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Author
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Comment
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Amal
Registered User
(7/30/04 4:26 pm)
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Graduate Studies
Hello,
I'm going into the last year of my undergraduate English degree, and looking into where I'll go for graduate studies. I'm interested in the study of literature with a leaning towards myth, folklore and fantasy -- does anyone have any recommendations as to universities that may be good for that? Anywhere in Canada, the U.S., U.K. or France would be most helpful.
Thanks,
Amal
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Veronica
Schanoes
Registered User
(7/30/04 5:29 pm)
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Re: Graduate Studies
Interesting question. I'm at Penn, and while I've found a very supportive committee for what I want to do, the folklore department here has recently been disbanded. Very few people here do contemporary lit, and I'm the only one who does any kind of genre lit at all. When I chose my program, I had a different speciality, so I'm not familiar with the strengths of other programs.
Paging Helen Pilinovsky...
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Helen
J Pilinovsky
Registered User
(7/31/04 11:40 pm)
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Re: Graduate Studies
Hello, ladies! This is actually another one of the topics that should probably go on the "FAQ" thread ... it comes up about once a year, as far as I've been able to tell. If you search through the archives, you'll find the very first one, where *I* got lots of good advice, as well as a few where I proceeded to try to pass some of the wisdom along. In terms of specific programs .... there are, I believe, three Ph.D programs in the US that focus on folklore - Texas A&M, Indiana, and ... I'm blanking on the last one (check the archives!). There are also some terrific MA programs both attached to the Ph.D.'s and operating separately - Berkely is very highly renowned. However, these are all programs that focus on ethnographic studies. If what you really want to do is literary criticism with a folkloric bent, your best bet is to choose by professor as opposed to by program. The only university that I know of which focuses, specifically, on the analysis of myth through literature and psychology is Pacifica University (which doesn't offer financial aid): however, many wonderful universities have professors in "our" fields. At Dartmouth, I worked with Nancy Canepa: U. of Minnesota has Jack Zipes, Harvard has Maria Tatar, Elizabeth Wanning Harries is teaching at Smith, and Christina Bacchilega is at the U. of Hawaii, and so on and so forth. So it all really depends on who you'd like to work with ... If you have any specific questions after you look at the archives (I'm sure that I've forgotten some of the bits that were fresh in my mind during the application process), feel free to e-mail me offboard at hp2022@columbia.edu. Good luck!
Best,
Helen
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janeyolen
Registered User
(8/1/04 8:44 am)
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Re: Graduate Studies
Helen-what about the Pacifica program?
Jane
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Helen
J Pilinovsky
Registered User
(8/1/04 10:02 am)
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Re: Graduate Studies
Dear Jane:
Basically, Pacifica is the only program - that I'm aware of, o happy day if there are more! - with a department that's focused specifically on the examination of myth. I know of many places that offer separate classes, or have departments of enthnographic study, but insofar as I'm aware, they're the only ones whose concentration on myth is primary. Unfortunately, as most of their students are returning students expanding their professional boundaries (this is how it was explained to me by a professor who I contacted back when I was thinking of applying there) they don't offer scholarships. Another point of interest for those who were at MJ: they're kinda the genus locci for a lot of interest in Joseph Campbell, as his library was left to them to archive.
Best,
Helen
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Amal
Registered User
(8/3/04 11:55 am)
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Re: Graduate Studies
Thanks so much, everyone! Helen, the archives are indeed very helpful. It's also great to look at the past discussions -- I hadn't yet had the incentive to, but now that I've seen how neatly labeled and easy to access they all are (thanks, Heidi!), I'll probably peruse them more often, as well.
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