MA program at University of Amsterdam

[W10th]

Hi

I got accepted to do a Master's in this program called Rhetoric, Argumentation Theory and Philosophy at University of Amsterdam. I did research before I applied in terms of faculty, design of the program and etc, but I have not reached out to an alumna or anyone familiar with the program to get a clearer sense of what it is like.

I ultimately want to get into a Phd program probably in English or Communications in the states, and I was wondering if anyone here has made that move. But as I am writing this I realize I should be the one doing more research in that regard since it all comes down to figuring out what I want to study and where I can do it...and so, off I go.

But still, anyone?

Edited April 7, 2014 by W10th

[Kamisha]

I wish I could help you out, but I have no clue! It might be wise to contact potential PhD programs that you’re interested in and see if that’s a program that they’d regard as a high qualification. Perhaps an even better option would be to contact the university, itself, and ask where it normally places students who complete their Masters. 

[Bennett]

I can't tell you too much about the UVA specifically but I did a research Master's (literature) at Leiden University in the Netherlands, and am now pursuing a Phd in Literature at Duke. Other people from my program have gone on to Phds at Columbia (Latin American and Comp Lit), Johns Hopkins (German), and Berkeley Rhetoric. Admittedly, we were (IMHO) a particularly stellar year of the program, but the point is that people from Dutch master's programs do go on to do PhD work in the States, and at good places. Beyond that, the Netherlands is awesome and, if you can swing it financially (I relied on tuition scholarships), you will have an absolutely amazing time there. 

 

Also, is Mieke Bal still teaching at the UVA? She is definitely a figure who's well known in literature and art history circles in the States. As is Rosi Braidotti over at Utrecht, if you have an interest in Deleuze and/or feminist studies. Most of the Dutch programs have an agreement that allows you to take classes at the other major schools, so I'd also ask about that and would recommend looking at courses and faculty in other places (Utrecht, Leiden). A lot of this depends on your specific interests though, so it might help for you to describe your academic interests with more specificity. For example, if you're interested in colonial/post-colonial lit, learning Dutch can actually give you a leg up, because there's a lot of stuff in Dutch on the East Indies which has never been translated, and very few scholars who work on it. Beyond that the American academia has its own myopias and it can be interesting to see what the current debates are in the European academy, especially if you entertain any interest in eventually teaching outside of North America.