Fall 2021

[rpgc345]

Hello, what is the reputation of the IFA master’s program? (Asking as future doctoral applicant)

[a-c-relly]

  On 3/4/2021 at 10:54 PM, jondewitt said:

As a graduate of the AU MA program, I'll say that just in terms of the quality of education and training you'll get, AU is by far the better choice compared to GWU. Of course, you should make your decisions based on your own interests and how well the faculty align with them, as well as on financial and other important factors, but I personally got a lot out of AU and I know that I wouldn't have received the same amount of mentorship, nor would I have experienced the same amount of intellectual rigor had I gone to GWU.

Edit: I know this is the second post I've made in this thread about how great my time at AU was, so I want to make it clear that my enthusiasm for the program is purely a result of my experiences there as a student! I'm not necessarily trying to sway people to attend the program there, but I know that, especially as a recent graduate, my thoughts and opinions and stories can be useful in helping people  decide where they spend the next 2-3 years of their lives.

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Thank you for writing this! AU is becoming more and more of a top choice for me, so your words are encouraging. If you don't mind my asking, are you intending to use your degree to apply to PhDs or to try and enter the museum field after graduation? Curious if you think AU has been helpful in getting students museum internships or jobs, and what their alumni network in the museum industry is like. Thank you! 

[jondewitt]

  On 3/5/2021 at 12:54 AM, a-c-relly said:

Thank you for writing this! AU is becoming more and more of a top choice for me, so your words are encouraging. If you don't mind my asking, are you intending to use your degree to apply to PhDs or to try and enter the museum field after graduation? Curious if you think AU has been helpful in getting students museum internships or jobs, and what their alumni network in the museum industry is like. Thank you! 

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I actually applied to PhD programs this cycle! AU has done both and the department has a good relationship with local museums. Many work/intern at the National Museum of Women in the Arts and we've also had students intern for the NGA and Smithsonian institutions like the Hirshhorn. The department does a good job of catering to students, including through the capstone project: many do the traditional MA thesis, but those who want to pursue museum work also have the option to work on a digital exhibition that has a curatorial and research/writing component.

[amu02]

  On 3/3/2021 at 11:26 PM, Hiya said:

For those who were contacted to interview at Williams and Columbia (masters) would you mind providing some details for those of us not contacted? 

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I just got Williams, not Columbia. I graduated 3.23 from an Ivy, with a BA in art history. No publications, 2 years of research experience. One of the people interviewing said that this was the first year they did interviews, and they were interviewing all candidates (or maybe all candidates they were interested in). So far I've been rejected from all PhDs, but accepted to the Courtauld and Tufts for MA, and waiting on 2 more MAs (including Columbia).

Edited March 5, 2021 by amu02
grammar

[Hiya]

Thanks. I hope you get it, so far I have not heard from Williams, which is my top choice. If you hear more please post, it eases the pain of waiting for a reject. 

[amu02]

  On 3/5/2021 at 5:12 PM, Hiya said:

Thanks. I hope you get it, so far I have not heard from Williams, which is my top choice. If you hear more please post, it eases the pain of waiting for a reject. 

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I'm sure you have as much of a chance as I do, hopefully we'll both get in : ) They said that they had about a week to 10 more days of interviews, so hopefully we'll hear back before the end of the month.

Edited March 5, 2021 by amu02
grammar

[Hiya]

Thanks for the info. 

[aaqiqiqi]

Saw all the Tufts MA acceptance are half funded, are all acceptance out? Sad, really wanna go. Have accept by UC Davis and NYU IFA, both MA, USC Roski MA in curatorial. Is the NYU MA good for phd in future? 

[jondewitt]

  On 3/6/2021 at 4:15 AM, aaqiqiqi said:

Saw all the Tufts MA acceptance are half funded, are all acceptance out? Sad, really wanna go. Have accept by UC Davis and NYU IFA, both MA, USC Roski MA in curatorial. Is the NYU MA good for phd in future? 

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NYU is a fantastic place to study art history, but their MA is known to be a "cash cow" type of program, as it is a MA program within a PhD-granting institution. MA students at places like NYU, UW-Madison, and other MA/PhD programs tend to be given less mentorship, attention, and support by faculty, who will spend much more time and energy on their PhD students. Students tend to be much better off going to a MA-only program like Tufts or Williams, at least when it comes to faculty mentorship (although Williams is another can of worms--their program is probably the best terminal MA art history program around and it's apparently a very competitive and cut-throat environment that not everyone can thrive in).

That being said, getting an MA from NYU might be a good stepping stone to the PhD if you can maximize contact with your advisor and work around the general lack of support, especially since the faculty there are doing good research and tend to be high profile (I'm thinking specifically of professors like Tom Crow and Christine Poggi)

Edit: Check out this thread 

 

Edited March 6, 2021 by jondewitt

[martiday]

Any PhD applicants heard from UT Austin?

[watskeburt]

Has anyone heard anything from UCSB?

[sptnic]

  On 3/6/2021 at 6:56 PM, watskeburt said:

Has anyone heard anything from UCSB?

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I attended the Open House held by the department of HAA, UCSB on Feb 26. My poi told me the decisions would possibly be made at mid-March. Hope this info helps you: )

[szn82]

So far, I've been accepted into one program (although I don't think I want to go to that program), rejected from two programs, and waitlisted (but probably won't get into) my last two other programs. I'm honestly thinking of just re-applying to PhD programs next year or the year after. For people who have done this, what's your advice? Especially for applying to the same schools? Do you just email the same faculty in the fall, letting them know you're applying again? Do you change your Statements of Interests? Is it okay to propose the same or similar research? Or do they except something new? Any advice would help.

[artstor509]

  On 3/6/2021 at 1:47 PM, jondewitt said:

NYU is a fantastic place to study art history, but their MA is known to be a "cash cow" type of program, as it is a MA program within a PhD-granting institution. MA students at places like NYU, UW-Madison, and other MA/PhD programs tend to be given less mentorship, attention, and support by faculty, who will spend much more time and energy on their PhD students. Students tend to be much better off going to a MA-only program like Tufts or Williams, at least when it comes to faculty mentorship (although Williams is another can of worms--their program is probably the best terminal MA art history program around and it's apparently a very competitive and cut-throat environment that not everyone can thrive in).

That being said, getting an MA from NYU might be a good stepping stone to the PhD if you can maximize contact with your advisor and work around the general lack of support, especially since the faculty there are doing good research and tend to be high profile (I'm thinking specifically of professors like Tom Crow and Christine Poggi)

Edit: Check out this thread 

 

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I honestly don't know how funding works at NYU for the M.A program. But, I would say acorss the board, I would not attend a place without a funding package in place. When I applied, my choice came to a M.A at Williams with full tution remission and a PhD at a top 20 school with 5 years of funding (including 2 years of fellowship). I chose the latter as it was with a facutly member who I wanted to work with and is very well accomplished anyway. With COVID and an uncertain job market, you do not want to go down a rabbit hole of starting with poor funding. I'm baffled to have learned that some PhD programs are accepting students without any garuntee of funding or one year of funding. Now, that strikes me as egregious? 

[a-c-relly]

 

  On 3/6/2021 at 4:15 AM, aaqiqiqi said:

Saw all the Tufts MA acceptance are half funded, are all acceptance out? Sad, really wanna go. Have accept by UC Davis and NYU IFA, both MA, USC Roski MA in curatorial. Is the NYU MA good for phd in future? 

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Hey I just heard back from Tufts actually. Admitted with a partial scholarship, so they're still rolling out decisions sounds like! 

[rpgc345]

  On 3/8/2021 at 10:14 PM, a-c-relly said:

 

Hey I just heard back from Tufts actually. Admitted with a partial scholarship, so they're still rolling out decisions sounds like! 

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Was your acceptance for art history or the program with museum studies? Thanks!

[a-c-relly]

  On 3/9/2021 at 6:44 PM, rpgc345 said:

Was your acceptance for art history or the program with museum studies? Thanks!

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Art History and Museum Studies! 

[paprika21]

Has anyone heard back from Penn or Williams? I'm going crazy just waiting for a decision from these two programs. 

[jondewitt]

I just accepted the only offer I got. Thankfully it's from my second choice school and came with a very generous funding package (full tuition remission, a considerable stipend, funded for 6 years). I got waitlisted at the IFA but I know that I'm not getting off that list. It's rare that anyone does, and that probability just doesn't exist in a cycle like this.

Just wanted to thank you all for the good times and for the mutual support. Good luck everyone! And good art!

[SavannahW]

Has anyone heard from usc PhD? 

[watskeburt]

I haven't and by this point I assume rejection. First acceptances were sent out a long time ago.

  On 3/10/2021 at 9:46 PM, SavannahW said:

Has anyone heard from usc PhD? 

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[EyLC]

I received full funding from Virginia Commonwealth University's (VCU) MA in Art History/Museum Studies program (graduate assistantship too). But my first choice UNC-Chapel Hill isn't offering anything, RIP. Anyone want to vouch for either programs? 

[hychoi]

Hi, has anybody heard from Duke? or any final decisions from Columbia? (both PhDs)I know some people got interviews with Columbia... choking to death waiting for their decisions..(I know they probably will be rejections. but just want to know before I die) 

Edited March 11, 2021 by hychoi

[ebp]

  On 3/11/2021 at 5:14 AM, hychoi said:

Hi, has anybody heard from Duke? or any final decisions from Columbia? (both PhDs)I know some people got interviews with Columbia... choking to death waiting for their decisions..(I know they probably will be rejections. but just want to know before I die) 

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You might check the Duke portal. I didn't get an email, but I got a rejection update there (I checked after seeing the results board). 

[artstor509]

  On 3/11/2021 at 3:21 AM, EyLC said:

I received full funding from Virginia Commonwealth University's (VCU) MA in Art History/Museum Studies program (graduate assistantship too). But my first choice UNC-Chapel Hill isn't offering anything, RIP. Anyone want to vouch for either programs? 

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I would be really hesitant in this climate to take anything without funding. Now it is possible to see if Chapel Hill will throw in something if you very craftly communicate to them that the funding vs no funding thing is what is making you hesitate. I did this when I was deciding and some programs did up thier funding packages to me. Funding is probably the second most important think to look for. The first important thing would be who your advisor is. Is there an advisor who you feel like you especially want to work with and who will advocate for you the strongest? We all know the job market sucks so having an advisor you think will help you on the job market is crucial. I hope this kind of helps! Best of luck deciding!