Where should I apply?

[Thorongil]

Based on the following:

 

GRE: 162V, 138Q (abysmal, I know), and 4.0W (again, not as high as I would like, but c'est la vie; I'm not giving ETS any more money). 

GPA: 3.6.

Interdisciplinary bachelors degree in humanities from middle of the road state university. 

Interests: philosophical pessimism, asceticism, and mysticism. 

 

Where should I apply in terms of programs and at what tier? I have a list, but I wanted to post this here just to get outside opinions.

 

Also, does it particularly matter if my writing sample is one or two pages shorter than the recommended number of pages? I have longer papers, but I don't think they're written as well as a shorter one I want to use. 

Edited November 9, 2014 by Thorongil

[Dr. Old Bill]

I really don't think there's any way any of us can answer this main question for you. It's pretty late in the game to be figuring out programs to apply to. Are you looking at M.A. or Ph.D. programs? Are there any scholars in your chosen field who you would like to work with? Do you have a long-term plan for why you're applying to grad school?

 

As to your other question, if you send an 8-page paper to a program that asks for 10-15 pages, that's probably not a good idea. If you send a 13-page paper to a program that says "around 15 pages," then you might be okay. But the bottom line is that you should contact program coordinators / or the DGS at each program to find out how flexible they are. Just remember that the majority of applicants will have page lengths within the guidelines, so it might raise an eyebrow or two if you send in something shorter.

 

Your GRE and GPA numbers are "fine." Not good enough to boost your application, but probably not mediocre enough to keep you out of a program if your interests / fit / SOP / WS / LORs etc. show you to be an otherwise strong candidate.

Edited November 9, 2014 by Wyatt's Torch

[Thorongil]

I really don't think there's any way any of us can answer this main question for you. It's pretty late in the to be figuring out programs to apply to. Are you looking at M.A. or Ph.D. programs? Are there any scholars in your chosen field who you would like to work with? Do you have a long-term plan for why you're applying to grad school?

 

As to your other question, if you send an 8-page paper to a program that asks for 10-15 pages, that's probably not a good idea. If you send a 13-page paper to a program that says "around 15 pages," then you might be okay. But the bottom line is that you should contact program coordinators / or the DGS at each program to find out how flexible they are. Just remember that the majority of applicants will have page lengths within the guidelines, so it might raise an eyebrow or two if you send in something shorter.

 

Your GRE and GPA numbers are "fine." Not good enough to boost your application, but probably not mediocre enough to keep you out of a program if your interests / fit / SOP / WS / LORs etc. show you to be an otherwise strong candidate.

 

Well, as I said, I do already have a list of 12 programs which I will likely apply to starting this week. I just found this forum and thought I'd pose the question in case I might have missed out on any programs I haven't already found, since it's hard finding professors with my interests (well, outside of the Harvards). 

 

Most of the schools I've found require an MA before the PhD, but I have found a couple that are hybrids. I thought it would be the opposite, actually. But to answer your question, I plan on going all the way and become a professor, and this with the knowledge of the job market, etc. 

 

Thanks for the tip on writing sample length. 

Edited November 9, 2014 by Thorongil

[ProfLorax]

In addition to Wyatt's Torch's on point feedback, I can't help but wonder if you meant to post this in the Philosophy forum? You don't state any literary interests, like a period, genre, or nation-specific body of literature with which you want to work. 

[Thorongil]

In addition to Wyatt's Torch's on point feedback, I can't help but wonder if you meant to post this in the Philosophy forum? You don't state any literary interests, like a period, genre, or nation-specific body of literature with which you want to work. 

 

My true interests are probably in philosophy, but I don't want to apply to philosophy departments. I'm very poor at symbolic logic, which they all require, and there are far less of them than literature departments. Plus, the interests I gave you could translate to several different niches within literature departments. There are, for example, the English mystics (Cloud of Unknowing guy, Hugh of St. Victor, etc), the pessimistic Romantic and Victorian poets and novelists (Byron, Melville, Conrad, etc), and lots of other writers I could do work on. 

Edited November 9, 2014 by Thorongil

[zanmato4794]

While there are exceptions and, I believe, exceptions that stand out more in most applicants' minds than they should (for reasons I'm not going to get into here), I think you may want to retake the GRE. A low GRE usually needs to be balanced out by a high GPA, or vice versa, but both numbers in your case are slightly lower than what the average acceptance will look like.

 

If you have won awards, have extenuating circumstances to talk about, or some other eccentric aspect to your application, it could very well outweigh any number in your applications, but if not, you must keep in mind that you will be in competition with students who have high numbers, great recs, awards under their belts, and stellar writing samples. How do you plan to compete with them? (This is not a sassy rhetorical question. I am asking you--and asking you to ask yourself--why admissions committees should take you over other applicants with stronger numbers.)

 

I know I sound discouraging in that last paragraph, but I have the impression--and I'm basing it off of little here, I know--that you could use another year to define your interests more clearly, figure out what departments will suit you long before the winter deadlines, and bring your GRE scores up. Am I correct in sensing that you are still finishing a degree currently? A year off really works wonders, not only for your application, but for your finances, emotional stability, and personal life.

 

Also: much of my pessimism here is with the idea that you're applying to a PhD or combined MA/PhD program, both of which have more stringent attitudes toward applicants than do terminal MA programs. If you are applying to some terminal MAs, which you could use as a stepping stone and a way to get a new GPA and some accomplishments under your belt, I think you may have a more realistic shot.

[Thorongil]

While there are exceptions and, I believe, exceptions that stand out more in most applicants' minds than they should (for reasons I'm not going to get into here), I think you may want to retake the GRE. A low GRE usually needs to be balanced out by a high GPA, or vice versa, but both numbers in your case are slightly lower than what the average acceptance will look like.

 

If you have won awards, have extenuating circumstances to talk about, or some other eccentric aspect to your application, it could very well outweigh any number in your applications, but if not, you must keep in mind that you will be in competition with students who have high numbers, great recs, awards under their belts, and stellar writing samples. How do you plan to compete with them? (This is not a sassy rhetorical question. I am asking you--and asking you to ask yourself--why admissions committees should take you over other applicants with stronger numbers.)

 

I know I sound discouraging in that last paragraph, but I have the impression--and I'm basing it off of little here, I know--that you could use another year to define your interests more clearly, figure out what departments will suit you long before the winter deadlines, and bring your GRE scores up. Am I correct in sensing that you are still finishing a degree currently? A year off really works wonders, not only for your application, but for your finances, emotional stability, and personal life.

 

Also: much of my pessimism here is with the idea that you're applying to a PhD or combined MA/PhD program, both of which have more stringent attitudes toward applicants than do terminal MA programs. If you are applying to some terminal MAs, which you could use as a stepping stone and a way to get a new GPA and some accomplishments under your belt, I think you may have a more realistic shot.

 

I don't think you read my post carefully. I said I already have a degree, which means this year is a gap year for me, in which I have been working outside of school. Secondly, I explicitly said in this thread that the majority of the programs I'm applying to are MA programs. I have maybe 3-4 out of 12 that include the PhD. I don't mean to sound rude, so don't take this the wrong way. I apologize if I wasn't clear. 

Edited November 9, 2014 by Thorongil

[ProfLorax]

MA programs tend to be more general than specific, so it's hard to recommend specific MA programs for specific interests. However, here's a great place to start:  We've been compiling a list of funded MA programs for a few years. See if any of these programs spike your interest!

 

And you're absolutely right: many writers throughout history speak to the themes you are interested in studying. However, when you get to applying for PhD programs, you'll want to locate a period, nation, and (possibly) genre in addition to the theories and frameworks that interest you. At the PhD level (and job market), applications are often split up my area groups and given to faculty in that area group. So, for example, any applicants that are interested in Romantic poetry will eventually be sent off to the Romanticists within the department. One of the most challenging aspects of applying to the PhD level is both branding yourself as the [specific theory within specific period] applicant while also standing out. However, you don't necessarily have to worry about this at the MA level. An MA program will certainly help you figure out which of the traditional area groups you fit into and what new ideas you offer to that area group (or groups, as some overlap!). 

[Thorongil]

MA programs tend to be more general than specific, so it's hard to recommend specific MA programs for specific interests. However, here's a great place to start:  We've been compiling a list of funded MA programs for a few years. See if any of these programs spike your interest!

 

And you're absolutely right: many writers throughout history speak to the themes you are interested in studying. However, when you get to applying for PhD programs, you'll want to locate a period, nation, and (possibly) genre in addition to the theories and frameworks that interest you. At the PhD level (and job market), applications are often split up my area groups and given to faculty in that area group. So, for example, any applicants that are interested in Romantic poetry will eventually be sent off to the Romanticists within the department. One of the most challenging aspects of applying to the PhD level is both branding yourself as the [specific theory within specific period] applicant while also standing out. However, you don't necessarily have to worry about this at the MA level. An MA program will certainly help you figure out which of the traditional area groups you fit into and what new ideas you offer to that area group (or groups, as some overlap!). 

 

I see. This is a very helpful post. I suppose it's a good thing I have mostly planned on applying to MA programs then. Many thanks. 

[lifealive]

I don't think you read my post carefully. I said I already have a degree, which means this year is a gap year for me, in which I have been working outside of school. Secondly, I explicitly said in this thread that the majority of the programs I'm applying to are MA programs. I have maybe 3-4 out of 12 that include the PhD. I don't mean to sound rude, so don't take this the wrong way. I apologize if I wasn't clear. 

 

Not everyone reads every post in a thread. Your first post was very vague; it's basically like walking into an open food market and saying, "What kind of international cuisine should I try today? I like things that are sort of spicy but not really that spicy." People were doing the best they could with the bare-bones information you provided. Then you said you already had 12 programs you were applying for--well, which programs? And why?

 

I would suggest talking to an advisor or a professor in the field. They could give you more specific advice on your proposed topic of study (which is vague and non-literary to me, and I have been around for a while) and what to do about your GRE scores.

 

If you have PhD aspirations in the future, you will definitely have to get your scores up. The GRE isn't as important for MA students, but it matters for PhD applications. zanmato4794 is right in that yours are very borderline, and without the backing of a degree from a prestigious school, they will not work in your favor. 

 

If your writing sample is two pages short, then why not see if you can add two pages by fleshing some things out or adding more examples? We're talking two pages short here, not 10 or 20. Adding two pages is not a particularly onerous task; you should be up to that task if you're thinking about grad school.

[Thorongil]

Not everyone reads every post in a thread. Your first post was very vague; it's basically like walking into an open food market and saying, "What kind of international cuisine should I try today? I like things that are sort of spicy but not really that spicy." People were doing the best they could with the bare-bones information you provided. Then you said you already had 12 programs you were applying for--well, which programs? And why?

 

I would suggest talking to an advisor or a professor in the field. They could give you more specific advice on your proposed topic of study (which is vague and non-literary to me, and I have been around for a while) and what to do about your GRE scores.

 

If you have PhD aspirations in the future, you will definitely have to get your scores up. The GRE isn't as important for MA students, but it matters for PhD applications. zanmato4794 is right in that yours are very borderline, and without the backing of a degree from a prestigious school, they will not work in your favor. 

 

If your writing sample is two pages short, then why not see if you can add two pages by fleshing some things out or adding more examples? We're talking two pages short here, not 10 or 20. Adding two pages is not a particularly onerous task; you should be up to that task if you're thinking about grad school.

 

Well, I don't particularly like the slightly combative and patronizing tone your post and others have exuded. I had never heard of this forum until very recently and thought I asked some pretty straight forward questions, to which I have received some answers, albeit grudgingly. If a mod wants to delete this thread or my posts, he or she can feel free if it doesn't contain the sort of questions I should be asking here.

[lyonessrampant]

Since you want to work with philosophy and literature, you might look at some of those programs.  I know there are programs like that at Purdue and Johns Hopkins.  University of Chicago also has strong connections between those two departments.  Most programs will let you/require you to do coursework outside of the department and many Ph.D. programs require you to have someone on your committee outside of your department, so an interdisciplinary interest is a good thing.  That said, you'll want to use your MA experience as a time to figure out what sort of subfield you want to apply to.  If you want to work with the Cloud of Unknowing and medieval mysticism, then that would mean you'll be applying as a medievalist, which means you'll want to learn Latin if you don't know if already.  I'm not saying you must be a medievalist with your stated (admittedly broad) research interests, but I use this as an example of why/how you need to start thinking to prepare to apply to a Ph.D. program.  Basically, your philosophical interests will become your framing methodology and you may even end up with diss. chapters on Heidegger or Laurwell or something, but you'll want to have a strong interaction without literature as well.  No matter how interdisciplinary your work is, that diss and first book will be largely read by an audience of lit people.  Obviously, that's a long way off, but thinking of your audience should be a part of how you decide where to apply/how to apply when you get to the Ph.D. stage.  

 

In short, start thinking about a main subfield.  Lit (as opposed to English) programs will let you escape the subfield division a bit, but if you go English, you'll need to fit (somewhat . . .even if what you actually do is less bound by that, what you say you are in your SoP should be specific) in a subfield even if your methodology is transhistorical.  Research philosophy and literature programs or English programs that allow you to do a graduate minor in another field so you could do all that work in philosophy.  My university, for example, works like that.  

[Thorongil]

On 11/10/2014 at 9:49 AM, lyonessrampant said:

Since you want to work with philosophy and literature, you might look at some of those programs.  I know there are programs like that at Purdue and Johns Hopkins.  University of Chicago also has strong connections between those two departments.  Most programs will let you/require you to do coursework outside of the department and many Ph.D. programs require you to have someone on your committee outside of your department, so an interdisciplinary interest is a good thing.  That said, you'll want to use your MA experience as a time to figure out what sort of subfield you want to apply to.  If you want to work with the Cloud of Unknowing and medieval mysticism, then that would mean you'll be applying as a medievalist, which means you'll want to learn Latin if you don't know if already.  I'm not saying you must be a medievalist with your stated (admittedly broad) research interests, but I use this as an example of why/how you need to start thinking to prepare to apply to a Ph.D. program.  Basically, your philosophical interests will become your framing methodology and you may even end up with diss. chapters on Heidegger or Laurwell or something, but you'll want to have a strong interaction without literature as well.  No matter how interdisciplinary your work is, that diss and first book will be largely read by an audience of lit people.  Obviously, that's a long way off, but thinking of your audience should be a part of how you decide where to apply/how to apply when you get to the Ph.D. stage.  

 

In short, start thinking about a main subfield.  Lit (as opposed to English) programs will let you escape the subfield division a bit, but if you go English, you'll need to fit (somewhat . . .even if what you actually do is less bound by that, what you say you are in your SoP should be specific) in a subfield even if your methodology is transhistorical.  Research philosophy and literature programs or English programs that allow you to do a graduate minor in another field so you could do all that work in philosophy.  My university, for example, works like that.  

 

I had perhaps assumed that literature and English degrees were the same thing. I know that comparative literature is its own separate discipline, but are you saying that the former two are different as well? Many of the MA titles which I will be applying to say "Literary Studies," Literature and Culture," and the like. I have been researching mostly by the faculty interests to see if I would be a good fit, not necessary by the degree title. 

[lyonessrampant]

I don't whole-heartedly endorse the MA here because funding isn't certain for two years.  If you're a MN resident, then in the case you might have an unfunded semester, the tuition isn't very expensive, and there are lots of jobs around you could work to live on.  However, if you're not a resident, I'm always against paying for the MA.  This might be something to keep in mind as well for Chicago, where you'll likely get a MAPH offer and perhaps some funding but almost certainly not a full tuition waiver.  I did MAPH with some funding and learned A TON, but I regret the debt, as I've said in other places.  If you get to seriously considering MAPH (or NYU's MA) I'd recommend searching the threads here where there is a lot of debate about those programs in particular.  Basically, funded MAs (even at less prestigious schools) are better than unfunded ones from name brand schools.

 

That said, for the MA, the division is usually pretty meaningless between English and Lit.  Rhet/comp vs. the array of lit studies MAs are different, but otherwise, the degree is similar.  For the Ph.D., the majority of programs are English, but there are programs like Duke's Literature program that is more like comp lit in terms of the prevalence of theory and decreased importance placed on subfield but without the heavy language requirements.  There aren't a lot of programs like Duke Lit, though, so you'll still probably want to think about subfield.

Focusing on faculty is a great way to decide where to apply.  Look also at program requirements to get a sense of how supportive various institutions are of interdisciplinary work.  Look for research centers that bring people together from various departments as well.  For your interests, it sounds like interdisciplinary research centers will be very useful for you.

[Thorongil]

On 11/10/2014 at 11:11 AM, lyonessrampant said:

I don't whole-heartedly endorse the MA here because funding isn't certain for two years.  If you're a MN resident, then in the case you might have an unfunded semester, the tuition isn't very expensive, and there are lots of jobs around you could work to live on.  However, if you're not a resident, I'm always against paying for the MA.  This might be something to keep in mind as well for Chicago, where you'll likely get a MAPH offer and perhaps some funding but almost certainly not a full tuition waiver.  I did MAPH with some funding and learned A TON, but I regret the debt, as I've said in other places.  If you get to seriously considering MAPH (or NYU's MA) I'd recommend searching the threads here where there is a lot of debate about those programs in particular.  Basically, funded MAs (even at less prestigious schools) are better than unfunded ones from name brand schools.

 

That said, for the MA, the division is usually pretty meaningless between English and Lit.  Rhet/comp vs. the array of lit studies MAs are different, but otherwise, the degree is similar.  For the Ph.D., the majority of programs are English, but there are programs like Duke's Literature program that is more like comp lit in terms of the prevalence of theory and decreased importance placed on subfield but without the heavy language requirements.  There aren't a lot of programs like Duke Lit, though, so you'll still probably want to think about subfield.

Focusing on faculty is a great way to decide where to apply.  Look also at program requirements to get a sense of how supportive various institutions are of interdisciplinary work.  Look for research centers that bring people together from various departments as well.  For your interests, it sounds like interdisciplinary research centers will be very useful for you.

 

Yes, I know about the humanities MA at Chicago. For a long time, I thought "this is the program for me," but then I discovered, reading the funding information, that it was little to non-existent. So I have tried to find MA programs that are funded mostly at big state universities. I will probably still apply to Chicago, though, but to the divinity school instead.

 

If you or anyone wants to see my full list and scrutinize it, here it is (the majority are in English, but you'll notice I have religion programs on there too, which I think would be a good fit for me):

 

Kent State University - MA in Literature and Writing

Miami University (of Ohio) - MA in Literature

Michigan State University - MA in English 

University of Oklahoma - MA in Literary and Cultural Studies 

Purdue University - MA in Literature

University of Tennessee - MA in English

University of Oregon - MA/PhD in English

University of Missouri - MA/PhD in English

Missouri State University - MA in Religious Studies

Western Michigan University - MA in Comparative Religion

University of Denver - MA in Religious Studies

Florida State University - MA in Religious Studies

University of Florida - MA/PhD in Religious Studies

Maybe Chicago Divinity School and Harvard Divinity School. 

[lifealive]

Well, I don't particularly like the slightly combative and patronizing tone your post and others have exuded. I had never heard of this forum until very recently and thought I asked some pretty straight forward questions, to which I have received some answers, albeit grudgingly. If a mod wants to delete this thread or my posts, he or she can feel free if it doesn't contain the sort of questions I should be asking here.

 

You're coming across as rude and entitled and passive aggressive. People here were trying to help, and characterizing their efforts as "grudging" simply because they couldn't read your mind and give you "exactly the post you were looking for" makes you look like a snowflake. If this is how you approach your recommenders and professors, then you might have more difficulty getting into grad school than you anticipate.

[Thorongil]

You're coming across as rude and entitled and passive aggressive. People here were trying to help, and characterizing their efforts as "grudging" simply because they couldn't read your mind and give you "exactly the post you were looking for" makes you look like a snowflake. If this is how you approach your recommenders and professors, then you might have more difficulty getting into grad school than you anticipate.

 

Yep, you caught me! I'm just a rude, entitled, passive aggressive snowflake. Now that that's out of the way, do you have anything of substance to add to my thread or are you just going to bait me with more patronizing garbage? 

[lyonessrampant]

Your list looks quite comprehensive, and you might want to apply to MAPH.  I've met (in cyber land) a couple people who have been offered full-tuition scholarships.  I believe they've started offering one or two of those a year.  Obviously, it is super competitive, but I really did have an amazing experience in MAPH, though there are plenty of people who don't, too.  Many of these places will also prepare you well if you end up wanting to be a medievalist.  Doing the MA at Western Michigan, for example, will get you access to their own medievalists and also the awesome International Medieval Studies congress that happens there yearly in May.  

 

Edited to add that if you get funded MA offers and some funded Ph.D. offers, you may end up wanting to do the MA and then apply to Ph.D. programs.  A few of the joint programs on your list don't have very good funding.  I applied and was admitted to U of O back in 2010 (to start 2011) and their offer was a heavy teaching load and only around $12,000 stipend.  Maybe it is better now, but there are a few programs on the list with a heavy teaching load and low stipend, which is really unsustainable stress for the length of a Ph.D., in my opinion.  No disrespect to those schools or people who go to them, but a 1-1 load is not to be underestimated when thinking about completing the dissertation in a timely manner.

Edited November 10, 2014 by lyonessrampant

[cloudofunknowing]

Though I do like getting my sass on as self-indulgently as many of us likely do, it might helpful to take a commercial break away from the ad hominem direction of a sitcom of a thread this conversation is quickly becoming. Any kind of community, virtual or otherwise, means that the possibility for miscommunication exists. To ask for more clarification regarding a question posed to us that's ultimately answerable - because fit, well, is a rather mysterious kind of alchemy that might better be known as a crapshoot anyway - does not necessarily mean that your words are being read carelessly. But it also doesn't mean that your words represented your ideas and aims in as clear a way as they might. Had I responded to your initial questions the way others did, I would likely have asked for more clarification based on what was given. I would also have likely asked self-examination-styled questions because, as others have pointed out, your interests (several of which I share, for what it's worth) certainly could jive in a variety of disciplinary settings. But that's partly where questions for further clarification came from, right? Your interests could just as readily be housed within a Religion/Religious Studies department that incorporates the study of literature within its matrix (like U of Chicago and Harvard, which you mentioned; you'd particularly like Amy Hollywood's work, I think, because of its engagement with critical theory and the philosophical tradition where they brush up against mysticism in Christianity). Cultural studies, as a rubric within which many different kinds of engagement are possible with literary texts, is what your interests bring immediately to mind for me. Since Cultural Studies flourishes in areas other than in English - which, as has also been pointed out, generally (but by no means always) situates such an inquiry along generic, historical, and/or geographical lines - this is another reason that others probably asked for more clarification from you before proferring opinions. (Which, let's be honest, is all anyone in this type of forum can give.) The bottom line is that, save for the occasional n'er do well troll, when someone responds to a post on here, they are usually doing it to be of help (one can only hope, right?). Sure, some people might split more hairs than are necessary, but even that is typically grounded in a desire to be helpful. Was the word "vague" intended in a pejorative or snarky way? Perhaps. But the defensiveness of your response suggests that you did indeed interpret it in that way and responded in the manner you perceived someone to be responding to you. The moral of the commercial, I guess, would be to decide whether or not you really want to engage in this type of dialogue in a virtual setting where all anyone has to go on are the words being used (and all of the ways those can be misfire). Because if you decide that you do want to engage, that requires a willingness to risk being misunderstood as well as a willingness to keep the conversation going. Serving rhetorical potshots - or returning them - usually has the opposite effect. (As it does in academia, I might add.) To close: Duke's Literature PhD program (not to be confused with its English program) and Notre Dame's PhD program in Literature (also different from its program in English) might also be of interest to you. Now, back to the (hopefully different) broadcast -- 

[Thorongil]

Though I do like getting my sass on as self-indulgently as many of us likely do, it might helpful to take a commercial break away from the ad hominem direction of a sitcom of a thread this conversation is quickly becoming. Any kind of community, virtual or otherwise, means that the possibility for miscommunication exists. To ask for more clarification regarding a question posed to us that's ultimately answerable - because fit, well, is a rather mysterious kind of alchemy that might better be known as a crapshoot anyway - does not necessarily mean that your words are being read carelessly. But it also doesn't mean that your words represented your ideas and aims in as clear a way as they might. Had I responded to your initial questions the way others did, I would likely have asked for more clarification based on what was given. I would also have likely asked self-examination-styled questions because, as others have pointed out, your interests (several of which I share, for what it's worth) certainly could jive in a variety of disciplinary settings. But that's partly where questions for further clarification came from, right? Your interests could just as readily be housed within a Religion/Religious Studies department that incorporates the study of literature within its matrix (like U of Chicago and Harvard, which you mentioned; you'd particularly like Amy Hollywood's work, I think, because of its engagement with critical theory and the philosophical tradition where they brush up against mysticism in Christianity). Cultural studies, as a rubric within which many different kinds of engagement are possible with literary texts, is what your interests bring immediately to mind for me. Since Cultural Studies flourishes in areas other than in English - which, as has also been pointed out, generally (but by no means always) situates such an inquiry along generic, historical, and/or geographical lines - this is another reason that others probably asked for more clarification from you before proferring opinions. (Which, let's be honest, is all anyone in this type of forum can give.) The bottom line is that, save for the occasional n'er do well troll, when someone responds to a post on here, they are usually doing it to be of help (one can only hope, right?). Sure, some people might split more hairs than are necessary, but even that is typically grounded in a desire to be helpful. Was the word "vague" intended in a pejorative or snarky way? Perhaps. But the defensiveness of your response suggests that you did indeed interpret it in that way and responded in the manner you perceived someone to be responding to you. The moral of the commercial, I guess, would be to decide whether or not you really want to engage in this type of dialogue in a virtual setting where all anyone has to go on are the words being used (and all of the ways those can be misfire). Because if you decide that you do want to engage, that requires a willingness to risk being misunderstood as well as a willingness to keep the conversation going. Serving rhetorical potshots - or returning them - usually has the opposite effect. (As it does in academia, I might add.) To close: Duke's Literature PhD program (not to be confused with its English program) and Notre Dame's PhD program in Literature (also different from its program in English) might also be of interest to you. Now, back to the (hopefully different) broadcast -- 

 

What else am I supposed to say? Thank him for an obviously patronizing response? If people want more information about me, I'm happy to give it to them, but not when they ask me in such a deliberately patronizing way. His silly little analogy, the damning of my interests as "vague" (he even has the balls to say they're not "literary"), and his rather obvious insinuation about paper length are all clearly meant to bait me, which was further confirmed by his most recent reply. I created the thread, not him. He first responded to me, not the other way around. So he could have set a respectful tone with his post, but he didn't. My only fault is perhaps in replying to him, which was a big mistake apparently. Despite this, I can say that all will be forgotten if he gives me a serious reply. These cat fights are such a waste of time, when all I really want are some opinions on my questions.

 

Thank you for the advice peppered in your response as well. I will look up Duke and Notre Dame right now. I might ask about the latter, though, whether they would mind non-religious people applying. I know Chicago and Harvard don't care, but Notre Dame seems more iffy to me. 

Edited November 11, 2014 by Thorongil

[Thorongil]

Your list looks quite comprehensive, and you might want to apply to MAPH.  I've met (in cyber land) a couple people who have been offered full-tuition scholarships.  I believe they've started offering one or two of those a year.  Obviously, it is super competitive, but I really did have an amazing experience in MAPH, though there are plenty of people who don't, too.  Many of these places will also prepare you well if you end up wanting to be a medievalist.  Doing the MA at Western Michigan, for example, will get you access to their own medievalists and also the awesome International Medieval Studies congress that happens there yearly in May.  

 

Edited to add that if you get funded MA offers and some funded Ph.D. offers, you may end up wanting to do the MA and then apply to Ph.D. programs.  A few of the joint programs on your list don't have very good funding.  I applied and was admitted to U of O back in 2010 (to start 2011) and their offer was a heavy teaching load and only around $12,000 stipend.  Maybe it is better now, but there are a few programs on the list with a heavy teaching load and low stipend, which is really unsustainable stress for the length of a Ph.D., in my opinion.  No disrespect to those schools or people who go to them, but a 1-1 load is not to be underestimated when thinking about completing the dissertation in a timely manner.

 

Should I perhaps drop them then and only apply to MA programs? That seems to be the general drift of the replies in this thread. I suppose I was under the impression that applying to PhD programs is always better because of the funding. But maybe that isn't a good idea for me because my interests are so broad right now.

[Dr. Old Bill]

Should I perhaps drop them then and only apply to MA programs? That seems to be the general drift of the replies in this thread. I suppose I was under the impression that applying to PhD programs is always better because of the funding. But maybe that isn't a good idea for me because my interests are so broad right now.

 

Yes, I would say that focusing on M.A. programs might be your best bet. One of the chief expectations on a SOP for Ph.D. programs is outlining a proposed course of study, which should be relatively specific and unique. That expectation doesn't seem to be quite so strong with M.A. programs. It's really a case of one degree being more advanced than the other. Roughly speaking, you can look at the B.A. as a "beginner" level, with the M.A. an "intermediate" level, and the Ph.D. an "advanced" level. You only want to take the advanced option if you're confident you have the chops to handle it with aplomb. This speaks nothing about one's character -- it just speaks to one's preparedness. I'm old and have a lot of life experience, not to mention a lot of knowledge about my proposed course of study, and a good idea about what I want to do. For me, it just wouldn't make sense to apply to M.A. programs, unless it was as a "last resort." For others, the M.A. makes a hell of a lot more sense. And if you have any uncertainty about your future path, the M.A. is probably the most logical step. It might cost some money (or the funding might be less, as it were), but it will also allow you to hone in on your interests in a way that the B.A. could not, and the Ph.D. simply doesn't allow for.

[Thorongil]

Yes, I would say that focusing on M.A. programs might be your best bet. One of the chief expectations on a SOP for Ph.D. programs is outlining a proposed course of study, which should be relatively specific and unique. That expectation doesn't seem to be quite so strong with M.A. programs. It's really a case of one degree being more advanced than the other. Roughly speaking, you can look at the B.A. as a "beginner" level, with the M.A. an "intermediate" level, and the Ph.D. an "advanced" level. You only want to take the advanced option if you're confident you have the chops to handle it with aplomb. This speaks nothing about one's character -- it just speaks to one's preparedness. I'm old and have a lot of life experience, not to mention a lot of knowledge about my proposed course of study, and a good idea about what I want to do. For me, it just wouldn't make sense to apply to M.A. programs, unless it was as a "last resort." For others, the M.A. makes a hell of a lot more sense. And if you have any uncertainty about your future path, the M.A. is probably the most logical step. It might cost some money (or the funding might be less, as it were), but it will also allow you to hone in on your interests in a way that the B.A. could not, and the Ph.D. simply doesn't allow for.

 

Articulately and persuasively put. I think I will heed your advice. 

[__________________________]

What else am I supposed to say? Thank him for an obviously patronizing response? If people want more information about me, I'm happy to give it to them, but not when they ask me in such a deliberately patronizing way. His silly little analogy, the damning of my interests as "vague" (he even has the balls to say they're not "literary"), and his rather obvious insinuation about paper length are all clearly meant to bait me, which was further confirmed by his most recent reply. I created the thread, not him. He first responded to me, not the other way around. So he could have set a respectful tone with his post, but he didn't. My only fault is perhaps in replying to him, which was a big mistake apparently. Despite this, I can say that all will be forgotten if he gives me a serious reply. These cat fights are such a waste of time, when all I really want are some opinions on my questions.

 

Thank you for the advice peppered in your response as well. I will look up Duke and Notre Dame right now. I might ask about the latter, though, whether they would mind non-religious people applying. I know Chicago and Harvard don't care, but Notre Dame seems more iffy to me.

For the record I'm applying to Notre Dame and I'm not at all religious. I'm not, have never been, and do not plan on ever being Catholic and I'm applying to several very Catholic schools -- many Jesuit schools, understandably, have lots of money and medievalists (which is my area). I can't think of a single accredited and well regarded program that would/could reject someone based on their not being religious. That being said, you may or may not mesh with the culture of the campus because of something like that. Though there is less faculty in my field at Chicago, for example, I do see myself being able to fit in with the academic culture there better. But don't let religious affiliation necessarily throw you off, at least for major universities like ND!

[lyonessrampant]

Back when I applied directly out of undergrad, I was offered admission to Notre Dame's Ph.D. program, which I turned down to do MAPH (many factors involved in that choice).  I'm not Catholic, though was applying out of a Catholic-affiliated undergrad, and my SoP if I recall (it was long ago and I've tried to efface that awful SoP from my memory) told a little story about leaving my fundamentalist church to pursue academic interests, so I think it was clear I wasn't Catholic.  That said to say it shouldn't matter.  I also know several students from ND and have met lots of people affiliated with ND at conferences and most of them were neither Catholic nor even religious.  Lots of people who work on religion in the academy are often nonreligious or even atheist, so I wouldn't worry about that.  Whether you would like South Bend, IN, well, that's another question!

 

I do think you might be better served to focus on an MA right now and then apply for Ph.D.s later.  It will let you develop your interests and decide if you want to go an English, Lit, med studies, or other route, which is important not only for where you apply but also for how those various programs will prepare you for the job market.  Since you've got many funded MA programs on your list, those are likely going to have funding as good as or even better than some of the Ph.D. programs you've included (again . . . I only have personal experience with one of them and that was several years ago).