History of Art - MA/PhD 2011??

[snooze]

Glad to see this thread's jumpin'.

I just submitted my app to UPenn too! I'm trying not to get my hopes up. I'm still in undergrad and feel so tiny in comparison to other applicants.

[arthistoryvoe]

Correlation does not imply causation! Your visits obviously didn't hurt you, but you might have gotten in just as easily without them.

[violetvivian]

Glad to see this thread's jumpin'.

I just submitted my app to UPenn too! I'm trying not to get my hopes up. I'm still in undergrad and feel so tiny in comparison to other applicants.

I'm a tiny undergrad too, applying to many of the programs already mentioned on this thread. Don't worry, you're not alone

[raksasa]

this question is for anyone else applying for terminal masters programs. how specific are you being about your intended focus? i'm indicating in my SOPs what my interests are, what i worked on in undergrad, and who i would like to work with in my masters program. still, i'm not that focused yet (which is why i'm going for a masters degree instead of a phd). my lack of certainty is making it very difficult for me to not seem to scattered, and to indicate exactly what i intend to do in graduate school. any advice?

[Hicks]

All my applications are now done. It feels good! I still have on eletter that hasn't arrived but she has done all the others near the deadline so I'm not too worried. Now it is just a lot of waiting.

[OnceAndFutureGrad]

Hi everyone! I am an art history interloper. After putzing around with history, literature, and art history for my college career, I decided to go into art history as my discipline of focus for medieval studies. I hope that having an interdisciplinary background will make me interesting but I'm well aware that applying for a PhD in Art History without great strength in...art history...may be crazy! So be it.

I submitted my last art history application today. I still have two medieval studies programs to go, as well as the Met summer internship program application. (My parents live near a NYC transit line, so while I don't want to move back home, I figure that the benefit would far outweigh the inconvenience if I got in.)

I look forward to enduring this crazy grad app ride with you - perhaps we will be future colleagues!

[Ramblr]

Good luck! Word of caution, though, on the Met application. They strongly prefer to choose candidates who are already enrolled in a program (B.A., M.A., Ph.D. etc.). I don't think you mentioned if you were applying to programs straight out of undergrad, but I would keep this in mind when applying. Maybe stress how you are on a very brief break in between programs, talk about your future program, or something like that.

[OnceAndFutureGrad]

Good luck! Word of caution, though, on the Met application. They strongly prefer to choose candidates who are already enrolled in a program (B.A., M.A., Ph.D. etc.). I don't think you mentioned if you were applying to programs straight out of undergrad, but I would keep this in mind when applying. Maybe stress how you are on a very brief break in between programs, talk about your future program, or something like that.

Yes, which is why this is the perfect summer for me to apply, if you see my signature. They want people who are in graduate school but not working on their dissertation. Hello summer between MA and PhD! Thanks for sharing that caveat.

[Ramblr]

Sweet! I hadn't checked out your signature. In that case, then totally apply, and you should have a good chance, since you are in school/in the midst of schools and have a few degrees under your belt. Good luck, good luck!

[hopelesslypostmodern]

I just finished my last application! (Well, almost...I still have to mail my writing sample to CUNY because they don't accept digital copies) This feels like an appropriate way to end 2010. Hopefully 2011 will be a successful year for all of us with many acceptances.

[smooth va]

I'm new to this forum and I'm interested in applying to schools for PhD Art History/Visual Culture to begin in fall '12

The problem( I think) is that I'm finishing a Master of Architecture degree. Does anyone know if these

programs typically admit students with this degree?

[Hicks]

I'm new to this forum and I'm interested in applying to schools for PhD Art History/Visual Culture to begin in fall '12

The problem( I think) is that I'm finishing a Master of Architecture degree. Does anyone know if these

programs typically admit students with this degree?

That shouldn't be a huge problem...assuming you have developed an idea of what your art historical interests are. How much art/ architecture history have you taken in undergrad/ grad so far?

[CriticalPlay]

What I think would be helpful for those of us reading this thread now (especially as applications have finally been submitted) is to hear from fellow thread-readers when we are contacted by departments. Not always, but frequently, departments contact the prospective applicant just to check in and make sure you have a pulse and a brain in addition to looking good on paper. At some schools this is an integral part of the admissions process (Northwestern, for example), and others are more willing to accept you without this intermediate step (Chicago, Harvard).

Each school approaches this differently, and often on a case-by-case basis. In the past, I was contact toward the end of January and beginning of February for interviews etc.

So what i'm proposing is just that if you get contacted you check in here! In, like...well...3 weeks or more! lol.

[snooze]

Sounds like a plan, CriticalPlay.

Also, I have a quick, general question - Say you email a professor about scheduling a meeting or something, and they respond with an unfortunate "no," do you respond with a "thanks for your response" type email? Or just leave it if you don't have much else to say?

Email frightens me sometimes.

[manetdejeuner]

Hi Snooztina, I don't think it would make it or break it either way. It sounds like that if you were to respond (or not) you probably wouldn't hear anything back. :-( If you do choose to respond, I would just make it short and sweet. Good luck! I would also suggest for future contacts with potential faculty to contact the department secretary first who often times will set up a meeting for you. This has worked quite nicely for me in the past. It depends on how each school's department functions.

[smooth va]

Vaguely speaking, I'm interested in postmodern architecture and its connections to street art, graffiti and architectural interventions

as resulting methodologies.

That shouldn't be a huge problem...assuming you have developed an idea of what your art historical interests are. How much art/ architecture history have you taken in undergrad/ grad so far?

[arthistgrad]

I must say I have been told rather the opposite: not only is it not a disadvantage to apply to PhD programs without an MA, it is sometimes a disadvantage to get a terminal master's and then apply to the PhD. Many see the MA as a less serious degree (which is why many top programs, you'll notice, don't even offer a terminal masters) and you will be required to explain why you didn't enter into a doctoral program to begin with. Some professors will assume, or suspect, that PhD candidates who already have an MA weren't initially strong enough applicants to go directly into a doctoral program. I realize this isn't true across the board, but, well, it should be emphasized that applying without an MA under your belt should absolutely not be a hindrance.

Why this maybe true at some schools, but the PhD program in the history of art at the University of Victoria prefers students from other colleges and rarely let students from the UVIC MA program into the PhD program. I think people should know that graduate programs vary in what they are looking for. I also read a blog on this site about contacting professors. You should always contact your POI before you apply. That way you can find out if they are taking students, retiring in the near future, etc. Also the professor will remember your name when looking over your app. Of course this advice is for people applying to programs with a small student body.

[violetvivian]

Hi everyone,

I hope you're all enjoying the waiting as much as I am! I know I won't hear anything for a while but I still check the results page daily...

This weekend, a professor who I've been in contact with asked to speak on the phone sometime soon. I'm not really sure how to approach this upcoming conversation--it's not explicitly an interview, but it's also not an informational call as my application's clearly already submitted. Do you all have any advice about this? For phone conversations in general? It's my top choice program, so I would definitely like to use the opportunity to my advantage. Thanks!

[artmuse]

Hi everyone,

I hope you're all enjoying the waiting as much as I am! I know I won't hear anything for a while but I still check the results page daily...

This weekend, a professor who I've been in contact with asked to speak on the phone sometime soon. I'm not really sure how to approach this upcoming conversation--it's not explicitly an interview, but it's also not an informational call as my application's clearly already submitted. Do you all have any advice about this? For phone conversations in general? It's my top choice program, so I would definitely like to use the opportunity to my advantage. Thanks!

I would treat it just like an interview even if they didn't call it that explicitly. What's so great about a phone interview is that you get to have all the information you want to talk about in front of you. I would just prepare to talk about your application and why you want to go to the school as well as a few questions for the professor. I would even mention that it's your top choice if there is a way to work it into the conversation.

Good luck!!!

[hopelesslypostmodern]

I would treat it just like an interview even if they didn't call it that explicitly. What's so great about a phone interview is that you get to have all the information you want to talk about in front of you. I would just prepare to talk about your application and why you want to go to the school as well as a few questions for the professor. I would even mention that it's your top choice if there is a way to work it into the conversation.

Good luck!!!

This is helpful advice...which I appreciate since I was just asked earlier today for an interview (or "informal conversation" as I was told) later this week.

Excited? Terrified? Why yes, yes I am.

[Hicks]

This is helpful advice...which I appreciate since I was just asked earlier today for an interview (or "informal conversation" as I was told) later this week.

Excited? Terrified? Why yes, yes I am.

Congrats on the informal interviews! I have to admit that it makes the waiting a little more difficult for me. I hope they go well for both of you.

[CriticalPlay]

It would be helpful if people on here who are discussing their "informal interview" would note which University these conversations are occuring with...

Just a thought

[snooze]

FYI to those who applied to UDel, a professor I spoke with recently there said that they generally notify applicants sometime in mid-March.

[Manette]

I would love to hear about the email interview with Michigan (posted on the Results page today)!

[snooze]

Congrats to the GWU admit!