Wilde woman
01-26-2009, 04:59 PM
I'm applying to Ph.D programs in lit this year and I'm looking for some advice. I graduated from Berkeley with a BA in Comp Lit and took two years off to work (and gain CA residency). I have three big questions:
1) How much does it adversely effect me that I did NOT write a senior thesis in my undergrad study?
2) In my application/interviews, how specific do I have to be about exactly what area/period in literature I want to study? Is there wiggle room in the first few years to explore before committing?
3) Comp Lit or English? That is the question. I love languages, but admittedly I don't pick them up quickly (speaking is always the problem; I have an easier time reading). From the schools I've looked at, Comp Lit always requires mastery of at least two foreign languages. English programs, depending on the school, require reading knowledge of one or two foreign languages. So far I have an adequate reading knowledge of one foreign language, and a much shakier (I learned it in HS) sort-of, not-really knowledge of another.
Thoughts? I'm really stressing out over this, even though it's early, so any advice will be appreciated. Thanks.
Pam
1) How much does it adversely effect me that I did NOT write a senior thesis in my undergrad study?
2) In my application/interviews, how specific do I have to be about exactly what area/period in literature I want to study? Is there wiggle room in the first few years to explore before committing?
3) Comp Lit or English? That is the question. I love languages, but admittedly I don't pick them up quickly (speaking is always the problem; I have an easier time reading). From the schools I've looked at, Comp Lit always requires mastery of at least two foreign languages. English programs, depending on the school, require reading knowledge of one or two foreign languages. So far I have an adequate reading knowledge of one foreign language, and a much shakier (I learned it in HS) sort-of, not-really knowledge of another.
Thoughts? I'm really stressing out over this, even though it's early, so any advice will be appreciated. Thanks.
Pam