NYU Cinema Studies, applied to PhD, but got accepted into the MA program

[ylc]

I applied to NYU's Cinema Studies, PhD program for Fall 2014; however, received an email informing me that I got accepted into their Mater's program instead.

I've already hold a MA in Film Studies from another school.

Not sure if I should accpet NYU's offer, go study for a semester and re-apply for PhD in the coming year.

Would it be helpful if I apply for PhD as a MA student in their program?

Thanks!

 

[GeoDUDE!]

will it cost you any money? what are your other options in terms of the time you might be wasting in another mA program. How could you better yourself other ways? Will this MA be meaningful ? 

[perpetuavix]

My boyfriend is at NYU for a social science Masters. He discovered that if he were to continue at NYU at the PhD level, none of his masters' classes would transfer towards his PhD requirements. I don't know if that's a school-wide policy, but you should definitely find out if you hope to end up in their PhD program. 

[roguesenna]

I applied to NYU's Cinema Studies, PhD program for Fall 2014; however, received an email informing me that I got accepted into their Mater's program instead.

I've already hold a MA in Film Studies from another school.

Not sure if I should accpet NYU's offer, go study for a semester and re-apply for PhD in the coming year.

Would it be helpful if I apply for PhD as a MA student in their program?

Thanks!

 

 

I am in the same boat but for Performance Studies. The NYU Performance Studies PhD doesn't accept anyone who doesn't have their MA in Performance Studies from NYU. I thought they might occasionally make exceptions to the rule (which is one of several reasons that i decided to apply to the PhD with the MA option), but when I looked at the list of current PhD students, every. single. one. has their MA from NYU. Take a look at the current cinema studies PhD students and see if this is true for them. If it is, then you have to make a decision.

 

A second MA in basically the same field is going to be redundant. You're basically paying for the same degree twice. Maybe NYU has a higher ranking that your first school, but it will definitely look strange on your resume to have the same degree from two different schools. The only way I would recommend taking a second MA at NYU is if you feel that you absolutely won't be happy unless you get into the NYU PhD. If you'd be happy anywhere else, I'd say write off NYU as a lost cause and start working on making your application better for other schools. If you MUST go to NYU, then you may want to do the MA (but only if you're sure it's required for admission to the PhD) but even then you have to know that certain students -- even good students -- from the program still won't be accepted to NYU's PhD in the subject. Esssentially it is a high risk-high reward scenario.