Some people have been asking me about graduate courses, specially masters course. So I'm writing this post because I want to be as broad as it can (the main reason why I'm composing it in English).
It's important to note that the subject of this post is how to get into a graduate course at University of São Paulo, not my personal impressions about it. Once it is stated, let's proceed.
Joining USP's graduate course is slightly different among each college, but it is based on the same general principles: a research plan, a specific knowledge test, a foreign language proficiency and an interview.
(Note: it has a high probability that I mix some specific aspects from Polytechnic School process with the general process.)
Research Plan
When filling the bureaucracy papers to submit your name for the graduate process, you'll be asked for a preliminary research plan. You probably know what is it, but I had no idea. So, I'll explain.
Research plan is a document describing your graduate research in a depth way. It may contain your research topic, schedule, references, planning, funding and whatever may interest an evaluator. Summarizing, it's the document that will convince the staff you're ready for being a researcher.
However, don't mind if you're not sure at all about all the aspects of your research. As I've listened from a professor, your research plan may change during your graduate time.
(As a reference, I recommend the TAUCHI Essential features of a research plan presentation.)
Specific Knowledge Test
Once you have your research plan made and all the documents filled, now it's time to get ready for the specific knowledge test. The test may change among the courses and institutes, but they have one thing in common (I think): they're really specific. If you know GMAT, it's good to know it is extremely different: for computer engineering, the one I've done, the content was totally agreed with my undergraduate course, with questions of compilers, computer architecture, formal languages and automata theory, artificial intelligence, security, safety and others. I don't think a person without deep computer knowledge is skilled to pass this test. So, get prepared for this decisive phase! And an important hint: it's done only in Portuguese!
Proficiency Test
I don't have much to talk about it. It's a default English test to measure the student's proficiency at the language. Some colleges apply by themselves the test, others require you to go to an indicated English school. IELTS or TOEFL use to be accept (but you shall consult your applying course office).
If you're an English native speaker, I believe that you must do a Portuguese proficiency test. By now, I can't help you considering my lack of information about the subject.
By the way, if you can understand this post (congratulations! I know I don't have the best writing English), the test will be piece of cake to you.
The Interview
I never had problem with talking, so interview wasn't a thing to matter to me. At least, up to see some friends dropping out the process at this phase.
The interview is the moment you're face-to-face to a professor and must convince him you really want to research for improving the knowledge of a specific area, not just trying it for resumé improvement. (If you want a resumé update only, I recommend you a lato sensu program, not a strictu sensu one.)
At the interview, you'll be asked about your research plan, the reasons you want that research topic, if you already have combed for references, the importance of your research project and others exhaustive questions about your choice: get ready for this!
Of course, if you want it by heart, the interviewer will see it and you'll be great.
From a personal point of view, it's not a tough part of the process but, for the both sides, a decisive one: it's when you (really) start thinking about your academic vein. Always keep in mind that a graduate course is founded on academic basis: if you want something much "professional", with market focus, maybe it's not the best choice.
Finishing The Advices
Finally, it is the end of the post. Certainly, this is not the final reference about graduate courses at University of São Paulo, but an (short) introduction.
Now, it's time to think and "get in touch" with graduate students and professors (to get others hints!).
Let's work!
References
- http://www.usp.br/internacional/home.php?id_cont=4&id
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_degree#Brazil
- http://www.cs.uta.fi/ucit/About%20research%20plan.pdf
Palavras-chave: master of science, master's degree, msc, postgraduate, usp
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