Are you considering grad/postgrad training in history of Islamic art/architecture or a related field, and not sure what to look for in a program or advisor to achieve your personal and career goals?
Or, are you considering a career pivot or shift and seeking clarity on how to combine your existing background and skillset with new training in Islamic art, cultural heritage, and history (or to allied fields in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences) so that you can shape a more satisfying career with positive social impact?
If so, I've created this for you.
This is a guided 10-day email sequence in which I lead you step-by-step through how to get clear on your goals and priorities for graduate study, and how to identify, choose, and contact potential graduate schools and advisors that will support your personal and career aspirations and that will work with your specific circumstances.
Each step in the sequence is delivered to your email inbox, one per day, over 10 consecutive days. Once you've received the complete set you can refer back to each step as often as you like. Do it at your own pace.
Who is this for?
I wrote it for women, people of colour, and people from minoritised communities interested in continuing their education and professional development in history of Islamic visual culture (art, architecture, archaeology, material culture) or other aspects of the field of academic Islamic Studies.
It will be useful to anyone seeking advice from an experienced academic researcher, mentor, and consultant working across arts, humanities, and social science disciplines - and beyond the academy.
What's in the sequence?
In the emails I guide you through the factors that will impact on your decision whether or not to pursue graduate study.
I flag up common mistakes and offer Do's and Don'ts, with examples, so that you can move forward with clarity and confidence.
The advice in the sequence is based on my two decades as a university professor and Islamic art and architecture historian in the US and UK, and on my own experiences navigating the grad school search as the first person in my family to pursue a PhD.
This is the advice I give to my own students and industry professionals seeking my academic and career mentorship over the last two decades. Students I've advised have gone on to top-ranked research Master's and PhD programmes in the field, in the US and the UK, with competitive funding packages.
The sequence includes the chance to add an optional one-on-one live consult session with me to discuss your specific situation and any questions you may still have about graduate/postgraduate study once you've completed the prompts in the sequence.
About me:
I’m Dr. Glaire Anderson (PhD, MIT Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture). Currently I'm Senior Lecturer in Islamic Art at the University of Edinburgh and and Founding Director of the Digital Lab for Islamic Visual Culture & Collections in Scotland.
An award-winning author and games and GLAM industry consultant, I've been featured in BBC Scotland, Times Higher Education, Apollo Magazine, The Barakat Trust's Ask the Expert, This is History with Dan Jones, and Game Developer, among others.
Important
Please note that the services are provided by Glaire Anderson, PhD acting in a personal capacity. Glaire Anderson is not, and shall not be deemed to be, acting as agent or employee or representing in any way the University of Edinburgh. Accordingly, you and your company, by accepting the services, (i) acknowledge that the University of Edinburgh has no responsibility or liability for the services and (ii) is deemed to have waived any right or entitlement to pursue or instigate any claim or action against the University of Edinburgh for any injury, loss or damage you or your company may sustain as a result of Glaire Anderson undertaking the services for you or your company.