While common considerations are faculty credentials and university reputation, graduate alumni emphasize the importance of having a proper support system as a key to finishing a degree.
There are several factors in choosing a graduate school. Prospective students usually look at university rankings, field expertise, the quality of instruction, access to research and support facilities, such as laboratories and libraries, and a strong alumni network.
Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that the potential rewards to one’s career are worth the significant effort and resources required to embark in advanced studies.
Graduate students later find that the support system provided by professors, mentors, and schoolmates, although usually not a primary consideration, play a crucial role in accomplishing a graduate degree.
Princeton Business Review advises, “if you want a master’s degree to give you that professional edge, then the overall quality of the faculty may be more important than finding the ideal mentor. If you are aiming for a PhD, however, finding a specific professor to serve as your thesis advisor trumps the talents of the faculty at large.”
In a premier research institution like De La Salle University, it is imperative that a high caliber faculty profile is maintained and competent thesis advisers in the widest areas of study possible are available to graduate researchers.
Some of the most qualified and productive professors in the ASEAN region comprise the DLSU graduate studies faculty. As a result, the University consistently outperforms other private higher education institutions (HEIs) in the country in terms of Scopus-indexed research produced. This has contributed to the University’s regular inclusion in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings’ selection of the top 1,500 institutions out of an estimated 26,000 HEIs around the world.
As the only private university in the Philippines included in the 2021 THE WUR, it works hard to maintain or improve its position. THE WUR requires a threshold number of Scopus publications, combined with data on teaching, research, innovation, international outlook, and reputation.
Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation Dr. Raymond Girard Tan says that DLSU’s inclusion in the rankings underscores the University’s commitment to contribute to the country’s development through research, especially in this time of pandemic.
“We actively engage in research in order to contribute to social transformation and sustainable development. Particularly this year, we initiated a number of studies that we hope can contribute to mitigating the impact of COVID-19,” he said.
DLSU’S thrust as a research university means that the demands of grad school, while fair, can be exacting. With the educational environment existing in DLSU, led by a highly focused mentorship program, the rigors and challenges posed by graduate studies can easily be overcome.
DLSU’s faculty strictly adheres to an established system of guidance and support for grad students, characterized by a one-on-one mentorship program with the University’s top researchers, a low teacher-to-student ratio, and a learner-centered approach. Its professors generally have a strong sense of responsibility toward helping students not only accomplish their degrees, but also publish, gain international exposure, or connect with the right professional networks.
The system is also holistic and evolves with the times. Vice Chancellor for Academics Dr. Robert Roleda shares: “Recently, online counseling and telepsychology support were provided to all University students and faculty to help them cope with the changes brought about by the pandemic and extended quarantine measures.”
Dorothy Joann Lei Labrador-Rabajante, or Lei, (PhD Educational Psychology, 2017) credits the support she received beyond the classroom for bolstering her skills as an academic.
“All the professors are experienced researchers and expert professionals in the field. Their mentorship goes beyond helping you graduate. With the well-planned curriculum and skillful guidance of my professors, I gradually gained confidence to conduct my research interests toward publication,” she says.
The support system in DLSU involves not only teachers, but co-students and alumni as well.
For Lei, who had the added challenge of being away from her home in Zamboanga City:
“My professors had been instrumental in my adjustment to the program, providing me with professional opportunities to collaborate in research as well as teach in the graduate school. My friends in the program were not just classmates, but also my family away from home.”
Charlotte Mei Lacap, (MS Accountancy, 2017) also found needed support from her DLSU graduate school community, while balancing her studies, professional career as a Certified Public Accountant, and duties as a mother.
“I think it’s true when people say that you take on a master’s degree program for the people that you meet. My classmates were an important part of my support system in grad school. The DLSU culture encouraged learning from each other as much as from professors, and this helped me cross the finish line. “
Like Charlotte, most graduate students in DLSU maintain full-time jobs. Many are breadwinners or heads of their respective families. DLSU recognizes this and provides added assistance by ensuring the availability of courses and flexibility in class schedules. In some graduate programs, options for online or modular learning were already available even before the pandemic struck.
Charlotte, who wanted to earn her graduate degree before she was 30, achieved her target due in part to how her “program was designed for working individuals, with professors who are sincere in helping you grow your career and who go the extra mile to make the classes interesting to busy working moms such as myself.”
As shown by Charlotte and Lei, the challenges to achieving one’s dream graduate degree abound. To overcome these, one needs to choose the right institution, which provides not only excellent and established academic programs, but also a steady and effective support system from the academic community. DLSU, being a premier learner-centered research institution, ensures a conducive environment for graduate students to keep learning and realize their goals.