Language or Theology Training?

[katholou]

So, things aren't going as planned so far, and hearing that Indiana's only taking one MA student didn't help.

Anticipating striking out this year, I'm wondering how to best improve my chances for next year. Some parts of my application are strong (4.0 GPA, 1600 GRE), but having merely a BA in Liberal Arts from a Great Books school, I lack specific theology training. Also, though I have done a lot of language self-study, I haven't had the opportunity to take many language classes.

I'm trying to get into Early Christian Studies (something like Notre Dame's ECS Master's Program, ideally); would it be more beneficial to try a one year MST program, or a one year Classics post-bacc to strengthen the languages?

Hopefully this will be an irrelevant question, but I fear not...

[lovethequestions]

So, things aren't going as planned so far, and hearing that Indiana's only taking one MA student didn't help.

Anticipating striking out this year, I'm wondering how to best improve my chances for next year. Some parts of my application are strong (4.0 GPA, 1600 GRE), but having merely a BA in Liberal Arts from a Great Books school, I lack specific theology training. Also, though I have done a lot of language self-study, I haven't had the opportunity to take many language classes.

I'm trying to get into Early Christian Studies (something like Notre Dame's ECS Master's Program, ideally); would it be more beneficial to try a one year MST program, or a one year Classics post-bacc to strengthen the languages?

Hopefully this will be an irrelevant question, but I fear not...

For my money, I would say the languages are the most important. For ECS particularly, it would help to come in with a strong Greek and Latin background; and if you can take a semester or so of Syriac, you'll be golden. Notre Dame itself has great summer language classes that are fairly reasonably priced (I think around $300/course), so if you're shooting for that school, specifically, that might be a way to get your face known on campus, which does make a difference. Best of luck--with your scores, it seems like there can only be a piece or two missing from a really great app.

(Also, ND's ECS program overlaps the History of Christianity and Biblical Studies MTS considerably...so you might think about applying to that program too to widen your chances.)

[LateAntique]

I think doing the languages is really what matters in any early Christian programs. Because Notre Dame's ECS program is a joint venture between Classics and Theology, they tend to like candidates who have strong language backgrounds. If you can, do a summer intensive this summer and sign up for some classes in the fall.

[Sparky]

I'm in the language camp, too. Many religion/theo PhD programs don't even require an M* in religion, they just look for something related--I know that at my school, last year a good chunk of the entering PhD cohort had MAs in philosophy and undergrad degrees in philo, Eng, even math.

Also, having talked with a couple of ND theology profs at the medieval studies interview, I am now aware that ND's dept, in particular, is even more suspicious than most departments of the "language auto-didact" Wunderkind. So, get that formal coursework! Other options would include taking the Sat II Latin exam, although I you'll have a little troubling finding one for Syriac , or having an LOR writer attest to your knowledge of it. And of course your writing sample should cite primary sources in the original language (with translations, whether standard published ones or your own). But I'm with the others in that taking an actual class is still the best way to go about it.

And if ND is your goal, I agree with lovethequestions that you should consider taking a class there this summer. 2 out of the 10 of us prospective medievalists had taken the summer intro Latin course there. I don't know if either of them ultimately got in, but obviously it was considered enough Latin to get them to the finalist pool in a program where the second question on the admissions FAQ is "What about Latin."

And good luck on the ND waitlist to LateAntique & Noble. It would rock to see you around the library this fall.

[LateAntique]

And good luck on the ND waitlist to LateAntique & Noble. It would rock to see you around the library this fall.

Indeed! I need a Medievalist friend!

[Thanks4Downvoting]

I'd definitely go for getting the actual language classes under your belt for the next application season, but that's just me.