University of California Irvine

[ecopolitiq]

At present, I am enrolled in a combined MA/PhD program with six years of guaranteed funding. I just finished my first year of the MA and am on track to finish that portion by the end of next spring semester. However, as I develop my research interests, I am finding that the institution I am at is not as good of a fit as it was initially, and so I am thinking about applying elsewhere. After reviewing some schools and talking with my partner, I decided that UC Irvine is really the only other department I would be interested in.

 

I was wondering if anyone on this forum either attends UC Irvine or has applied, and what that experience has been like? I am particularly interested in learning more about the department's intellectual environment and the competitiveness of their application process. Thanks!

 

 

PS- if it matters at all, I am a cultural anthropologist studying environmental health discourse. So, broadly, the anthropology of scientific knowledge is my "niche," which is what UC Irvine's program is well-known for.

[Randomgal]

Hi there, 

 

I went UC Irvine for my undergrad, but I was an Anthropology major there. The Department is Medicine, Science, and Technology focused for the most part, but there are some economic and political anthropology focused faculty. Since you said you're interested in studying environmental health discourse with Michael Montoya, Mei Zhan, Kristin Peterson (I think she's on sabbatical though), and maybe Valerie Olson. I believe from what some grad students told me they get a lot of applications (about 200), for only about 7/8 spots. But, in general, it seems like they're very collaborative and cohesive as a whole. Hope this helps. 

[ecopolitiq]

Hi there, 

 

I went UC Irvine for my undergrad, but I was an Anthropology major there. The Department is Medicine, Science, and Technology focused for the most part, but there are some economic and political anthropology focused faculty. Since you said you're interested in studying environmental health discourse with Michael Montoya, Mei Zhan, Kristin Peterson (I think she's on sabbatical though), and maybe Valerie Olson. I believe from what some grad students told me they get a lot of applications (about 200), for only about 7/8 spots. But, in general, it seems like they're very collaborative and cohesive as a whole. Hope this helps. 

 

Thanks! Valerie Olson is my prospective advisor there. She and I talked via Skype the other day and it seems like it would be a really good fit.

[Randomgal]

Prof. Olson was probably my favorite Professor that I had there, she cares a lot about what she does! The Anthro department in general is full of really nice and cool people

[cromulent42]

hey there. ditto what Randomgal said. i got accepted/am headed to uci's anth dept for fall 2015 (gotten to know many of the grad students and some faculty). pm'd you a more detailed response. but overall, yes; uci is a pretty great environment for med/sts stuff given your interests, and students are pretty well supported academically and otherwise.