Courtauld vs UC Davis?

[mochicake]

I know, I know... Judging from the title it seems to be an easy pick, but hear me out on this. In 2021, I've already applied to The Courtauld MA of Art History and was accepted under Prof. Sarah Wilson's Conceptualism, but for many reason I ended up decline the offer and took a year off. My background is in contemporary Chinese art, with an interest in geopolitics/regional identity. I graduated from UC Davis with an honor in Art History in 2021.

I applied again this year and was so glad to see the Global China option is back at The Courtauld. From reading the course description I KNOW this option is tailored to my research interest, and Prof. Wenny Teo seems to be a very nice lady. I also applied to UC Davis just for more options. Didn't apply for other schools because I am not very interested in moving to the Mid-West/East Coast at this moment. Now I get an offer from both and I am having difficulties to choose one. Pros & Cons listed below:

The Courtauld

Pros: 1. Prestigious & solid alumni network;

2. Program & professor's work are highly relevant to my interest & background

3. London - the global art centre. Plus I've lived in London for 6 months in 2019 so I know the city quite well

Cons: 1. Notoriously intense schedule & workload for a 1-year master, also notoriously known for its lack of student support in terms of academic work

2. I barely know anyone in London besides my one close friend (who is also in the art industry and have been living there for 10+ yrs)

3. Lack of financial aid (not my primary concern, though)

UC Davis

Pros: 1. I know all the professors and have established close relationships with some, especially the one who I knew will be my advisor

2. Two-year program offers more room to breathe, as well as a universal training + TA experience

3. Well-funded program given their financial package - at least half of the tuition would be paid off

4. I've already established industry network in the area throughout the years, and the California life is pretty cozy (I am a very outdoorsy person but also love city life)

Cons: 1. Lack of reputation

2. Professor's expertise is less relevant to mine (they studied Song & 19th century Chinese art)

At this moment, I am not 100% sure if I would be applying for a PhD but that is a possibility. I am more interested in beginning a career in the industry after my MA, in the area of auction houses, collection management, or non-profit. However, the job markets in the US AND the UK are both pretty tough.

Ugh, it is tough. I would like to hear your advice if you have been in a similar situation or have studied in either institution. 

Edited February 9, 2022 by mochicake

[StarF]

好像在小红书上看到你了哈哈哈

My suggestion would be:

1. More research on US/UK job markets.

2. Chat with your potential POIs and seek advice from them. Maybe they knew someone in the industry and could recommend you to further reach out to them.

3. Evaluating how important social life means to you. A friend of mine, who has a profound talent for math, is studying in Oxford now. He is so depressed because it's really hard to meet new friends if you are in a one-year program. 

Hope all the best.

Btw, my Wechat number is 18349292992, I am currently hiring curatorial assistants. Feel free to chat! 

 

[audreydianne]

I did my masters at the Courtauld and dealt with some of the issues you mentioned. It was definitely isolating, although COVID hitting mid-year certainly didn't help, and very difficult to find work on an UK tier 2 visa. In terms of the workload, I actually found it quite underwhelming. It's pretty much 1 class with two 2-hour lectures per week and minimal reading. My advisor was wonderful and very open to chatting about whatever. The prestige has certainly helped me out immensely with post-grad opportunities, but the cost (while much lower than most 2-year programs) is still considerable.

Edited February 15, 2022 by audreydianne

[RomeSweetRome]

On 2/9/2022 at 2:59 PM, mochicake said:

UC Davis

Pros: 1. I know all the professors and have established close relationships with some, especially the one who I knew will be my advisor

2. Two-year program offers more room to breathe, as well as a universal training + TA experience

3. Well-funded program given their financial package - at least half of the tuition would be paid off

4. I've already established industry network in the area throughout the years, and the California life is pretty cozy (I am a very outdoorsy person but also love city life)

Cons: 1. Lack of reputation

2. Professor's expertise is less relevant to mine (they studied Song & 19th century Chinese art)

At this moment, I am not 100% sure if I would be applying for a PhD but that is a possibility. I am more interested in beginning a career in the industry after my MA, in the area of auction houses, collection management, or non-profit. However, the job markets in the US AND the UK are both pretty tough.

Ugh, it is tough. I would like to hear your advice if you have been in a similar situation or have studied in either institution. 

Hey! UC Davis MA alum here. To respond to your 3rd point, not sure where "at least half" came from...I never paid any tuition at all. As long as you TA every quarter (which you definitely will), you will never have to pay tuition. I'd reach out to someone in the department if you have questions about this! 

I got into multiple Art History PhD programs with my UC Davis Master's, if that is a concern of yours. My advisor also studied something different than me but luckily was more than happy to work with me, although I know not every professor there is that flexible. It's definitely not the Courtauld, and I totally get that, but I would say it does also depend on what you make of the experience. If you find and create opportunities for yourself (apply for summer internships/overseas research instead of taking the summer off, for instance, audit language courses if that's something you're lacking, attend conferences and network - something UC Davis will fund), you should be in a good position if you decide to go that route.

My decision for my MA was between NYU and UC Davis, and I couldn't be happier than I picked Davis. Loved that I came out ahead financially, and I adored the town, lifestyle, and my cohort.