Chicago MAPH 2015 Thoughts

[GhostsBeforeBreakfast]

1.Who else was accepted without funding?

2.Are you actually considering attending? Why?

3. How are you planning on financing your degree?

I would also like to hear from those who have already attended, what PhD programs they were accepted to, or where they are currently working.

Personally, I'm waiting on 3 MA programs I'd rather take out loans for but if that doesn't work out, this will be my only option.

Edited March 10, 2015 by GhostsBeforeBreakfast

[bgjoecool27]

I was accepted without funding as well.  I'm not actually considering attending though because I have another masters program offer that is 2 years, and I don't want to be rushed into writing a thesis in 9 months.  The reviews I have read make it sound like the professors really do not care about the MAPH students and thus a severe disadvantage.  

[papelpicado]

As a 2014 MAPH grad, I can say that how much the professors "care about you" depends entirely on which profs you choose to work with, what your project is, and how much you seek out their advice. As for the notion that they "care more" about PhD students: totally bogus for the most part.

I also will say that getting a job in any museum or spot in a top PhD program is not guaranteed no matter where you go to school.

That said, I am currently working in a museum on a project which lined up very nicely with my thesis in a completely different part of the country, which I got entirely due to the expertise I developed working on my thesis. A friend of mine is working in a very established nonprofit art center in Chicago, another is curating contemporary art in Montreal. Two MAPH students from past years are PhD students at the UofC. So we do end up in good places!

The money question is intensely personal and pretty emotional and tied up in all sorts of issues about self worth, reputation, and anxiety about the future. That's a question only one person can answer.

[creeplin]

I was offered admission to MAPH without funding, and I would also like some feedback about MAPH. I applied to many schools this year, hoping to be admitted to a PhD program in Film/Cinema Studies, but I have only been accepted into MA programs at NYU, University of Chicago, and Chapman Univeristy.

 

Here's how I feel about each:

1. University of Chicago, MAPH - I am shocked and grateful to be accepted into such a great school, but at $50k for a 1-year program, I'm struggling to decide. The shorter nature of the program appeals to me since I am eager begin my PhD; however, I worry about accumulating so much student debt in such a short amount of time. I am also concerned that a 1-year degree will not be enough time/work for me to impress PhD programs, though papelpicado's response made me feel somewhat better about post-MAPH prospects.

 

2. NYU, Cinema Studies MA - Again, great school, but sooo expensive. Tuition alone is enough to make me want to scratch NYU off my list, plus I suspect Chicago would be a better fit of the two.

 

3. Chapman University, Cinema Studies MA - Still waiting to hear about funding, but obviously much cheaper than the first two schools (the cost of this 2-year program would be less than Chicago's 1-year MAPH). Is there anyone out there who completed the Cinema Studies MA at Chapman? What did you think and where are you now?

 

Any advice or thoughts about these schools (esp Chicago and Chapman) would really help me as I'm struggling to make a decision.

 

There's also the possibility of declining all offers and re-applying next year, but... oy, that sounds more exhausting than going back to school.

Edited March 31, 2015 by creeplin

[stek]

About the topic:

 

Rejected for Art History (PhD), accepted with no funding into MAPH but won an international sponsorship. I also received a very nice personalized e-mail explaining why they wanted me.

 

I have already an MA in Art History and a BA in the Humanities and I am worried about wasting my time and money for an interdisciplinary program in the Humanities with no secure entrance into a PhD or a Museum…I was initially attracted to the program because of its noteworthy coursework and faculty, the chance to develop rigorous intellectual skills , critical thinking, while deciding what to do next..applying for doctoral programs... My dream is to work in a curatorial department (= I must have a PhD)

 

I heard the program has a cash-cow reputation… although the University of Chicago is one of the best in the country for modern and contemporary art…and MAPH seems to offer great opportunities in terms of networking, mentoring,..

 

I would appreciate any comments or advice …thanks! J

 

 

@papelpicado thanks for sharing your experience!

 

@creeplin I would go for NYU ...