The statement of purpose or intent is a key element of every graduate school application – and notoriously difficult to write. Here are some questions to help prospective applicants formulate their thoughts for the MATX application:

• What disciplines do you seek to combine and/or work across? How? Why?
• How does your master’s work relate to what you want to do in this doctoral program?
• What is your primary area of interest? How will working in or across disciplines help you develop those interests?
• What are your potential dissertation ideas? In what areas do you want to conduct original research? What are your research questions?
• How will interdisciplinary study prepare you for a career? Is that career academic? Professional?
• Among the faculty at VCU, whose research and teaching support your interests? Why? Consider not just the core and affiliated faculty, but also those in departments with which MATX has strong connections. Faculty become affiliated with the program by working with students and teaching courses.

We welcome your inquiries about the program and are happy to offer advice on the application process.