Medieval Studies

[zillah]

Anyone else applying to medieval studies programs? I know there aren't a whole lot of us, but I'm hoping someone around here can commiserate with me...

[scirefaciat]

Hi!

I'm also a medieval studies person, specifically northern europe -- Britain and Scandinavia -- but this year I only applied to one program. Where did you apply, and what are your research interests?

[zillah]

My area is later English and French literature, along with theology (particularly Augustine). For Medieval Studies programs, I applied to:

Cornell

Yale

Notre Dame (accepted)

I applied to CmLit programs at UChicago (accepted), Penn State, WashU, NYU, and Indiana (accepted), and English at Northwestern (accepted) and Chicago Divinity.

Where did you apply? Have you heard back yet?

[Lizzy23]

I have applied to Notre Dame, but I have received no news from them. I guess that it means that I am not accepted.

I am a latinist, though I have also a formation in French philology.

[hbehrens5]

I'm still waiting for Fordham and Western Michigan, has anyone heard? I saw a post last month for Fordham on the results page, but nothing since.

[Kam]

Is anyone else applying to any Medieval Studies programs this year??

There are lots of Medievalists on the board, but they seem to be concentrated in English Lit.

[Medievalmaniac]

Is anyone else applying to any Medieval Studies programs this year??

There are lots of Medievalists on the board, but they seem to be concentrated in English Lit.

The problem with applying to medieval studies (my advisor told me), as to comp lit programs, is that it limits your marketability more so than does an English, History, etc. etc. degree. According to her, if you get a PhD in medieval studies, you usually are looking at finding work at a school with a program specifically in medieval studies - and since there are only a handful, and people usually stay once they have tenure, that makes it harder to get a full time professorship. Also, with comp lit, same thing - usually you are looking at applying to a school with a comp lit program. Not always, of course. She very highly recommended I go into English, concentrating on medieval lit but also working in another era (19th c., 20th c. medievalism, etc. etc.) and do a medieval studies certificate instead.

NOT that I would not jump at the chance to work in a medieval studies program!!!!!!! Just repeating what I was told.

Edited February 22, 2010 by Medievalmaniac

[Kam]

That makes complete sense. I applied to a variety of programs this year, based on different factors. I guess whether or not a Medieval Studies program would be good depends on what you want to do after receiving a degree. (I'd think Comp Lit would be much more forgiving because you usually have a primary literature focus and depending on your background it in you could probably get positions in the related department.)

[Alea Iacta Est]

The problem with applying to medieval studies (my advisor told me) ... is that it limits your marketability more so than does an English, History, etc. etc. degree.

Agreed. This is one of the main reasons why I applied to history rather than to medieval studies programs, the other being that I'm interested in early modern history as well.

[Medievalmaniac]

Dear future professors of undergrads and teachers of secondary students who will write you awful, crappy, horrible papers that you then have to correct:

You may thank me later for making sure your students at least basically reference the medieval era correctly! lol Here is my first article on all things medieval, published and available for consultation for students who don't have a clue that "Middle Ages" refers to anything other than their parents:

http://medievalhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/correct-terms-for-the-study-of-the-medieval

I intend to do a series of articles on similarly-themed "corrections" of my own students' most common errors in writing about such things. I hope it helps - because lemme tell you, there's nothing more discouraging than getting a 10 pager that starts: "In the medieval times"....ACK! lol

[Venetia]

Hey, I only just discovered this thread!

While most of my applications were for English (for reasons that MedievalManiac and others have already mentioned), I did apply to the Medieval Studies Department at Notre Dame because one of my LoRs told me that their funding is better than that of the English department. However, their requirements are quite rigourous (you need at least 2 years of Latin). This seems to be the case at other Medieval Studies departments too- apparently the Cornell one only takes students who are devoutly inter-disciplinary (ergo amazing in several different subjects!). So most English applicants wouldn't make the cut, I don't think (not that you guys aren't all amazing, but come on- being PhD material in more than one subject? Insanity!). I know that I don't have high hopes for my Notre Dame app- I've still heard absolutely nothing from them.

[Sparky]

Hehe, I just found it, too.

the Medieval Studies Department at Notre Dame because one of my LoRs told me that their funding is better than that of the English department. However, their requirements are quite rigourous (you need at least 2 years of Latin).

Not necessarily. I've only got one...although I guess it's possible they miscounted! Also--and yes, I know the website doesn't reflect this, but there are quite a few changes that the website doesn't reflect, such as, oh, A @#(&*$ MULTIDAY INTERVIEW*--now apparently if you plan to focus on Byzantine or Islamic topics you can substitute classical Arabic or Greek for Latin.

* Not that I should be complaining or anything at this point, but really, advance warning would have been nice. This was the first year the MI has interviewed finalists, apparently, and it was...a little awkward at times. I guess it will be interesting to witness it from the other side next year.