Ph.D. Insanity
OK, I’ll definitely need your prayers these next few weeks. Here’s the deal: I am planning on applying for the Overseas Research Scheme (ORS) that allows international research students attending Edinburgh Uni to pay tuition at the home UK rate rather than the international rate (a difference of about 5000 pounds). That application is due by 2 Feb at the latest. Of course, right now, I’m not a research student as I’m in a taught programme. So that means to be eligible for the scholarship for 2004-2005 I need to be accepted by the University into a Ph.D. programme before that date. Thankfully I have an undergrad prof and a prof at Edinburgh who will be speedily writing me recommendations for both of those applications. However, I’m intending on turning my Ph.D. application in by 16 Jan, which is really soon! The actual paper application isn’t difficult, but I do need to have a fully worked out research proposal and that’s where it gets tricky. I do have an initial idea: to study the open/sublime environmental spaces that outcast figures in nineteenth century American literature inhabit (the sea, the prairie, the wilderness/West, etc.) and analyse how this is a reaction against earlier, cramped European spaces. So…my next few weeks will be just a bit hectic! Plus, I am doing a bit of editing as well. Thankfully Bryce isn’t stressed as he isn’t back at classes for 2 weeks (of course he has a sermon to prepare and an essay to begin) and so he’s been great cooking dinner most nights and doing laundry. Love you all! 