Oxford

[Belltolls]

Hello all. A few weeks ago I suddenly decided to apply to Oxford's Mst program, 1550-1700 and I had a quick question. I decided very late to apply for a number of reasons and while two of my recommendors had no issue sending out recs the very day I e-mailed them, I was unable to get a third. The Oxford website states that if two recommendations are submitted a third may be a character reference if no other professor can "meaningfully comment on your work". The site also states that it is "not essential to worry about finding a third recommendor". So, in short, I didn't. I asked a previous employer to write me a character reference which, I think, was relatively strong and gave some background as to my desire to continue with my studies. My question is, will this seriously hurt my application? The two LORs are from respected scholars in my field who share very close research interests with myself. I'm just wondering if I should give up hope because of the missing recommendation.

Congrats to all those with acceptances.

[crutch]

Hello all. A few weeks ago I suddenly decided to apply to Oxford's Mst program, 1550-1700 and I had a quick question. I decided very late to apply for a number of reasons and while two of my recommendors had no issue sending out recs the very day I e-mailed them, I was unable to get a third. The Oxford website states that if two recommendations are submitted a third may be a character reference if no other professor can "meaningfully comment on your work". The site also states that it is "not essential to worry about finding a third recommendor". So, in short, I didn't. I asked a previous employer to write me a character reference which, I think, was relatively strong and gave some background as to my desire to continue with my studies. My question is, will this seriously hurt my application? The two LORs are from respected scholars in my field who share very close research interests with myself. I'm just wondering if I should give up hope because of the missing recommendation.

Congrats to all those with acceptances.

While I can't tell you anything concrete, I will say that I completed the 1550-1780 MSt program last year and that the people running it are (for the most part) very laid back. So I wouldn't think they will be too harsh with your application just because you only have two academic references, especially since they state that a third is unnecessary. As with many applications, I'm sure the big things they'll be looking at are your writing samples and your SoP.

Good luck, and enjoy yourself if you get in. I loved the program and I loved Oxford. If you're accepted, I'm sure you will too.

[robobaggio]

While I can't tell you anything concrete, I will say that I completed the 1550-1780 MSt program last year and that the people running it are (for the most part) very laid back. So I wouldn't think they will be too harsh with your application just because you only have two academic references, especially since they state that a third is unnecessary. As with many applications, I'm sure the big things they'll be looking at are your writing samples and your SoP.

Good luck, and enjoy yourself if you get in. I loved the program and I loved Oxford. If you're accepted, I'm sure you will too.

I ended up doing my Mphil at Cambridge in '06 but was also admitted to the parallel Oxford Mst (20th century or thereabouts, forget what it was called exactly), and I believe that I only submitted two recommendations. So I doubt very much that you will be disadvantaged seriously for sending only two letters. Good luck.

[Katia_chan]

I don't want to snag the thread, and will make this a very quick question, but since there are a few here who know about the Oxford program, I wanted to ask. I was looking at one of the other MSTs, the 650-1550, and from what I understood from the website, for some reason that deadline is not until March 12. I believe the exact wording was "The deadline for all periods is Jan 22, save for medieval, which is Mar 12." [paraphrased as little as possible when coming from memory.]

I have very bad vision, and the list of deadlines on the "about applications" page is printed in a very graphics-oriented format, so I just wanted to know if anyone knew if that late of a deadline was possible for 650, or if I just misread completely. That statement was on the english website, I'm almost sure. I will also Email the program, but I thought if I could save myself looking like a dolt who doesn't pay attention to deadlines, I'd give it a try

To the OP, I really hope you get in! I haven't done school in Oxford, but I've visited, and it is one of my favorite places. Best of luck to you!

Edited February 13, 2010 by Katia_chan

[someDay]

@Threadstarter:

UK unis in general require two academic references. Usually you'd send in letters from your undergrad tutor and your BSc/BA project supervisor; or for PhDs your undergrad tutor/supervisor and your postgrad tutor/supervisor. Don't bother to send in a character reference, people won't care. Even if you sent in a character reference saying "Her parents should be sentenced to death for bringing her into this world" it wouldn't matter. All that matters are your academic credentials.

If you're applying for scholarships then you may have to submit a character reference but I would imagine it's way two months too late to apply for any scholarships available to foreign students?

@Katia_chan: Some departments at Oxford are more laid-back about deadlines than others, so even if you missed the deadline they might read your application. Good luck.

sD.

[Belltolls]

@Threadstarter:

UK unis in general require two academic references. Usually you'd send in letters from your undergrad tutor and your BSc/BA project supervisor; or for PhDs your undergrad tutor/supervisor and your postgrad tutor/supervisor. Don't bother to send in a character reference, people won't care. Even if you sent in a character reference saying "Her parents should be sentenced to death for bringing her into this world" it wouldn't matter. All that matters are your academic credentials.

Thank you, someDAY! I did send in a character reference simply because I wasn't sure the application would allow me to submit without a third name listed. From what you (and everyone else) has said, it won't make much of a difference either way. This really calms my nerves quite a bit so I appreciate everyone's quick response. Thanks again.

Also, crutch if you wouldn't mind my asking, what was your research focus? I ended up applying to Oxford because while browsing their site I saw that Sharon Achinstein was teaching there and she had been a major source in one of my recent research projects cocerning the plague so I thought it would be great to work with her as its relatively difficult to find professors with my specific area of interest. I'm glad to hear the department is mostly laid back as well. Heres to hoping I will be able to experience it firsthand!

[crutch]

Thank you, someDAY! I did send in a character reference simply because I wasn't sure the application would allow me to submit without a third name listed. From what you (and everyone else) has said, it won't make much of a difference either way. This really calms my nerves quite a bit so I appreciate everyone's quick response. Thanks again.

Also, crutch if you wouldn't mind my asking, what was your research focus? I ended up applying to Oxford because while browsing their site I saw that Sharon Achinstein was teaching there and she had been a major source in one of my recent research projects cocerning the plague so I thought it would be great to work with her as its relatively difficult to find professors with my specific area of interest. I'm glad to hear the department is mostly laid back as well. Heres to hoping I will be able to experience it firsthand!

The focus of my dissertation, which, by the way, was the weakest of my four papers due to a number of personal issues that came up as I was writing it, was 18th-century satire, particularly that of Alexander Pope. More specifically, I researched the use of militaristic language and violence in The Rape of the Lock, Windsor Forest, The Dunciad, etc. I'm hoping to continue this line of research in a doctoral program, and am thinking of examining how Swift, Fielding, Dryden, Butler, etc. treated violence in their works as well.

I also wrote a paper on Colley Cibber and one that critiqued Samuel Johnson's transcriptions of Pope's Iliad manuscript, which I found to be rather misleading.

My supervisor for both the program in general and my dissertation, in particular, was Freya Johnston. She is incredibly nice and knows a ton about the 18th century, especially Samuel Johnson.

However, I also did a paper on Milton and penal law, which was an offshoot of some research I did for the New Milton seminar, which was led by Sharon Achinstein. She was also my college supervisor. One of my good friends stayed on after the MSt program to do his DPhil there, and she is now his DPhil supervisor. Sharon is a wonderful teacher, but you should know one thing: she expects A LOT out of her students. This, in my opinion, is a very, very good thing. However, some people seem to be intimidated by her, especially when they first meet her (myself included!). She will be incredibly harsh with your work when it deserves a good thrashing, but she doesn't do it just to make you feel bad. She does it because she knows you're capable of better. She will always be there when you need her and she always has great advice on what articles and books to turn to when you're drawing a blank. All in all, you will be a better scholar after working under her.

I hope this helps!

[Historiogaffe]

I don't want to snag the thread, and will make this a very quick question, but since there are a few here who know about the Oxford program, I wanted to ask. I was looking at one of the other MSTs, the 650-1550, and from what I understood from the website, for some reason that deadline is not until March 12. I believe the exact wording was "The deadline for all periods is Jan 22, save for medieval, which is Mar 12." [paraphrased as little as possible when coming from memory.]

Hey Katia_chan – I've been poking around the Oxford English program as well, and I think the explanation is this: the department offers all their M.St.'s in "English: year-year", along with a 2-year M.Phil in Medieval Studies. The March 12 deadline is for the M.Phil.

Hope this clears things up!

[Katia_chan]

Hey Katia_chan – I've been poking around the Oxford English program as well, and I think the explanation is this: the department offers all their M.St.'s in "English: year-year", along with a 2-year M.Phil in Medieval Studies. The March 12 deadline is for the M.Phil.

Thanks for checking that out; I was afraid that might be the case, but I at least wanted to ask. Thought about dropping an ap in anyway, in response to the above comment about them taking late aps, but somehow I think over a month late would be too much for even a really laid-back department. But at least I have another school on the list for next year, in case this round doesn't work out. Thanks again for looking!

[someDay]

@Katia: If you have outside funding there's a good chance they consider your application.

sD.

[Historiogaffe]

Thanks for checking that out; I was afraid that might be the case, but I at least wanted to ask. Thought about dropping an ap in anyway, in response to the above comment about them taking late aps, but somehow I think over a month late would be too much for even a really laid-back department.

Oh no! Wait! I think I was mistaken, because the deadline for the "medieval M.St. and PRS is 12th March 2010." (Who knows when the M.Phil deadline is – I guess it depends what "PRS" means?)

So yes, do send in an application! Apparently even after I'd checked out the site a few times myself there was still room for confusion. How embarassing. But glad it's still an option for this year for you!

Now back to feeling sheepish and translating alliterative Middle English verse. Because practicality is apparently not my strong suit

[Philomel]

'PRS' is the status that Oxford gives you if you are in the first year of your PhD, before you have transferred to full PhD student status - I think it stands for 'Probationary Research Student' or something. But I think that almost everybody transfers over after the first year (i.e. unless you have done actually no research and have nothing to show for yourself).

[Katia_chan]

Oh no! Wait! I think I was mistaken, because the deadline for the "medieval M.St. and PRS is 12th March 2010." (Who knows when the M.Phil deadline is – I guess it depends what "PRS" means?)

So yes, do send in an application! Apparently even after I'd checked out the site a few times myself there was still room for confusion. How embarassing. But glad it's still an option for this year for you!

Now back to feeling sheepish and translating alliterative Middle English verse. Because practicality is apparently not my strong suit

Haha, that website is ridiculously confusing! I spent several hours there the other day, even before coming here for answers. I very much appreciate your digging, and I'm glad to have the chance to still apply. I don't plan to linger there for the D.Phil or the M.phil [i'd like to be able to come back here and do a PHD.]

Now, to figure out that funding...sigh.

[jkl444]

Anyone heard back from Oxford's M.St. programs?

[Belltolls]

Anyone heard back from Oxford's M.St. programs?

The e-mail confirming they'd received my application (as well as the English website) says they will be making decisions by March 19th and we should know after that via postal service though if you need the decision sooner to call the department to inquire.