Rhetoric and Composition PhD. Where did you apply?

[muchado]

Haha. Very nice. Well, I hope you hear good news! 

 

What are your research interests?

[KenAnderson]

The rhetoric program at Berkley is also a bit different in nature than the traditional rhet & comp. programs elsewhere...according to a former Berkley PhD alumnus of the rhetoric program.

...more humor needed, huh? I prefer realistic optimism....been playing the grad application game for some time now. ....first with the M.A and now with the PhD.

I guess I need more witty French repartees? Lol. ( < see, I included the "lol" to show that this was all intended in a light tone.)

Edited February 5, 2013 by KenAnderson

[lewisthesamteenth]

I understand your view, and I can sympathize with you, having myself been "playing the game" (le mot juste, methinks) for some time now. Moi, I prefer to ignore Voltaire and hide under the warm blankets of Leibnizian optimism. I try to focus on the most positive features of my application, and acknowledge that there is ALWAYS room for exceptions to the rule.

[Sursie]

I like optimism.

[damequixote]

Hey, what do you guys think of the University of Michigan's joint PhD in English and education program? I have an offer from them and University of Wisconsin/Madison's composition and rhetoric PhD program. I'm leaning toward Michigan, except there's pretty much no mention if this program on the forum archives... Any thoughts? :/

[muchado]

I hadn't heard of that program before now, but it seems to me like you would want to go where you feel like the best fit with your interests and personality lies. If that's at Michigan, then I say go for it.

 

Aside from that, here is the main thing I would take into consideration:

What kind of department do you want to teach in (English or Education? Or something else?) and do they commonly place people in that type of job? If their graduates seem to get jobs in Education or Communication departments and you want to teach in English then it might be better to go with a different program.

 

You clearly have great options. It's still really early to be making decisions. Talk to and visit as many of these departments as you can to get a clearer picture of what the next several years would look like there, then make a decision.

 

Hope that helps!

[La Boca del Pozo]

Just jumping on the grad cafe wagon now. My schools and such are listed in my signature.

[damequixote]

I hadn't heard of that program before now, but it seems to me like you would want to go where you feel like the best fit with your interests and personality lies. If that's at Michigan, then I say go for it.

 

Aside from that, here is the main thing I would take into consideration:

What kind of department do you want to teach in (English or Education? Or something else?) and do they commonly place people in that type of job? If their graduates seem to get jobs in Education or Communication departments and you want to teach in English then it might be better to go with a different program.

 

You clearly have great options. It's still really early to be making decisions. Talk to and visit as many of these departments as you can to get a clearer picture of what the next several years would look like there, then make a decision.

 

Hope that helps!

 

That's really great advice! You know, I looked at where they ended up and what kind of position it was (becuase that's what the website), but I didn't look at what department they ended up in. Thank you so much!

[damequixote]

Oops. Seriously didn't mean to upvote myself!

[Sursie]

Damequixote: I assume your interests lean toward composition pedagogy? And I second all the stuff muchado said. Also, perhaps talk to faculty in your current program to see if they have a sense of the reputation of grad students in and coming out of that program... do grad students publish (and publish well)? Are they prepared for job talks and the interview process when they go on the market? Are they highly competitive in the department? (Honestly, I think I heard great stuff about grad students at both Michigan and UW Madison when I was researching programs, so it seems like you've got two great options and a difficult decision to make!)

[damequixote]

Sursie,

 

Thanks for the excellent advice. I think my new plan will be to check out the CVs of recent graduates and use that to sketch out which trajectory seems more fitting for my career plan (or, I should say, "hopes). Thanks so much. This is my first time really picking a graduate program and I guess I was blanking on some really important factors to consider. THANKS! :)

[dazedandbemused]

Hey, what do you guys think of the University of Michigan's joint PhD in English and education program? I have an offer from them and University of Wisconsin/Madison's composition and rhetoric PhD program. I'm leaning toward Michigan, except there's pretty much no mention if this program on the forum archives... Any thoughts? :/

 

Just to add my two cents, a friend of mine also applied to the joint English/Ed. program and I know that it's mainly geared toward people who are interested in working in writing programs, as well as people who already have a masters degree and are perhaps older and more experienced than the average applicant right out of undergrad. As for their placements, they seem to mostly be working in English departments, so I wouldn't worry about being stuck in a communications or education department if you didn't want to be.

[damequixote]

That's pretty much the impression I had too.

[KenAnderson]

The only caveat with it being in the Ed. Department, if it is a Phd in education with specialization ( like UC Santa Barbara).....in rhetoric and comp., I was told that your job prospects would be towards teaching in the Education department, and leaning to secondary and elementary levels, or research focused on education writing pedagogy. Personally, I think the PhD in English with specialization in rhetoric and composition is more valued in the collegiate environment, and it offers more elbow room in the subjects You might want to teach.. Depends on what you want to teach I guess.

Edited February 6, 2013 by KenAnderson

[damequixote]

Well it's dually held by both the English and Education departments (rather than based in one and the other as a specialization) so it's not really an education degree with a specialization in rhet/comp, but I see what you're saying.

[muchado]

Seems like you've got the situation well in hand damequixote. Perhaps you will hear even more good news to continue complicating your decision.

[KenAnderson]

Okay, no emails so far from Louisville and I just checked the website....nada......only three acceptances so far showing on the grad-cafe for Louisville?

I am thinking that if I do not hear back by Saturday, implicit rejection, or maybe waitlist..... I wonder if they make more offers than they have slots for. Also, I did not get my application finished until Dec. 15th!

And this stressful, high anxiety scenario gets to be replayed for the other 5 schools I applied to! I am a mess tonight.

...... deep breath.

[KenAnderson]

damequixote: congrats on the 3 acceptances! [but really, you need at least one rejection to keep you humble ( you are mortal, yes??) and ALSO it will  help the rest of us not to feel like, uh,  amoeba I.Q. pond scum. lol]

[damequixote]

Ken, I'm sure I have many, many rejections coming. Don't you worry!

[muchado]

I know it's difficult, but we all have to keep in mind that it's still really early. I have several schools that I know haven't even started looking at applications much less made decisions.

 

In regards to Louisville, I still haven't received official info from the graduate school or the email I was told to expect from Karen Habeeb in regards to traveling for the visit weekend. I'm not assuming that they are finished notifying until one or both of those are sent. 

[muchado]

Anyone want to claim the last few rhet/comp acceptances? Congrats to whoever it is!

[KenAnderson]

Well, Louisville said NO to moi! Oh well... nice little card in the mailbox....from Karen H:"sorry...blah  blah blah..."   My teaching experience is a little weak, but have a 3.9 grad gpa , 2 conference presentations, one national poetry award, over a dozen non-academic publications (newspapers, journals, magazines).....and even one of my recommendation letters was from a former Rhet and Comp Louisville faculty member.....oh well ..it is only my first rejection. Six more to go... AND i just sent off another app to the University of Louisiana in Lafayette.......deadline is the 15th for fellowships and all materials by March 1st. 

Edited February 10, 2013 by KenAnderson

[YesPhDinHumanities]

Congrats to those who have acceptances and for those rejections.... it IS super early in the process. Good luck everyone!

 

I'm happy to say I was the recent poster on the results page with an offer from the University of Pittsburgh PhD in Cultural and Critical Studies (concentration in composition). Any lurkers out there also hear from Pitt and considering attending? I think it's a really great fit for my interests and I'll probably accept, barring something crazy awful happening during my campus visit. 

[muchado]

Congrats YesPhDinHumanities! It's awesome that you've received good news from (what seems like) your top choice!

[This_madness]

I got my BA from Pitt's English department, YesPhDinHumanities. I desperately wish I could have stayed here for my MA/PhD, but of course the department won't accept its own undergrads. If you want any insider info, I'll be happy to share!