film/tv studies in English Lit - program suggestions?

[libvan]

Hoping some experts out there can help me out with some program research. I've been doing research on my own but am finding it frustrating trying to find appropriate programs. I'm looking to apply to PhD program

I have a BA in English lit, with an honours thesis on postcolonialism in a scifi TV show. I'm looking for PhD programs that will allow me to continue to use my English lit background/methodologies in the further study of TV shows and film. I'd also love the freedom to explore newer modes like Youtube. 

So far I've decided to apply to:

- University of Oregon (English dept)
- Northwestern (Communications dept, Screen Cultures PhD)
- University of Pittsburgh (either Film Studies dept or English dept with concentration in film studies - not sure which would be best, would welcome any input on that too)

Considering Berkeley's Film & Media PhD and University of Chicago's English department.

Anyone have any thoughts on those programs, or others to look into?

[echo449]

I think for Pitt you have to apply to English and Film jointly, no? It's an umbrella program that involves both film studies and a home department. (Source: I know people who go there, and considered applying myself during a moment of disciplinary crisis). 

[ExponentialDecay]

Brown? Yale?

If your interests are, as you state, primarily in TV and film, I think you should ditch the English Lit situation and package yourself as a straight Film applicant (i.e. apply to straight Film programs). What program you go into is primarily determined on what kind of scholarly output you will publish (i.e. what you will later teach), not what methodologies you use or interdisciplinary leanings you want to incorporate.

[toasterazzi]

There are definitely a lot of Film programs that are intertwined with English departments. You might also look at some interdisciplinary/American Culture Studies/Pop Culture Studies/Comparative Studies programs. I explored a lot of those options when I was doing my applications since I primarily work on TV and Film. I did look into some film and media programs, but I found that I often did not have the necessary background to necessarily be the right fit for a lot of those programs.

However, I'm at Ohio State, and I'm in the English Department. I think it's a really great department for numerous reasons, and I'd be happy to discuss them with you if you'd like to send me a message. We have a Film program but not a Film department, so you can apply to whatever department makes the most sense for you and still work on/take classes in Film. There have been people in my classes from several departments/programs, such as English, Folklore, Creative Writing, Italian, Women's and Gender Studies, Comparative Studies, and so on. Because my undergraduate degree and master's degree are in English, I think it made the most sense for me to apply to the English department, but there are numerous possible options.

[jrockford27]

At Pitt I would recommend applying to the Film PhD program through the English department.  It's not super complicated but it's worth knowing.  While much of Film Studies at Pitt takes place in English, the Film Studies PhD is an interdisciplinary program that spans several departments.  In any case it's a wonderful program with many folks who were English lit majors as undergrads.  If you have other questions about it feel free to shoot me a private message. The DGS is also wonderfully helpful and exceptionally responsive to prospective students.

One thing I will say, is that as a Film PhD student who, like you, came to Film Studies through a lit based method, you will eventually be asked - no matter the program - to make your analyses more "filmy".  My adviser said to me of one of my seminar papers, "it's a great paper, but I should be able to tell I'm reading about a film and not a novel or a play or a painting or a site specific art installation, if you get my meaning."  But for the purposes of applying to programs it isn't really an obstacle, I think graduate admissions committees understand that a lot of folks come to film through lit still.

Edited October 21, 2015 by jrockford27

[libvan]

Thanks, everyone!