mountainold

That's good advice thank you guys! I think I will end up following the money. Thankfully, I won't need to take out loans for Yale, and it sounds like that is rarely the story for Columbia. I just haven't received the official offer from them so I didn't know. I didn't anticipate having options, and I think I just got excited at the prospects! To be fair, the curriculums are so different I felt as though I should put some thought into it ? Thanks again!

Thanks for that recommendation! You're right, the curriculum within YDS is definitely very Christian focused while Columbias courses were more geared towards Islam and regional/ cultural studies; however the YDS requirements are way more structured than Columbia which I think is a good sign, and I was definitely able to find relevant courses. They also seem to have good opportunities for interdepartmental study and have really strong Islamic Art resources through the History of Art department that I could take advantage of. I'm still in undergrad, so I can change course a little bit in terms of my "interest" without having wasted too much time or resources if that makes sense ? That was a helpful suggestion thanks! Totally agree with you about HDS, but unfortunately I was waitlisted. I guess I can hold out for that, but I think the odds of being admitted are pretty low, especially this year. I haven't received aid info from Columbia yet, but the program director told me they were assembling a generous package whatever that means... we shall see! Thanks again!

Hello! I’m having trouble choosing between programs, and I was hoping you guys might be able to help me. I want to eventually pursue a JD in Cultural Heritage Law, focusing on Islamic Artifacts, so thought it best to get a Masters in Islamic Studies/ Near Eastern Studies before doing so. I’m looking at Yale’s MAR (2 years full time) and a regular MA in Islamic Studies from Columbia (1 year full time). Can anyone give me any insight into why I might pursue this at a Divinity School rather than Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences or if the latter is even a good program? Thanks so much! This forum has been very helpful.