MA Thread

[Ulixes]

Accepted at Brandeis! 50% funding and TA-ship. I'm pumped about their program. But dang that city is expensive. 

 

Nice! Congratulations!

[Ulixes]

(Tell whichever schools you decline to admit only Ulixes, the Fearsome!)

[prepare2deluze]

I'm sure this question has been addressed before, but I'll ask it anyway: 

 

How does one go about finding a MA program's placement record (as in, what doctoral programs their MA students end up)? It typically seems like the only info departments post is on where their doctoral students end up teaching. I assume you are all just emailing departments?

 

 

I don't think that's the whole story. Not to contradict what you've heard, as it is rumor, but I think it's important for those interested in the program to consider this.

 

The new school must have an all right reputation as its MA program seems to have decent placement, e.g., there are maybe 2-3 students in the U Chicago doctorate program coming from the new school. Similarly, the chair of the BU program received a degree from the new school. The terrible funding is infamous, but it's possible to get full rides, as a few students from my SLAC have done. The professors I've encountered that hold degrees from the new school have been great as well. I'm by no means a new school defender, I'm just pointing out some positive impressions I've had. With that said, I will apply to the program come next year, then empirical evidence, Husserl archives, etc. Hope this helps those considering the program!

 

Thank you - this information is very helpful. I am really starting to feel as if their "negative reputation" comes from a history of funding blunders.

Edited March 20, 2014 by prepare2deluze

[philosophe]

I'm sure this question has been addressed before, but I'll ask it anyway: 

 

How does one go about finding a MA program's placement record (as in, what doctoral programs their MA students end up)? It typically seems like the only info departments post is on where their doctoral students end up teaching. I assume you are all just emailing departments?

 

 

 

Thank you - this information is very helpful. I am really starting to feel as if their "negative reputation" comes from a history of funding blunders.

 

The placement record is easily found on any terminal MA's department website. 

 

Here's Brandeis: http://www.brandeis.edu/departments/philosophy/mastersprogram/placement.html

 

Here's Tufts: http://ase.tufts.edu/philosophy/graduate/placement.asp

[Establishment]

He's not talking about those programs, but those like CUNY, Columbia, Colorado, and U Florida which offer a PhD as well, where often PhD placements are given but not MA ones.

[Dialectica]

Nice! Congratulations!

Thank you! And I'll make sure to put in a good word

[warrior3]

Anyone else considering Ohio? 

[prepare2deluze]

He's not talking about those programs, but those like CUNY, Columbia, Colorado, and U Florida which offer a PhD as well, where often PhD placements are given but not MA ones.

Precisely. Sorry if I was unclear.

[dgswaim]

I was wondering whether anyone out there who's done an MA at a program that also has PhD students has an insights as to the kind of attention MA students tend to receive. I ask because I've been warned by a few people against taking an MA from a university with PhD students precisely because of issues involving faculty attention and the like, but I've heard things to the contrary as well. Any thoughts?

[Cottagecheeseman]

I was wondering whether anyone out there who's done an MA at a program that also has PhD students has an insights as to the kind of attention MA students tend to receive. I ask because I've been warned by a few people against taking an MA from a university with PhD students precisely because of issues involving faculty attention and the like, but I've heard things to the contrary as well. Any thoughts?

I know it varies. It's best to ask students at the actual school you are  considering.

[Establishment]

I know it varies. It's best to ask students at the actual school you are  considering.

 

This. My undergraduate university had a funded MA program and a PhD program, and MA students got just as much attention as the PhD students. But it varies.

[SamStone]

Just out of curiosity: if a program informs you specifically that you are on a "short wait list" for funding or admission...is generally sort of a formality, or do you actually stand a good chance of receiving funding/admission? I have started to get my hopes up, and I don't know if I am setting myself up to be more disappointed than I should be if I don't get past the wait list.

 

For anyone who has received this type of message, did you eventually get good news or did it not come through?

[philstudent1991]

As far as MAs, I applied to GSU, Brandeis and Houston. I am accepted to GSU, waitlisted at Brandeis, and won't get funding at Houston so I won't be going there regardless. I'll probably go to GSU.

[frege-bombs]

Just out of curiosity: if a program informs you specifically that you are on a "short wait list" for funding or admission...is generally sort of a formality, or do you actually stand a good chance of receiving funding/admission? I have started to get my hopes up, and I don't know if I am setting myself up to be more disappointed than I should be if I don't get past the wait list.

 

For anyone who has received this type of message, did you eventually get good news or did it not come through?

 

For what it's worth, when I got into Virginia Tech, I was told that I was "high on the waiting list for funding." I was also told that it was almost certain that some of the candidates to whom they had made initial funding offers would decline, at which point they would immediately proceed down the waiting list. A week later, I was thrilled to receive an offer of full funding in the form of a GTA-ship. So, that's how it's done at VT at least. I hope this is of some help! I can certainly understand not wanting to get your hopes up. Best of luck. 

[Ulixes]

For what it's worth, when I got into Virginia Tech, I was told that I was "high on the waiting list for funding." I was also told that it was almost certain that some of the candidates to whom they had made initial funding offers would decline, at which point they would immediately proceed down the waiting list. A week later, I was thrilled to receive an offer of full funding in the form of a GTA-ship. So, that's how it's done at VT at least. I hope this is of some help! I can certainly understand not wanting to get your hopes up. Best of luck. 

 

We might end up being classmates. What do you think of VT's program, or at least what you've heard about it?

[frege-bombs]

We might end up being classmates. What do you think of VT's program, or at least what you've heard about it?

 

That's very cool to hear. I'm really excited about the prospect of joining VT's department, as they have strengths in two of my main areas of interest (phil of science and Wittgenstein). I'm impressed by their placement record as well. Blacksburg is not too far from where I am now (I'm from North Carolina), and seems pretty affordable. All things said, I think it's a great fit. What are your interests? Do you think it's likely that you'll end up at VT?

[Ulixes]

Very cool; have you visited the campus, or ever been to Blacksburg?

 

It's fairly likely, but I'm still parsing out my interests; I really enjoy anything related to epistemology, but have recently taken an interest in causation and scientific explanation. I'd love to get into the philosophy of perception, and general metaphysics (I like thinking about what makes us persist, as us, through change). So, I think it'd be a pretty solid fit (in that I'm developing an interest in the philosophy of science), but I'd definitely take any offer with any kind of funding (VT is unfunded, for me).

 

So, we'll see! Have you been accepted anywhere else?

[Wait For It...]

Virginia's a gorgeous state, especially where Blacksburg is. 

[Cottagecheeseman]

Virginia's a gorgeous state, especially where Blacksburg is. 

Oh absofuckinglutely. Mcafee knob, arguably the most photographed spot on the Appalachian Trail is near there. (See photo below) - Also so many great mountains wilderness areas nearby. Shenandoah national park just an hour north. Great Smoky Mountains National Park a few hours south. Seneca Rocks for those rockclimbers is an hour or two west. If you like outdoor stuff, blacksburg will most definitely interest you.

[Wait For It...]

Oh absofuckinglutely. Mcafee knob, arguably the most photographed spot on the Appalachian Trail is near there. (See photo below) - Also so many great mountains wilderness areas nearby. Shenandoah national park just an hour north. Great Smoky Mountains National Park a few hours south. Seneca Rocks for those rockclimbers is an hour or two west. If you like outdoor stuff, blacksburg will most definitely interest you.

I miss Virginia  

[ianfaircloud]

Everyone:

 

I highly recommend that you check with current students to find out the placement records this year at the MA programs.

 

Keep in mind, when you ask for these records, that it's more impressive to see 80% of those who applied get admitted to one or two good programs each than it is to see 20% of those who applied get admitted to a long list of good programs. You don't want to be somewhere that has one awesome success story and only a little more than that. I know that my program (which I won't name here) is going to have an impressive record this year, but the administrator hasn't updated the record on the website.

 

Also ask current students for their general feedback. Ask specific questions: How do the students treat each other? How much cooperation is there among the grads? What's the culture like? How competitive is the environment? How often do students share papers with one another for feedback? How often do faculty hold additional sessions, reading groups, etc.? 

Also ask whether the placement is much better in any particular area of philosophical interest. E.g. Take note whether a department seems to place better in metaphysics or ethics, etc. If the department rarely places well in ethics, that could indicate that the faculty in ethics is weaker, writes poor letters, etc.

 

Ask whether the students who did well, did well because of the department/program or simply because they were really, really strong from the start. 

 

The people answering these questions may not *know* the answers to them. But it seems to me that it's better to have their thoughts than not to have their thoughts.

 

Keep in mind a few other things:

 

1. Students will be MUCH LESS CANDID in email communication than on the phone or in person. When I applied, I spoke with a current student on the phone. He was very candid. I can't imagine that he would put in writing what he told me on the phone. 

 

2. If you hear an unwillingness to help, that's a sign that these aren't students with whom you want to work.

 

3. Students are interested in being honest, particularly the first-year group (at two year programs). After all, if they talk you into going somewhere, and it turns out that they weren't honest, you'll be there to hold them accountable. 

 

4. Talk to students in more than one cohort (first year, second year, etc.), not just one cohort. The group that just applied is going to have a different angle than the group that will apply next fall.

 

5. Reach out to students. Don't let the graduate director hand pick whom you will talk to!!

[Monadology]

 

1. Students will be MUCH LESS CANDID in email communication than on the phone or in person. When I applied, I spoke with a current student on the phone. He was very candid. I can't imagine that he would put in writing what he told me on the phone. 

 

Perhaps it's unwise of me, but the reverse is true in my case. I'm pretty shy on the phone or in person, but much more willing to be direct in the context of email, PMs etc...

[Establishment]

Perhaps it's unwise of me, but the reverse is true in my case. I'm pretty shy on the phone or in person, but much more willing to be direct in the context of email, PMs etc...

 

I'm the same, though for different reasons.

[MattDest]

I'll be direct either way. 

[ianfaircloud]

Perhaps it's unwise of me, but the reverse is true in my case. I'm pretty shy on the phone or in person, but much more willing to be direct in the context of email, PMs etc...

 

 

I'm the same, though for different reasons.

 

 

I'll be direct either way. 

 

I'm glad you all chimed in. I guess I stand corrected! Maybe some are more willing than others to speak up in written form. I, for one, avoid going on the record on some things -- perhaps I'm cynical!!