Rdavis8 Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I've been accepted to Cornell's PhD program in Theatre and Performance Studies and Yale School of Drama's MFA/DFA program in Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism... I was wondering if anyone out there knows which program has a better reputation in the scholarly community? I've always wanted to go to Yale, but it's looking like I'd have to pay for it whereas Cornell is throwing a LOT of money my way...I need to know if it's worth it to give up such a sweet deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rising_star Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Ummm.. Yale is definitely the bigger name. But theater isn't the career to go into debt doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artistsarespecial Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Certainly Yale has the greater reputation in the world of practice. However, Cornell's doctoral program in theater and performance studies is regarded as one of the top programs of its kind in the country. If ultimately you intend on articulating primarily as a scholar, then Cornell is the better of the programs: the faculty have signifigant currency in the academy. If you want to be a professional dramaturg, I would still recommend Cornell, but think that the Yale degree might travel better in professional circles. As someone who has also been accepted to both MFA and Ph.D. programs, I agree with the above poster that an advanced degree in theater is not worth going into debt for... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demoiselle Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Yes, I think it depends on whether you are more focused on practice or academics. That said, I got an MFA in Dramaturgy (not at Yale, but at a very well respected program) two years ago, and have not found work. And the degree was VERY expensive. Now I am looking into getting a MA/PhD to expand my employment options to teaching in addition to dramaturgy (which will not be harmed by additional education at all). I attended Cornell for undergraduate and earned a BA in Theatre Arts there. I like that department very much. High production values, a caring faculty (though there has been change) and staff. Ithaca has two very good theatres (Hangar and the Kitchen) which offer production opportunities, and Cornell has a good student theatre culture. I love that institution, and liked it more than the other Ivy League institution where I studied for my non-Yale MFA. The department tended towards the careful and conservative, production-wise, when I was there. However, new faculty members might be helping. Additionally, student action which started at my time actually had strong impact on the seasons the department planned. I wouldn't trade my time at Cornell for anything, and if I hadn't gotten my BA there, I'd be looking there for my PhD. As it is, I'm stuck in NYC for a few years at least, and will have to apply to programs there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rnelsonFilm Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I've been accepted to Cornell's PhD program in Theatre and Performance Studies and Yale School of Drama's MFA/DFA program in Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism... I was wondering if anyone out there knows which program has a better reputation in the scholarly community? I've always wanted to go to Yale, but it's looking like I'd have to pay for it whereas Cornell is throwing a LOT of money my way...I need to know if it's worth it to give up such a sweet deal. Are you who I think you are? I feel stalkerish.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rdavis8 Posted March 27, 2008 Author Share Posted March 27, 2008 yeah, it's me rhonda! i made my decision...just typed up my acceptance letter to the offer of admission from Yale! hope your grad pursuits are going well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rnelsonFilm Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 yeah, it's me rhonda! i made my decision...just typed up my acceptance letter to the offer of admission from Yale! hope your grad pursuits are going well! Congrats! That's so awesome! Film grad school departments seem to be pretty slow since I just had interviews a couple days ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zacchaeus86 Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 It's nice to find other Theatre people on this board! I'm in at UCLA and CUNY, waitlisted at Cornell, still waiting on Columbia. Also accepted to NYU's masters program, but without funding. But I've also been accepted to a one-year Masters program in English literature at Oxford, which is VERY tempting. Will I kick myself years later for not studying at Oxford when I had the chance? What would you guys suggest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverbeetle Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 I would love the opportunity to study in Oxford. I say go for it. Silverbeetle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demoiselle Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 Perhaps CUNY or UCLA would defer you for a year so you can go to Oxford. In this situation you might be able to have your cake and eat it too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zacchaeus86 Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 I wish! Haha. UCLA does not allow anyone to defer. CUNY is ... well, to be quite honest, not my top choice. I haven't decided for sure yet, but I think in the long run, UCLA is a better option for securing a tenure-track position. I'm still waiting to hear from Columbia, and they do not allow anyone to defer either. Is it worth the stress of reapplying next year? Given that Oxford would now be on my CV ... it really makes you think. Thanks for the opinions ... keep them coming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
engguy Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 Go to Oxford. :idea: Granted, I'm not a theater person, and I'm a little perplexed as to why you would need an MA in lit (although studying literary drama would clearly be a boon). But look at in terms of what you would get: the MA in lit (esp. coming from Oxford) would give you the ability to teach in the field -- albeit an overcrowded one, but still -- if times get lean in the theater biz. The experience will be amazing and challenging, and you will forever have the Oxford name on your CV, with all that entails -- free dinners, a foot in the door at most academies, etc., the starry-eyed looks of your peers. As others have noted, it's a once-in-a-lifetime chance; I'd certainly kick myself if I passed it up. On the other hand, you lose a year. But so what? A year is nothing, and it's not like you'll be spending it lying on a couch playing air guitar. This will only strengthen your applications for next year in every way. Forget deferment -- if you got in this year at some top programs, you will next year, too. Applying should be easier now that you've already done it once, and you will likely be able to add at least one LOR from an Oxford professor... Unless it means incurring an insurmountable debt -- go to Oxford. 8) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zacchaeus86 Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 Just to clarify, I'm not looking to go into the "theater biz" by any means. I'm interested in dramatic criticism - ultimately wanting to become a theater professor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demoiselle Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 I would love to do a year at Oxford. I'm getting rather a large collection of MAs at this rate, though. I should try at some point to move on to the PhD! I hope UCLA works out for you. CUNY is my first choice right now for various reasons, including the core program, reputation for turning out really solid scholars, and because the department (I understand) is super-supportive rather than cut-throat. Plus, having worked in NYC for a couple years, most of my professional and personal ties are there. I have spent four years away from the city now, and really want to get back. I hope it works out for me when I apply there. Any advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zacchaeus86 Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 I hope UCLA works out for you. CUNY is my first choice right now for various reasons, including the core program, reputation for turning out really solid scholars, and because the department (I understand) is super-supportive rather than cut-throat. Plus, having worked in NYC for a couple years, most of my professional and personal ties are there. I have spent four years away from the city now, and really want to get back. I hope it works out for me when I apply there. Any advice? Aww, thank you for the congrats! I really am looking forward to visiting UCLA soon ... hopefully that will help in my decision-making process. CUNY is a great program, I agree ... and it may be cliche, but I love NYC! I'm still waiting to hear from Columbia too ... so we'll see. My best advice is to really research each of the schools to which you are applying beforehand. Seek out schools that are a "fit" for your interests, and specify why they are a good match for you - and why you are a good match for them - in your personal statement. Location can be a part of that, but name specific aspects of the department (like a focus on queer theory, for instance) that you think would benefit your studies, and name specific professors whose work could benefit your own. I hope this helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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