Graduate and Professional Programs and Financial Aid
Research Guide
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Note: Off-campus access to most online sources is restricted to current UCF students, faculty,
and staff via Proxy connection
http://www.phd-survey.org
A study written by Chris M. Golde and Timothy M. Dore, based on The Survey on Doctoral
Education and Career Preparation, a national survey of doctoral students intended to
provide a snapshot of their experiences and goals. Over 4,000 students completed the
20-page survey. The students were from 27 selected universities, one cross-institutional
program (The Compact for Faculty Diversity), and represented 11 arts and sciences disciplines.
The survey, conducted in 1999 with preliminary results released beginning in 2000, was
underwritten by the Pew Charitable Trusts.
"College at Work: Outlook
and Earnings for College Graduates, 2000-10."Occupational Outlook Quarterly 46, no.
3 (Fall 2002): 2-16.
While this article concentrates on the job outlook and earnings for graduates with a
bachelor's degree, it also shows that individuals who hold professional or graduate
degrees on average tend to have higher incomes and experience less unemployment.
http://www.graduate.ucf.edu/sitemap/index.cfm?RsrcID=52&SubCatID=124
This Internet page created by the University of Central Florida Division of Graduate
Studies provides a nice overview of the types of financial assistance available to those
who contemplate pursuing a post-baccalaureate degree.
Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student's Guide to Earning a Master's or a Ph.D.
General Collection LB 2371.4 .P48 1997
Gives pertinent advice for those individuals striving for a higher academic degree,
including instructions on applying to school and for financial aid; how to excel on
qualifying exams; how to manage academic politics; how to write and defend a top-notch
thesis; and how to land a job.
Graduate Admissions Essays: Write Your Way into the Graduate School of Your Choice
Reference LB 2366.2 .A84 2000
In addition to many sample essays, the introductory chapters provide useful information
on selecting schools, application time lines, obtaining letters of recommendation, graduate
fellowships and awards, and financial aid.
Graduate School Admissions Advisor
General Collection LB 2371.4 .R63 2000
Provides a good general introduction to graduate school admissions. Chapters on assessing
personal goals, evaluating graduate programs, meeting admissions requirements, writing
the personal statement, and financing the degree. Also has a section with advice to
African-American students, students with disabilities, and international students.
"The Job Market for Ph.D.'s:
Two Views."Occupational Outlook Quarterly 40, no. 4 (Winter 1996/97): 2-16.
Reports on labor market data that show Ph.D.'s have very low rates of unemployment and
part-time employment, and much higher-than-average earnings.
Making It Into a Top Graduate School: Ten Essential Steps to Graduate School Admission
General Collection LB 2351.52 .U6 G73 2001
Contains chapters on understanding graduate programs and rankings, evaluating the financial
rewards of a graduate degree, determining one's academic qualifications, locating the
best programs for the student's interests and abilities, paying for graduate school,
preparing for graduate school exams, and improving interviewing techniques.
The following SUBJECT HEADINGS in the UCF Library
Catalog may be helpful in locating other overviews of graduate and professional schools:
- Professional education--United States
- Universities and colleges--United States--Graduate work
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Virtually all colleges and universities have an Internet site that contains the online equivalent
of their catalog. The trick is determining what the Internet address or URL might be. Frequently,
the address contains the name or initials of the institution followed by .edu. For
instance, the address for Vanderbilt University is <http://www.vanderbilt.edu> and the address
for UCF is <http://www.ucf.edu>. Listed below are a couple of handy sources for locating an
institution's Internet site. See also the online version of CollegeSource
(below).
http://dir.yahoo.com/Education/Higher_Education/Colleges_and_Universities/
This category in the Yahoo! search engine lists links for thousands of colleges and
universities.
HEP Higher Education Directory
Reference Desk L 901 .H46
Identifies post-secondary, degree-granting institutions in the United States, its possessions,
and its territories. These institutions have been accredited by regional, national,
professional, and specialized agencies that are recognized as accrediting bodies by
the U.S. Secretary of Education. Institutions are listed by state.
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Contains 27,153 catalogs in full cover-to-cover, original page format with two-year,
four-year, graduate, professional and international schools. The online version also
provides links to institutions' Internet sites and is searchable by institution name
or state, degree programs, or tuition.
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Degree Indexes
The College Blue Book: Degrees Offered by College and Subject
Reference L 901 .C676
In two parts: (1) degrees offered by institutions, and (2) degrees offered by subject,
showing which schools offer each major or program.
Index of Majors and Graduate Degrees
Reference L 901 .C744
A directory of colleges and universities offering specific degrees, such as associate,
bachelor, master, doctoral, professional, and certificate degrees. Institutions
are arranged alphabetically by major/degree program and by state.
General Institutional or Program Descriptions
Commonwealth Universities Yearbook
Reference LB 2310 .Y5
Extensive information on individual British Commonwealth institutions, arranged
alphabetically by country. For some countries, prefatory articles provide information
on admissions procedures, programs, and the academic calendar.
http://www.gradschools.com
This commercial site is composed of post-baccalaureate educational information,
including a unique directory with comprehensive program listings categorized by
curriculum and subdivided by geography. Contains both free listings of programs
(approximately 52,000) and links paid for by the schools offering the program. Free
listings contain basic descriptions and contact information. Paying advertisers
receive a more in-depth description and a link directly to their site so students
may further explore the program.
International Handbook of Universities
Reference L 900 .I58
Entries contain a basic description of each institution, as well as information
about degrees offered, admissions, costs, names of administrative officers, languages
of instruction, and academic calendar.
http://www.petersons.com
The link "Graduate Bound" provides a search page that allows the user to create
a list of graduate schools or programs. Searchable by program, institution, or keyword.
Replicates much of the information found in the
Peterson's Graduate Programs series
(below).
A six-volume set that lists approximately 36,000 programs in the U.S. and Canada.
Each guide contains entrance and degree requirements, expenses and financial aid,
programs of study, and faculty research specialties. See also
Petersons.com (above).
- Book 1: Graduate and Professional Programs An Overview -- Reference
L 901 .P442
- Book 2: Graduate and Professional Programs in the Humanities, Arts &
Social Sciences -- Reference L 901 .P443
- Book 3: Graduate and Professional Programs in the Biological Sciences
--Reference L 901 .P444
- Book 4: Graduate and Professional Programs in the Physical Sciences,
Mathematics, Agricultural Sciences, the Environment & Natural Resources --
Reference L 901 .P445
- Book 5: Graduate and Professional Programs in Engineering & Applied
Sciences -- Reference L 901 .P446
- Book 6: Graduate and Professional Programs in Business, Education, Health,
Information Studies, Law & Social Work -- Reference L 901 .P459
World of Learning
Reference AS 2 .W6
Lists over 30,000 universities, colleges, schools of art and music, libraries, learned
societies, research institutes, museums and art galleries worldwide. Covers every
important library giving the number of volumes held and outstanding features of
the collection. Professors at major universities are listed by name, together with
the subjects in which they specialize. All entries provide institution name; address;
telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and internet addresses; principal personnel; activities
and publications, where available.
Specific Professional Degree Program Descriptions
http://www.abanet.org/education.html#lawstudents
Provides links to American Bar Association-accredited law schools, as well as information
on preparation for a legal education.
https://www.acsa-arch.org/students/home.aspx
The text for this page was adapted from the introduction to the Guide to Architecture
Schools, a comprehensive directory published by ACSA. It provides general information
about architectural education, internship, and practice.
Provides up-to-date information on 180 programs approved by the American Bar Association.
The Best Law Schools
Reference KF 266 .S79
All 175 American Bar Association-approved (and 19 Canadian Bar Association-approved)
schools are listed alphabetically, with easily accessible information on students,
admissions, costs, and student survey results. Schools are also listed regionally
and ranked according to such criteria as quality of life, minority representation
among students and faculty, and placement within different fields.
MBA Programs [Peterson's]
Reference HF 1131 .P48
Describes more than 3,300 MBA, master's-level, and executive MBA programs available
from over 900 U.S. and international institutions. Financial aid tips, current hiring
and salary trends, and an explanation of the advantages of enrolling in an international
school are also included.
Peterson's Guide to Nursing Programs
Reference RT 79 .P48
Published in cooperation with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, features
profiles of more than 1,900 undergraduate and graduate programs at nearly 700 U.S.
and Canadian colleges. Includes financial aid advice.
Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements in the United States and Canada
Reference S 533 .V47 2000
Profiles the 27 U.S. and 4 Canadian veterinary institutions and the University of
Glasgow Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, with information on prerequisite courses
and exams, admissions office contacts, application deadlines, and residency implications.
It also lists the colleges' advanced standing policies, combined/dual-degree programs,
summer programs, and statistical data on the national applicant pool. See also the
Internet site, AMVA Educational Resources <
http://www.avma.org/education/default.asp>,
maintained by the American Veterinary Medical Association, which provides links
to all AMVA-accredited schools.
The Wall Street Journal Guide to the Top Business Schools
Reference HF 1106 .W26
Each profile of the 50 "top" MBA programs, as well as of the 50 runners-up, includes
information on admissions, enrollment, test scores, the industries and companies
most likely to hire the school's graduates, and graduates' expected first-year salaries.
Also covers such topics as: the debate over the value of an MBA degree, application
strategies, survival tactics for a bleak job market, top schools for minorities
and women, and lists of the top public/private schools, large/small schools, schools
by region, schools by industry, schools by academic discipline, and "hidden gems."
External/Distance Learning Program Descriptions
Bear's Guide to Earning Degrees Nontraditionally
Reference LB 2381 .B43
Entries cover a wide variety of programs offering credit and degrees for work and
experience outside traditional classroom-based programs. Lists and describes accredited
and unaccredited schools with non-resident or non-traditional programs, law schools,
and health-related schools. Also has chapters on evaluating non-traditional programs,
degree mills, accreditation, and scholarships. Subject and school indexes.
The College Blue Book: Distance Learning Programs
Reference LA 226 .C685
Lists over 1,100 institutions offering graduate courses or full programs via distance
learning. Includes chapters on selecting a good distance learning program, paying
for distance learning education, and succeeding as a distance learner.
Peterson's Guide to Distance Learning Programs
Reference LC 5805 .P48
Lists only accredited programs. Describes more than 3,500 certificate and degree
programs from more than 1,100 institutions in the U.S. and Canada.
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http://www.library.uiuc.edu/edx/rankings.htm
A metasite containing links to other Internet sites with ranking information, including
graduate/research programs, and professional schools. Developed and maintained by the
Education and Social Science Library at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
the page contains background information about institutional rankings under a "Caution
and Controversy" link.
Educational Rankings Annual
Reference LB 2331.63 .E34 (latest edition)
General Collection LB 2331.63 .E34 (previous editions)
A compendium of lists on many facets of education. Includes not only rankings based
on numerical data, but also qualitative considerations such as reputation. Entries are
arranged alphabetically by subject, each often containing a short explanation of the
ranking's basis and background, the list itself, and its source. General index includes
institutional names.
The Gourman Report: A Rating of Graduate and Professional Programs in American and International
Universities
General Collection LB 2331.63 .G67 1997
Ranks what it considers the top 105 U.S. graduate and top 49 international programs.
It also features an appendix rating the quality of research facilities at schools in
the U.S. The Gourman Report has been highly controversial, as its author does
not state how the rankings are derived.
Research-Doctorate Programs
in the United States: Continuity and Change
Reference Q 180.U5 .R387 1995
Reports the results of an extensive study by the National Research Council of 3,634
graduate programs at 274 institutions in 41 disciplines within the broad fields of arts
and humanities, biological sciences, engineering, physical sciences and mathematics,
and social and behavioral sciences. Scholarly activity of faculty (percentage publishing,
number of publications per faculty), gender balance of degree recipients, total R&D
budgets, and time-to-graduation rates are but some of the criteria by which programs
are ranked. An executive summary is available online and selected tables are available
for downloading at <
http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/researchdoc/>.
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/rankindex_brief.php
The U.S. News and World Report rankings of professional programs as well as
Ph.D. programs in a wide variety of academic subjects. The online version now only lists
the rank order of "top" programs; the full report, including acceptance rates for each
program listed, is available for purchase.
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Annual Register of Grant Support
Reference AS 911 .A2 A67
Undergraduate/Graduate. Over 3,000 entries on programs of government agencies, public
and private foundations, corporations, community trusts, unions, associations and special
organizations in support of research, project development, and travel and exchange programs.
The College Blue Book: Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants, and Loans
Reference L 901 .C685
Undergraduate/Graduate. Arranged by broad area of study, with each section subdivided
into individual disciplines. Entries are arranged by awarding agency, providing information
on the agency and its purpose; names of awards; eligibility requirements; and application
deadlines. Indexes by subject, level of education, sponsoring organization, and award
title.
Directory of Research Grants
Reference LB 2338 .D57
Undergraduate/Graduate. Lists more than 4,000 grants, contracts, fellowships, and loan
programs for research, training, and innovative effort sponsored by more than 600 organizations.
Entries are arranged by program title and include eligibility requirements, restrictions,
and application procedures.
http://www.fastweb.com
An online database listing over 600,000 scholarships totaling more than $1 billion.
Users can create a personalized profile that can be matched against the database. Also
notifies students when new scholarships are added and application deadlines are approaching.
http://www.finaid.com
A comprehensive source for student financial aid information, sponsored by NASFAA, the
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.
The Financial Aid Book: The Insider's Guide to Private Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships
Reference LB 2337.3 .F56 1999
Has over 3,000 listings, organized alphabetically by sponsoring organization. Indexed
by college major, state of residency/study, memberships and activities, student/family
employment, and other personal characteristics (i.e., gender, ethnic background, etc.).
Foundation Grants to Individuals
General Collection LB 2336 .F598 2001
Lists private U.S. foundations that offer grants to individuals. Awards by organizations
are not limited solely to scholarships -- also includes loans and money given to individuals
for artistic endeavors, financial assistance for needy individuals, and grants for research
and professional development. Indexed geographically, by company name, foundation name,
type of support, and by subject.
Free Money for Graduate School
Reference LB 2337.2 .B58 2000
Graduate. Divided into nine chapters, six listing grants available in broad subject
fields and three identifying awards specifically for women, ethnic group members, and
study abroad. Entries contain name, address, telephone number, contact person, restrictions,
nature of awards, and deadlines.
GrantFinder: The Complete Guide to Postgraduate Funding Worldwide: Arts and Humanities
Reference LB 2337.2 .G736 2000
GrantFinder: The Complete Guide to Postgraduate Funding Worldwide: Sciences
Reference LB 2337.2 .G76 1999
GrantFinder: The Complete Guide to Postgraduate Funding Worldwide: Social Sciences
Reference H 62 .G65 2000
Graduate. Subject-specific spin-offs of
The Grants Register (below), arranged alphabetically by granting agency. Presents
the same information included in the parent directory: a full range of contact information;
eligibility requirements; the purpose, type, number, and frequency of awards; the amount
of the award; the length and place of study; application procedures and closing dates;
and additional pertinent information. Subject guide and indexes by awards and awarding
organization.
Reference LB 2338 .G7
Graduate/Post-Graduate. An international directory of financial aid available to graduate
and post-graduate students throughout the English-speaking world. Grant-giving institutions
are listed alphabetically with brief information on the type of assistance offered.
Includes scholarships, fellowships, and research grants; exchange opportunities; vacation
study and travel awards; grants for equipment, publication, artistic or scientific projects;
and competitions.
Money for Graduate Students in the Biological and Health Sciences
Reference LB 2337.2 .S353
Lists and describes almost 1,100 funding opportunities for research and study in agricultural
sciences, biology, botany, dentistry, genetics, horticulture, medicine, nursing, nutrition,
pharmacology, rehabilitation, veterinary sciences, and zoology.
Money for Graduate Students in the Humanities
Reference LB 2337.2 .M664
Lists and briefly describes nearly 900 funding opportunities for research and study
in architecture, art, communications, dance, design, film, history, journalism, languages,
literature, music, performing arts, philosophy, and religion.
Money for Graduate Students in the Physical and Earth Sciences
Reference LB 2337.2 .S357
Lists and briefly describes nearly 1,400 funding opportunities for research and study
in agriculture, astronomy, botany, chemistry, computer science, dentistry, engineering,
environmental sciences, geology, genetics, mathematics, medicine, nursing, nutrition,
pharmacology, physics, and zoology.
Money for Graduate Students in the Social Sciences
Reference LB 2337.2 .M667
Lists and briefly describes nearly 1,100 funding opportunities for research and study
in accounting, advertising, anthropology, business, criminology, demography, economics,
education, geography, international relations, law, librarianship, marketing, political
science, psychology, and sociology.
Peterson's Scholarships, Grants, and Prizes
Reference LB 2337.4 .P475
Undergraduate/Graduate. Describes more than 1.6 million scholarships and other awards
worth nearly $6 billion and available from private sources -- foundations, corporations,
religious organizations, and civic organizations.
http://www.srnexpress.com
A search engine and database of private scholarships designed to assist students identify
sources for undergraduate through postgraduate study. A commercial site, this source
includes information on the scholarship process, federal and state financial aid programs,
definitions of terms, and tips on scholarship scams.
Scholarships, Fellowships, and Loans: A Guide to Education-Related Financial Aid Programs
for Students and Professionals
Reference LB 2338 .S35
Undergraduate/Graduate. Lists and describes more than 3,300 sources of education-related
financial aid at all levels of study, from undergraduate and graduate to vocational/technical
and post-doctorate. The "Vocational Goals Index" near the front of the book classifies
awards by level of study and broad vocational goals.
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In addition to the sources cited in this research guide, UCF students may obtain further
graduate and professional school information and guidance through the following agencies:
http://www.crc.ucf.edu
Student Resource Center, Building 7-F
Room 185
(407) 823-2362
Each fall the CRC hosts the Graduate, Law, and Professional School Recruitment Day,
which hosts recruiters from various institutions around the country. The CRC Career
Library in the main center holds several dozen volumes on graduate school preparation.
Career counselors are on hand to offer one-on-one advising as well.
http://www.counseling.sdes.ucf.edu/services.html
Student Resource Center, Building 7-G
Room 203
(407) 823-2811
Administers a variety of career, interest, and personality assessment inventories to
assist you in understanding yourself and how you might best fit into a particular career
or academic major.
http://www.graduate.ucf.edu
230 Millican Hall
(407) 823-2766
Each fall the Division of Graduate Studies hosts a Graduate Fair at the UCF Arena to
provide information about all the graduate programs available at UCF. Students
are invited to attend the Graduate Research Forum, held in March, that showcases through
oral and poster presentations, the work of UCF's graduate students from across all disciplines.
Dates for these events and information about financing graduate school is available
on the Graduate Studies website.
http://www.biomed.ucf.edu/index.php?tg=articles&idx=More&topics=6&article=3
Health and Public Affairs, Room 124
(407) 823-2670
Serves all UCF students preparing for and seeking admission to professional schools
of chiropractic, dentistry, medicine, osteopathic medicine, optometry, pharmacy, podiatry,
and veterinary medicine. Services range from basic advising in pre-health professions
matters, to providing a composite evaluation of the student to each professional school
to which a student applies.
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If you have questions or need additional assistance,
Ask a Librarian, call the Reference Department
at (407) 823-2562, or e-mail the Department at askalibrarian@mail.ucf.edu.
Last Updated:
January 30, 2008
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