The words 'looking into PhD programs' have been coming out of my mouth a lot lately...and it has nothing to do with Pratik's career...it's about my own.
Someone get the stun gun.
If I did, I would have to seriously consider what I would do with a doctorate AFTER graduating. School is a serious comfort zone for me, and it's easy to be seduced by sexy class lists and degree programs...but what the heck would I do with a PhD? I have zero clue at this point. To be honest, I just want another notch in my academic belt, and to fall back into the comforts of writing papers and my brain being constantly crammed with fresh information. Signing up for stress? Sadist qualities, check!
What I really wish is that I could do my Master's at Monterey all over again. I HATE the learning process. I like to go into things completely prepared, or overly prepared. Kind of like how no one from my hometown (but me) goes to driver's ed without some inkling of how to drive a vehicle...Monterey was a serious leap into unknown waters for me, and I learned a lot...painfully. I look back at old papers and cringe...partly because I'm overly critical and partly because it was a serious challenge for me. I actually had to try. Not like math class try (aka, hopeless in my case) but phys ed class try (aka, I totally want to do this, but I'm at a disadvantage...)
So while I have no business looking into these programs, I have 2 in mind, and both have caught my eye at various points in life. First, I have thought about the School of Oriental and African Studies in London (http://www.soas.ac.uk/) since high school...they have an overwhelming amount of degree programs at the Master's level, and one can expand any of those topics into a PhD (or other type of research degree.) The Taiwan Studies program caught my eye...(http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/subject/) Because nothing says qualified individual like being a doctor of Taiwan Studies...
I've also contemplated the Languages and Cultures of Asia program at the University of Wisconsin at Madison for about five years now...(http://lca.wisc.edu/new_web/) The program seems more cookie-cutter than the previous program I mentioned, which seems more independent...both approaches have pros and cons. There are only 3 tracks to this degree, and I'd likely choose the Languages & Literatures track...though the Civilization & Culture could expand my horizons a little, seeing as I did L&L for undergrad...And Wisconsin has PhD minor programs! So I could get something else ridiculous like a PhD minor in French...
Other topics I've thought about studying without looking into programs: linguistics, sociolingustics, and cultural anthropology...this is where that PhD minor thing could come in handy!
No conclusion to this topic! Just me, having zero business looking into these programs, wanting a PhD for all the wrong reasons...this is probably something I'll think on for the next decade. No rash decisions here!
