archist

Hi! I was the UVA rejection. Got accepted into their architectural history master's program a couple days before so I figured a PhD rejection was coming. Hope you hear good news soon!

Me too!

Why do they trickle in like this? Does the admissions committee not discuss all the applications at once? It seems like it'd be more efficient to decide on the acceptances and send them out all at once instead of doing them one by one.

Does anyone know when UVa will send out more PhD decisions? I didn't get any information today, and I haven't received an email from a POI or an interview request. Unsure of what to think.

Does anyone want to claim the recent "results" posts? Or assuage my anxiety over not hearing anything yet?

Just from googling "neoclassical art history professors," it seems like Whitney Davis at UC Berkeley, Michael Charlesworth at UT Austin, and Richard Neer at UChicago all align with your interests fairly well. Also, make sure to check whether schools actually have PhD programs (Vanderbilt doesn't). My other recommendation for finding potential advisers would be to look at the authors of secondary sources you used for your thesis and see where they teach. Hope that helps some.

I'd like to second this question for art/architectural history instead of lit. However, I only want to work in the South and I'm willing to take non-tenure track or non-academic positions, so my situation may be a bit different. Generally, my research interests center on the architecture of the American South, and it's my impression that architectural history and historic preservation are fairly regionally focused. So I have a suspicion that staying in the South would allow me to do more relevant research and networking, but I don't know if the benefits of an Ivy League degree would outweigh those advantages (assuming I could get into an Ivy program). @Cotton JoeI'm pretty sure that we're in the same state and I'm attending the "historically English-centric private university" you reference. I love our English department and Southern lit and would be happy to message you privately about it if you want! (I know this is a lit forum, but I don't know how to copy this topic to art history so here we are)

Wow, thank you so much!! I was doubtful that anybody would be able to help, but this is exactly what I was looking for. As far as a HP career goes, I think I'd like to work for a state historic preservation office, do preservation planning on a state or city level, or work as a private consultant (helping agencies with NHPA/Section 106 compliance, preparing cultural resource management plans, etc.). I am a bit worried I'd get frustrated with the bureaucracy of government-based work, but right now I think it'd be a better fit for me than conservation or museum curation would be. Overall, I'd prefer researching and teaching but I just don't know that it's feasible. I think I'll probably just have to wait and see about funding. I'll probably apply to both master's and PhD programs, then see what makes the most sense financially after I receive offers. It's just so frustrating to wait though... Right now I think I'll apply to UVA, UGA, Maryland, and UT Austin for master's, and UVA, UNC, Emory, and UPenn for PhD. I am also considering master's at SCAD, MTSU, Tulane, UK, and Clemson, but their websites and discussions on this forum have made me hesitant. What did you end up doing for this year, if you don't mind my asking? @love2read

Hi everyone! I'm deciding where to apply for Fall of 2018, and I'm torn between getting a Master in Architectural History/Historic Preservation or a PhD in History of Art and Architecture (or both). This is tied to some indecision about my career path. I'm very tempted to enter academia as an art historian, but I think I would also really enjoy a career in historic preservation. If I did the former, I would choose a PhD, but only getting a master's makes more sense for preservation work. In an ideal world, I'd get a PhD, get a job as an art history professor, and then volunteer for preservation causes in my spare time. However, I'm worried that I won't be able to find a job as a professor, and a PhD wouldn't give me enough of a pay/hiring advantage over a master's in preservation to justify losing 5+ years of work experience (and paychecks) just to end up doing preservation with a PhD. I am also curious about the funding differences between the two types of degree programs. Most school's websites are pretty vague about how much funding they give (especially for master's students). Additionally, most preservation-centered programs are at state schools, and I am curious about how this affects the aid given to out-of-state students. My state does have a public school with a preservation program, but I'd like to go elsewhere if it's financially feasible. Finally, I'd appreciate any input about what schools best fit my interests. If I did get a PhD, I would research American architecture and probably focus on the 18th and 19th centuries. I would like to be in the southeast, if possible, since I'd like to work in the region and my research would most likely center on its culture as well. I would also like to be in the southeast if I pursue historic preservation, since I have heard that it is a very regionally focused field in terms of alumni networks of schools. For both degrees, I am a bit worried that the most "prestigious" programs aren't in the southeast, and I don't know if I would do better to go somewhere with a better reputation that doesn't align as well with my interests. In case my background makes a difference, I'm currently at a "top twenty" school for undergrad with a double major in Art History and History, should graduate with honors, have research experience, have had a couple of preservation internships during the summer, and should have good rec letters and GRE scores (planning on taking it later this summer). Thanks in advance for your help! Would love to hear from other 2018 applicants too.