Online Portal - changed from PhD to MA?

[brontebitch]

I have applied for several English Literature PhD program for fall 2017. Today I was checking my application status online at some of these schools, and at University of Washington I noticed the portal says I am being considered and have applied for the MA, not the PhD. I checked my email and the confirmation email I received when I applied explicitly stated they had received my PhD application, so I'm confused about the change reflected in the portal.

Do any of you have experience with this? Does this mean I have already been accepted to the MA, not the PhD, or am only being considered for the MA now? I am just really confused. I emailed the program but I am not sure when I will hear back because it is winter break. 

Edited December 27, 2016 by natalielouise

[LouPlease]

15 minutes ago, natalielouise said:

I have applied for several English Literature PhD program for fall 2017. Today I was checking my application status online at some of these schools, and at University of Washington I noticed the portal says I am being considered and have applied for the MA, not the PhD. I checked my email and the confirmation email I received when I applied explicitly stated they had received my PhD application, so I'm confused about the change reflected in the portal.

Do any of you have experience with this? Does this mean I have already been accepted to the MA, not the PhD, or am only being considered for the PhD? I am just really confused. I emailed the program but I am not sure when I will hear back because it is winter break. 

Are you talking about the top right corner of the application that says:

Applying To: English Language and Literature (PhD) Fall 2017
Deadline: December 15
Type: Graduate/Domestic

Yours says (Masters) not (PhD)? Or is there a different portal you're looking at?

[LouPlease]

Also- heyyyy to having the middle name Louise

[brontebitch]

4 minutes ago, LouisePlease said:

Are you talking about the top right corner of the application that says:

Applying To: English Language and Literature (PhD) Fall 2017
Deadline: December 15
Type: Graduate/Domestic

Yours says (Masters) not (PhD)? Or is there a different portal you're looking at?

Yeah.... it used to say PhD and now it says MA? I definitely, 100% applied for the PhD and NOT the MA.  

[LouPlease]

Got it. Do you currently have a Masters? University of Washington requires you to have a Masters before you can apply to the PhD program. If you don't already have one, they may have put you in the MA applicant pool as a result. This is from their website:

A Master's degree in the discipline is required. Applicants without a Master's degree must apply to the M.A. program first and indicate the Ph.D. as their final degree goal. Because our M.A./Ph.D. program is fully integrated, students entering at the M.A. level can progress internally and non-competitively to the Ph.D. program given satisfactory academic progress.

[brontebitch]

5 minutes ago, LouisePlease said:

Got it. Do you currently have a Masters? University of Washington requires you to have a Masters before you can apply to the PhD program. If you don't already have one, they may have put you in the MA applicant pool as a result. This is from their website:

A Master's degree in the discipline is required. Applicants without a Master's degree must apply to the M.A. program first and indicate the Ph.D. as their final degree goal. Because our M.A./Ph.D. program is fully integrated, students entering at the M.A. level can progress internally and non-competitively to the Ph.D. program given satisfactory academic progress.

Wow, I feel really silly for overlooking this when I applied . It makes sense but the other schools I applied for did not make this specification. Someone from the graduate office responded to my email a few minutes ago and said exactly what you suggested, as well. I am glad they'll be reviewing me with the MA applicants as I am not even finished with my undergrad yet and am a little worried that my lack of experience and young age will be a deterrent to admissions committees. Such an anxiety producing experience!!! Best of luck with your applications and thank you for the response!