University of Michigan joint programs

[brontebitch]

Hey everyone! There is a similar post/thread concerning the joint PhD programs at University of Michigan but I am curious if any of you applied for one? I applied for the joint English and Gender, Women, & Sexuality Studies and am so nervous waiting to hear back because it's really a great fit. I haven't seen much on GC about these programs - not sure if the applicants and admitted use the site? I would love to hear from anyone who also applied to one of the joint programs, as they seem to be a unique and exciting opportunity for those who have a very interdisciplinary focus. :~~~)

Also, major congratulations to all who have had acceptances! I have 3 rejections so far and am waiting to hear back from 7 other programs. 

Edited February 10, 2017 by natalielouise

[mouthfulofstars]

Hey! I applied for the joint PhD in English and Women's Studies. It's definitely one of my top choices (if not THE top choice), so I have been ridiculously nervous waiting for a response. What's your area of interest, if you don't mind me asking? I'm interested in the physical representation of women's bodies in 20th/21st Century literature and comics. My writing sample was a piece on the monstrous feminine (and the subsequent abjection and exploitation of female sexuality) in Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and Kelly Sue Deconnick's Bitch Planet. 

Edited February 10, 2017 by mouthfulofstars

[brontebitch]

4 minutes ago, mouthfulofstars said:

Hey! I applied for the joint PhD in English and Women's Studies. It's definitely one of my top choices (if not THE top choice), so I have been ridiculously nervous waiting for a response. What's your area of interest, if you don't mind me asking? I'm interested in the physical representation of women's bodies in 20th/21st Century literature and comics. My writing sample was a piece on the monstrous feminine and abjection of female sexuality in Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and Kelly Sue Deconnick's Bitch Planet. 

That is so cool! I am so happy to have found someone in the same position as me L O L. I intend to focus on women's writing, especially the ways in which male authors in British literature have manipulated the female voice and narratorial authority in their literature (and equally with how women writers have dealt with the limitations imposed upon them by men; their voices were established long before they were able to begin widely publishing). I am interested in both Early Modern and Victorian examples of this, but my writing sample deals with EM (The Faerie Queene, Shakespeare, Urania) and the representations of women's bodies and the manipulation of their voices under the male authority of the text. I love love love Atwood! That's great you have gotten some acceptances so far!! My rejections have been from Northwestern, OSU, and University of MN. I was especially bummed about OSU, because they have some really great professors that focus on women's writing.

I will graduate in the spring with two BA degrees, one in English and one in Gender & Sexuality Studies, so I am so excited at the prospect of continuing this comprehensive interdisciplinary approach at University of Michigan! 

[mouthfulofstars]

Your research sounds fascinating, and it's really impressive that you're graduating with both BAs! My undergrad degree was in English with Creative Writing, and I really liked the joint aspect of that. 

Thank you! I'm very pleased to have a couple of choices, although they're obviously from lower tier schools than Umich. I only applied to a couple of top ranking schools and the rest were around the lines of the three I've been accepted by. I was really interested in OSU too, but I ended up not applying. Since my undergrad GPA is only ~3.7 from a UK university, I was anticipating rejection by the top ranking programs. 

I've been quite worried about the Umich app, especially since I know they only accept two or so people a year. But it doesn't seem like nearly as many people apply for the join programs, so that's something! Maybe (hopefully) we'll both get accepted! Like you said, it's also just nice to hear from someone in the same boat!

[OutdoorsEd]

I saw a few UM joint programs post on the results today. Women's Studies And Psychology and Social Work And Sociology. I wonder if the joint programs all release around the same time?

[brontebitch]

28 minutes ago, OutdoorsEd said:

I saw a few UM joint programs post on the results today. Women's Studies And Psychology and Social Work And Sociology. I wonder if the joint programs all release around the same time?

Absolutely!! I think that we will likely hear back this week if we get accepted!!!

[melodier]

Chiming in a bit late to say that I applied for the joint program in English and Women's Studies as well! My MA thesis and writing sample concern storytelling as a form of nonviolent resistance against patriarchal panopticons in Larissa Lai's Salt Fish Girl and Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, but I'm hoping to study identity assertion and navigation of liminality by women and queer people in 20th-21st century Abrahamic religious memoirs. Hopefully someone from the boards gets in! 

[brontebitch]

8 hours ago, melodier said:

Chiming in a bit late to say that I applied for the joint program in English and Women's Studies as well! My MA thesis and writing sample concern storytelling as a form of nonviolent resistance against patriarchal panopticons in Larissa Lai's Salt Fish Girl and Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, but I'm hoping to study identity assertion and navigation of liminality by women and queer people in 20th-21st century Abrahamic religious memoirs. Hopefully someone from the boards gets in! 

Thanks for responding!!! Your thesis sounds so interesting. I've never read Salt Fish Girl but I'm a big Atwood fan. I'm interested in women's writing concerning narrative style (in the Victorian period) and representation by male authors (in Early Modern). Michigan has such a great program; I hope one (or more than one) of us hears good news soon! Someone on a different thread posted that we should be hearing back by the end of the week?? They talked to the DGS. 

[acidtooth]

anyone hear anything??

[brontebitch]

41 minutes ago, acidtooth said:

anyone hear anything??

not yet ://// portal hasn't updated, either

literally got an email like 30 seconds ago, sadly I was not accepted

Edited February 23, 2017 by natalielouise
decision made

[acidtooth]

59 minutes ago, natalielouise said:

literally got an email like 30 seconds ago, sadly I was not accepted

oof. same. 

[brontebitch]

13 minutes ago, acidtooth said:

oof. same. 

:(((((( it's a bummer for sure but the odds are crazy; I'm trying not to be too disappointed! 

[Warelin]

For those who may be curious:
https://secure.rackham.umich.edu/academic_information/program_statistics/doctoral/program.php?id=English+%26+Women's+Studies
 

Also, know this: You are better than any rejection implies.

[brontebitch]

2 minutes ago, Warelin said:

For those who may be curious:
https://secure.rackham.umich.edu/academic_information/program_statistics/doctoral/program.php?id=English+%26+Women's+Studies
 

Also, know this: You are better than any rejection implies.

It is SUCH a hard program to get into!!! Thank you  

[Warelin]

2 minutes ago, natalielouise said:

It is SUCH a hard program to get into!!! Thank you  

I think the numbers make it deceiving at times. Some schools get 200-300 applications but those applications are divided by subfields. So, each subfield could (hypothetically) receive between 10-50 applicants. With these dual programs, everyone is sort of applying to the same subfield which you'll then need to find a different way to stand out because those applying are presumably just as well-versed in both fields.