rising_star

I don't know. I've had a hard time finding geographers in the US who do research on Africa. *shrug* Maybe I belong in political science? I think there are plenty of people who study North America (particularly the USA and/or border stuff with Mexico)...

YAY!! Congrats! Glad to hear it worked out for you!

That depends. How do you plan to pay off that 100K and would you rather not have that debt so you could buy a home? I'd to to UW-Seattle. It's a well-respected institution and I doubt a MA from there would ever hurt you.

Thirded. I'm waiting on notification of funding from two schools that already accepted me, something I find quite frustrating.

No.

I think there's a flaw in this logic. The idea of a "very attractive place" varies from one person to the next. Some jobs you could get less consideration for because you went to a big-name school and they think you'd use the job as a jumping-off point to get somewhere else. Sometimes your priorities change during and after the PhD. For instance, you may think you want to be at a R1 school teaching a 2-2 load and on the publish or perish track then realize that you'd be happier doing more teaching or more research, which would necessitate a change in what you think of as the right place for you. It's unfair to assume that everyone pursuing a PhD wants to teach at one of the top 10 programs in the field. If that is how everyone feels here, I'll slink away from the polisci forum with the final thought that that's completely unrealistic (like every Div I-A basketball player thinking they'll get to play in the NBA at the end of their collegiate career). Let's hope not everyone aspires to the exact same thing, otherwise there won't be anyone to teach political science at the state schools and "no names" so many of you have mentioned over in the undergrad stats topic.

If you want to reply, I'm locking this post as a duplicate. The other post can be found here: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=13291

Hawkeye, I have nothing to add on the specific programs other than to wonder why the department deadlines are so late. Are you planning to do this degree without funding from the department? In other news, I'm deleting your other post since it probably belongs here more than it does over in 'Applications'.

I wouldn't do anything for now. Just leave it be. For all you know, the person on leave could be more available/accessible than someone on campus (my advisor was this way last year while on a writing leave).

Are your master's in related fields to each other or to your planned doctoral work?

What an apropos username. This strikes me as bizarre. I wonder which is the real and which is the fake... Or maybe they're both real? Either way, let us know!

You may want to post this in the History of Art thread under the humanities.

yakuza, will the assistantship in the urban location be enough to survive? Or, think of it this way, where are most of the university depts in your field? That's where you'll likely spend the early part of your career so why not live somewhere else while you still have a choice?

Even so, it's definitely important to weigh the good and the bad. Not all PC volunteers are welcomed with truly open arms.

Why blakkbug? I'd totally watch that show. Then you could write an auto-ethnography of it and use that as your writing sample...

Alright, there are a bunch of new postings on the results page. Someone heard from LSU? Can you please confirm? And how'd you hear so early? Were there two admissions deadlines or something (I remember a Jan 25 deadline...)? Also, any idea where you're going to go and where you'll decline? Those of us still waiting on news are anxious.

First, no need to insult master's students. There are plenty of us on here. Second, go with the partially funded option unless you plan to have income on the backend that will allow you to compensate for the debt you'd be taking on to go to the Ivy. Third, the Ivy League schools aren't all they're cracked up to be.

I just wanted to say that not all MA programs will require you to fund yourself. There are plenty that offer funding to MA students through TAships or RAships. Check out the large state universities for these opportunities, if you're truly interested. As for languages, maybe try and find a native speaker to be your penpal / practice partner. Meet up for coffee once a week and converse in the language. Read newspapers in the language. Listen to podcasts. Do anything you can to keep your skills up.

Here goes my thoughts, as disorganized as they may be. I think it's important to consider what courses you ultimately want to be teaching and the type of student work you'd want to be advising. A regional studies MA or PhD is going to give you interdisciplinary training, but not the same depth in a traditional discipline, which could hurt you on the job market. I think the approach you're taking is a good one. An area studies MA with a disciplinary PhD will demonstrate to any search committee your ability to do both. Just make sure you stay active in both areas, through your research and conferences and stuff.

Find more work.

What I'm talking about with the waitlist can happen in ANY discipline.

I'm guessing most were email since he's currently in England but I didn't think to ask.

Quarex, I'm so interested in your database. What are some examples of the fields you have?

Not true. It isn't unethical. Often people get offered admission after April 15 when they're on the waitlist and other candidates turn the school down opening up slots and funding.

Sorry, nina. Definitely not the area I'm read in.