<p>Actually it would be an 11 + hour drive–there are also some other family issues that I don’t feel able to post online about </p>
<p>That said, I realize that being far from family is something that cannot be avoided indefinitely (and i wouldnt necessarily mind it under better circumstances) but my ultimate question is if there is a career (or PhD acceptance) altering distinction between a traditional MA in English Lit and an MA in Humanities that also includes a thesis/defense option and allows unlimited number of English courses?</p>
<p>You’re going into debt for a master’s degree in humanities/lit - which is already a dicey proposition, given the terrible academic job market.</p>
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<p>You have been accepted to a program which specifically aligns with your future plans AND is cheaper, perhaps significantly so. Given the significant chance that you will not secure a tenure-track professorial job, you need to take that option.</p>
<p>Well in the current economic climate, it would be fair to say that a lot of job markets are suffering, though the academic job market is definitely on the top of the list.</p>
<p>I’ve registered for courses at UMD so I will go from there. When I do pursue my PhD, I could always apply for the PhD in English Lit. at Duke or another program in NC.</p>
<p>Thanks everybody for your input. I definitely received a lot more than I even anticipated.</p>
<p>I (as a student at NCSU) can definitely say that our school is not very well known for our humanities. It is a highly ranked engineering school, but I can safely say that you’re better off at Duke and probably better off at Maryland since you’re pursuing a Humanities degree. I can also support the claim that Durham is definitely not the safest city in the world. As compared to College Park, I do not know, but Durham is not a safe town. Any concerns your mother has about College Park are probably equally valid in Durham (not trying to scare you or anything). Also as a side note, it seems like your mother has already made up her mind: she wants you to go to Duke, and she does not think very highly of any UMD program, or the college itself. But I would probably agree with the others here, if you have to pay, and since its program is specifically what you need, stay at Maryland. (I realize now that you already made up your mind, but i had already typed this before coming to that realization. Consider it extra input for a future choice?)</p>