Damnit, Berkeley - what do these questions even mean?

[GK Chesterton]

I'm going to the hive mind for help on trying to figure out what exactly this question is asking me for:

"State fully your reasons for applying for this appointment, including some comment on how your teaching interests and,

possibly, experience may contribute to your academic training in a large, research-oriented department."

I don't really understand how teaching interests would contribute to my academic training, and what different this would make. Anyone have any insight here?

[Strangefox]

I'm going to the hive mind for help on trying to figure out what exactly this question is asking me for:

"State fully your reasons for applying for this appointment, including some comment on how your teaching interests and,

possibly, experience may contribute to your academic training in a large, research-oriented department."

I don't really understand how teaching interests would contribute to my academic training, and what different this would make. Anyone have any insight here?

Are you sure you need to answer that? It may be one of those questions that you can skip and that's only there in case you have not covered your teaching interests and experience in your SOP. I had such questions in one of my online apps and first I was racking my brain to write good answers and then I fugured out it was in case I had something very very special to say

[GK Chesterton]

Are you sure you need to answer that? It may be one of those questions that you can skip and that's only there in case you have not covered your teaching interests and experience in your SOP. I had such questions in one of my online apps and first I was racking my brain to write good answers and then I fugured out it was in case I had something very very special to say

Might be. I'm applying from undergrad, so I don't really know what my teaching interests are... but it's a mandatory, separate form. Also asks for research interests, which I find irritating as well, so perhaps you're right.

[Medievalmaniac]

"State fully your reasons for applying for this appointment, including some comment on how your teaching interests and,

possibly, experience may contribute to your academic training in a large, research-oriented department."

They want to know that "you want to be a college professor when you grow up."

At a major research institution, grad students are expected to teach, period. Berkeley is one of those places. They want to know how your interests are going to mesh with the rest of the department - in other words, what would you be teaching and writing about, and how would that corroborate your own training?

For example - you could write something like, "Berkeley's department is well-known for its strengths in nineteenth century British literature, and the library houses one of the largest collections of 19th century serialized British novels available in American university holdings today. In my research and writing, I am working with the intricacies of narrative and plot design in the novels of Charles Dickens, particularly the way in which Dickens inscribes his works not only with autobiographical matter but also with the good, bad and ugly of Victorian cultural and political issues. As an undergraduate in a lower-division literature course, I found the Dickensian text, structured as it was around the requirements of writing for a wide audience in serial publication, both fascinating and frustrating. Since then, I have developed methods for studying and teaching this particular type of novel that I feel are innovative, easily understandable, and will help my own students to grasp more fully and completely than I did as an undergraduate the very nature of the serial novel in Victorian England. I am eager to research more widely in serial novels, and to apply what I find to my own understanding of Dickensian plot structures; I am also eager to test the methodology and rubric for studying the serial novel which I have developed to work with Dickens's novels out on my own students, as I truly feel it renders Dickens more approachable and comprehensible for readers new to the study of this genre. In this fashion, my research and writing as a student, myself, will inform my teaching, and I hope to learn to integrate the three into a seamless program of scholarship, on my way to becoming a professor of literature."

Or, whatever. I have no idea if Berkeley has any of those things, to be honest - but that gives you an idea of what they want for an answer to that question. Essentially, they're looking for what you are planning to do as a scholar, and whether that is going to translate into something they can offer as a class.

Hope that helps...? Good luck!

[Strangefox]

"Berkeley's department is well-known for its strengths in nineteenth century British literature, and the library houses one of the largest collections of 19th century serialized British novels available in American university holdings today. In my research and writing, I am working with the intricacies of narrative and plot design in the novels of Charles Dickens, particularly the way in which Dickens inscribes his works not only with autobiographical matter but also with the good, bad and ugly of Victorian cultural and political issues. As an undergraduate in a lower-division literature course, I found the Dickensian text, structured as it was around the requirements of writing for a wide audience in serial publication, both fascinating and frustrating. Since then, I have developed methods for studying and teaching this particular type of novel that I feel are innovative, easily understandable, and will help my own students to grasp more fully and completely than I did as an undergraduate the very nature of the serial novel in Victorian England. I am eager to research more widely in serial novels, and to apply what I find to my own understanding of Dickensian plot structures; I am also eager to test the methodology and rubric for studying the serial novel which I have developed to work with Dickens's novels out on my own students, as I truly feel it renders Dickens more approachable and comprehensible for readers new to the study of this genre. In this fashion, my research and writing as a student, myself, will inform my teaching, and I hope to learn to integrate the three into a seamless program of scholarship, on my way to becoming a professor of literature."

Have you written that just now, just for this post?? Fascinating!!!

[GK Chesterton]

"State fully your reasons for applying for this appointment, including some comment on how your teaching interests and,

possibly, experience may contribute to your academic training in a large, research-oriented department."

They want to know that "you want to be a college professor when you grow up."

At a major research institution, grad students are expected to teach, period. Berkeley is one of those places. They want to know how your interests are going to mesh with the rest of the department - in other words, what would you be teaching and writing about, and how would that corroborate your own training?

For example - you could write something like, "Berkeley's department is well-known for its strengths in nineteenth century British literature, and the library houses one of the largest collections of 19th century serialized British novels available in American university holdings today. In my research and writing, I am working with the intricacies of narrative and plot design in the novels of Charles Dickens, particularly the way in which Dickens inscribes his works not only with autobiographical matter but also with the good, bad and ugly of Victorian cultural and political issues. As an undergraduate in a lower-division literature course, I found the Dickensian text, structured as it was around the requirements of writing for a wide audience in serial publication, both fascinating and frustrating. Since then, I have developed methods for studying and teaching this particular type of novel that I feel are innovative, easily understandable, and will help my own students to grasp more fully and completely than I did as an undergraduate the very nature of the serial novel in Victorian England. I am eager to research more widely in serial novels, and to apply what I find to my own understanding of Dickensian plot structures; I am also eager to test the methodology and rubric for studying the serial novel which I have developed to work with Dickens's novels out on my own students, as I truly feel it renders Dickens more approachable and comprehensible for readers new to the study of this genre. In this fashion, my research and writing as a student, myself, will inform my teaching, and I hope to learn to integrate the three into a seamless program of scholarship, on my way to becoming a professor of literature."

Or, whatever. I have no idea if Berkeley has any of those things, to be honest - but that gives you an idea of what they want for an answer to that question. Essentially, they're looking for what you are planning to do as a scholar, and whether that is going to translate into something they can offer as a class.

Hope that helps...? Good luck!

I'm doomed.

[Medievalmaniac]

Have you written that just now, just for this post?? Fascinating!!!

Yes. While I have always been a very strong writer I have, over the past two years, gotten particularly good at writing SOPs...

[Medievalmaniac]

Might be. I'm applying from undergrad, so I don't really know what my teaching interests are... but it's a mandatory, separate form. Also asks for research interests, which I find irritating as well, so perhaps you're right.

Just tell them what you are interested in, right now. You can always change your mind once you get in...they just need to see that you have thoughts. Coherent ones. About a particular subject area. If that changes once you are in, that's not your problem.

[GK Chesterton]

Fist, a moment of clarification to make sure we're on the same page: this is not a statement of purpose, but instead a tertiary (lower than tertiary) supplemental for that is an application for graduate instructorships (and it's a foreign language department, so presumably a large chunk is language pedagogy.)

Second, a question: While I am pretty amazed at your ability to spit out a paragraph on the Dickensian serial, do you ever worry that you might have trouble with applications because your statements are too specific ? As an AdCom, that kind of looks to me like your heart is dead-set on teaching Dickens as a serial novelist, period, and if you don't get that you're going to be sort of lost in orbit somewhere. Have you encountered thoughts one way or another on this ?

[Sparky]

As far as teaching interests go...I was going to say something more like, if your research interest has something to do with, say, the Nibelungenlied, you could talk about how you are excited for the opportunity to teach medieval literature in general, poetry traditions, and perhaps courses in authors' use of historical traditions as source material. And if you are applying for foreign language, it might be good* to mention that you might enjoy the chance to teach an introductory course, especially if you've done some work in tutoring or whatever and can say something like, "It was thrilling to watch Student Z not just conquer Latin conjugation but also be inspired to add a classics minor--and to know that I played a role in her inspiration. I would welcome the opportunity to motivate beginning students to become Greek and Latin scholars."

* says one language professor I know, but I realize that one anecdatum does not a representative data sample make

[anthropologygeek]

Being specific without being too specific is the key. First time I applied I was too specific, didn't get in. Second time I broadenmy material but still alittle specific and I got in with multiple offers. So make sure you stick to a theme but I caution not to be too specific.

[Medievalmaniac]

Fist, a moment of clarification to make sure we're on the same page: this is not a statement of purpose, but instead a tertiary (lower than tertiary) supplemental for that is an application for graduate instructorships (and it's a foreign language department, so presumably a large chunk is language pedagogy.)

Second, a question: While I am pretty amazed at your ability to spit out a paragraph on the Dickensian serial, do you ever worry that you might have trouble with applications because your statements are too specific ? As an AdCom, that kind of looks to me like your heart is dead-set on teaching Dickens as a serial novelist, period, and if you don't get that you're going to be sort of lost in orbit somewhere. Have you encountered thoughts one way or another on this ?

I'M not dead-set on teaching Dickens, that's not even close to my field! lol I'm a medievalist. I was trying to come up with an example that would appeal to a broader range of folks, and figured Dickens is more exciting to more folks than is Geoffrey of Monmouth ....

i think, in terms of applying for an instructorship, you need to be specific about what you can and/or want to teach...remember, they are going to own you for x number of years - if you don't want to be stuck teaching two sections a term for eight terms of French I until you are so sick of ER conjugations you could puke, then you need to tell them what would float your boat as far as teaching goes...once they deem you competent and advanced enough, that is. No one gets out without teaching the first years...

in the end, you asked what they were looking for; the question you posted is looking for a specific statement on what you are interested in teaching and how it fits in with your research and writing. My example is just a suggestion (made up on the spot as an answer to your question) of how to go about constructing such a response. Use what you can, discard the rest - but I think we are all inclined to tread too much on the side of caution and circumspection. Remember, they intend for you to be specialized in a single area of study by the time you leave. If you know what you are most interested in working in, then you should state it as clearly and specifically as possible, or at the most give two or three suggestions of areas you are interested in. If the department is a good fit, then you'll get the spot, if not, you won't.

My first go-around to graduate school (MA), I got in (with a 2.66 undergrad GPA) because I wanted to work with the Pleiade writers in 16th century French literature, and the French department head at the time was working in that area. She told me if I hadn't been so specific, I wouldn't have gotten that spot because I didn't have the grades. As it turned out, I did very well in the program - but I got in because I was specific about what I wanted to do, and it happened to fit perfectly with where the department was at the time. So - the question from Berkeley is asking you, what do you want to teach and how does that fit in with what you want to research in?

I suggest being specific and honest as possible.Getting in is important, but being happy there once you are in and in the middle of the work is even more important. There are a lot of people out there who dropped out of doctoral programs because they weren't happy once they were in them. If you can avoid that from the get-go, why wouldn't you?

[Medievalmaniac]

also, I agree with Sparky - do tell them you are interested in working with the introductory students. You're going to have to anyhow and they are looking for people to teach the introductory language courses. But tell them what ELSE you want to teach, also.