Grad School

Yesterday I received my acceptance letter for graduate school. Today I signed it. I'll be working on an M.A. in American Studies, with an emphasis on American literature.

Deciding to pursue an advanced degree, and deciding which degree to pursue was difficult. I received my B.A. in Professional Writing last December at the age of 48. I'd finished two years of college when I was much younger, but it had taken six years--January 2000 to December 2005--to complete the last two years of my undergraduate degree. Unless I have the opportunity to enroll in more than one class each semester, the two-year M.A. program will take four years to complete. I'll be 52 when I finish. Except for the eight-month gap between my last undergrad class and my first graduate school class, that means I will have spent 10 straight years in school by the time I receive my M.A.

In a perfect world, I would have had my choice of university and degree, and I would be seeking a writing degree of some kind (creative writing, professional writing, etc.). The real world limits me to my present location and a single university. I spent a great deal of time scouring the graduate school programs and narrowed my choices to three programs--American Studies, English, and Journalism. Although none offered a writing degree, each program offered things that interested me. Ultimately, American Studies seemed to offer the greatest opportunity to tailor my course of study to fit my interests.

So, it'll be back to the books in August.