Chong0318
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Posts posted by Chong0318
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On 4/2/2017 at 0:09 PM, thelionking said:
I don't know anything about your field but it sounds like the first program would only give you half of what you are looking for. But it sounds like your solution to the lack of film-making training would be to get on the job training afterwards.
Have you looked into what type of background you need to get one of those film-making on the job learning opportunities? How easy/difficult is it to get one? Would the training be equivalent or superior to the training you'd receive in school? I think these are important questions to ask professionals who are doing the work you want to be doing. Either ask personal contacts or do informational interviews. If you go this route, it will be crucial for you to land such a position, otherwise you'd be required to go back to school again to learn the filming skills.
I'm not fully clear on why you aren't sure about taking the second offer.... Does it have to do with the location of the program (NYC vs. LA) or more to do with the length of the program compared to the first school? Sorry for my ignorance but I wasn't sure about what you meant by "commercial" (I think you mean blockbuster movies). Would documentaries would typically fall under the "independent" category?
I really think you should be talking to people who do the work you want to be doing as they would know what it takes to get into the industry.
Good luck!
Yeah, you are quite right that it is crucial for me to get clear what job skills I am lacking. Actually, I need both anthropology theories study and documentary filming skills.
Now I am more intended to USC because it is a one-year program which means the less financial burden on me( both two programs has no any financial support so far ) and its courses' design seems very practical in making films. NYU’s program has to learn three core courses(one semester) about film theories which I am not interested in so much.
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I have to make a decision between two programs: Master of Visual Anthropology in USC and Cinema Studies in Culture and Media at NYU. The first is a one-year program and based in Anthropology department to make ethnography movies, whereas the NYU's is a two-year program and more focusing on filming (the program is cooperated with anthropology department and have many courses in anthropology field)
I am interested in the crossing field of documentary filming and anthropology. After getting the master degree, I will seek a job in the USA in the related industry to gain experience to make documentary films.
Now I am more intended to USC because it is a one-year program which means the less financial burden on me ( both two programs has no any financial support so far ) and its courses' design seems very practical. NYU’s program has to learn three courses about film theories which I am not interested in so much. Actually, I need both anthropology theories study and documentary filming skills ( not cinema theories).
I also heard people say that "studying the independent and art films go New York and Commercial films go LA". In my case, how should I choose? Anyone has experience in related field and can give some comments in this two schools or cities?
Thanks！
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anyone any comments?
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Hi
I have to make a decision between two programs: Master of Visual Anthropology in USC and Cinema Studies in Culture and Media at NYU. The first is a one year program and based in Anthropology department, whereas the NYU's is a two-year program and more focusing on documentary filming (the program is cooperated with anthropology department and have many courses in anropology field)
I am interested in the crossing field of documentary filming and anthropology. After getting the master degree, I will seeking a job in related industry to gain experience to make films.
People say that "studying the independent and art films go New York and Commercial films to to LA". In my case, how should I choose? Anyone can give some comments in this two schools or this industry in documentary shooting？
Thanks！
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Thank you for your comments! Big city schools are better for chasing a job. USC's program is very practical and courses are designed for the job market. Now I am more intended to accept the admission from USC, but as you said one year is so short to build a solid foundation.
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any body?any comments？
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Hey, thanks, man! You seem really know SFSU anthropology department very well and they have a long history in this field. Can you give some comments on USC and Chico state as well about visual anth and overrall? USC seems also quite strong in visual anthropology field.
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Hi
Now, I have got three admissions from USC, San Francisco State University and Chico State. The USC's degree is MA in visual anthropology and the others are MA in anthropology but has the specialty in visual media. USC's program is one year plus a summer film workshop. The courses are mainly focusing on documentary filmmaking. The other two schools are two-year programs, first year design of the general basis in anthropology theories, then the second year in visual direction.
It seems that USC has a better reputation in this field than the others. USC is definitely more expensive, but an only one-year program. During all programs, the professor, probably the future mentor, in SFSU shows the biggest interested in me, we have many discussions through email.
I am an international student. After the study, I am planning to find a job at Sates in the related field and I have no interest in purchasing PhD to go deeper in the academic community. LA and San Francisco are big cities. Chico is a small town. By the way, I checked the school welcoming video on youtube, and SFSU building is all new and today's style, seems quite boring.
Does anyone know more about visual anthropology and these three schools? Appreciate any your suggestions and idea.
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Hi
Now, I have got three admissions from USC, San Francisco State University and Chico State. The USC's degree is MA in visual anthropology and the others are MA in anthropology but has the specialty in visual media. USC's program is one year plus a summer film workshop. The courses are mainly focusing on documentary filmmaking. The other two schools are two-year programs, first year design of the general basis in anthropology theories, then the second year in visual direction.
It seems that USC has a better reputation in this field than the others. USC is definitely more expensive, but an only one-year program. During all programs, the professor, probably the future mentor, in SFSU shows the biggest interested in me, we have many discussions through email.
I am an international student. After the study, I am planning to find a job at Sates in the related field and I have no interest in purchasing PhD to go deeper in the academic community. LA and San Francisco are big cities. Chico is a small town. By the way, I checked the school welcoming video on youtube, and SFSU building is all new and today's style, seems quite boring.
Does anyone know more about visual anthropology and these three schools? Appreciate any your suggestions and idea.
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Nice to find this 30+club! It is never too old to dream! I have worked for about 8 years after getting my BA degree and taken a 2 year's gap year of world traveling. Hopefully, now I find what I really like and come back to school again. For me, graduate study is not only for the education, but also for a new life experience to live in a new challenging culture which is totally different from my homeland.
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Hi
Does anybody join in the GW university online graduate admission chat? This is not a interview invitation which only inviting potencial applicants, right? Seems like they sending to all applicants...Actually, I have two offers now and one is better the option of GW. Should I join in this chat? or just ignore it?
the mail "Join the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences at our upcoming online chat session. This chat is a great opportunity to ask admissions staff and current students questions about academic programs, the admissions process, student life, and much more."
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1 hour ago, CoffeeFueledAnxiety said:
I think this means that they do not guarantee any funding for your study. If you accept the offer and want some funding, you will need to apply and compete for the available scholarship in the university once you are officially a student there.
Thank you! That's also what I thought.
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10 hours ago, fuzzylogician said:
It's a common and very reasonable request, not one that should offend anyone at all. Good luck!
Thank u, man! I got the reply about the funding from the department " A number of scholarships are available after you come here, but we do not have fellowships that pay tuition. Very few universities in the United States have scholarships/fellowships for MA students." How should I understand these words?
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39 minutes ago, fuzzylogician said:
Ask them about a deadline for the decision and mention that while you are very excited about the offer, you are still waiting to hear back from a few others schools and would like to have all the information available before making a decision.
As for the I-20, if I remember correctly, I got one randomly in the mail from a school that I didn't end up attending, but not from any of the others. It was a little strange. But yeah, it happens. With all the immigration craziness going on right now, I wouldn't be surprised if schools have a policy of getting things done as soon as possible. Just don't do anything with it until you've accepted the offer.
Thanks so much for your quick reply! I just hope my answers of waiting for other schools feedback will not offend the offer schools' admission officer.
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I am applying the MA program and got my first offer a couple of days ago (this is much early than I thought). This school's specialty fit my interest very well, but the university is just in a "state level". The department graduate coordinator wrote me the letter for congrats and said: "In order for you to be eligible for priority enrollment for fall 2017 classes, you need to go on-line and accept the offer of admission." and start to discuss for the courses I want to choose for the first term. The graduate school sent me the letter as well and wrote "We are in the process of preparing a formal admission letter and I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for you and will email options for express delivery to you in the next few days. "
Both of them did not mention anything about deadline for consideration or program funding. I am also a little confused that does the I-20 Certificate send to international applicants only after the official accept? I have not got answers from other schools yet and is this a push to accept their admission? What should I do?
Any advice would be much appreciated!
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UCI has visual anthropology program in PhD?
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2 hours ago, bioarch_fan said:
Well if you're interested in tourism and environmental anthropology, then you should look at Mississippi State University and look directly into David Hoffman. He works in Latin America looking at both tourism and environmental anthropology in the region, specifically Costa Rica. So it might be a good opportunity to look into. Plus a lot of our students are funded, usually they won't accept anyone that they can't fund.
Actually Mississippi State is already in my applying list, with founding will be great. By the way, the professor works in Latin America, but I do not speak any Spanish. Is that will be a problem for applying?
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On 10/8/2016 at 1:04 AM, bioarch_fan said:
You're right. The applied anthropology field is using anthropological theories and framework to solve real world problems. I just started my MA program and it's an Applied Anthropology MA program, but my focus is bioarchaeology, so slightly different. It really all depends on what in anthropology you are interested in. Our faculty interests range in topics, as do many other programs. So it's best to narrow down what exactly in cultural anthropology you're interested in.
yeah, thanks your advise. my interests are in tourism, environmental anth, immigration and visual.
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a real treasure chest!
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thanks for sharing! but it seems not so many followers...
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Well, I do not know why I cannot edit my words up, so to continue here. In other words, the question maybe in a MA program, how much should my study interest meet the faculty members? As I find that in some schools the curriculum, the courses, are good for me, but the faculty members study areas may not so sure. So, can I conclude that maybe in the level of MA, the match of curriculum to my interest is more important than mentors? Is this similar to the difference between coursework MA and research MA?
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On 2/19/2016 at 2:15 AM, Tracyb said:
I applied to 7 programs for this cycle (2016) - 5 phd & 2 MA. I worked on applications for 8 months & had a very organized process, did a ton of research, etc.
(My project also focuses on modernity & class, although in the Amazon, not the US!)
What I did to identify programs was to look at websites for every 'top tier' school's anthro program, as well as some state schools in areas where i thought i would like to live. I had a list of all of these programs, and scratched out the ones that I had already gotten info from along the way.
Looking on the website, I got a quick, general sense of what the program focus was - and I did find a ton of programs for which class is a focus. BUT I did gather that most anthropology grad programs out there do not grant an MA by itself, rather, you earn one along the way to PhD. I know that McGill gives an MA. I applied there, and also to Berkeley's MA program, but that is a folklore emphasis & might not be fitting for you. The AAA has a guide to filter programs, and could pull up those that grant MAs, although I've noticed it's not 100% accurate & updated:
I quickly browsed through every faculty bio on each site. I took note of professors who I thought might be interested in my project, and made an excel sheet with those programs & the faculty members' names. I think that you should generally try to find a program that has at least 3 faculty members who are working on something similar. It doesn't have to be exactly your project, but should share some themes. Maybe that's not true for an MA though, but just a PhD where you need a committee of 3 anthro profs. to work with.
I then had a list of about 20 programs. I researched professor's work in more depth, by browsing papers they've written in databases (google scholar can be great, and there are free ways to access if you aren't currently enrolled anywhere). Sometimes there are youtube videos of faculty giving lectures or something like that. You can look at their CVs too, to see a full list of their publications. This allowed me to narrow down to about 13 programs I think. I then wrote to the 'main' professor (or maybe 2) in each department, very briefly introducing myself and my project, and simply asking if they would be taking any grad students in the next cycle. Sometimes they will not be (no funding in dept, going on sabbatical, etc), so you can eliminate that program from your list. Emails, I think, should be very short.
So a few months before deadlines, I had a list of 10 programs to apply to, but it became too much work to apply to this many - I have been working full-time while doing this. I narrowed the list down to 7. Each has to be tailored to the program & its faculty a good amount.
Similar advice is given elsewhere on this site (see forums about application advice! like the recent thread called '2013 repository'). But what's most important is identifying faculty that you'd like to work with, who share the same interests as you - rather than saying "i want to go to harvard". There might not be anyone at Harvard who can or wants to advise your project if it doesn't 'match'.
that's really helpful!
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“Honestly, what I did was I went through every single school in every single state that I could stand to live in and looked through their anthropology departments intently. I looked at every single professor and their interests and looked through their publications. That's probably the BEST way to do it so you're not missing any major school that you might have overlooked otherwise.”
choosing right program seems a tough work...
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Since no interest in going too deep in the academic field, I am seeking a standalone MA program for culture anthropology. My planning is after MA graduation to work for NGO or continue my own small business. Well, mainly two questions to consult:
First, there are many schools offer the MA program in "applied culture anthropology", but I do not have much idea about the difference between culture anthropology and applied culture anthropology. The applied anthropology is more focus on how to use the anthropology theory to solve real world problem? Maybe it is more suitable for me, as I am not pursuing the PhD after.
Second question is about the faculty studying preference. Some people say for PhD program it is important and necessary to match your mentor's area, but for MA it is not as important as PhD, because MA is somehow teaching the general methodology and theory. I am from East Asian, so when I choose schools, should I look for some schools which prefer studying in this geography area or it does not matter so much where they geographically focus on? Or if maybe it matters, but actually differs from university to university?
Thank you for all your help!
Chong
Visual anthropology in USC or Cinema Studies in NYU?
in Visual
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anyone any comments?