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lolamatopoeiaTudor and I were talking briefly about applications, about PhD's and academia in general and I mentioned how I never really saw an end point to my academic journey when I started graduate school (or, even during my undergrad). I just assumed that I would go on afterwards and continue into a career in a university, as a professor. I didn't consider anything outside of that and I really, really, really should have. I chose to get a Master of Arts degree in English Literature because I like books, and I didn't want to stop being in school. I was very wrong, and I've got years of being virtually unemployable and miserable to show for it.
If I were to do it all again, I explained to him, if I would have known that a PhD was not for me (since I'm still not sure it is, even though I'm applying) I would have chosen a more marketable, career-focused, Masters program - like professional or creative writing, or library sciences, or museum studies. I could pursue a lot of the things I'd like to professionally with any one of those degrees, and would have turned out much more employable and possibly much less miserable.
If I were really able to do it over again, though, I realized with absolute resolve - I would have done an MFA instead and studied Art History and learned to be a better painter and sculptor. In such a program I would have pursued the things that bring me so much joy I can feel it in my fingertips and I would be marketable to galleries, museums and other cultural institutions where I would flourish. Yes, absolutely - if I could go back I would have done an MFA instead. And flourished.
This may not seem like much to you reading it, but to me that knowledge feels like a revelation. I felt the need to document it in some way. If I were to do it again, I would pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree, and painted and sculpted and studied the masters, instead. I know this for certain, I wish I would have known this then and followed my first instincts.
I think that if I go to New Zealand I will definitely pick up my third teachable subject and become qualified to teach Art as well.
A second Masters would just be silly though, wouldn't it?
If I were to do it all again, I explained to him, if I would have known that a PhD was not for me (since I'm still not sure it is, even though I'm applying) I would have chosen a more marketable, career-focused, Masters program - like professional or creative writing, or library sciences, or museum studies. I could pursue a lot of the things I'd like to professionally with any one of those degrees, and would have turned out much more employable and possibly much less miserable.
If I were really able to do it over again, though, I realized with absolute resolve - I would have done an MFA instead and studied Art History and learned to be a better painter and sculptor. In such a program I would have pursued the things that bring me so much joy I can feel it in my fingertips and I would be marketable to galleries, museums and other cultural institutions where I would flourish. Yes, absolutely - if I could go back I would have done an MFA instead. And flourished.
This may not seem like much to you reading it, but to me that knowledge feels like a revelation. I felt the need to document it in some way. If I were to do it again, I would pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree, and painted and sculpted and studied the masters, instead. I know this for certain, I wish I would have known this then and followed my first instincts.
I think that if I go to New Zealand I will definitely pick up my third teachable subject and become qualified to teach Art as well.
A second Masters would just be silly though, wouldn't it?
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no subject
Date: 2009-01-07 05:36 pm (UTC)Ugh, can you imagine though getting a PhD and, after 4-10 years of working your ass off at it and having to go back to school for something else on top of that just to be employable? You spend 4-10 years buried in a library because of your research, and then have to go back to school again in order to work at the library? Alright, I'm just making assumptions here - and I know how awesome it is to work at a library - but with a PhD too? C'mon. Mind you, they may be making six figures by now.
Are you enjoying the program though? How much longer is it? I'll pray for some old librarians to retire for you and open up some jobs if you pray for some old teachers to retire within a year or so for me to get a job when I'm out of school :).
no subject
Date: 2009-01-07 06:02 pm (UTC)It's not accredited or anything, but it's a rare enough skill that I don't think that matters at all. They will give you a certificate if you do all 6 (the last one must be done in person).
I think it's great, because it's possible to make books that are completely practical and books that are pure art, or anything in between. Plus, it means I'll be able to repair books in-house if I ever find a job around here.
I'm as mind-boggled as you are about the Ph.D plus library school thing. One lady in particular had 2 Masters degrees already, plus her Ph.D and was going for the MLIS. She's on co-op at UW (Davis, I think) until the end of the school year, but I wouldn't be surprised if they hire her on after this.
The MLIS experience at Western was both beneficial and completely infuriating. Mostly because little has changed for them in the last 40 years, and they are proud of that instead of doing something about it. It can be done in 12 months, which is how I did it. But I don't recommend that unless you consider food and sleep to be of little importance.
If I had been willing to spend more time on it, and move further away, I would have went to U of T or McGill for it, to be honest. My reasons for going to Western had little to do with the program itself.
I'll definitely be sending retire vibes out to any of the teachers I get near. You'd think with the kind of pensions most of them have that they'd retire as early as possible. Most of mine did.