rising_star

I have an F on one of my transcripts and I never talked about for MA or PhD program admissions. In fact, I never addressed my grades at all.

Strip it to the bare bones. Start by telling them what you want to study and why, then explain why you're qualified to do so.

You can definitely get funding for the MA, just check the school's website before applying. And, while you can go elsewhere for the PhD, you also want to make sure you get the best master's experience you can.

There has been funding for MA students in the past, primarily as a TA for one of the general education courses offered by NES. That may change due to the university's budget situation.

FWIW, I think some people take professors' responses too seriously. For example, my advisor sends short, sometimes abrupt emails. Why? Because he's busy and doesn't have time for lots of things. BUT, he's a great person to work with because he's sharp and will carve out the time for you if you let him know in advance. So, take email for what it is: an impersonal means of communication. Don't let the absence or perceived coldness of a reply keep you from applying if everything else indicates the school is a great fit for you.

Maybe, maybe not. I always applied right at the deadline (procrastinator by nature) and got admissions offers in January from two schools with Jan 1 deadlines... YMMV of course.

Actually, it'd constitute falsifying part of your application, the penalties for which are often spelled out in the application materials somewhere. At some schools, this can be grounds for revoking your admissions and/or funding.

Maybe take a look at Kansas. Also, I think Deb Cowen (at Toronto) might do research in this area but can't remember. If there's a military geography specialty group of the AAG (Association of American Geographers), you can look up their members on their website.

The only reason I can see for getting multiple master's degrees is to facilitate teaching at online universities or community colleges that require a MA and then 18 graduate hours in whatever area. BUT, 18 hours is less than a master's so actually I'm not sure why people have multiple, unless they change fields/programs and their new program requires them to earn one en route to the PhD. I considered getting a second master's (MS instead of MA) but decided against it because I don't think it would add any value to my credentials within or outside of academia.

You can send it whenever you want. The schools know they will be receiving applications. And really, things get lost regardless of when you send them. I did have a program lose a recommendation letter three times. Really, most programs don't give a rat's ass if your letters are a few days late.

Probably depends on whether you're coming directly from undergrad or if you've taken time off...

This is almost exactly what I was going to say. I'm not at the highest ranked program in my field (and I did get into higher ranked programs) but I picked my department because my advisor is one of the best known names in our subfield. And really, that matters because when he writes me letters of recommendation for grants, people see his name and recognize it, even if they don't pay much attention to our university. I would apply, see where the chips fall, visit, and see how you feel about it then. Sometimes places that look perfect on paper are not quite right when you visit. Other schools that you may not have been so sure about may excel once you visit. (Of course there are schools that you're lukewarm about, visit, and decide aren't for you.) There's very little to be lost by applying, particularly if the department is strong in your subfield.

Would you be interested in applied anthropology programs? Also, Michigan State has an explicit social justice thing in its anthropology program.

I think it's a matter of how you phrase(d) the question. If you're asking for people that did their MA at one institution and are doing or did their PhD at another, there are numerous people on this board in that situation. I'm one of them.

Here's the thing: The first year is going to be tough regardless of where you are. Trust me on this. It's the hardest year, you're transitioning to graduate school, and it feels lonely because you have to meet people. Also, you have to get away from thinking that the grass will be greener on the other side. It may not be, and for all you know, it could be even more unpleasant. So, stick it out at least until you get a master's then you can re-evaluate your options. I find it helps to do non-school-related things, like taking up an activity or going to a show. Helps get your mind off of the stress and annoyances that accompany graduate school.

So I'm not in literature but this is what happened in my PhD apps. One of the schools I applied to has a prominent faculty member (Dr. T) whose work was foundational for theorizing my master's thesis. So, he's mentioned by last name in the list of theorists I drew on for my thesis. Then, in the "fit" paragraph, I mentioned that we had corresponded about my interests and working further on that. That said, he wasn't the primary focus for me, mainly because my interests shifted so there was actually another professor I wanted to advise me. Dr. T actually called one of my recommenders (because they're friends) and asked some questions about me and apparently gave him the heads-up that I was going to be admitted... I ended up not attending the university because it didn't feel right when I visited.

My university requires two transcripts because one goes to the department and the other to the graduate college. The advantage is that you'll have an official transcript in file in the dept office of whichever uni you go to...

I would send a separate portfolio, along with explanations for each graphic you include.

JNGD, I talked to that person in Fall 2007, as I was applying to PhD programs. I wouldn't completely discount something that someone told me, nor am I discounting what you said. I'm just making the OP aware of these things so that s/he can decide for him/herself. And while I'm at it, I should mention that Minnesota was having some serious problems the past few years but I don't know if they've been worked out.

I wouldn't worry about what time you send the email. No one really cares.

The program at Rutgers is very much an Africa-oriented one in terms of where research occurs. When I was considering applying there, a current Rutgers (now graduated) told me that anyone that doesn't do research on Africa is a bit of a pariah/outcast.

I'm going to respectfully disagree with some of this, with the caveat of maybe this varies by field and my discipline is more relaxed than others. I wouldn't bother reading abstracts or entire papers and asking questions about it in an initial email. Initially your concerns are if their research is staying in a particular area or changing (and, if changing by how much, but that comes in a followup email) and if they will be taking students. Everything else can wait. No need to cite their papers specifically, just say that you're interested in their research on X because it is similar to your interest in Y or you're interested in a particular aspect of X. They know what they've written and don't need you to cite/tell them. I also would not send any sort of attachment without getting permission first. A lot of email systems just automatically send messages like that to a spam folder so your email could go completely unseen. You can certainly tell them where you're getting a degree (or earned a degree) and in what field and give a brief sense of your interests.

I would just play it cool. Here's why: I hang out with a lot of faculty after class, over beer and dinner, etc. Are these invitations always given exclusively to you?

For critical theory, Kentucky leaps to mind, as does Univ of Georgia.

The other thing is that you can do your MA at one school and do your PhD elsewhere and that's not a huge deal. It's what I did, mainly because my research interests changed. Given your interests, you may also want to look into Ohio State, UT-Austin, Texas A&M (also has NSF-IGERT in Applied Biodiversity Science), and some of the MA-only programs like Miami (OH) and Miami (FL). Berkeley's funding situation is crap. It was crap even before the current budget crisis in California and within the UC system. Arizona's financial situation is as bad as California's but receives less publicity. The department has also had big cohorts for the past two years , so I imagine that their admissions will be down this cycle. To some degree Minnesota and UW-Madison are rebuilding their programs and have had some issues with faculty things so make sure to talk to graduate students and visit if you get in to get a feel for the place. Just some things to keep in mind. Some of your narrowing down will come from making decisions about your region of interest. Some regions are better supported at schools than others are and you'll want to have the most language and area studies support you can get.