Bumblebee9

Hello all! I'm wondering if students with BAs and Masters in different fields (and little geography course work) are commonly accepted into geography MA or PhD programs. I'm interested in switching fields. I've always had an aptitude for courses in the social sciences, but I followed the humanities track instead. Now I've got an MFA that I loved every minute of getting but don't have much use for. I took only one geography course in my undergrad (other somewhat related courses: anthropology, language and society, philosophy of the environment, some themed history courses, etc.). I really regret not taking more geography classes--I was very interested in the field). I am most interested in culture and place. My interest has lately been renewed by authors like Terry Tempest Williams and John McPhee, who make connections between society and place. Would pursuing a PhD program be appropriate, or should someone with a masters in a different field apply to MA programs? I kind of feel locked into the humanities track.

10 days . . . If yes, it was worth the wait. If no, I'd rather have been denied right away.

Franco CV MFA Creative Writing -- new descriptive abilities: shadowed beige building = shadow-colored building MFA Film Studies -- starred in many movies ... I think his application would get lost in the 700+ Yale received, fame or no. So, I figure he didn't even do the official application like the rest of those who applied (I didn't btw, just disillusioned by what pop fame gets you even in academia). You can tell me he was more qualified or a "better fit" than everyone else who applied, but I won't believe you--excuse me while I take a bit of a nap. The literary journal I work for may or may not have gotten a terrible fiction short story from Corey Haim, but his story certainly isn't in our next issue.

You'll find out soon enough. Grad students generally aren't stressed "all the time," but tension and deadlines run high a lot of the time. For a comparison: I took 6 classes (24 credits) my last semester of undergrad (I needed to graduate in 3 years) One of these 6 courses was my senior seminar in which I had to write a 30-40 page honors thesis I worked 3 jobs (time fluctuating between 30 and 60 hours per week) Plus I volunteered my time as a UG-TA (usually grading papers) *Even with that workload, I had more time to myself as an undergraduate than I do as a masters student taking 9 to 12 credits (3 to 4 classes) a semester, writing my thesis (140 pages/40,000 words), TAing (instructor of record for one 100-level course and one 200-level course), being a member of a couple curriculum development committees, presenting at conferences, and other odds and ends expected of graduate students. Time management, as everyone else is saying, is essential. Here's my order of priorities: 1) teaching, 2) coursework/thesis, 3) professional development (committees, conferences, random certifications, etc). It's worked for me so far. I'll be done in May with a terminal masters. Time breakdown (average week): In class: 9 hours Homework/thesis: 30 to 60 hours Teaching/grading/office hours: 20 to 40 hours Sleeping: 40 to 56 hours (when you have multiple big/important assignments due, sometimes you just don't get to sleep at night) Left over: Readings, committees, conferences, parties Also, graduate school is what you make of it. If you don't feel challenged, there are usually plenty of opportunities to work yourself harder: internships, assisting profs with research, mentoring, joining/running graduate organizations, trying to publish (important if you want to continue on to a PhD). Coming from Carleton, I know how strenuous undergraduate programs are. But in general, no undergrad will hold a candle to the type of work expected from you at the graduate-level. (Students who feel their graduate work is too easy have either built up their expectations beyond reason or are in the wrong program or at the wrong school).

I would take no more than three. I've taken 1, 2, and 3 courses during summer session during different years (some that only ran 2 weeks long). If the courses are for 3 or 4 credits, you have to remember that you will be doing 15 week's worth of regular coursework for each class during those 6 weeks. *Twice as much work per day as you would normally have in a full semester masters course.* That means tons of homework/reading/papers squeezed into a small amount of time. If you have a job/family on top of this, three becomes very very difficult to manage. Motivation is the key. When I took 3 courses during summer session, one of which was an independent study, I was frazzled. I also worked 20-40 hours a week. Needless to say, I don't remember much about that summer. I would suggest reading ahead if you get any of the text/assignments before class starts. Or take only one or two courses to dip your toes in before you begin your formal masters coursework (unless it is absolutely essential to your coursework that you complete a certain number of summer credits--like my MSW friend who is required to take 9-12 credits summer, fall, and spring). Summer courses are a good way to adjust to masters-level work but don't overdo it.

I'm wait listed at two programs with no acceptances. I emailed both programs about a week and a half ago to see if I could get some kind of status update but neither has responded. Starting to feel tiny. I know there are only 16 days left until D-day--chances seem to get slimmer with the passage of every day.

Most professors will tell you, if you could be happy doing anything else other than teaching, don't get a PhD. Viewing a PhD as a personal accomplishment is good, but you also need to have some kind of career-minded goal to get you through, at best, 5 years of schooling or, at worst, a decade+ (like my cousin who is stuck on her dissertation). It sounds to me like you would be happy doing something else: editing. I would suggest an MA in rhetoric or technical writing, which really focus on editing as a means to an end other than teaching. Most English lit PhDs end up teaching (full or part time -- in education, civil, or government jobs) because there aren't that many other obvious outlets for utilizing a lit PhD. Also, you don't need to attend a formal lit PhD program to continue investigating your scholarly interests. It helps--gives you mentors, academic atmosphere, community of learners, deadlines, etc--but the degree isn't 100% necessary even to get published in the field. It is 100% necessary to get most tenure-track teaching jobs. When applying, most PhD programs will ask you to address in your SoP what your personal and professional goals are and admit students based on whether those goals match the needs/wants of the program. (It seems like most English lit PhD programs want their graduates to get good tenure-track jobs at decent colleges/universities.)

This whole wait list process is souring me on phd programs. Unfortunately, I'm starting to second guess myself and my capabilities even though I know I could flourish at the phd level given the chance. I also feel that IF I ultimately got in, I would feel a little alienated from my peers who presumably were the program's firt choice (even though I wouldn't tell anyone I was initially wait listed).