Deferring

[raye237]

Hi all, I'm considering deferring my MA this year and could use some advice/opinions. It would be from the Courtauld, where deferrals are particularly tricky, so if anyone has experience with the Courtauld specifically that would be helpful. 

[Benton73]

I've talked with Courtauld and I'm going to do my MA there next year (still waiting on scholarship info) and I'm also good friends with my professor. I really doubt they will let you defer. It is just how they set up their program. Especially if you are a foreign student. They don't allow deferments for a multitude of reasons. 1. it is a small program. 2. its highly competitive and if you defer that means they could loose a spot for a qualified student the next year. 3. Not every option is offered every year.

Ultimately it will come down to your sections professor. If it is an option offered every year then you will have better luck, but if that teacher isn't teaching for sure next year, you won't have a class even to defer too. It also comes down to how badly that professor wants you in their class. 

 

This year they might be more willing to defer students due to the complicatedness and struggle for foreign students, but also I bet next year will be even more competitive to get in.

 

Worst case you just have to ask and see what they say! Let me know because I'm curious on how they are handling that this year.

[Artgirl87]

It would be insane if they didn't let you defer. Insane. 

[raye237]

5 hours ago, ohlawdabby said:

I've talked with Courtauld and I'm going to do my MA there next year (still waiting on scholarship info) and I'm also good friends with my professor. I really doubt they will let you defer. It is just how they set up their program. Especially if you are a foreign student. They don't allow deferments for a multitude of reasons. 1. it is a small program. 2. its highly competitive and if you defer that means they could loose a spot for a qualified student the next year. 3. Not every option is offered every year.

Ultimately it will come down to your sections professor. If it is an option offered every year then you will have better luck, but if that teacher isn't teaching for sure next year, you won't have a class even to defer too. It also comes down to how badly that professor wants you in their class. 

 

This year they might be more willing to defer students due to the complicatedness and struggle for foreign students, but also I bet next year will be even more competitive to get in.

 

Worst case you just have to ask and see what they say! Let me know because I'm curious on how they are handling that this year.

This is what they told me when I asked about it: "We do not normally grand deferrals for the MA History of Art applicants due to its unique structure-option based, and options do tend to change every year. The new options for the next academic year will be determined in the Autumn, so we are not able to guarantee your deferrals at the moment-having said that, on the assumption the option you have an offer for runs for the next academic year, I am happy to ask your option leader to see if he is willing to grant a deferral."

So I guess this means that the deferral would not be guaranteed? which seems really risky. Also it amazes me that they would not know the classes until the fall - my undergrad university planned out classes like 2 years in advance. 

[Benton73]

16 hours ago, raye237 said:

This is what they told me when I asked about it: "We do not normally grand deferrals for the MA History of Art applicants due to its unique structure-option based, and options do tend to change every year. The new options for the next academic year will be determined in the Autumn, so we are not able to guarantee your deferrals at the moment-having said that, on the assumption the option you have an offer for runs for the next academic year, I am happy to ask your option leader to see if he is willing to grant a deferral."

So I guess this means that the deferral would not be guaranteed? which seems really risky. Also it amazes me that they would not know the classes until the fall - my undergrad university planned out classes like 2 years in advance. 

That happens with a lot of Master's programs especially if they are section based even here in the US. I also learned a lot of schools in Europe and beyond are way less organized to what we expect here in the U.S.  A couple schools I went to in Russia and France didn't even have a weekly schedule. Just how it is sadly.

 

I'm sorry about deferral! But you could apply again! I just don't think Courtauld knows how to handle the situation since a lot of the teaching faculty changes so often