PreDoctoral Studies Goals Statement: Fall 2007

            My name is Faye Huie and I am applying for the Ph.D. program in Education with a focus on Educational Psychology. I graduated with a Bachelors of Arts from George Mason University and expect to graduate in January 2008 with my Masters in Curriculum and Instruction. As an undergraduate, I was an honors student in a highly selective program and designed and wrote a thesis with the collaboration of three faculty members. Along with that, I was among 15 students selected university wide for a research apprenticeship and was recognized on several occasions for my research. As a Master’s student, I received a 20 hour/week assistantship and participated in the development two reports for the National Science Foundation. Additionally, I presented research at the Association for Psychological Science Convention and am on the process of publishing three journal articles with the collaboration of professors from GMU. In this statement, I will first describe the skills that I will bring to the program as well as my research interests. Finally, I will explain my future goals and why the Ph.D. in Education/Educational Psychology program at GMU is the best fit for me.      

            The skills that I have gained throughout my undergraduate and graduate career has prepared me for Ph.D. level training. Given that I have successfully completed a thesis, I understand the process of research and how to effectively carry it out. Additionally, since I have presented research at six national and local conferences and am in the process of publishing multiple journal articles, I have developed strong writing and data analysis skills. My background in research has also familiarized me with SPSS, statistical knowledge, research methodology, and APA style writing. With my experience in the research setting, I have also developed strong communication skills. I understand that in order to produce high quality research, effective communication skills and the ability to collaborate with others is vital. My knowledge and strong background in research will undoubtedly equip me with the necessary tools to excel as a Ph.D. student

As a result of my experiences with working in different labs and professors, my research interests are much defined. More specifically, my interests center on the role of self-regulation and motivation in various aspects of college student academic achievement and retention. However, my research interests have expanded as I explored new ideas as a graduate student. Because of a study abroad experience to Greece during this past summer, I am now interested in examining the different patterns of self-regulation and motivation of students across different cultures. Additionally, I have a strong interest in learning about different statistical and methodological approaches to analyzing the relationship between self-regulation, motivation, and achievement. I know that as I continue to grow academically and expose myself to different, more specific areas of educational psychology, my research interests will also continue to grow and evolve alongside it.                 

The Ph.D. in Education/Educational Psychology program at GMU is the best fit for my academic and career aspirations. This program has the faculty expertise to help me reach my goals in becoming a professor of educational psychology in the future. If admitted into the program, I plan to minor in either research methodology or statistics. In terms of research, my interests are identical to the interests of Dr. Kitsantas. Additionally, my interests in motivation, research methodology, and statistics would allow potential collaborations with other faculty in the program like Dr. Buehl and Dr. Dimitrov. Earning a Ph.D. is required in order for me to achieve my future goals. It is also personally and academically important to me. I believe that this program will prepare me with the finest training which is critical to becoming a successful psychologist and researcher. For that reason, I will fully apply and dedicate myself to contribute as much as I can to George Mason University’s Ph.D. in Education program.