Anecdotes about collegiality

[dazedandbemused]

Hey all, I don't know about you but I'm finally getting to the point where my list of schools is basically set and now I've got to hunker down and get those apps out. My biggest worry, and the reason I started this topic, is knowing what kind of department you could be entering next year. I thought it would be great to have a place where people could mention what schools they're familiar with so that interested parties could PM each other about the various schools. I'm all about schools where you don't feel like your whole life becomes "what are you working on?" so while rankings ARE important, I care way more about support systems.

I'll lead by example; I'm currently doing a post-baccalaureate at University of Pittsburgh, so if anyone has questions about the department here, shoot me a message and I'd be happy to reply.

Edited October 14, 2012 by dazedandbemused

[marlowe]

Go to Texas. It is incredible. That is all.

[antecedent]

Go to Texas. It is incredible. That is all.

*swoon*

Edinburgh is very friendly and collaborative, but only if you're want to join the British system. I'll be back in the US for round two.

[dazedandbemused]

Go to Texas. It is incredible. That is all.

Austin is basically my dream school right now. Did you go there for undergrad, or are you a PhD there now?

[thestage]

I've looked at Austin, but I'm a little worried by how fractured their program seems. They look like they really want to partition you off into a rigid specialty right away.

[GuateAmfeminist]

I can see what you're saying [full disclosure, I'm a PhD student at UT] but there also aren't tons of "required" courses (only 2, one on theory/methodology and one on pedagogy) which do not relate to your areas of interest. You have a lot of say in what you want to take and plenty of opportunity to study across disciplines. I think if you wanted to be more specialized, you could, but you could also decide to be more generalist during your coursework years. That's just my own thoughts. So you're not forced either way.

[marlowe]

I can see what you're saying [full disclosure, I'm a PhD student at UT] but there also aren't tons of "required" courses (only 2, one on theory/methodology and one on pedagogy) which do not relate to your areas of interest. You have a lot of say in what you want to take and plenty of opportunity to study across disciplines. I think if you wanted to be more specialized, you could, but you could also decide to be more generalist during your coursework years. That's just my own thoughts. So you're not forced either way.

I agree (Guate is my girl). There are essentially only two required courses, and some people are (on occasion) exempted from at least one of them. There is nobody pigeon-holing you once you're here, and although my specialty was already pre-determined, I don't think anybody else feels like they are being pushed one way or the other. I don't feel like it is like that at all.

[Swagato]

Hey all, I don't know about you but I'm finally getting to the point where my list of schools is basically set and now I've got to hunker down and get those apps out. My biggest worry, and the reason I started this topic, is knowing what kind of department you could be entering next year. I thought it would be great to have a place where people could mention what schools they're familiar with so that interested parties could PM each other about the various schools. I'm all about schools where you don't feel like your whole life becomes "what are you working on?" so while rankings ARE important, I care way more about support systems.

I'll lead by example; I'm currently doing a post-baccalaureate at University of Pittsburgh, so if anyone has questions about the department here, shoot me a message and I'd be happy to reply.

I will be applying to Pittsburgh for Film Studies, joint with English. I have excellent rapport with one of their more recent film scholars, but I'm wondering whether I should address English in my SoP or not. My POI said it is not necessary. My large area of interest is the 18th century Robertson's Phantasmagoria and the problem of space; I will be examining a long dialectic of spatial dynamics within the space of exhibition by looking at various screen practices centering around the Phantasmagoria. This media archaeological emphasis will be balanced by theoretical work on the Unheimlich in Freud and Heidegger, and perhaps Burke/Kant/Lyotard's accounts of the sublime. I can find some very good fits with Film Studies, but I am less sure about English. Thoughts?

[dazedandbemused]

I will be applying to Pittsburgh for Film Studies, joint with English. I have excellent rapport with one of their more recent film scholars, but I'm wondering whether I should address English in my SoP or not. My POI said it is not necessary. My large area of interest is the 18th century Robertson's Phantasmagoria and the problem of space; I will be examining a long dialectic of spatial dynamics within the space of exhibition by looking at various screen practices centering around the Phantasmagoria. This media archaeological emphasis will be balanced by theoretical work on the Unheimlich in Freud and Heidegger, and perhaps Burke/Kant/Lyotard's accounts of the sublime. I can find some very good fits with Film Studies, but I am less sure about English. Thoughts?

I would agree with your POI; mentioning Literature probably isn't necessary. The Film studies program is an integrated part of the English department because the English department isn't solely concerned with literature; the Literature track is totally separate and the people I know here who do film only take literature classes as suits their fancy. Hope this helps!

[Swagato]

I would agree with your POI; mentioning Literature probably isn't necessary. The Film studies program is an integrated part of the English department because the English department isn't solely concerned with literature; the Literature track is totally separate and the people I know here who do film only take literature classes as suits their fancy. Hope this helps!

Thanks, but I should point out that I was never going to mention Lit. at all; I was more interested in whether I should address the English department on its own merits (eg., how my project might interleave studies in "English" or how it may benefit from some of the English, non-Film, faculty members). If, as you say, the Film program is wholly integrated into the English department, I would probably be just fine directing my attention solely to film studies.

How is Pitt in general? Atmosphere, conviviality, research opportunities outside the university campus (during my MA at UChicago, there was an embarrassment of resources for a film/visual studies person in the city, for example), and so on.

[dazedandbemused]

Thanks, but I should point out that I was never going to mention Lit. at all; I was more interested in whether I should address the English department on its own merits (eg., how my project might interleave studies in "English" or how it may benefit from some of the English, non-Film, faculty members). If, as you say, the Film program is wholly integrated into the English department, I would probably be just fine directing my attention solely to film studies.

How is Pitt in general? Atmosphere, conviviality, research opportunities outside the university campus (during my MA at UChicago, there was an embarrassment of resources for a film/visual studies person in the city, for example), and so on.

I can't really speak to research opportunities outside of the campus because my research doesn't have to do with film, sorry. The atmosphere though, is amazing. Everyone here is really friendly and eager to be helpful, and there is definitely a feeling that grad students aren't just underlings to the faculty. The people that I know who are already writing dissertations really seem to have close relationships with their advisors and committee members. Honestly, I was really surprised by how fun and friendly everyone has been here so far. There's always something going on in the department whether it's Wednesday film club or Grad student and faculty parties. The city is great for someone who likes to have a lot of things to do, but isn't really looking for a hardcore, New York-style city. Also, lots of free alcohol if that's your thing

[Swagato]

That's really encouraging. Thanks very much! Cities vary of course, but quite honestly my spouse and I (she is the non-academic at least at this time) would do very nicely in the typical "college town." After all, what matters most is getting the job done in a way that opens up the future. So I'm glad to hear that there's a tight fit between faculty and graduate students.

[Fiona Thunderpaws]

I agree with Marlowe and Guate. As far as support networks go, UT is incredible, both formally and informally. I met with my advisor this week (I have three subfields) and he was supportive of all the courses I wanted to take (which invovled even more subfields). I think the subfields are more for their own book-keeping than anything else.

I honestly don't know if another program could come close to UT in terms of camaraderie among students. I'm blown away by it, really. If peer support is something you really want and you're applying to UT, I recommend mentioning it somewhere in your application as well. I did, and while I can't say it's one of the reasons I got in, it definitely didn't hurt me. They want people to fit into their atmosphere.