Art History Interview Prep

[Modconart]

Hi everyone! Thought I might start this thread as some schools may begin to send out interviews (seems like NYU, Northwestern, Yale, UCB, Michigan and Stanford do, among others). How do you prepare for PhD interviews? If you are already in a doctoral program, do you have any advice? What kinds of questions should one expect? What kinds of questions should you ask?

I've gathered a few I've seen in the past but would love to hear your suggestions and thoughts!

Potential interview Qs:

• Tell us about yourself/ your research interests
• Expand on writing sample/ SoP
• What are you currently reading?
• Who is your favourite theorist/ historian?
• If you had to plan a seminar, what would it be on?
• Why do you feel ____ is a good fit for you?
• What resources of this program will be the biggest benefit to your work?
• What/who are your influences?
• Why do you want to do a PhD? Why now?
• Can you explain the continuities (or shifts) between your past/ current research interests?
• Your work reminded me of X scholar. How does your work relate to them?
• How does your work contribute to the field of art history?
• Does X event happening in you region of interest change your project? 
• What kinds of archives will you explore?
• Why Art History? It seems like your work could do well in different fields (esp. if your focus is interdisciplinary)
• What art historian has greatly influenced your work?
• Tell me about your methodology
• What is your vision of your professional identity as an art historian?

Questions to ask:

• What direction is your research headed in?
• I would like to know more about X book project?
• Can you have a professor from another institution sit on your committees? 
• What is your placement record/ where do your students often end up?
• How would you describe your teaching/ mentorship style?

 

Please feel free to add some more Qs! 

 

[venusofwillendork]

Hi!  I’m also going through the PhD process so I’m so glad to see this thread.  Thank you for making it @Modconart ?

These questions are awesome!  I’ll add a few --

Some questions I have been asking during meetings with POIs:

• How interdisciplinary is the program, and in what ways? (This one because this is an aspect I am specifically looking for, and want to know if the dept. is using it as a buzzword or as a practice)
• What courses do Art History students typically TA/precept for? (Again, because my long-term goal is professorship, I want teaching experience both in surveys and in more specific courses with my POI)
• Are there opportunities to design a course or to be the instructor of record?
• What does the timeline to degree look like in practice? I.e., do most students complete their dissertation within the 5-year funding package, or do they tend to need extra time?  (This question also points at where students are going afterwards – if they already have positions when they graduate or if they’re dragging their feet)
• Is there a strong lean in the department or in the cohort towards academia or towards curatorial practice?
• Where do your graduates work now?  How quickly did they find jobs?
• What kind of professional development opportunities are available on campus and in the department?

And a few questions to prepare for (but your list is already fantastic):

• Is there a specific lens or framework that you use in your work? (i.e. feminist, critical race theory, etc.)
• If you were designing your dissertation today, what is the topic? 
• Why do you want to work in this specific geographic location? (implied: are you prepared to move here/live here)
• What research experience do you have that will prepare you well to take on doctoral work?
• How does your work experience fit with your scholarly goals? (if relevant)

Did you do interviews when you applied for your MA?  What were those questions like?  Thanks and good luck!!

[Modconart]

Hey @venusofwillendork, thanks so much for adding these! They are all incredibly helpful.

I did not have any formal interviews when I was applying to my MA but I did reach out to profs whose work interested me. I don't think it mattered too much for MAs but it certainly makes a difference for PhDs!  I visited some departments in November and met with my PoIs from each dept. These meetings were more casual interviews. Not stressful at all. They just asked broadly what my research interests are, what I thought about X and Y scholar in my field, what other places I am applying to etc.. I imagine the interviews that happen once they begin reviewing your application materials are a little more formal and motivated on their end.

If you get an interview, then your application clearly stands out and they mostly want to know more about your character, intellect, and fit. Are you intellectually compatible with your PoI? They want to know how your mind works and if the ideas in your SoP are truly yours. They want to know what your perspectives on the current debates in the field are/ how familiar you are with them. What is your motivation for a PhD? What is your work ethic? Will you follow through with this 5-7 year commitment, etc.! Show them how your mind works in real time  My MA advisor reminded me to try and gauge what their commitment is to teaching as that will reflect on their style and level of commitment as a supervisor and that profs can only take on a certain number of students in their career—so if you get chosen, you will essentially be a part of their academic legacy. You want to convince them that they should pick you. Show them your intellectual capacity (while remaining humble, of course), show them your commitment and motivation, show them you are capable and competent, draw on your research and work/teaching experience, draw on your language skills,  and most importantly, smile and take it easy! 

 

[venusofwillendork]

@Modconart this makes a ton of sense!  And yes, it does make sense that post-application interviews would be more formal than pre-application.  Some of the departments I visited did a mini-interview as I visited -- but those were ones that typically do not interview after applications. 

19 hours ago, Modconart said:

If you get an interview, then your application clearly stands out and they mostly want to know more about your character, intellect, and fit. Are you intellectually compatible with your PoI? They want to know how your mind works and if the ideas in your SoP are truly yours. They want to know what your perspectives on the current debates in the field are/ how familiar you are with them. What is your motivation for a PhD? What is your work ethic? Will you follow through with this 5-7 year commitment, etc.! Show them how your mind works in real time  

 

Thank you for these insights!  This is great to think about.  In interviews, I find it helpful to remember that they want me to succeed as much as I want to succeed.  If I'm a good match, then their work is done -- and if I'm not, then it's probably not the right place for me anyway.  Thank you for sharing & good luck!!!

[theoryschmeary]

Thank you for this thread! I just received some interview requests today and this is extraordinarily helpful! 

[Modconart]

4 minutes ago, theoryschmeary said:

Thank you for this thread! I just received some interview requests today and this is extraordinarily helpful! 

Congrats! That’s great news!! Glad this thread helped. What school, if you don’t mind me asking? 

[ncan360]

13 hours ago, Modconart said:

Congrats! That’s great news!! Glad this thread helped. What school, if you don’t mind me asking? 

I am also curious! Seems Yale, Stanford, and Northwestern have sent out interview requests so far. Not sure if they've all gone out yet? Any idea if they all come out at once or in batches, depending on specialty, POI, etc? 

[Modconart]

Yale was me. Was just a poi reaching out to me (should have mentioned, sorry!) they are still in the early stages of their process. If you are shortlisted they will contact you for an official interview late Jan. And Northwestern did officially send interviews to those shortlisted. Best of luck to everyone! 

[ncan360]

1 minute ago, Modconart said:

Yale was me. Was just a poi reaching out to me (should have mentioned, sorry!) they are still in the early stages of their process. If you are shortlisted they will contact you for an official interview late Jan. And Northwestern did officially send interviews to those shortlisted. Best of luck to everyone! 

Ah got it- that was you posting Yale on the results board? Makes me feel a bit better

 

Good luck to you too! 

[Modconart]

Yes, happy to have reassured! & thanks ? 

[Lllok]

40 minutes ago, Modconart said:

Yale was me. Was just a poi reaching out to me (should have mentioned, sorry!) they are still in the early stages of their process. If you are shortlisted they will contact you for an official interview late Jan. And Northwestern did officially send interviews to those shortlisted. Best of luck to everyone! 

Does Yale interview all shortlisted candidates? I had no idea they did interviews.

[Modconart]

3 minutes ago, Lllok said:

Does Yale interview all shortlisted candidates? I had no idea they did interviews.

I’m not 100% sure but that was the impression I got when talking to my poi. Maybe they are changing things this year? 

[renforall]

Some other questions that I've been asked recently:

• Tell me about the time you were in a position of leadership and what you gained from it.
• What is an example of an academic hardship that you've had to overcome and how did you deal with it?
• Why does your particular interpretation of the field relate to your chosen subfield as opposed to another historical moment that raises similar questions?

After doing some interviews, I can't understate how important preparation for these things is. I would also say be prepared to back up your general concepts with some concrete examples—relate it to an artist, artwork, or paper that you've looked at recently.

[Modconart]

Just now, renforall said:

Some other questions that I've been asked recently:

• Tell me about the time you were in a position of leadership and what you gained from it.
• What is an example of an academic hardship that you've had to overcome and how did you deal with it?
• Why does your particular interpretation of the field relate to your chosen subfield as opposed to another historical moment that raises similar questions?

After doing some interviews, I can't understate how important preparation for these things is. I would also say be prepared to back up your general concepts with some concrete examples—relate it to an artist, artwork, or paper that you've looked at recently.

Thanks for adding these! Were they based on your Northwestern interview? I got asked the same questions! I agree with stressing preparation. I also got asked how my thoughts have changed from when I submitted my applications especially with certain ideas in the SoP or the writing sample. Self-reflexivity is key here so make sure you elaborate on how some of your ideas changed or how you may think different about certain terms/ concepts/ methods now after having some time to reflect.  

[renforall]

36 minutes ago, Modconart said:

Thanks for adding these! Were they based on your Northwestern interview? I got asked the same questions! I agree with stressing preparation. I also got asked how my thoughts have changed from when I submitted my applications especially with certain ideas in the SoP or the writing sample. Self-reflexivity is key here so make sure you elaborate on how some of your ideas changed or how you may think different about certain terms/ concepts/ methods now after having some time to reflect.  

Yes, for Northwestern! Good point about being self-reflective. I also tried to highlight a certain openness about myself. They also asked some things that were tied to my area of interest in particular—did you experience the same? I may have missed if you stated your research area/interests in another thread, @Modconart.

[Modconart]

13 minutes ago, renforall said:

Yes, for Northwestern! Good point about being self-reflective. I also tried to highlight a certain openness about myself. They also asked some things that were tied to my area of interest in particular—did you experience the same? I may have missed if you stated your research area/interests in another thread, @Modconart.

Yes, after the scripted question the poi who interviewed me went off script and asked questions about my writing sample, my SoP, and my opinions on certain debates in my field. I work on modern and contemporary art in the global south broadly. I take it as a good sign if your poi asked questions beyond script/ specifically about your research interests!  I think we will be notified of decisions in two weeks. Also, great point about openness! I think with the openness you need to strike a balance between knowing a lot about your specific line of research while being open to change it and build on it (obviously goes without saying but sometimes you may forget to actually stress this in an interview). Anyways, fingers crossed for the both of us! 

[theoryschmeary]

On 1/13/2020 at 10:33 PM, Modconart said:

Congrats! That’s great news!! Glad this thread helped. What school, if you don’t mind me asking? 

They were for Northwestern and Stanford! 

[tunic_youth]

These all seem very useful to me when I'm thinking of the MA as well! Thanks.

Still didn't had an interview, but will post questions if it comes to that.