Choosing a subfield -- ADVICE??

[RPCV Cameroon]

Hi all!

 

Well, I already submitted most of my applications.  My proposed project has a very strong focus on language, and many of my POIs are linguistic anthropologists.  However, the project does bridge the linguistic, psychological, and sociocultural subfields, and I listed professors from all 3 of these subfields as POIs on my SOP.

 

Anyhoo, when filling out the online application, I wasn't sure which subfield to check, and I wasn't sure how much it mattered in terms of admission.  I figured everyone would see my application anyway, right?  And if they thought I picked the wrong subfield, they would ask me about it, right? 

 

I ended up checking "sociocultural" because it seemed the most broad, and because my background is in psychology and human behavior.  I do not have a background in linguistics (or anthropology).   My lack of a background in linguistics was mentioned by several POIs back when I was emailing them before applying, which is another reason I thought it might be smarter to check "sociocultural".

 

Well here we are ... I emailed my POIs to let them know that I did apply and that I listed them on my statement.  One responded and mentioned that I wasn't on the ling anth applicant list.  Of course, now I'm flipping out thinking, OMG!  I assumed they'd ALL see my application!  I thought there would be people from all subfields on the committee!  I thought they'd distribute the applications according to which POI was mentioned on the statement!!    You mean all my ling anth POIs won't get my application?!  OMG!   OMG!   

Should I be worried about this?  How *does" the circulation of applications work?  Did I make some faulty assumptions?  Should I call all the schools and ask to update that section of my application?

 

Help!  *

[daykid]

Hey,

 

I am also a ling anth person who overlaps with other subfields, in my case sociocultural and ethnomusicology. In all of my applications I had POIs listed in all of these subfields and music departments, which I think was generally good because it demonstrated that I would fit in well with multiple facets of a given university. If I had to choose a subfield on my application, I chose ling anth because that is where the bulk of my theory was coming from and the track I felt it best fit into, despite not having a traditionally "linguistics-y" project. I also didn't have a huge background in linguistics, though it wasn't mentioned to me.

 

As far as I'm aware, there was only one program I applied to where the different tracks didn't talk to each other about applicants. That was UT Austin.

 

You may want to call the departments and ask how applications are handled. That way you make sure that the people you are most interested in working with see your app.

 

Good luck!

[sarab]

Hi!

 

I also do both ling anth and sociocultural anthropology. My main focus is linguistic anthropology, so in my applications I explained which ling anth professors I wanted to work with and which sociocultural professors have research that overlaps with my interests. Fortunately for me, the universities I applied to didn't ask me to select a subfield (at least not that I remember). Anyway, from what I understand, in many universities the SOP are given to the faculty mentioned , but the whole application process is so mystified that is really hard to know how each university does it.

Definitely once you're in, you'll be able to meet and work with faculty that aren't necessarily in your subfield, so you'll be able to expand on your research. I think sociocultural sounds like a perfect pick in your case.

[RPCV Cameroon]

Thanks!  I'll try emailing the graduate secretaries.  It can't hurt, I don't think.

[ChelceCarter]

I know I'm late to the party, but I really like applied anthropology. Not many programs acknowledge it as a subfield, but it's super useful because it allows a person to use anthropology to impact a real world setting. For example, I'm applying to the applied program with a focus on domestic violence intervention.  I don't know if applied was an option for you, but if it was, it might be something worth looking into. 

[mutualist007]

My advice? Eschew interdisciplinary interests and an your research projects carefully so that they mimic the research of those who you later want to train under and then replicate.