sakura

Does anyone have the scoop on Northwestern's MA in English? I know they have a good English Department, but I'm not so sure about the MA program. There are some professors I'm really interested in working with. Though, this paragraph from their website is the one that has me concerned: The English Department's Master's program is flexible in its requirements, allowing students considerable freedom in choosing courses in English and in related disciplines. However, this program appeals to a select audience, including students who may not have earned a Bachelor's degree in English Literature but who want to increase their knowledge of the literary canon and critical theory. Running in tandem with the Ph.D. program, the Master's program's admissions standards are exceptionally high, while financial aid remains unavailable. As such, the program matriculates a small number of students every year. Graduates of the Master's program have gone on to pursue careers in secondary teaching and publishing; they have also entered Ph.D. programs at the University of California, Santa Barbara, the University of Southern California, and elsewhere. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but it almost seems to say, "I don't know why anyone who is serious about their English education would want to choose this program, especially since we won't be giving you any money for it either."

I got accepted to NYU for an MA in English with specialization in English and American Literature. I know this is different from the Draper Program. Does anyone have any information on the M.A. in English? how it compares to Draper, student/faculty relationships, the program itself?

Hey Kursty, That post you wrote on May 6 was like something I'd write myself! I'm in a very similar position. PhD or not? not sure yet, but really attracted to this program. I just got accepted with a half-tuition scholarship. The other programs I applied to were traditional English and Comp Lit M.A.s at "prestigious" schools, plus Chicago's MAPH. I've gotten in everywhere (except still waiting on Columbia) and I got no funding from anywhere other than the New School (most big-name schools offer no funding for MAs as a rule). So, I am already looking at empty pockets - which hurts. - I don't know when or if you applied already, but obviously, the earlier in the cycle you apply, the more likely you are to get funding. The program seems really exciting to me, but yeah I do worry about the 'substance' as you put it. I too am not sure about getting a PhD but want to keep my options open. I kind of feel like (aside from potentially creating a really impressive writing sample) the New School won't help with getting accepted to a PhD program unless it is at the New School. (Though it is up for debate whether or not any MA program helps you get into a PhD program.) That said, if academe is not your ultimate goal, then I think you could get a lot out of this program. When I was applying, I talked to Emily Condon the NSSR liberal studies student liaison. She also said the professors were great and you get a lot of one on one attention from them. She said that it is such a broad department so all of the students are doing really different things, which is nice for being exposed to a lot of interdisciplinary thought and means there isn't really a lot of cut-throat competition, but also can mean everyone is doing their own thing and there is less cohesion in the student body. It also definitely means that you have to go in there knowing what you want to get out of it so you don't go in and just fiddle around for two years and come out two years older and that much poorer. Well, that's enough rambling from someone who doesn't actually know any more than you do. Just thought I'd contribute some solidarity. I've got to give them an answer ASAP, but if you happen across any more information, please share it here! Thanks!

Any more news from Columbia? I applied to the terminal M.A. only, and that wasn't even due until April 15th, so I am sure it will take a while, but I heard (though not from an extremely reliable source) that some people who were not admitted to the PhD program were offered M.A. spots already? Not sure how their system works, but thought I'd put it out there to see if anyone had any info. Thanks!

Hi all, I got the e-mail as well. Mine was from David J. Levin, and it didn't include a paragraph like that. It talked about how MAPH gives you a theoretical and conceptual advantage over other programs whose approach is narrowed by being limited to "the contours of field-specific" study. Though, I was not also applying to their PhD Program. I applied only to Masters Programs this year. My plan is to work in journalism / publishing for a while before going for a PhD. I am not ready to settle into academia for the rest of my life...yet. I was also accepted into the Creative Writing Option (creative non-fiction). This is pretty different from the other Masters Programs I applied to, which are mostly traditional English MAs. I'm trying to weigh my options. I think writing a creative thesis instead of a traditional one might be good for getting a job after graduation, but maybe work against me applying to PhDs later. How does a MAPH year look compared to other fields? Anyone else doing the options? Anyone have any thoughts on MAPH vs. traditional English MA? (Also got into NYU, waiting on Columbia and Northwestern)