Switching periods?

[Indecisive Poet]

Hi all,

I'm finishing up a 1-year MA program in the UK that, unlike most American MA programs, focuses on a particular period – 18th and 19th-century British literatures. Unfortunately, it's become increasingly clear to me throughout the year that I would rather be studying 20th and 21st-century literature and that that period (C20/21) and the theoretical approaches that fit it well are really where my interests lie. I plan to apply to PhD programs this coming fall for 2020 entry and I'm not sure how to play this. I can't imagine an application in which my background and WS are in Romanticism but my SoP says "I'd like to switch to Modernism" going over well – in theory, I know, there are ways to narrativize this, but I am positive that the much stronger application would be one in which I write an SoP about a project in Romanticism. My thought is that I will apply to programs that are good fits in both areas and that I will decide when I start the program (fingers crossed) whether I want to jump up a century or two or not. What do you all think of this approach? Departments, of course, anticipate that students' interests will change – does this apply to period as well? I have heard of some cases in which this has happened without a hitch.

I do plan to apply to a couple of UK programs as well which is more difficult because I'm expected to submit a full research proposal and stick to that project. I am thinking of either sticking to Romanticism, writing a proposal for a project that bridges the two centuries, or simply writing a proposal in Modernism and seeing what happens. Anyone have experience/advice here?

Edit: I should also mention that I'm just beginning my dissertation now, which is due in August. There is theoretically the possibility to change the dissertation drastically (as of now it's on Keats) so that it is in part or in full about the 20th century. This would probably be tricky as my supervisor is a Romanticist and I have already written a proposal that I am probably to some degree expected to stick to, and I'm not sure it's a good idea since I'm not up on my 20th-century scholarship at all. If I want to switch up my topic, it would need to happen now.

Edited April 21, 2019 by Indecisive Poet

[WildeThing]

I think departments expect your interests to change, and it’s fine if the happened before you applied. Just provide an apt explanation and show how the scholarship you have done leads to the scholarship you are doing and intend to do. The only thing I would be wary of is appearing as if you just like one period more rather than believe there are interesting things for you to investigate. For instance, I love Beckett and 20th century theatre but I have no new ideas to contribute to those fields, so I didn’t mention them at all in my application. Frame it as “the next step in my scholarship is X”. So long as you prove to be knowledgeable in the field you want to work in, I think you should be fine.

[urbanfarmer]

Hey, I made a very similar switch between my M.A. and starting my PhD. I've continued to have a foot in the door in terms of the earlier period, and my project will in some ways be influenced by that earlier period. A few pieces of advice:

1. What @WildeThing said about making it seem like the logical next step in your research is correct. Make the question you're asking so compelling that committees can't help but agree that it is important that you continue moving forward in time. Don't just say "I've used x y and z to examine Keats, and now I want to use those to look at W. H. Auden"-- instead, narratavize exactly how one must necessarily lead to the other in your intellectual path. 

2. While a project that "bridges" the two periods could be interesting, you need to find a "home" period to work in. Think of your work as being "inflected" by the other (i.e. you could write about how Romanticism inflects some of the 20th c stuff you're interested in)... you can't do both wholesale. The reason you can't do both is because hiring, by and large, is still done in very strict period-place bundles. So do you want to go on the market as a Romanticist, or a 20th c scholar? 

3. About the above-- don't propose something that you aren't actually willing to write. Making a strong proposal that incorporates the two periods will be harder, and so trying to make it work if you aren't all-in wouldn't be worth the trouble. Just propose what you want to do, if you want to make a move. 

4. You mention modernism, and also 20th/21st century stuff. This might just be shorthand for whatever you're thinking about, but I'd really zero in on what defines the place you want to go. T.S. Eliot is obviously different scholarship than Anne Carson is different than the beats. 

5. The idea of deciding once you get there is fine... the only disadvantage is that it'd be hard to cultivate the relationships/take the classes/do the extra things you'd generally want to be doing in your first few years spanning the distance between two very different sets of scholarships. Generally, when you start, you'd be already talking to the people you want to work with, and taking classes that you think will help you out in that area, then going to talks/conferences/reading groups/etc with that scholar/group of scholars. Trying to play it both ways will be difficult (although not impossible!).

6. Maybe just find some scholars that you think you'd like to work with in contemporary stuff, and send out a few emails. Be like "I've done work in Keats but because of reasons abc I'm finding myself drawn to X, and I've found your scholarship on it very compelling. I'm thinking about applying to school A, and am really excited about the program. (and then ask some questions about their scholarship/etc)." Then, in their responses, gauge the reactions. Are they excited about your ideas? Seem a bit wary about the switch? You can probably learn a lot! (But don't ask them outright if switching is ok-- you don't want to raise a red flag on your own)

[Indecisive Poet]

Thank you both very much for your advice! I've had an inkling of some of this stuff and other ideas I hadn't considered. I am still leaning toward sticking to Romanticism and switching as soon as I start (after having spent the year off thinking it through). I'd like to assure you both that I'm writing this post rather briskly so as to think about this as quickly as possible (impending dissertation!), but that I have spent the last two years thinking through my interests in both periods (I've been conflicted since undergrad) and that I have authors, theoretical approaches, and narrower interests in both periods than "I like modernism more" would seem to imply ?

Edited April 21, 2019 by Indecisive Poet

[The Wordsworthian]

I switched from 19th C to Early Modern for my applications and got in at one of my top choices still! Totally feasible as long as your research objectives are clear in your WS/SoP. 

[Indecisive Poet]

Thanks for the responses, everyone. I will probably stick with Romanticism and switch when I get there – but I've been having preemptive visions of connecting with exciting Romanticists and then getting to my program and having to deliver the "uh, hey, so I actually don't want to work with you anymore because I'm switching periods" speech if/when they talk to me about the work I mentioned wanting to do in my SoP. Hopefully this will not be as frowned upon as I am fearing ?

Edited April 27, 2019 by Indecisive Poet

[Metaellipses]

I wouldn't worry about disappointing people. Sure, there will be one faculty member that is mildly disappointed they might not get the chance to work with you, but a lot of people switch what they're doing in coursework. Don't think of it as showing up and then having to publicly switch disciplines. Sign up for a Romantic class only if you want to, but make sure that you take every Modernist class that comes your way. When it comes time to do orals, then you can make it clear that you're going to be pursuing a Modernist project. Orals is really the time when people make decisions like that based on period, since it's really all about establishing period knowledge. Prior to orals, I wouldn't worry about it. Have fun in coursework and take the classes that appeal to you. Switch advisers to a Modernist whenever it makes sense (like, for example, if you hit it off with a Modernist faculty member after taking a class with them).

Edited April 27, 2019 by Metaellipses
noun verb agreement

[Indecisive Poet]

@Metaellipses This is such a genuinely helpful way of thinking about it – thank you! I suppose it's a bit solipsistic of me to think that a group of "exciting Romanticists" in a department would be personally disappointed about me no longer wanting to work with them, lol. I'm not sure why I was thinking it would need to be a big announcement rather than something I can work on on my own and then make plain before orals.