hoawouldbe

I will have to consider it carefully. My aim would be to pursue a three-four year PhD afterwards, yes. While in theory I like the idea of pursuing a PhD in the US, I don't know if I could live there for the best part of a decade. The Williams MA appeals to me because with it I could scratch my study-in-the-US itch without committing the next seven or eight years of my life to living there. Is the Williams MA the best terminal MA in the US? I should add that I would need funding, so while other MAs might also be quite good, if the institutions don't offer funding opportunities then it's a non runner.

Hmmm. So I could emphasise the shortness of my existing MA if I were to apply to Williams. Yes, but as I said above, I could do the Williams MA in two years and then return closer to home to complete a PhD in three to four years, and still finish both degrees in five to six years, which is potentially several years less than a US PhD. I think I will apply to US PhD programmes regardless, though I think I would prefer Williams MA + UK PhD to a US PhD alone. I'm not sure. Plus, to me at least, it seems as getting accepted into top US PhD programmes is practically impossible.

As I said above, I want to get in for purely selfish reasons: I enjoy education, and would cherish the opportunity to remain in a taught programme for another two years; I would like to study in the US for a period of time. Maybe I'll email the department and ask. Otherwise I may begin to research PhD programmes in the US.

That's a good point, and one worth taking into consideration. I will have to consider again US PhD programmes—that is, if my original plan, to apply to Williams for their MA, is entirely implausible.

Thank for your reply, MaytheSchwartzBeWithYou (that's a mouthful!). That's exactly what I had thought. I might yet consider applying for PhD programmes in the US, but what's been putting me off is the time commitment: it would take seven to nine years, versus three to four years in the UK. I could do a Williams MA plus a UK PhD in five years, six at most. I thought this might have been a way to experience the US education system while still finishing one-three years earlier than I would in a US PhD programme. But you're right: it's a no runner.

Anyone?

Hi all, I have a quick question. How likely would my admission be to Williams if I already hold an MA in art history? Would my already holding an MA make my application more or less likely, and would it mean funding would be much harder to find? I would be an international applicant. The MA I hold is from the Courtauld. I intend to pursue a PhD in the UK (Cambridge, most likely) in a few years, but I would love the opportunity to study in the US and to stay in education a while longer. If funding was a possibility for me, then I would consider applying. Perhaps I'm a little mad.