<p>I an alumnus of Columbia and saw you posting on the other listing. First, of all American Civilization (“Am Civ”) is a very popular major at Brown. Even though I never attended Brown, I’ve heard of Am Civ at Brown. In my years at Columbia, I never heard of “American Studies.” However, that was 30 or so ago.</p>
<p>What the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at Columbia used to do was let in just about very other American idiot for various MA liberal arts programs such as history, english, etc. This was seriously detrimental to the Ph.D. programs in fields that had these MA programs. Columbia like NYU is a large urban private university that offers dozens of programs to entice students, often from the NY area into becoming paying grad students for an MA that really does mean anything. The quality of most of these students is way below that of other students at the university. Columbia reputation is being is used as a marketing tool for programs like the one you are considering.</p>
<p>Housing at Columbia in Morningside Heights and elsewhere in NYC is difficult to find and very expensive. You will be considered very low in the hierarchy at Columbia as a “Liberal Studies MA student”. Let me emphasize that such. You’ll will be at the bottom. However, even if as an international student you do get housing in a Columbia owned building, it will be fairly expensive and not as good at housing near Brown. If you have to obtain housing in a non-Columbia owned building it will be even more expensive.</p>
<p>Further, I also not think that writing a MA thesis at Columbia is a good idea. There is a range of professors at Columbia but there are some who put minimal effort into teaching and can be arrogant. Given that advising is needed for a MA thesis and that Columbia’s priorities are focused on Ph.D. students, I would advise against doing an MA thesis at Columbia. Brown is more of an undergraduate and teaching oriented university. I believe that it more suitable to your circumstances.</p>
<p>In addition, I can tell you that for a graduate student the social life is by department or school e.g. history, law, etc. Columbia is in part a “commuter school.” I also suspect in programs like yours most of the students are from the NY area and disappear after hours. I can’t imagine you’ll have much of a social life unless you get connected with students from a particular department or some other program.</p>
<p>Brown is a highly regarded university in the United States. Am Civ exists as field of study at Brown. There are bachelors, masters and doctorates awarded in it at Brown. I think Brown would be a much less stressful place to get acclimated to the US education. I believe Brown would be more welcoming of foreigners interested in Am Civ. Further, Boston is easily reached by rail from Providence. </p>
<p>This is a “no-brainer.” Go to Brown. Get a certain MA in one year. If you are still set on Columbia, then go there after a Brown Am Civ masters.</p>