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[jessicala]

I've been perusing the forums for a month, and gotten a lot of good and disheartening advice from them. But I was wondering if anyone could advise me with my situation specifically.

I majored in Violin Performance at NYU, double minored in History and Art History, gpa 3.8, strong liberal studies component required at NYU. I've stuck myself in a practice room for the past 4 years and I admit I feel daunted at the thought of changing my studies (after taking a year off and gigging in NYC, just feels like my brain is decaying from playing christian rock and musical theater).

I took my studies very seriously at NYU, took classes mainly in European intellectual history and Slavic studies for the history minor, studied abroad in Prague, took a semester of Russian language, and I do have a lot of passion for the subject matter. I'm interested in studying the intersection between the development of music and critical theory that resulted from the fin de siecle to the mid 20th century (particularly in Eastern Europe).

I'm looking into history, comp lit, and musicology programs and looking for professors whose interests may match mine. I have the support of one history professor I took multiple classes with but my ego has been masochistically trodden down by Beethoven and Bach as an undergrad so I'll phrase this humbly... Would I look like a joke applying for a Phd? Could a good writing sample and SoP possibly pull me through or should I think about paying for a masters program? Would the switch from music to academia be taken seriously for these programs?

I'll take any and everything you brilliant minds have to give, thanks!

[dimanche0829]

While changing fields will always pose somewhat of a challenge, it is not impossible. I studied classical flute for nearly 18 years myself (as a component of my education, though, not the focus) and remember learning a LOT about the political and social histories of various composers to help understand their compositions better. Since music was your focus, I can only imagine that you studied these histories at a significantly deeper level. So, use that knowledge to your advantage.

How has learning about the worlds of various composers shaped your music focus and decision to transition into academia? How can your knowledge of music and those who composed support your PhD research? How has music helped shape the works of certain authors you like, etc.? See where I'm going with this?

Humanities adcoms love little more than a solid writing sample and SOP. Show them how your concentration in music sets you apart from the rest of the app. pool and how it has shaped your interests today. My suggestion would be to apply to a range of programs, both MA (with funding where possible) and PhD. You might also consider applying to schools who value the study of music. Even though you want to transition into the humanities, schools with solid music programs are more likely to understand the high value of your knowledge base.

Good luck, and I hope this helps!

Edited September 10, 2011 by dimanche0829

[Sparky]

How much Russian is "one semester"? Are we talking Russian 101, or a summer intensive class that took you from zero to hero? (nb is that possible with Russian? I have no clue). Did you learn Czech, Russian, or heck, even German to a degree of reading proficiency when you were abroad? Do you have reading-proficient German or French? With one semester of one language, you will not be competitive for comp lit PhD admissions. It will be a severe disadvantage for modern Euro PhD admissions.

That's just getting in, though. How committed are you to doing a PhD? (That's a genuine question--I can't get a read on it from your post.) Why do you want the degree? You said you don't feel intellectually challenged right now; in all honesty, that's an excuse, not a reason, to do a 7+ year degree with crappy job prospects at the end. (I'm don't mean to be offensive--I totally get it if you have actual reasons but are just giving the excuse for privacy or whatever; I'm sorry, I can't tell). Do you want to be an archivist? Museum work? Teach? Okay, do you want to teach history? English? Russian? Musicology?

Seriously--if you haven't even picked a field yet, do an MA. It will give you time to figure out whether history (or whatever) is the right fit for you, and it will give you the time to learn at least one language to a research-worthy extent. Yes, with a killer writing sample, SOP and LORs, plus a generous slathering of good fortune, anything is technically possible. But in your case, I honestly think you would benefit a *ton* from an MA. There are a handful of funded programs out there. Look especially at schools that offer an MA but have no PhD program. You will likely get closer attention from the faculty--although my MA is from a school with a much larger PhD program and I have no complaints; it was an amazing experience--and are more likely to wind up with a TAship or RAship (i.e. money).

Edited September 10, 2011 by Sparky

[arglooblaha]

I wouldn't worry about it.....a LOT and i mean A LOT (if not, maybe, the majority of successful, funded applicants) change their field when going from undergrad to grad. You have two really big pluses with your application...a) you've taken time off (grad schools like people who have world experience and perhaps put some thought into what they want to do, rather than dove straight from undergrad to grad because that's the thing to do) and you have the perspective of an experience, performing musician. What you need to do now is read a lot, read some people who have published in ethnomusicology (and a lot of people who go into that are musicians themselves, and i would say the successful people that i've heard of). Also, read historical/cultural/critical theory texts that interest you. MA and PhDs are about your voice...adding to your field. Find the ideas that you jive with and run with them. Put them down on paper, and brainstorm ways to explore them more (resources you could use for research...profs who have done some research on them who might be able to guide you to some resources...they LOVE to be contact by fellow nerds). And look at the program. If its the kind of program where everyone who goes for a masters ends up going for a phd, then apply with a phd in mind. And if you do so, be very specific....this is the project i want to work on....this is my connection to it...this is why it fascinates me (make it fascinate them too...make them want to get you in their program so they can see your research come to fruition)....these are the people that i am really interested in working with and bopping ideas off of....these are the classes that i really see helping me develop my critical mind or giving me really useful interest....these are the reasons why this program will really add something to my research. (Anyone can research and try and publish a paper outside of school...although one thing grad school really gives you is the industry knowledge to help you get published). Also....think about why you want to go to grad school....to teach? to be a pure academic? put all of this into your statement of purpose. And make sure your writing samples really reflect that you can digest lots of facts and complex ideas and synthesize them to make some really interesting ideas that only a person with your perspective could come up with. Hope this helps! (Also...these days, most of the MA's in the departments you would be likely entering, aren't terminal, and are intended for going on to a PhD)