Carnegie Mellon MA

[MariElizabeth]

I'm curious if there are any current /post CMU MA students on here who could provide their opinions of the program, specifically, PhD prospects, satisfaction with the one-year duration, professors, ect. While I have received offers from BU, CU boulder, SUNY Buffalo, and Brandeis ( all of which fall into the dreaded non, or partially funded category) CMU is my best option financially, so any information about the culture of the school would really help with the decision making process.

Thank you!

[andromache]

This is a program I am considering as well. Did you go to the Open House last week? One of the most important things I got out of it is that your best option for applying to PhD programs is to apply after you've already completed the program. Your application will be much, much stronger than if you apply in fall while you're still beginning the program. Faculty seems to be very supportive of their MA students. I might be able to answer a few of your questions based on what I learned at the open house, if you did not attend? (I see you're in Portland, so traveling there might not have been an option.)

[MariElizabeth]

I wasn't able to attend the open house, unfortunately. I'm pleased to hear you mention that Masters students seem equipped to apply for the PhD upon completion of their degree. Did you have any other impressions? Do the MA students work with PhD students?

[andromache]

Courses are a combination of MA and PhD students (and due to the small course offering, some courses are a combination of MA and high level undergrad students.) You can get a list of next year's course offerings by emailing someone in the department, I'm sure, since they gave out course listings to us at the open house. It seems like a great program overall, but you definitely won't get as much experience as if you do a two year program, which is my current debate about where I should go.

 

I know one professor mentioned that a recent MA graduate was accepted to Duke, and CMU MA grads also don't have a problem finding adjunct teaching jobs in Pittsburgh during the year after they finish the program and work on applying to PhD programs.

 

Many profs noted that MA students think the one year program goes by too fast, however.

[MariElizabeth]

AndroMache, thank you for your insight!

 

I, too, am worried about the one year length, and am torn between CMU and a two year program.  What is your intended specialty or area of interest? 

[andromache]

I'm interested in both contemporary lit and media as well as medieval studies, along with gender studies (which I could really do in either field) so a two year period to further explore my interests would definitely be a positive experience. At the same time, I'll be paying twice as much in tuition. I'll be visiting the two year program this week, and it will probably come down to how my visits compare. What's yours? If it makes any difference to your decision, I know that CMU's African-American lit guy is on leave all of next year (but that really only impacts you if you're into A-A lit.) For me, I know that there aren't any women/feminist/gender focused courses offered at CMU for next year, which is a little discouraging.

 

I really recommend you try and get the course list for fall from someone via email, as well as asking for the projected list of courses for spring. I wasn't wowed by it, personally, but not especially put off, either. Depending on your interests, it might affect your decision.

[MariElizabeth]

I'm interested in ecocriticism and gender studies, so I really appreciate your advice on obtaining a course list for next year, seeing as how there may be little opportunity for me to refine my interests.