Study PhD Programmes in El Paso, United States

El Paso at a glance

El Paso, Texas, also called ‘’the Sun City”, in the U.S., due to its sunny weather, is a city on the border with Mexico, with a very diverse population, tolerant atmosphere and bustling economy. Its rich heritage and young population have made it an attractive destination for international students from around the world, in the search for a quality education in engineering, computer science or social sciences. It is a reasonably affordable city, with many career opportunities, especially in the energy and education sector, constantly requiring additional graduates as high-skilled employees.

650K

Population
888 - 1650 USD/month

Living Costs
1

Universities

Studying

Studying in El Paso

The universities in El Paso offer numerous options for both Bachelor’s degrees and Master’s degrees, as well as some options for online PhD courses. There are lots of options for those interested in a Bachelors of Arts, with specialisations such as dance, theatre, music or creative writing, as well as for those interested in social sciences like history, sociology, psychology, political science or anthropology. For graduate students, they can advance their education in their preferred field of study with the many Master’s opportunities in heritage studies, history, economics, accounting or foreign languages, as well as the technical options of a Master of Computer Science. Additionally, you can find several MBA options, as well as interdisciplinary study programmes in engineering with various majors such as construction management, civil engineering or biomedical engineering.

The teaching style is highly market-oriented, with the main objective of acquiring practical skills. In the case of arts and humanities, the universities approach teaching from a pedagogical point of view, with the clear purpose of training professional teaching staff, as well as analytical experts.

Career

Career opportunities in El Paso

El Paso’s economy is very varied, being well connected with the international market. The largest employers in the city are the U.S. Army and the local government, through the military bases, schools, state administration, universities and hospitals. There is also a large energy industry sector, represented by Western Refining and El Paso Electric, which employs engineers and business majors. El Paso is also home to many IT and media companies such as AT&T and Verizon, which are constantly in need of computer science graduates. Proportionally, teaching staff for both schools and universities represent a third of the local workforce. Overall, the business sector is the fastest growing sector by demand of new employees. This benefits universities, which organise joint internship programmes to ensure employability and experience to their students and graduates.

Life

El Paso city life

El Paso is a very lively city, with many festivals and annual events for all types of leisure activities such as:

Amigo Airsho
KLAQ Great River Raft Race
Southwestern International PRCA Rodeo
Fiesta de las Flores
Neon Desert Music Festival
Music Under the Stars
Viva! El Paso
Sun Bowl

Given El Paso’s long history and heritage, there are several landmarks and tourist attractions to visit:

Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens
El Paso Holocaust Museum and Study Centre

El Paso Museum of History
War Eagles Air Museum
The Gene Roddenberry Planetarium
Abraham Chavez Theatre

El Paso is a reasonably large sports centre, with teams playing in the national leagues in American football, ice hockey, indoor soccer and basketball. There are, also, plenty of amateur sports competitions and concurring leagues, especially at a collegial and high school level. There is also an annual marathon, as well as hiking and rock climbing competitions around the city.

International atmosphere in El Paso

The city’s population is very diverse, with 80% being of Hispanic descent, alongside communities of Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans and other immigrant groups. This makes El Paso a tolerant and diverse city. English is the official language but Spanish is spoken by the large majority of the population. The people living in El Paso are mostly under the age of 24, thanks to the influx of immigrants and international students. This helps preserve the city’s dynamic atmosphere and multiculturalism.

Weather El Paso

Summers in El Paso are hot, with little or no humidity and the winters are mild and dry. Annual precipitations reach 9.7 inches (250 mm). The city also experiences periodical snowfall of around 7 inches (17.78 cm)/year, alongside winter storms. The average temperature for January is 57.7 °F (14.3°C), while for July is 94.7 °F (34.8°C).

Costs

Accommodation costs in El Paso

There are several affordable housing options in El Paso:

Rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre is about 610 USD/month, while three bedrooms cost 1,120 USD/month
Rent for a one-bedroom apartment outside the city centre is about 510 USD/month, whereas three bedrooms cost 990 USD/month
On-campus housing cost around 110 USD/month for single rooms, 375 USD/month for double rooms and 292 USD/month for triple rooms.

Living costs in El Paso

El Paso is a moderately affordable city, with the cost of living ranging from 740-845 USD/month, excluding accommodation. Utilities and services cost 132 USD/month and food costs reach 245 USD/month. A monthly transport pass is 38.5 USD, while a one-way ticket is 1.5 USD.

Universities in El Paso

University of Texas El Paso

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is forging dramatic new directions in higher education. UTEP has become a national model for creating and successfully executing highly competitive academic and research programs while maintaining a deep commitment to serving a 21st century student demographic. 

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