Terminal MA at Tulane University in Classical Studies

[Augusto]

Hello,  I am a second year MA student in the Classical Studies program at Tulane University. Considering there are only four of us currently in the program, with all of graduating in May and with no new students entering this past year, they program is in need of some new applicants. I really want to recommend this program and encourage others to apply. Three of us are from ivy league schools, with all of us applying to competitive PhD programs in Classics. I can not begin to say how much I have enjoyed my time at Tulane; it has been amazing. I have had so many great experiences with the faculty and other students. They really have been so great to me. Dennis Kehoe is a super star and so chill, and all the young faculty have been so helpful in grad school advice and have been more than willing to read all my application material, etc. In addition, Tulane provides a very generous stipend in addition to the tuition scholarship (about $17K a year), and I have gotten to be a TA every semester - and have been able to give a few lectures in various undergraduate classes. I have found New Orleans very livable on the stipend amount, and it is just an awesome city. Additionally, they department has been really generous with summer grants that have helped me excavate abroad in the summer. 

The deadline in February 1st for all those interested. I am writing this completely on my own volition - this program really is fantastic and I hate to see a funded terminal MA program end due to lack of qualified applicants. This is such a rarity and a fantastic opportunity for those considering a postbac, MA, etc. I have primarily worked on my ancient and modern languages during this program - and I did not have to pay for the cost of a postbac; in fact, I was paid rather than having to pay. 

I am happy to answer any questions about the program, etc! Please consider Tulane! 

 

[heliogabalus]

Are post-baccs generally for applicants that have less language training than MA students? I do wonder why post-baccs seem more popular than respectable terminal MAs.

[ἠφανισμένος]

Decent MA programs tend to want at least three years of one language and two years of the other. Penn's postbac requires at least two years of each language; UCLA's postbac requires at least one year of each. Postbacs are also generally not funded and hence, I would suspect, less competitive than funded MAs.

[pro Augustis]

Postbacs are also shorter than most MAs. If you do a one year postbac and then get into a PhD program, you have gotten there a year quicker than with a two year MA.

[Cato_Uticensis]

Augusto,

I just recently moved to New Orleans after getting my bachelors from the University of Massachusetts and I am very interested in Tulane's program, I was wondering if you'd be kind enough to perhaps have a more in depth conversation about the program and answer a few questions?

Thanks for your time and we can exchange emails if you'd like.