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qwer7890

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Everything posted by qwer7890

  1. It seems entirely unprofessional and inappropriate (not to mention mean spirited) to share information about your wife's experience "on an admissions committee" on an anonymous, public internet forum. Even without identifying information, it breeches a vital trust that application materials are treated with respect and utmost discretion by faculty committees. I think you're doing a real disservice to everyone involved in the process.
  2. I'm not sure you'll have much luck finding an 'MA to PhD' program that will accept transfer credits from a partially-completed MA degree... in terms of PhD programs: students who enter with an MA degree (in the same field) can generally apply to get some sort of reduction in their coursework requirements, but even this varies from school to school -- some programs expect all students to take a full docket of coursework regardless of whether they're coming in with an MA. In terms of other terminal MA programs, I'm not sure how it would work with transferring credit. I suppose it would vary considerably from institution to institution. But in terms of finding decent programs: given your interests in museum education and contemporary art, you might do well to look at curatorial/museum studies oriented MA programs. To start, check out: Bard curatorial studies, Visual & Critical studies at the SAIC, Museum Studies at George Washington University... and keep searching along those lines. Good luck!
  3. If the professor signs his/her first name, I think it's totally fine to address subsequent emails "Dear First-name" -- if you're reaching out to a professor for the first time, go with "Professor Last-name" -- and I'd go with "Professor" over "Dr." -- but that's rather institutionally specific.
  4. Depending on the school... you might find a home for your interests in an art history department... but you might find a better home for your interests in a cinema/media studies department, or in a visual studies department, or in an english department. Which books (published in, say, the past decade) most directly inform your approach to "documentary/experimental film and photography"? What department(s) are those books coming out of? Where do the scholars who matter most to you teach? Which is all to say, there's no cut-and-dry answer to the question of whether you're a viable candidate for a PhD program in art history -- certainly your background in English/Media Studies doesn't take you out of the running... it's more a matter of whether you can make a compelling case for 'why art history'... or even better, 'why X (specific) art history department'... Also, to underscore theartman's advice... don't rule out a terminal MA. While your notion that PhD work is about "pursuing a specialized degree while doing research and writing" is a lovely one, it's also (I'm afraid) a bit naive. Go out and get some experience first, then decide!
  5. It seems to me like the best course of action is to describe where you're actually at in your research/writing/thinking process as truthfully and eloquently as possible. Which is to say, don't feel like you need to scramble right now to read all the most recent scholarship on "African American works" in order to project an air of confidence to describe a potential "thesis" -- an advisor will likely see straight through that anyways. Instead, focus on narrating your methodological and scholarly investments in the work you've done on "Jewish art" -- and then pose some smart questions/thoughts about how you envision yourself bringing those methodological and scholarly investments to bear on different objects by different sorts of artists. In other words, focus on narrating what you do know well and what type of thinker you are.... what sorts of questions you have asked in the past, and what sorts of questions you plan to ask as you begin work towards a PhD.
  6. Many, many programs (I'd venture to say most) would be conducive places to study critical theory. Don't focus exclusively on programs with a formalized "critical theory" component. Instead, focus your attention on pinpointing faculty who are engaging with critical theory in a way you find to be compelling... and apply to work with them.
  7. You should be okay applying without French and German--since you won't really need to rely heavily on those languages for in-depth dissertation research, it shouldn't give admissions committees much pause... particularly if you indicate a plan of sorts to take German class the summer before you begin. (EDIT - I see above you talked about taking French over the summer... but German should probably take priority) Having said that, the question of whether you should "apply to more safety schools" is a separate issue entirely. With a senior thesis that brings together two such disparate things as Edward Hopper and Kevin Spacey, you might be waging an uphill battle to convince PhD admissions committees that your interests are focused and sustained enough to finish up a dissertation within the next 5 or 6 years. For whatever its worth (from an anonymous internet advice giver), I'd recommend you add to your list several programs that offer robust terminal MA programs.
  8. the American Alliance of Museums maintains a job board: http://aam-us-jobs.jobtarget.com/jobseeker/search/results/ as does the College Art Association: http://careercenter.collegeart.org/jobs But I'd say that in addition to those databases, looking around the websites of the museums you're interested in working for is your best bet. Good luck!
  9. in addition to Berlant's Cruel Optimism (read it!), two other very recent books (published in the last three or so years) that I'd recommend (as a theoretical-leaning art historian) are: Our Aesthetic Categories by Sianne Nagi, The Forms of the Affects by Eugenie Brinkema. Also, add to your list Eve Sedgwick's Touching Feeling. The great thing about contemporary thinkers is that you don't have to just (metaphorically) sit down with them... you can apply where they teach and take classes with them, have them serve on your dissertation committee... actually sit down with them. So it's worthwhile, I think, on a practical level, to spend some time with contemporary theory before you apply to graduate school.
  10. right! and even more than just too bad and sad... this sort of system puts up huge roadblocks in the paths of first generation, lower income, older, and really, any sort of "non-traditional" students. I'm not saying that individuals can't overcome these roadblocks... certainly they can, but the system isn't on their side. Silencing the perspectives such students and scholars bring into the University is a disservice to us all. Also -- sorry to the thread for (possibly) derailing a very productive conversation about the real, on the ground, benefits of a funded M.A. Anecdotally, I benefitted tremendously from a funded M.A. before applying to Ph.D. programs, and would encourage others to do so too if that option is on the table. To answer the title of this thread "Advantages of Pursuing the (Funded) MA" -- I'd say yes (I know it's not a yes or no question) -- under almost all circumstances it's almost always advantageous to pursue a funded M.A.
  11. Another thing that hasn't been mentioned on this thread: humanities departments across the board (I think) are under pressure to decrease time-to-degree for PhD students. University administrations are incentivising this... and so departments, increasingly, have a vested (and often financial) interest in admitting students whom they suspect will be able to get to and complete a dissertation quickly. I think this, in part, accounts for Wyatt’s Torch anecdotal observation: “I also have the distinct sense that candidates with M.A. degrees in hand were largely favored over B.A. candidates this season. There were many exceptions, of course, but it feels more 70/30 than 50/50.” Which I think is right. The system is set up to favor students with M.A.’s -- increasingly more so. Which is to say, if you didn’t get into your top Ph.D. program and have the option to go for a funded M.A. — by all means do it. But as a general trend (Ph.D. programs, in a sense, outsourcing coursework to M.A. programs, many of which are unfunded), it's perhaps something to worry about.
  12. I think that across the board right now, in art history departments and among foundations, there's a renewed interest in questions of "materiality" and "objects" (and napoleon87, you can probably speak better to this as you've just gone through the application cycle, quite successfully it appears :-) -- for example, the getty research intstitute's theme this year is "art and materiality": http://www.getty.edu/research/scholars/years/future.html-- a good barometer of where the field is.... which is to say, i don't think you'd be an "island" necessarily in an art history department -- your interests seem to align well with some of the most current trends in the field. so, if you do decide to apply to art history departments, it's still a question of coming up with a good account in your application essay of why the tools/methodologies of art history matter to the objects you care most about...
  13. i know this is a totally generic question that you've probably thought a lot about... but... why do you want to think about "material culture" from within an art history department? and which scholars, working within art history departments, are asking the sorts of questions you care most about? let the answers to these questions guide where you apply... and worry less about the program as a whole having an explicitly "material culture" focus.
  14. sorry brown_eyed_girl... certainly didn't mean to pick on you! i just didn't read very far up into the thread... there's no harm dropping a line to your POI and/or the department admin. at the school you haven't yet heard from to let them know you've accepted an offer elsewhere, but you hope your paths cross in the future...
  15. Once you've accepted an offer officially, it's the right thing to let the other programs know, even if your application is still pending -- that way they can offer the spot to a student who is more likely to accept.
  16. Also, don't forget to think long-term about funding. Entering into a PhD program with only partial funding might mean no (or fewer) loans in the short term but might come back to haunt you in the long-term -- if you have to delay finishing your dissertation because you constantly have to cobble together a living wage... which is why it's so important to talk to PhD students in their 5th, 6th (7th, 8th, 9th, 10th years.......) to see how they're faring.
  17. Neither is a bad option, of course.... To add to c m's solid advice: another very important consideration is where you are as a scholar and a thinker. Do you have a strong sense of your own historical/methodological convictions and a solid notion of what you want to write a dissertation about? Or, do you feel like you need more time to explore? If the latter, then maybe the MA is a good route -- that way, if/when you reapply for a PhD, you'll have a much stronger sense of where you want to go, why, and who you want to work with. Also -- and this is important -- when you say "a decent school with probable TA position (with all the funding perks) not a bad option"... do you mean guaranteed funding for 5 years with living stipend? If not, then make sure you talk to current students and really think through carefully what 6+ years will be like -- having to pause research/writing to constantly apply for funding can be a huge time/energy/motivation drain (and really effect, in a major way, quality of life and research).
  18. Your "messy" academic record isn't a death knell... but it *is* something that has to be overcome by demonstrating how serious and focused you are now. I'd say adopt the following attitude of sorts: "hey admissions committees, this was my journey to get where I am now... it was hard and long... but where I am now is pretty fantastic: I'm totally proficient in French (make sure you get there), I can read Latin, I'm a fantastic writer, and most importantly, I now know what I want to do, what I want to research, and I'm totally 100% focused on doing it..." Which is to say, there's nothing you can do to change your academic record... and it could be a liability if you let it define your current seriousness... so make sure you emphasize how serious, focused, and smart you are now... and the rest is just your history/journey to get there.
  19. condivi is right. publications before graduate school are not expected. don't worry. however, do make sure your writing sample demonstrates a good cogent argument, methodological approach and deep engagement with the best, most recent scholarship. demonstrate your "academic" credentials with a solid writing sample and a smart personal statement. also, in the time being, if you're concerned about looking more "academic," submit a few abstracts to conferences...
  20. just call the department office for clarification...
  21. GRE is pretty much a formality -- seriously, don't sweat it. Maybe (and just maybe) for very large MA programs they matter a bit more -- but for the smaller MA programs (Williams, Tufts, etc.) and PhD programs, they're looking at your application to assess whether or not you'll thrive in graduate school. Work instead on your personal statement and writing sample.... make yourself comprehensible to them as a scholar with a set of driving interests, methodological investments, etc.
  22. Go with the recommender who can speak most directly to your ability to thrive in graduate school. Based on the info above, sounds to me like "option a" would be your best bet -- since that person can speak to your writing, comportment in the classroom, and museum experience. But really, both sound like sound like solid options.
  23. Another thing: at admitted students' days, you meet a whole group of people who have done the application process just as successfully as you have, really for the first time. It's often a good time to have frank conversations with peers--both other prospective students and first and second year students in the grad program--about the application & decision process. Once you're admitted, current students tend to be more forthcoming about why they chose X program over Y... and if you're facing the same (or similar) decisions, this can be extremely clarifying/illuminating.
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