In both the letter and CV, show, don’t tell, what you have done and can do.

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Describe your dissertation project in one brief paragraph.

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When discussing your teaching experience, keep in mind that we all love teaching. Say

something more.cc: Ardinnnn :) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/57102719@N07

In both documents, stress how you are a colleague and no longer a graduate student.

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Be specific in the publication status of all works.

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Include a secondary research project you are working on. A work-based one is fine.

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Show how you’ve reviewed the department and program thoroughly.

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Be organized and specific in your writing, no ramblings please.

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Keep in mind that many people only apply to one or two doctoral programs and the reviewing committee have come

to expect a very high level of tailoring specific to their program.

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Regularly updating your CV every 6 months is now generally considered best practice in

academia.cc: kevin dooley - https://www.flickr.com/photos/12836528@N00

If you haven’t already, now is the time to set-up a LinkedIn profile.

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Take some time to look at how your fellow colleagues have set-up their LinkedIn profiles to see how effective these

profiles can be for long-term career success.cc: r.nial.bradshaw - https://www.flickr.com/photos/33227787@N05

https://ca.linkedin.com/in/laurieprangemartin

As an example, here’s mine

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In conclusion, your Letter of Intent and Academic CV introduce you to the admitting committee. So, don’t delay and start drafting it today!

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Questions? Comments?Feedback?

Contact me at the Learning & Teaching Centre at Capilano

University laurieprangemartin@capilanou.ca