IFA vs. Tufts vs. UMass Amherst

[Rahrah23]

I've been accepted to the above institutions, the IFA, Tufts and UMass Amherst all for a Master's. My area(s) of interest are Early Italian Renaissance and the History of Collecting, and I am intent on pursuing my PhD following completion of MA. I've been given full funding at UMass and Tufts plus the opportunity to TA/RA, but no assistance at the IFA.

Any thoughts or words of advice?? While I feel the offers at Tufts and UMass are difficult to pass up, the prestige and opportunities at NYU go without saying. While I know I could complete my MA elsewhere and reapply for PhD at the IFA, there's always the big what-if I don't get in?

[manetdejeuner]

This conversation on Grad Cafe talks a lot about the MA in Art History at UMass Amherst:

It seems as though UMass has a lot going for it. I've been accepted there myself and I am thinking of attending (still waiting to hear back from some others, but the UMass program is a definite possibility).

I've been accepted to the above institutions, the IFA, Tufts and UMass Amherst all for a Master's. My area(s) of interest are Early Italian Renaissance and the History of Collecting, and I am intent on pursuing my PhD following completion of MA. I've been given full funding at UMass and Tufts plus the opportunity to TA/RA, but no assistance at the IFA.

Any thoughts or words of advice?? While I feel the offers at Tufts and UMass are difficult to pass up, the prestige and opportunities at NYU go without saying. While I know I could complete my MA elsewhere and reapply for PhD at the IFA, there's always the big what-if I don't get in?

Edited April 1, 2011 by manetdejeuner

[fullofpink]

Don't discount UMass and Tufts!

Tufts is a very respectable program with a great art history department. Also, the opportunities you have are just a red line tran away to inner Boston for some great institutions (MFA, Isabella Gardner, ICA). Living in Boston is also way easier than New York (although still very expensive). I mean, with anything you have pros and cons, but think, your focus may become more defined while you do your terminal MA and you may desire an entire change of focus. If you stay at NYU, who knows - you might dread continuing in their PhD program anyways. You might not even want to pursue a PhD after you get your MA -- in fact, one Columbia stat says that they have 150 participants in their PhD program and 50% are ABD. Honestly, I assume that IFA's stats are way worse (I would actually love someone to provide me one if they know it!).

UMass... it's a smaller program with smaller recognition. It's great if you don't know what you want to study specifically. Also, the opportunities are there too. Umass is the only school in the Pioneer valley with a graduate program and EACH and EVERY institution in the region CRAVES a graduate student for an internship. You would have your pick of the litter for internship opportunities. Also, that area is Art crazy and there will always be something going on. Also, since the undergraduate school is so large, there may be plenty of money to pursue conferences and research grants (since it is a research school). You won't have that many peers to compete with for these grants and opportunities, and you would be a valued member of the team.

I'm sorry if I'm trying to discredit IFA --- I mean, it's a school I've seriously consider going to, but don't think that reputation is everything. It's not.

[anonymousbequest]

Don't discount UMass and Tufts!

You might not even want to pursue a PhD after you get your MA -- in fact, one Columbia stat says that they have 150 participants in their PhD program and 50% are ABD. Honestly, I assume that IFA's stats are way worse (I would actually love someone to provide me one if they know it!).

I'm sorry if I'm trying to discredit IFA --- I mean, it's a school I've seriously consider going to, but don't think that reputation is everything. It's not.

Agreed! The IFA 2-track MA program, and Columbia's too, seem like a great way for those schools to fund their large cadres of Ph.D. students. I'm sure you could do great at the IFA and be one of the very few who transition from the terminal M.A. to their Ph.D. program, but you could also do your work at Tufts or UMass, get some teaching experience, graduate with a lot less debt, and still go to the IFA later (if you wanted, you might not after you hear more about its culture). There are a few threads here extolling UMass this season. I don't think I've met anyone in professional life who did their MA at Tufts, but that just maybe because they don't do my area. Tufts is certainly the better undergraduate institution of the two, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything--look at the reputation of Cornell's Ph.D. program in art history for example, or Notre Dame's M.A.

[Rahrah23]

Thank you, all!!! This is all extremely helpful. I hope to reach my decision soon (after all, deadline of the 15th is slowly creeping...).