Digital/Media Studies/Comp. Lit. Ph.D. Programs

[itslit]

Hi, everyone!

I'm new to GradCafe, and I'm reaching out to ask about any programs you all may know of with strengths or established faculty working in "digital culture"—broadly defined—or related fields. I'm a second-year M.A. student in a comparative literature program at a top-15 public university, and I am set to send out Ph.D. applications in the next month or so. I hold two bachelor's degrees in two national literatures from an all right R1 state university, and I graduated summa cum laude and with a good deal of research-related honors. 

In short: I'm attempting to make the jump from literature-literature to media and culture, and I'm not sure where would be a great fit. I only have a handful of grad-level publications, but they're all in popular culture (TV, film, adaptation), and I've been presenting on memes, bots, and patterns in e-discourse at some conferences recently (as of this semester). My biggest concern is that my transcript won't reflect my interests or indicate a solid background in what I hope to study (2 film courses, 1 popular culture undergrad course), so I am considering more interdisciplinary programs and comparative literature departments at schools that have certificates in digital media/studies. I'm less wont to consider myself interested in the "digital humanities," if only because I understand that more as a methodology (using algorithms, etc.) than as the application of cultural studies paradigms on questions of the digital, but I ask that you please correct me if I'm wrong in that assumption.

My theses, B.A. and M.A., thankfully do lean toward those things (TV, literature in the digital age, respectively), so that may stand in my favor. My GRE is all right—good enough to keep me in the running (or so I hope)—and I'm proficient in 3 non-English languages, working toward reading knowledge in two more by the time I graduate. I'm cashing in connections, close and distant, to try and get my name out there to the powers-at-be, but that could very well backfire. My recommenders are/were once well-regarded, too, for what that's worth these days.

I apologize for rambling. Here are the programs I'm exploring, and I would appreciate any feedback or suggestions you all could provide: 

• Stanford, Modern Literature and Thought
• Brown, Modern Culture and Media
• UMich, Comp. Lit. (certificate program in Digital Studies)
• UMN–Twin Cities, Comparative Studies in Discourse and Society
• UC–Davis, Cultural Studies
• Brown, Comp. Lit.
• UW, Comp. Lit. (certificate program in Textual and Digital Studies)
• NYU, Media, Culture, and Communication (probably not—early deadline—but... maybe?)

Part of why I didn't include some other programs is—well—their placement history isn't great, and while I'm not opposed to moving to another country for a good-paying, tenure-track position, everyone I know lives in the US. 

I would love to hear what you all think and hear from others in similar situations! Best of luck to you all during this stressful season. You've got this. Own it. 

 

 

 

[p287]

Hi itslit,

We are in similar fields — DM me if you'd like to connect. I’m not an expert on admissions, but your list of schools looks good to me. If you’re looking for more programs, I’d recommend checking out some Media Studies programs like those at U Oregon and CU Boulder. Also, check out Temple’s Communication program and see if it’s of any interest.

Good luck!

Edited October 26, 2018 by p287

[jrockford27]

Consider Pitt's interdisciplinary Film and Media Studies PhD.