Musicology/Ethnomusicology, 2011-12

Boston University (Deadline: November 15, 2011) With tenure, Professor of Music (Ethnomusicology.)
"The applicant should have a long-held PhD, associate- or full-professor status in current position, a rich publication record, prominence in the field of ethnomusicology, and a distinguished record of teaching at the graduate and undergraduate level."

Bowdoin College(Application review starts November 1, 2011, MVL)
Tenure track, assistant professor of music, American vernacular music.

See job description and application instructions at http://www.bowdoin.edu/academic-affairs/curriculum-teaching/recruit/music-tt.shtml
 * Request for more materials (12/1): two article length pieces of writing, two sample syllabi, statement of scholarly plans, evidence of success in teaching; email states they have narrowed "a really extraordinarily strong pool of candidates doing exciting and innovative work" to a dozen candidates. (x2)
 * Q for those NOT asked for more materials - did you receive a rejection email, or just radio silence?
 * No rejection yet!
 * And still hoping against hope in this corner of the interweb! But, in my experience, search committees often don't send out rejections at ALL, or they wait until the lucky candidate has signed on the dotted line.
 * You never know if/when a search committee will go back to the pool. A few other searches have contacted "long list" people in different stages (see Cornell and Loyola, for example), perhaps because that was their original plan or perhaps because they returned to the pile after phone interviews/receipt of additional materials. I would say that this particular search seems well organized and focused, so probably don't get your hopes super high. But always maintain some hope, because it's not over until someone does sign.
 * Request for campus interview (12/16 X2).

Bowling Green State University(Deadline: November 23, 2011)
Tenure track, Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology

See job description and application instructions in pdf linked above (http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/music/downloads/file102740.pdf)
 * Acknowledgment email w/ EEO form, 11/22 x2

Chinese University of Hong Kong (Deadline: January 31, 2011)
Full-time position in Ethnomusicology, three-year contract with possiblity to renew.

"The Department invites applications for a full-time academic post in Ethnomusicology with an emphasis on Chinese music, with the academic rank to be considered with reference to the candidate’s qualifications and experience. Any area of specialization will be considered."

Christopher Newport University (Deadline: October 14, 2011, CHE)
Tenure-track, assistant professor of Musicology, no specialty

Phone Interview Scheduled--10/27

Phone Interview -- 11/8

Any additional news on this position?

Campus visits have been held.

Colby College (Deadline: November 1, 2011, MVL)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor, World Music.

"Applications from candidates with additional expertise in film music, music in popular culture, or cultural criticism/critical theory are especially welcome."
 * EEO form via email, 10-26. x2
 * AMS interview scheduled, 10/31
 * Is this one of the preliminary/informational interviews that you can schedule on the AMS website, or did they call you for a first-round interview? A: it is one of the preliminary/informal interviews
 * Will they also be doing preliminary interviews at SEM? A: Apparently, according to SEM-L (Oct. 21).
 * I cannot find a place to sign up for a meeting at SEM. A: There is no place to sign up. I wrote to the search committee chair to inquire and have not heard back. A2: Me too.
 * This was posted to the SEM-L on October 21, 2011: "Steven Nuss will be conducting interviews for the position at SEM in Philadelphia on the mornings of the 18th and 19th and will be happy to meet with qualified candidates at that time. He will also be available for informal chats about the position and can be reached at: srnuss at colby.edu."
 * 11/11: Has anyone who has emailed Nuss for an SEM interview received a reply? A: 13/11 reply to a second email received today. All formal interview slots are filled, but informal conversations are still a possibility.
 * Were those interviewing contacted by Colby or were interviews scheduled by applicants? A: Scheduled by applicant x2
 * Has anyone heard from the search committee? A: no, but at a conference interview the interviewer indicated that it would likely be as late as February before they held campus visits, so it may be a while before anyone hears anything.
 * Phone interview requested 12/13. (x2)

Colorado State University (Deadline: November 1, MVL)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor, Music History, no specialty listed.
 * Any sense of what they mean by "supporting materials"? The ad says, "Send letter of application, vita, all academic transcripts, three recent letters of recommendation, and other supporting materials."
 * I just sent them a cover letter, CV, transcripts, letters, and told them to contact me if they wanted/ needed anything else.
 * Equal Opportunity Employment form received w/in 24 hrs of applying via email (10/21)
 * Request by e-mail for teaching video; request to contact references (11/17) (x3)

Columbia University, Mellon Postdoctoral Teaching Fellowship (Review begins November 10, 2011)
Two-year fellowship, PhD within last 4.5 years of starting date (July 1, 2012).

Cornell University (Deadline: November 1, 2011, SAM-L)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor, Ethnomusicology.

"The successful candidate will hold the doctorate (or equivalent professional accomplishment) in ethnomusicology and will have a strong understanding of historical and emerging trends in the field, commitment to ethnographic research, and engagement with music-making."

- the rumor mill has it that this is an internal hire. I'm going to apply anyway, but has anyone else heard this? 10/29

- I'm not an insider, but I know that this rumor has some substance behind it. Still, I would say go ahead and apply. You never know how these things will go. 10/30

- I strongly believe this person will get the job. Not a good idea for people to get their hopes up about this one.

- Absolutely no reason not to apply!

- Contacted via email for more materials 11/18 (x3)

- Contacted via email for more materials 12/5 (x1)

- Anyone else think it strange they requested materials in two different phases?

- Received an email because my application is no longer being considered 12/16


 * - I got this "no longer under consideration" email on 12/16 followed two minutes later by a retraction, saying I was still under consideration. Did this happen to anyone else? (Asking to gauge how many applicants might still be under consideration.)
 * - to the two posters above, just to clarify, were you in the group that was contacted for additional materials?
 * - This is the second poster. No, I wasn't contacted for additional materials.
 * - I haven't had any contact from Cornell - positive or negative.

Dartmouth Department of Music(Deadline: Evaluation of applications begins: November 7th, 2011)
{C {C Assistant Professor of Music, tenure-track

Dartmouth's Department of Music seeks an outstanding faculty member committed to innovative teaching in an undergraduate liberal arts curriculum that integrates composition, digital music/arts, performance, theory, history, world music, and jazz studies. Teaching assignments will include graduate seminars in Dartmouth's M.A. program in Digital Musics. Email request for more material 11/23
 * Does anyone know if they are looking for a musicologist or a composer?
 * They are replacing a composer, but rumor has it they are looking for somebody creative who can also teach electronic music techniques. If your credentials also include a musicology degree, then more power to you.

Davidson College (November 1 for AMS interview or November 30)
Visiting Assistant Professor Musicology

AMS Interview (x5)

Has anyone heard anything since the AMS interviews took place?

Request for more materials (via email, 12/2/11) x2

Where those who received a request for more materials also interviewed at AMS?
 * Previous posters answered both yes and no to this question but those answers were removed. (12/5)

East Tennessee State University (Deadline: Sept 30, 2011. Better act fast!).
Associate Professor of Music.

Florida Gulf Coast University (Deadline: December 5, 2011)
Asisstant/Associate Professor, Musicology/World Music

FYI: this university does not have a tenure-track (renewing multi--year contracts)
 * Has anyone been able to determine from the directions what (if anything) to do about letters of recommendation? Maybe I have missed something, but I am a little confused on this front. (10/28/2011)
 * I understood that they requested a list of references and they will contact those references if / when candidates get further consideration.

Florida State University (Deadline: Review begins December 1, 2011, MVL)
Assistant Professor, Musicology (Ethnomusicology), tenure track.

"Specialization in any area will be considered, preference will be given to candidates whose areas complement the current strengths of the ethnomusicology faculty. Ability to direct a world music ensemble...will be a significant asset."
 * Warning*--this is a very bothersome online application. Don't "Save for later" or change your uploaded resume midstream, or all of the employment history, education history and references will disappear. It also tends to freeze up and lose entries.
 * Seems to help to update Java.
 * Can anyone comment on this job or jobs similar to this one -- are they more likely to consider a musicologist, since the person is required to teach music history courses. Shall ethnomusicologists be even bothered to apply for such jobs??
 * They are definitely looking for an ethnomusicologist in this position. They are replacing a person with a specialty in medical ethnomusicology, but that is unlikely to have a bearing on the search.

Georgia State University (Deadline: November 1, 2011, MVL)
Tenure-track position in Music History and Literature.
 * "Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in Music History to include Renaissance Music, Baroque Music, Pre-Classical to Classical, Romantic Era, Twentieth Century Music, Dramatic Music, and Introduction to Graduate Studies."
 * I hope this search actually goes through. A search at another state university in Georgia (Kennesaw State) was cancelled last year due to budget cuts that apparently hit all state universities in Georgia.

Gettysburg College (Deadline: January 16, 2012, CHE)
One year Visiting Assistant Professor in Ethnomusicology/Popular Music, 3/3 load. "Secondary expertise in Western music history or theory would be considered favorably."

Grinnell College (Deadline: November 14, 2011, CHE)
Assistant / Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology.

"Secondary specialization in popular music studies and/or the ability to direct a world music ensemble is highly desirable."

Request for further materials 11/26

Q: What did they ask for, since they already requested research and teaching statements in the application?

A: Publications, Syllabi, evidence of ensemble skills (such as video), and a never-before-seen reflection on one's contribution to a diversity of perspectives.

Request for phone interview 12/5 (x2)

Request for additional materials (same as A, above) 12/5

Request for phone interview 12/13

Indiana University (Deadline: August 15, 2011, advertised MVL, AMS-L)
Tenure-track, continuation of Fall 2010 search.

"The committee is particularly interested in applicants with demonstrated expertise in music before 1400 or music of the late nineteenth century."


 * Email request for additional materials, 9/8. X 1

Q: Has anyone heard anything new?
 * Telephone request for campus interview, 10/11

Louisiana State University (Deadline: January 15, 2012, review begins immediately)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor of Musicology

"Specialty of research that complements the current faculty, with a preference of film music."

Loyola University Maryland (Deadline: October 25, 2011, or until filled)
Tenure-track, Music History, within Fine Arts Department Essay Directions:
 * Anyone know what a "Faculty Essay" is?
 * Nevermind. Here are the directions I found buried on their employment page:

Please review the material related to our Jesuit mission posted on the Internet at www.loyola.edu/choose/learning-at-loyola/jesuit-tradition and write a brief essay addressing the ways you could contribute to this mission. You are free to structure your essay as you deem appropriate. The following topics are provided to stimulate your thinking: the synergy between your philosophy of teaching, the liberal arts and the Jesuit educational mission; the ways in which your religious identity shapes your teaching, interaction with students, or research in relationship to the Jesuit educational mission; the extent to which you include multicultural themes, ethical issues, social justice, or service learning in your teaching or research in relationship to the Jesuit educational mission.

The link in the application page describes it as a "Brief statement of teaching philosophy and research interests," so who knows?

Weird, I was looking at this link on Faculty Dossier Information. I guess they'll get some interesting essays, huh?

This sort of essay is pretty standard at faith-based institutions. I had to fill out something similar once I made the short list at Baylor.
 * Request for phone interview (11/29)
 * Request for phone interview (12/5)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (Deadline: October 7, 2011)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor. No speciality.

"Teach undergraduate subjects in Western music and in another area of specialization, such as music theory, music technology, interdisciplinary studies, composition or performance. Candidates should have a Ph.D. in musicology and have manifested excellence and potential for growth in at least one field of Western musicology."

-10/12, received general invitation to MIT AMS party. Just checking to see that everyone received this (that would be my assumption). Thanks!

-I believe we all got one since the deadline just passed.

-additional materials solicited (10/18). x3

-rejection email rec'd (10/21; according to email, over 200 applicants! ... x200??)

- rejection email rec'd (10/21); but AFTER the invitation to the MIT AMS party. Unprofessional, I think.

- campus interview scheduled (11/14) x2 Dear all, The search committee wanted to write to clear up what we see now was a confusing succession of emails. We very much still hope everyone will feel invited to the reception at AMS. Certainly anyone who has taken the effort to put together such a great body of application materials deserves to have some food and drink on us :-), but more importantly we hope that some of you might be interested in meeting us (esp. the committee members who don't normally attend AMS) just as we are hoping to get to know you better and the many exciting projects you're working on. Some applicants will surely teach or present lectures in Boston or the Northeast in the future, even if not at MIT, and we thought that meeting might help all of us know more about each other to ease future connections. In writing to everyone in two emails, we needed to balance (1) our uncertainty about where by AMS we would be in our deliberations, with (2) our wanting to let people know about the current state of the search as soon as we could. We regret any awkwardness or ambiguity that our balancing of these goals caused, and we hope that those who might find it enjoyable to drop by will still feel warmly welcomed in doing so. Sincerely, Myke Cuthbert (for Patty Tang and the Committee)
 * I actually think that it was nice of them to be so communicative (rare, really). Was it weird to be invited and then, basically, univited? Yeah, you bet! But I, for one, appreciate their being in touch.
 * I was not looking forward to that party - imagine 200 applicants standing around looking at each other. I was kinda relieved to get my rejection...
 * I'd like to see everybody go to the reception - rejects and all - and eat all their food and drink their drinks. Those who received rejection letters should monopolize time with members of the faculty.
 * Why?
 * Why not?
 * To emphasize how foolish it is to send out a mass invitation to applicants to attend a meet-and-greet reception for a job that is probably closed to most of the people who received invitations. If the invitation still stands, you might as well take adavantage of it. Eat some food, get a bit tipsy and pick the brains of the search committee. Is that clear enough for you or should I draw a picture?
 * Well I'm sorry, I was being sarcastic with my "why" question. However, I would actually love to see a picture of that scenario, if I'm being honest.
 * Though it looks like an error was indeed made by the search committee (re: invitation to AMS party preceding initial round of rejections), please don't show up to this party out of spite/hurt feelings/wounded pride. Why would you want to "monopolize time with members of the faculty"? So that the faculty will have less time to converse with candidates who are actually still in the running? To inconvenience the search process? To make the party awkward? Venting is fine; but threats of retributional social behavior is petty. If you want to attend the party and are not sure whether you are still "officially" invited, just send a note to the search committee/dpt admin and inquire politely. Please grow up.
 * Q: "Why would you want to 'monopolize time with members of the faculty'? So that the faculty will have less time to converse with candidates who are actually still in the running?" A: Yes. Q: "To inconvenience the search process?" A: Yes. Q: "To make the party awkward?" A: Yes. "Venting is fine; but threats of retributional social behavior is petty." Retributional Social Behavior is a good name for a band. "If you want to attend the party and are not sure whether you are still "officially" invited, just send a note to the search committee/dpt admin and inquire politely." OK, I just sent a note that said "My students want to know if you plan to conduct campus-interviews before the party, too?" "Please grow up." Why?
 * Maybe the committee was just being collegial, and never had any intention of vetting candidates at the party. And to the question of making the party awkward, the party is destined to be awkward because it'll be a room full of conference-going musicologists. (x5)
 * And here I thought the new wiki format would make this site less entertaining
 * Dear Myke, thank you for interjecting so collegially. (x3)
 * Fine, but what if I (1) can't afford to go to the AMS meeting and (2) also don't expect to teach or present lectures in Boston or the Northeast? Realistically, how many of the 200+ applicants both can and do? (Probably, not that many.) (x2)
 * What do you mean "But what if I can't afford to go...(and) don't expect to teach or present..." Then you don't go. You received a kind invitation, which you can't accept, so you move on with your life and get over yourself. Obviously they didn't expect all 200 applicants to come to their reception! When you get a dinner invitation for a day you're not in town, do you get all peeved?
 * What an odd, peevish contribution (just above). You may think it "a kind invitation," others will find it unusual, to say the least. Myke Cuthbert writes that the main reason for the invitation is to offer applicants in the Northeast the opportunity to meet the MIT faculty - whether or not one has been shortlisted (they "don't normally attend AMS," you see). Thanks, but uh, no thanks.
 * To the guy two above: While I agree generally, you cannot truly compare this to any invitation to a party. Candidates for a job are under much pressure which is incomparable to that of a party invitee, and may feel that if they do not show up, they will be jeopardizing their chances. It is a little unfair to put people in this position. That said, there is networking value in showing up for the AMS for any job.
 * You're right, that was a bad comparison. There is a difference, though, between feeling that you may be jeopardizing your chances, and actually doing so. In my view, anything that provides more, rather than fewer chances to meet the SC is good for candidates. Yes, in offering the invitation, they ran the risk of making those who can't afford to come feel like they're potentially missing a crucial step. But doesn't it also matter that they opened up a chance to meet with them outside of formal interview slots, short-listing, etc.?
 * Well, let us know how the party went, will ya?!?
 * The party was great. I got several free beers.
 * Everyone at MIT was legitimately so nice and cool. It was a huge relief after stressing out about the party for days and days.
 * It was fantastic. The search committee members were gracious and sociable to the max

{C}This was already stated up above the fight about the party, but campus interviews have now been scheduled with at least 2 people. Anybody else get one?

CONGRATULATIONS are due to Emily Richmond Pollock (ABD, Berkeley) -- awesome scholar, friend, human being! You'll be fantastic, Emily! (x5!) (12/14)

Miami University (Ohio) (Deadline: Review begins Jan 6, open until filled)
Full-time lecturer in musicology, 1 year renewable contract.

Mississippi State University (Deadline: Review begins immediatey, until Dec. 1)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor, Musicology, No specialty

"Teach undergraduate music history courses and contribute to a new MME degree program in development." MME = Masters in Music Education??? Any ideas?

MME=Music Ed

New York University (Deadline: December 1)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor, Musicology

"We seek a creative and dynamic colleague whose scholarship reflects a critical engagement with recent theoretical developments in musicology. The successful candidate will have a robust and adventurous program of research and publication, a record of teaching excellence, and a genuine affinity for the interdisciplinary spirit that we cultivate in our department."
 * This is so vague. Does anyone have any idea what they may be looking for?
 * I don't have any genuine intel on the new search, but the posting basically reiterates the goals of the search that NYU did for a postdoctoral faculty fellow a few years ago (two, I think). For that position they interviewed candidates doing work in areas as diverse as the twentieth-century and medieval studies, and the long-short list was yet more diverse. "Theoretical" did not necessarily imply "music theory" either. This appears to be a TT redo of the same search, since that hire seems to have left the department for another institution this fall.
 * Re: above -- you are correct. Princeton hired Anna Zayaruznaya, who was to start the second year of a three-year fellowship at NYU.
 * Except the older search was for a three-year postdoc and this search is for a tenure-track line...

New York University Abu Dhabi(Application review starts December 1, 2011)
Clinical, Assistant and Associate Professors of Music

NYU Abu Dhabi currently seeks a number of dynamic and creative music scholars and scholar-practitioners to teach within and across the disciplines of musicology/ethnomusicology, theory/composition, performance, and music technology/new media. The successful candidate(s) will have a record of significant achievement in one or more of the above areas, an adventurous program of research and/or performance, and experience teaching at the undergraduate level. Candidates with experience in academic leadership and/or curricular development are particularly encouraged to apply.

See job description and application instructions at: http://nyuad.nyu.edu/human.resources/open.positions.html

Request for more materials 12/30

Northeastern University (Deadline: December 30, 2011)
Music Industry position; Assistant or Associate Professor. For more information and to apply, go to http://www.northeastern.edu/camd/, click on "Faculty Positions" and then "Full Time."

===San Francisco Conservatory of Music (Deadline: November 4, 2011, advertised MVL)=== Full-time faculty member to teach a balance or core music history courses. "Promising candidates from any field of specialization will be considered."

- Non-Useful Venting: oh my GOD these online applications. (x2)

- Online applications often have little to do with the search committees. It's sad, really.

- Reiterating that -- am on the committee for a different search and our application website was chosen by someone in HR and it's not well-designed for the level of courtesy we'd like to give our applicants. The plus side is that these sites usually let the committee mull over the applications with more time than paper reading does (where a single file might need to be shared by the whole committee), so more eyes have to help distinguish good from less-promising candidates.

- In principle, I agree with the commenter above, but on the flip side the application system is part of the public face of the institution. If applicants find themselves frustrated by institutional IT even before they arrive on campus, you might be weeding out people from the wrong side of the pool before the process even starts.

-Q: is this a tenure-track position?

- A: As with many conservatories, there is no tenure system.

- And yet one of their faculty members is listed as the "James D. Robertson Professor of Piano." Is that only a titular designation?

- Rejection email, 12/12 x3

- No rejection email, but no other news (and I know they received my application). 12/12 Anyone else? (x4)

- I checked my junk mail folder and there it was!

- Any other news on this search?

Skidmore College (Deadline: November 15, 2011, advertised AMS-L)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor of music theory and music history.

"We are particularly interested in applicants committed to teaching in a liberal arts college."

- Has anyone heard ANYTHING about this?

Request for more materials (12/23)

===Stanford University (Deadline: November 14, 2011, advertised MVL)===

Tenure-track, Assistant Professor. Specialist in music since the mid-20th century.

Request for more materials (via email, 12/7/11)

SUNY-Binghamton (Deadline: November 15)
Required qualifications: earned Ph.D. in Musicology or Music History conferred by date of appointment, demonstrated success in teaching and scholarship, and primary research specialization in music of the Western notated tradition since 1700. Desirable qualifications: additional research and teaching interests in multiple areas of music history (including art, jazz, and popular traditions), interdisciplinary studies, and critical approaches to musicology.

Application: For application requiremenets and instructions see: http://www2.binghamton.edu/academics/provost/faculty/vacancies.html

-- does anybody know where/if we are supposed to upload our actual letters? I emailed the contact person but did not hear back. They say they want 3 letters (in addition to the "list of referees") but they give no address--web or snail--where they want to receive said letters. Thoughts?

--The job listing instructs candidates to have letters of recommendation sent to: Dr. Paul Schleuse, Department of Music, PO Box 6000, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902; or by email at schleuse@binghamton.edu

-- Thanks. I don't know how I missed that. What a jerk (me)!
 * Email Confirming Application Received (12/5 x2)
 * Request for additional materials (12/15)
 * Was this request e- or snail-mail? -- A: email
 * Rejection email received (12/16) X4

SUNY--Potsdam (Open until filled, advertised SEM)
Assistant professor, ethnomusicology.

--I spoke to the contact person (Heather O'Hara) who told me that letters of recommendation can be emailed to her address, oharaha@potsdam.edu.

SUNY-Stony Brook (Deadline: October 14, 2011, advertised AMS-L)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor. Specialist in music of the "long" 20th century.

"Some preference may be given to applicants with secondary expertise in opera, 18th-century music, or performance studies."

-- add. materials solicited (10/25) (x 3)

-- campus visit requested (11/30)

Syracuse University (Deadline: December 1, 2011)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor. Specialist in popular musics of the African diaspora, including Central and South America and/or the Caribbean.

-- This job was on here before, and seems to have been removed. I'm hoping this was an honest mistake and not monkey business, but PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHEN EDITING!!

- Has anyone seen this posted anywhere else? Nothing on MVL, Higher Ed Jobs, etc.

- It is listed on ethnomusicology.org

- Any confirmation beyond ethnomusicology.org that this is a current posting? A few years ago I remember that a ghost posting for the already filled Earlham job popped up on ethnomusicology.org a year later for some mysterious reason. I think that the website has a glitch.

- Two separate SC members have confirmed to me that this is a real search. Good luck, everyone!

-It is a real search. I spoke with a member of the Search Committee as SEM.

University of Alabama (review begins immediately. Deadline: December 1, 2011, MVL)
Full time. Historical Musicology. Specialization in American vernacular music preferred. Application confirmed via snail mail 12/19
 * Any thoughts on what to do with letters of recommendation? It seems sort of strange to me that applicants (not the writers) are asked to upload them to the online application rather than mail/email them.
 * I contacted Human Resources who only told me to post them when completing the application. I am not sure how to go about this. I hate to ask my references for the letters. All other jobs have a physical or email address for letter submission.
 * I would contact someone in the musicology division. Just be nice about it.
 * It says on their HR page that letters should be mailed to: The University of Alabama, The School of Music, Attn: Historical Musicology Search Committee, Box 870366, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0366.
 * Yeah, come on people; can you not read?! This is the second one I've seen where people have completely missed the address for reference letters in a job posting. On the other hand, a lot more places are now starting to use academicjobsonline.org, and for those the reference writers send their letters directly to an online system (either a generic letter or a job-specific letter).
 * The address was not initially posted. It was added to the site after Human Resources and the committee chair were contacted.
 * I've spoken to search-committee chairs about these kinds of problems with online application systems, and most of them wish they could go back to simple postal or email applications. Often, though, they don't have the choice because the HR department is pushing (or requiring) the use of online systems that should still be in beta-testing. Requiring recommendation letters that can't be uploaded to the system by the recommenders is one problem; dealing with large-format scores or recordings for composition candidates is another. (I don't know whether this is the case with Alabama; I raise it here only because the issue came up in thhis thread.)

Any additional news on this position?

University of Birmingham (Deadline: September 1, 2011, advertised AMS-L)
Two possible five-year music postdocs, "one in Creative Music Technology, and one in Ethnomusicology and/or Popular Music. These are grouped under the broad heading "Twentieth Century Music', but twenty-first century researchers are also welcome.

(Note: although the deadline has passed, the website notes that any unfilled spots will be open for a second round, so you can still go to the website and submit an application)


 * Email rejection received (09/09)

University of British Columbia (Deadline: November 1, 2011, advertised AMS-L)
Tenure-Track. Assistant Professor in Musicology. Specialist in music of the 18th century (late Baroque/Classical). Additional fields of interest (such as film music, popular music, critical theory, cultural studies, or historical performance) are especially welcome.

(previous discussion removed)

any news on this position?
 * Additional materials requested (12/13) (x3)

University of California, Davis (Deadline: December 1, 2011, advertised AMS-L)
Tenure-Track. Assistant Professor in Ethnomusicology. Possibilities include participating in Performance Studies graduate group and directing an ensemble.


 * Postmark deadline is November 23.
 * AA-EEOE form received by mail, 10-24.x2

University of California, Merced (Deadline: December 1, 2011, CHE)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor of Music Studies (ethnomusicology). "The geographic area is open, but priority is given to scholars whose research has a clear emphasis on transcultural or transnational connections."
 * Q1: the required materials include "5) a list of three references with contact information…", but it also asks for "7) three letters of recommendation sent by the letter ." Any idea if the references are supposed to be different people than the letter-writers?

University of Chicago (Deadline: November 25, 2011, SEM)
1-year postdoc in ethnomusicology. "The Department of Music of the University of Chicago invites applications for a one-year Post-Doctoral Instructor in Ethnomusicology in any area of specialization, from outstanding candidates who have completed a PhD in 2006 or later."

University of Chicago, Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship (Deadline Dec. 15, AMS-L)
2-year Fellowship in Music Studies field with interdisciplinary affiliation

University of Colorado, Boulder (Deadline: November 2, 2011, advertised SEM-L)
Tenure-Track. Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology. "The area of geographic specialization is open, but the ideal candidate will be one who complements our current program; the committee will give particular attention to those with a specialization in the music of Africa or the African Diaspora, including the Americas."

I spoke with someone on the search committee at AMS and he said they received 137 applications!

105, Actually.

Any word on a possible timeline for this position? Has anyone been contacted by the search committee yet?

Just as a point of comparison, I spoke with someone on a sociology search who received over 400 applications.

Any additional news on this position?

University of Dayton(Deadline: October 28, 2011, CHE)
Tenure-Track, Assistant Professor, Musicology. "The University seeks an outstanding teacher-scholar with demonstrated expertise in music of the common practice period."

Apply through https://jobs.udayton.edu

-References contacted pre-AMS, phone interview conducted 11/15

-Campus interviews completed.

University of Hawai'i at Manoa (Deadline: December 15, CHE)
Tenure track, Assistant, Associate or Full Professor of Hawaiian Music. " UH Manoa plans to hire a scholar in Hawaiian music who will focus on the development of a program and curriculum integrating Native Hawaiian tradition, culture and language with our outstanding Music Department."

University of Kansas (Deadline: January 26, 2012, AMS-L)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor of Musicology. "Scholarly productivity in Classic Era or 20th century. The ideal candidate will have some expertise in ethnomusicology." Redefinition of search announced in September 2011.

Apply through https://jobs.ku.edu. Hard copies of transcripts and letters of recommendation required.

To applicants who sent materials for the November 18 deadline: you'll receive an e-mail shortly from the search committee chair regarding the status of your application materials.

E-mail confirmation of complete application (11/21) {C {C {C {C ==

University of Mary Washington
Wasn't there a TT position advertised earlier this year? Where is it? (Or am I thinking of a search from last year?)

Nope -- it was this year. I'm pretty sure it was on here too. Funny how things just go missing...

University of Maryland, College Park (Deadline: December 1, 2011 AMS-L)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology. "Specialists in any geographic area may be considered, with particular consideration given to those whose research specialization complements the University's strengths in Latin America, the Middle East, or American Studies."


 * Q: OK. I know I am over-thinking this, but this means that they're looking for someone outside of those three areas of specialization, right? The fact that it says "University's strengths" and not "department's strengths" just made me wonder if the music department would like to complement the University's strengths by adding further expertise in these areas. (I said I was overthinking it...)
 * A: I think you are overthinking it. Since they say "University" and not "department/division" they probably mean that they prefer one of these areas. But it never hurts to apply!
 * A2: I've been on 2 different search committees at 2 different universities that put a similar statement in the job posting, primarily for the purpose of being able to define complementarity in a way that justified the interview pool to the HR department, in case it didn't include whatever underrepresented minorities they thought it should have.
 * Q: Any clues on whether this is an inside hire? (not that it ever hurts to apply.... )
 * Q: Did anybody see contact info to ask questions about this position? I don't see any email or name or anything.
 * - Email request for additional materials, 12/4
 * Q: What additional materials were requested?
 * A: 2 articles or chapters.
 * - Request for permission to contact individuals beyond those submitting references, 12/9
 * - Request for phone interview, 12/18

University of Massachusetts, Amherst (Deadline: October 24, 2011, CHE)
Tenure-Track. Assistant Professor in Music History. Music History Pedagogy Specialist
 * Hi everybody! Nice to see so many familiar names in today's email! Oops... (11/2)
 * I'm pretty sure that wasn't "everybody" - there were definitely more than 37 applicants. (11/2)
 * I didn't receive the email. Is that good news or bad news? (x2)
 * Does anybody care to share the contents of said email?
 * Not sure what anyone else received. But I received an e-mail confirming receipt of application materials and asking to complete the equal opportunity request form and the waiver of access to letters of rec form. It seemed like a mass e-mail with all other recepients hidden. (11/2) (x2)
 * A bunch of us got an email on 11/2 with the EOE/AA form and recommendation waiver, but it was CC'd, not BCC'd. From what I can tell, it was the A through O last names. Much googling has ensued. I would definitely contact them if you didn't receive anything, because that probably means they didn't get your stuff.
 * Request for permission to contact references.

University of Michigan (Deadline: November 15, 2011, CHE)
Tenure-Track. Assistant Professor of Musicology. "The department is particularly interested in scholars whose research concerns European art music of the "long" nineteenth century, including (but not limited to) central and eastern European music. Additional areas of interest might include opera, the history of ballet and dance music, interdisciplinary research, or gender studies."
 * Letter confirming application received 11/26 (x2)
 * Was this snail mail or email? (snail)
 * My confirmation letter had my name spelled completely wrong. Doesn't bode well for my success in this search... (x2)
 * Well I didn't even GET a letter, which probably also bodes not so well! I really wish everyone would just do mass-emails for the "materials received" notice. It would save paper and anguish! But god knows I'm not in charge.
 * Request for additional materials (12/1)
 * Congrats semifinalist! Did you find out via email, snail mail, etc?
 * A: I found out via email. It looked as if all of the emails would have went out in short succession, though I of course don't know. I'm getting the impression this fall that this wiki is not as well tended/updated overall as it has been in some past years.
 * A2: I can say for sure that a number of the searches on this page have passed the point reflected on this wiki. At least a few are more than two weeks out of date.
 * @A2: So why don't you update them??
 * Can someone explain this practice of congratulating people who are shortlisted? It seems rather strange and insincere.
 * If someone I knew told me they were shortlisted, I would congratulate them. Why not extend a similar courtesy here before asking a question?
 * Exactly, if you knew them. Here, it's anonymous, indiscriminate, and therefore meaningless.
 * Kudos to the poster who congratulates, way to go. That's the kind of colleagues we all want. To whoever posted the last comment: stop being so bitter and get a life.
 * (Strangely, someone removed my comment even though it got two encouraging responses, I'm reposting). Joining the chorus to advocate civility and courtesy among colleagues even in these very hard times for academia in general. Perhaps we should just ignore/not answer the comments from people who resent someone else's success or unnecessarily question nice gestures (congratulatory or otherwise) on here.
 * My sincere congrats as well to the semifinalists/long-listed applicants! (I applied for this job and did not make this cut, but I do send my best wishes to the lucky few who are still in the running.) p.s. civility, diplomacy, and the kindness of strangers are always welcome in these stressful times, yes?

===University of Missouri - Kansas City (Deadline: Review begins November 1, 2011, MVL)=== Tenure-track, Assistant Professor in Musicology.

"We seek a scholar with growing prominence in musicology with strong preference given to candidates with specialties in music before 1800."

Request for permission to contact references, additional references (11/17) (x4)

References contacted (12/7)

Campus interview scheduled (12/12)

University of Montevallo (review begins immediately, HERC)
Assistant Professor of Music / Music History

https://jobs.montevallo.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=50777

"Teach undergraduate classes in the music history sequence, upper level music history electives, world music, music theory, and music appreciation. Committee work, recruiting, research. Other responsibilities will be assigned as needed. The ideal candidate will demonstrate excellent public relations skills, possess the ability to work closely with students and faculty, and manifest a commitment to the highest artistic standards. Documented successful research and experiences in the music profession strongly desired as is the ability to use technology."

Request to contact references--11/14 x6

Did the search committee chair contact everyone who submitted an application or is this request the first application "cut"?

Q: Is anyone else weirded out by the fact that a credit check is part of the online application process? And that they're requesting drivers' license info, social security numbers, etc? Even leaving aside the issue of whether or not a potential future employer has any business looking at our credit reports, I think there are obvious privacy concerns given the insecurity of many online data forms.

A1: Maybe in the academic world a credit check is strange, but in the "real world" it isn't. The privacy issues don't bother me because in the application you're just authorizing them to do a credit check. They have to get that information from the credit bureaus.

A2: yeah, but we're IN the academic world, where it IS strange. For the record, I have never heard of this before--I've never applied to an academic job that did a credit check. I think it is weird and lame.

A3: My guess would be that this is more of a state agency employment issue, not a specifically academic one. Don't most state institutions at least run background checks on new hires to protect themselves against identity fraud, etc.? This just seems like more of the same, just using a different tool.

A4: In response to the Q about the reference contacts being the first cut, I didn't think so at first. But Montevallo did contact one of my references and asked some specific questions. So it sounds like they may have a long list going...

Q2: Has anyone heard something about this search? 12/23

University of New Haven (Deadline: November 1, 2011, CHE)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor, Ethnomusicology.
 * Acknowledgement email (materials received), 10/21 x3 (And another one, 12-5 x3)
 * Phone interview requested 12/20

University of North Texas (Deadline: November 1, 2011, MVL)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor, Music History.

"Musicology with expertise in Western music history, 19th through the 20th centuries."
 * Request for phone interview via email (12/13)

University of Northern Iowa (Deadline: January 4, 2012)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor Musicology/Music History.

"Preference is given to applicants who specialize in research before 1750."

University of Oxford '(Deadline: December 14, 2011, AMS-L)
Lecturer in ethnomusicology. "The University and the College are seeking candidates with interests in any area of ethnomusicology (embracing all musical styles and traditions from all parts of the world)."

- Can I assume this is the UK equivalent of a TT asst prof position in the U.S.? Also, they ask for CV, list of pubs and two references - does that mean no cover letter?

- In this case the equivalent of an associate professor position in the US (look at the salary). They are replacing a professor.

- A "University Lecturer" in Oxford means the full range from assistant, associate or professor level.The system works differently in Oxford -- and even from other British Universities. A person appointed at Oxford arrives with the title of "University Lecturer." If the person happens to be senior or accomplished enough, the after taking up the post he/she applies internally to the university for the titular name commensurate with his/her experience (such applications are considered on a biennial cycle). The levels are called: University Lecturer, Reader, Professor. Oxford has some named positions of Reader and chaired Professorships; in those cases, the positions are exclusively for senior candidates. So this post for an Ethnomusicologist is completely open to junior or senior candidates.

- I'm the person who originally asked for clarification. I emailed the chair of the search/contact person and he said they are primarily looking for an associate-level person but would be open to "earlier career applicants"

University of Pennsylvania (Deadline: September 30, 2011, advertised on AMS-L)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor. Music Theory. (I thought this was worth including here since the job description suggests they're looking for someone who can move across theory/history/ethno divides.)

-- additional materials solicited (10/18)

-- candidates invited to interview (11/15)

University of Pittsburgh(Deadline: October 14, 2011, AMS-L)
Two tenure-track positions in musicology.
 * This is a direct quotation from the AMS listserv: "The Department of Music of the University of Pittsburgh invites applications for two faculty positions to begin September 1, 2012, pending budgetary approval. The appointments will be made at the level of Assistant Professor in the tenure stream."
 * AA/EEO form received 10/14
 * AMS interview requested 10/26 x4
 * Teaching materials requested (11/4) x3
 * Campus visit requested (11/14)

University of Redlands (Deadline: November 7, 2011, MVL)
"Outstanding historical musicologist to teach course in music history and literature and to facilitate the annual Frederick Loewe Symposium on American Music."

Campus Interview Scheduled (11-13)

Acknowledgment letter w/EEO form sent 11-15

This seems very unusual to have a campus interview scheduled only six days after the application deadline. Were there any phone intereviews? Has more than one candidate received notification of a campus interview?

Seeing how quickly this search is moving, could this be an inside hire?

It certainly appears that this could be the case. Perhaps other applicants who have made it to the interview round will post comments.

There are 3 candidates.

University of South Carolina (Deadline: October 15, 2011, AMS-L)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor
 * The music history area seeks a musicologist or ethnomusicologist with research interests and teaching experience in African American and world music.
 * Any news on this position?
 * Request for phone interview (12/12) (x3)

University of Southampton (UK) (Deadline: 18 January 2012, jobs.ac.uk)
Lecturer in Music (permanent post)

"The University of Southampton seeks to appoint a full-time Lecturer in Music who will specialise in the place of music in contemporary culture. The appointee will have a PhD (completed or recently submitted) in musicology, ethnomusicology, or the sociology of music, and a proven track record of publication. Knowledge and experience of social science methods and approaches is desirable, and an ability to teach undergraduate modules in jazz, world and/or popular music topics, and to supervise postgraduate research in these areas, will be an advantage. You will have a strong intellectual grasp of the principal issues affecting contemporary musical life, straddling the boundaries between creation, performance, and academic study, and between music and other disciplines. You will be able to communicate your views enthusiastically to a broad undergraduate and postgraduate student body, and to produce notable new research relating to the whole field of music in contemporary culture."

University of Tennessee (Deadline: November 15, 2011, AMS-L)
Assistant Professor, Musicology, tenure-track

"We seek a promising, innovative scholar and successful teacher, prepared to teach a wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses, including 18th- and 19th-century western art music...Interdisciplinary research approaches and methodologies that blend historical and ethnographic modalities are highly desirable. Experience in a non-western performance tradition would be a benefit but is not required."

http://web.utk.edu/~musicol/search.html
 * AA/EOE forms received via snail mail, 11/19
 * Request via email for extra materials, 12/20 x3

University of Texas, Arlington (Review begins November 1, 2011)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor, Musicology


 * Application acknowledged by mail 11/4 (x3)
 * Request for phone interview 12/5
 * Request for campus interview 12/19

University of Toronto(Review begins December 1, 2011 [open until filled], SEM-L)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor, Ethnomusicology
 * Requests for reference letters sent to applicants. (Dec 17)

(To reach the online application, visit http://www.jobs.utoronto.ca/faculty.htm, click 'Faculty' and search keyword 'ethnomusicology.')
 * The Faculty of Music, University of Toronto, invites applications for a tenure-stream appointment in Ethnomusicology at the rank of Assistant Professor. Candidates must have completed the Ph.D. by the time of appointment, which begins July 1, 2012. We are especially interested in applicants with demonstrated excellence in research through refereed publications and with evidence of strong teaching ability.
 * Info on the U of T Ethnomusicology Program is all together on one site: http://individual.utoronto.ca/kippen/Ethnomusicology/About.html. Contact info for faculty is there as well, and you are encouraged to contact members of the search committee (James Kippen, Jeff Packman, Josh Pilzer thus far) with questions.
 * All other qualifications being equal, Canadian universities are supposed to hire Canadians. That said, the post is an open call, and will go to the most qualified and suitable candidate. If you look at the roster of ethno faculty there, there is 1 Canadian and 3 others, so the proof of the openness of the search is in the pudding. Also, the search is not earmarked for an inside candidate.
 * [--In fact none of the Faculty are Canadian, stractly speaking, unless you count naturalized.... so it seems they are actually quite open to others].
 * The University of Toronto's Taleo system for online application was inundated at the last minute, and this caused a few problems. It is back up again with a new posting date (Dec 1) and a new deadline (30 Apr 2012) to allow candidates to continue to submit. The review of applications begins immediately, but the position remains open until filled.
 * Request for reference letters and syllabus/course proposal (12/19)
 * Was the request sent by post or email? - By email.

University of Virginia (Deadline: October 1, 2011, SEM-L)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor in Ethnomusicology or closely related field.
 * Can anyone explain why this application requires both 3 References and 3 Recommendation Letters? Should the contact info for the references be different?
 * A1: I always assumed the 3 were the same--you give them the names of your 3 recommenders. I don't understand why they want a list of the names and then the actual letters separately, but I sure don't make the rules
 * A2: Perhaps for when if your recommenders don't manage to get the letters in on time?
 * Request for SEM interview received, 10/27 X2
 * Was the request sent by email? - Yes
 * The email states that while the committee would like to speak to some applicants at this time, all applications remain under consideration.
 * Has no one heard from Virginia yet?

University of Waterloo (Conrad Grebel University College) (Review begins Feb. 1, 2012, SEM)
Full-time position in Global Music

Wartburg College (Review began September 20, 2011, until filled)
Assistant/Associate Professor, Music History and Music Theory
 * Phone interview (10/26)
 * Rej. email rec'd. (11/23), (11/27) indicating candidate had now been selected

Washington University in St. Louis (Deadline: September 30, 2011, AMS-L)
Tenure-track, Assistant Professor in Ethnomusicology. Consideration will be given to all subfields, with a preference for a scholar whose research interests lie outside of Western Europe and the United States.
 * Research sample request via email (10-14) (x2)
 * Skype interview request, 10/25
 * Skype interview + diss TOC + teaching video request, 10/25
 * Invitation for campus interview, 11/8 - Congratulations!!
 * Position offered and accepted; info from snail-mail rejection letter (1/3)
 * Accepting individual is withholding name temporarily per current institution's request (thanks!)

Washington University in St Louis (Deadline: September 30, 2011, AMS-L)
Assistant Professor in Musicology
 * "We are looking primarily for a scholar with expertise in Western musicology, particularly late 18th century through early 19th century; additional interests outside the Western classical canon are desirable."
 * Research sample request, 10/14 (x2)
 * Skype interview request, 10/21
 * Research sample request, 10/21
 * Any news folks?
 * Apparently they have already conducted the on-campus interviews. I just looked at the calendar of events on the Music Department website and you can see the list of talks given by the finalists, easy to figure it out.
 * Since LSU seems to have an open position in film currently filled by a VAP who was one of the 'lecturers,' it seems as though an offer has been made and perhaps accepted....congrats!
 * I don't think LSU could get budgetary approval for a new hire so quickly.
 * Or you know, LSU could have written the job ad with their VAP in mind...I play the guessing game as much as anyone else, but maybe it's best to let the people who accept jobs decide whether or not to put their names on the wiki. (x2)
 * Please, let's keep some decorum. I don't think it's cool to put the names of job candidates on the wiki. (x2)

Western Illinois University (Deadline: November 21, 2011, AMS-L)
Assistant Professor in Musicology {C}Doctorate in Musicology required, ABD's will not be considered; evidence of high-level professional experiences in scholarship and teaching. A specialization in an era of music history before 1750, or one that complements current faculty strengths is preferred.

E-mail confirmation of complete application (11/21) (x3)
 * Request to check references (11/29)
 * Request for campus interview (12/5)

Deadline Calendar
(See above for detailed listings.)
 * 2011.08.15 Indiana University
 * 2011.09.01 University of Birmingham
 * 2011.09.30 East Tennessee State University
 * 2011.09.30 University of Pennsylvania
 * 2011.09.30 Washington University in St. Louis, Ethno
 * 2011.09.30 Washington University in St Louis, Musicology
 * 2011.10.01 University of Virginia
 * 2011.10.07 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT )
 * 2011.10.14 Christopher Newport University
 * 2011.10.14 SUNY-Stony Brook
 * 2011.10.14 University of Pittsburgh
 * 2011.10.15 University of South Carolina
 * 2011.10.24 University of Massachusetts, Amherst
 * 2011.10.28 University of Dayton
 * 2011.11.01 Colby College
 * 2011.11.01 Cornell University
 * 2011.11.01 Georgia State University
 * 2011.11.01 University of British Columbia
 * 2011.11.01 University of New Haven
 * 2011.11.02 University of Colorado, Boudler
 * 2011.11.14 Grinnell College
 * 2011.11.14 Stanford University
 * 2011.11.15 Skidmore College
 * 2011.11.15 Boston University 
 * 2011.11.15 University of Michigan
 * 2011.11.15 University of Tennessee
 * 2011.11.23 Bowling Green State University
 * 2011.11.23 University of California, Davis
 * 2011.11.25 Univeristy of Chicago
 * 2011.12.1 University of California, Merced
 * 2011.12.01 University of Toronto
 * 2011.12.01 University of Maryland
 * 2011.12.05 Florida Gulf Coast University
 * 2011.12.14 [http:// http://www.music.ox.ac.uk/people/vacancies University of Oxford]
 * 2011.12.15 University of Hawai'i at Manoa
 * 2012.1.1 Miami University (OH) 
 * 2012.1.18 University of Southampton (UK)
 * 2012.1.26  University of Kansas
 * 2012.1.31 Chinese University of Hong Kong

GENERAL DISCUSSION
Acronym guide CMS: College Music Society CHE: Chronicle of Higher Education HERC: Higher Education Recruitment Consortium IHE: Inside Higher Ed MVL: Music Vacancy List (published by the College Music Society). Requires a member login. AMS-L: American Musicological Society listserv SAM-L: Society for American Music email list SEM-L: Society of Ethnomusicology listserv SEM: Society of Ethnomusicology. Their current job list requires a member login. TT: Tenure Track VAP: Visiting Assistant Professor ABD: All-But-Dissertation

Wiki Counter: (check all that apply)
I am a musicologist: 33 I am an ethnomusicologist: 22 I am a little of both: 15 I am currently in a TT position: 14 I am currently in a VAP/Lecturer position: 13 I am currently a Postdoctoral Fellow and on the market: 11

I am a recent PhD and on the market: 18 I am a no-longer-so-recent PhD and on the market: 6 I am ABD and on the market: 21 I am ABD and no longer on the market: 1 I am not on the market but am an interested observer: 8 I am a member of a search committee: 6

Wiki Counter: (best to complete this question in the spring)
I have submitted zero applications this academic year: I have submitted 1-2 applications this academic year: I have submitted 3-5 applications this academic year: I have submitted 6-8 applications this academic year: 1 I have submitted 9-11 applications this academic year: I have submitted 12-14 applications this academic year: 4 I have submitted 15-19 applications this academic year: I have submitted 20-29 applications this academic year: 1 I have submitted 30+ applications this academic year: 1

New Musicology/Music Theory Wiki for conferences

I've just started a new wiki for Musicology/Ethnomusicology/Music Theory conferences. On it, we can share information on CFPs, acceptances/rejections, personal experiences (recommendations, warnings) etc. Please come check it out:

http://musconinfo.wikia.com/wiki/Musicology/Music_Theory_Conferences_Wiki#Welcome_to_the_Musicology.2FMusic_Theory_Conferences_Wiki_.282011-12.29

Thanks! (x2)

Ads on the Wiki:

(9/11) Why is this page now inundated with advertising? Can we get rid of this crap?

A: Ads are controlled by the hosting company, Wikia. Creating a Wikia User account for this site masks most of the ads (so does ad-blocking software for your browser, if that is available). Complaints about specific ads should be directed to Wikia: use this form. Una74 00:07, September 12, 2011 (UTC

A2: Yes, but how else would I have discovered that there is a BaconWiki?

What to include in postdoc app?:

Q: If a posting asks only for: a writing sample, some course descriptions, and an application cover-sheet including name, educational history, publications, awards, teaching experience, should you also include a cover letter? I'm leery of sending ANYTHING they don't specifically ask for, but I also don't want to seem like a jerk for not addressing the search committee directly...

A1: If they do not ask for a cover letter, I would not send one. If you truly feel uncomfortable, you might include at the very most a cover sheet to the cover sheet saying "Dear x, Please accept my application for y. Thank you for your consideration."

A2: I would send a 1-page cover letter that introduces your project concisely and highlights the most salient parts of your CV. At best it will entice them to look further, and at worst they will discard it. As a practical matter it allows you to confirm all the parts of the application that they should be receiving from you, provide all your contact information, and thank them for considering your application.

(agree w/ A2)

Life after Musicology PhD?

Working out the number of applicants to the number of jobs ratios posted between September and November, only about 13-16% of us are getting jobs at best (there are 33 openings in Musicology in total, and competitive open-specialty programmes have received over 200 applications). What is everybody's Plan B? I'm asking because I genuinely need ideas.

A1: A good place to begin is the Versatile Ph.D. mailing list and its archive. As someone actively on the job market whose income now mostly comes from non-academic sources, I strongly encourage everyone to at least begin networking outside (or next to) academia. In an all-around tight job market, connections are EVERYTHING--and both my current part-time gigs came from friends who left academia by choice or necessity. If their experiences are any indication, a lot of viable Plans B, C, D, etc. become possible after doing several more limited positions that may not pay a living wage, but that provide those vital lines on one's resume. Internships can fill the same gap, but as I discovered the hard way, many of them are not open to non-students. So if you're still a student, at least think about doing an internship in an area you can envision looking for a job in--even if you seem way overqualified for it. (Internships are hot commodities today, but they're still probably a lot easier to get than FT jobs!) Also: we on the market now can help the students behind us by asking our departments to (learn to) provide guidance for students seeking non-academic careers--even if that just means getting the university's career counselor to come talk to students. Good luck to you, and to us all!

A2: My guess is the percentages you post above will be slightly higher: one-year jobs and other temporary positions are usually advertised in the spring, and I'll bet a few more tenure-track jobs will come out of the woodwork. Some of the people who are still ABD will not finish their degree and will stay in school for another year, and some of those 200 people applying to random musicology positions are just testing the waters. Nonetheless, you're absolutely right that the majority of jobseekers will not land jobs this year, as in any other year. This is my third year on the market and I've finally come to grip with things, I think. A job in the academy would be great. If I don't get a job, things will work out one way or another. My sense is that not getting a tenure-track job scares most of us because it is unplanned and unknown - most of us have been in an academic environment for the past 10-12 years and don't know any other life. But more and more, I see the benefit of not working in academia. I don't have any specific advice - the above poster suggests some good leads. Just saying that leaving academia may not be as scary or unfulfilling as we assume.

A3: I have a dual-career layer to my job search which means I'm now thinking about administrative jobs in higher ed. If you're still in school, consider taking a course or two in Higher Ed Admin. Might be of use someday. Unfortunately, the word "music PhD" seems to scare a number of administrators who think I can't do anything non-musical.

A4: Encourage music departments to offer courses in Intellectual Entrepreneurship/Arts Enterprise/Music Entrepreneurship etc. and participate.

A5: Are you people serious? Instead of killing the field why not let it grow, people want to study musicology. How about reducing class sizes, demanding the creation of more tenure streams, and reducing the number of the standing army of administrators?

A6: Yes, we're serious. Because we're not in a fantasy land where it's assured that we'll get tenure track jobs. I doubt there are too many people here, not even tenured professors who can "demand" class size reductions, more TT positions, and an overhaul of the higher education system.

A7: Get started on a Plan B (and preferably also a Plan C) before you finish graduate school. For one thing, musicology should try to assert itself more often within academic fields outside of music departments, such as humanities, cultural studies, gender studies, film & media studies, history, American studies, and so on, because we are usually WAY too ghettoized. It should also try to grow to include more than just tenure-track academic jobs, since lots of Ph.D.s never get one. Look into reference-article writing, program-note writing, library work, web development, other IT work, performing, arts or academic administration, broadcasting, and so on. Don't expect to be able to delay getting into one or more of these things until after you complete your Ph.D., because tens of thousands of other people will have already gone into them. Do expect that you might have to do things you did or could have done before even going to graduate school.

A8: For what its worth, [http://amusicology.wordpress.com/2011/11/07/musicology-job-wiki-roundup-2011/ Amusicology just posted some hiring figures based on last year's wiki data. ]

A9 to A5: Do you have a money tree in your backyard?

A5 to A9: Nah, I don't have a money tree, do you want to be contingent faculty all of your life?

A9 to A5: No, I don't want to be contingent faculty for any part of my life. Hence, plans B-Z.

A10: Ok, no need to get snippy - some of us have more experience on this wiki than others. For those slightly 'greener' or at least less jaded - I envy your optimism, I really do. But in all fairness, please do your self a favor and spend some time on chronicle.com reading about the realities of the market and alternative jobs for PhD's. I would also STRONGLY suggest reading the articles by Thomas H. Benton about the situation you put yourself into when you go to grad school.

A11: Nice article in today's Chronicle about switching to a nonacademic career: http://chronicle.com/article/The-Sweet-Spot-of-a/130145/?sid=wb&utm_source=wb&utm_medium=en. A12: Aw jeez, it's so nice of y'all to be sharin' these articles and STRONG suggestions and such! In fact, perhaps it's time that y'all took your own advice and pursued these other opportunities, no? No need to write anymo' musicology applications, just leave that naïve dreaming to us simple folk. ;)

A13: I don't think I understand why you would post this. It is glib and snippy (thanks A10 for the term). This should be a forum for thought-provoking comments and interactions and I appreciate anyone unselfish enough to share (you never know what article or link will help someone). Over the years I've seen everything from snide and rude to suicidal on the musicology wiki; I would rather like to believe that we can rise above such inarticulate pettiness - especially being a small field (or two). Advising by providing advice and resources is something a teacher does, so thank you to those willing to promote constructive knowledge in all of its forms. As for me, I will practice kindness and encouragement in my interactions with students, colleagues and strangers; it makes the world a better place, consider doing the same. It's theraputic when you're stressed.

A11 again: Thanks, A13. Dire realities of job market numbers aside, I'm sad to see replicated--yet again--the "us v. them" mentality between academic and non-academic positions. It's an elitism that does nobody any good. More to the point--the majority of us right now are probably thinking, "Hmmm, I might still stand a chance for a few jobs, but I know I won't be getting jobs x, y, or z. Maybe I should start thinking about Plan B so I can pay my bills next year." There's NO shame in that WHATSOEVER (or in choosing non-academic work for other reasons, including geography, salary, or a distaste for teaching), and we only hurt ourselves and our colleagues by perpetrating the mindset that non-academic jobs = failure. We as a generation of scholars can help change this, because whatever we all do next, we will have had the experience of being on the market during such a dismal economy--we just need make sure to use the hardship to make us smarter, more thoughtful, more humane. That is, after we spend the requisite time gnashing our teeth and drowning our sorrows, if sorrows are what we wind up with :-)

Pet Peeves '''Narrowing the field. . . '''
 * 1) Jobs that immediately advertise that "review of applications begins immediately," offering no realistic deadline. Anyone else find this rude?
 * 2) *Not rude necessarily, but frustrating, simply because there are so many jobs this year (!) that it is difficult to push aside a scheduled series of applications for a last-minute one.
 * 3) My Ctrl+F searches for dates in January pull up stuff that happened in November. #FirstWorldProblems

11/4: Can any search committee members out there give us a sense of how the 200+ applications for tenure-track jobs are narrowed down to the 10-15 that get a closer look? What types of things get an application sent to the "no" pile?

A1 with 200+ applications, my initial sort is more of a "maybe" and a "probably not" sort. What lands you in the probably not pile is usually that your education and research really don't seem to fit the ad. Really. We advertised for a Baroque musicologist and you are a rock scholar, an Ives specialist, an ethnomusicologist, etc. Maybe your cover letter even makes a good case for why you are also a good fit for our job, but the maybe pile contains many more obvious fits. Moreover, the parts of you that don't fit the ad are parts we've already got covered and don't have the market to increase. We see you as someone who will be miserable here. Also auguring toward the no pile: weird cover letters, things aimed at the wrong sort of institution or no sort of institution, or something that sets off alarm bells: complaining about your current institution, explaining that you might be "willing" to work at our sort of institution, etc. Maybe you're not weird, narcissistic, or clueless, but we don't have to take that chance, because the maybe pile is big.

What's harder to characterize is the next sort: spotting the people in the maybe pile we really want to know more about, and perhaps invite. That process varies, of course, by institution -- At a SLAC, the parts of your file that speak to your teaching ability or promise may mean as much as your record of conference presentations or publications. At an R1 or something close, the lack of a clear trajectory for your research, or especially the lack of a clear second or third area you'll later mine and from which our students will benefit, may allow someone else to draw more attention and then an invite. But it also varies by sc member -- I read cover letters very carefully and take a lot from them, but I know people who barely glance at them in favor of other parts of the file. (That said, the people we invite to campus virtually always have killer cover letters, arguing that our job is the job they've been aiming at, and convincingly fitting the details of their cv into a narrative from which we learn that we have been waiting for just this person.) Same with reference letters. (and of these, more people should have a frank discussion with their recommenders: how good a letter can you write me? Is there someone else you think I should use instead? what jobs are you most comfortable recommending me for, and why?. It's awful, though comparatively rare, to read letters for people whose advisers or recommenders are clearly not their best advocates. Also, letters from non-musicological superstars --like eminent performers, composers, conductors --are almost always bizarre and unhelpful, e.g. "joe blow is just the sort of thing you people need," signed, Famous Scrawl. Better to have a substantive letter from someone who knows you as a t.a., r.a., student, or junior colleague).

A2: Many thanks to the questioner and to A1 here. This is really helpful.

A3: I would say that in forming a "long short list" we try to winnow out the "definitely nots," then work on a pile of "yes" and "maybes" for a closer look. Whether the candidate fits the basic requirements of the job description is one main criterion; it's very easy, if you have a 20c-21c job, for example, to immediately take out the Medievalists. Sad to say, but ABD status vs. a completed PhD is another step, although if the ABD is otherwise spectacular they may stay in the consideration pool. I know that in looking at those files remaining, I like to see a research trajectory with evidence of publishing; a peer-reviewed article, for example, looks very good for someone just finishing (a contracted book even better, but that's hard to expect these days). Evidence of independent teaching, as well, something going beyond TA-ships. For jobs in specific periods there may be certain programs with strong reputations whose graduates might attract some attention from the committee. Above all, in any kind of contact or communication with a member of a search committee, be positive about yourself and others. Negativity of any kind is a big no-no. Remember that the committee is hiring a colleague that they will potentially be around for the next 30 years.

A4: I would second almost everything the previous poster said. I usually use exactly the same criteria in narrowing down the list: specialization that fits what we are looking for, completed Ph.D., independent teaching experience, and potential for success in publication (indicated either by having some pubs or a substantial number of conference papers.) I will say, though, that search committee members often bring different expecations and criteria to the table. I have some colleagues who form their first impression from the cover letter and this informs their short list. I am much more interested in the aforementioned concrete criteria than a person's skill in writing a cover letter.

A few things that I would not recommend, in case these can be helpful. For writing samples, I would much rather see a dissertation chapter than a book review or non-academic publication. I want to see the substance of what you are doing with your research. In your cv, I would not recommend listing a masters thesis or a term paper as a publication (believe it or not, some do). This gives the impression that you aren't making the distinction between professional and student activity. For the same reason, if you have a lot of non-academic publications or ones that are not related to musicology, put these in a separate section of your cv.

A5: Chiming in to reinforce what the previous posters have said, and to add my own perspective. I am currently on a search committee for one of the jobs listed above, at a school in "fly-over" territory, which will pay less than $50 000/year to start. Being on this committee has been immensely educational. We received 107 applications. Approximately 100 of them were reasonable; there were very few junk applications in the pile. Four of the applicants were full professors - applying for an assistant professor position! Many of the rest graduated from top programs and have significant publications/conference presentations and teaching experience. How, then, to narrow the field? Ultimately, we selected people whose qualifications fit our ad exactly (musicologists with expertise in a certain period). Then we looked at the amount and quality of the applicants' publications. As it turned out, all of the people who landed on our short list have a published book (with a prestigious academic publisher) or have a book under contract. Of course we did not require this in our original ad - how could we? But the pool of applicants was so strong that we ended up setting the bar very high, in order to narrow the field. I don't want to intimidate anyone by telling this story - I certainly did not have a book published when I landed a tenure-track position myself - but I do want wiki readers to be aware just how competitve the job market now is. So I second the advice above: Publish early, publish often, and publish in peer-reviewed venues.
 * Thanks for this perspective, even if it does leave me intimidated. I completely understand the process that you and many others describe above, so I'm not criticizing search committees with the following comment. I just wonder where the focus on publishing so early in one's career leaves us as a field. My best intellectual ideas did not come from spontaneous moments of brilliance as a young twenty-something. They have come after a relatively long immersion in the material that I study. My current work is much better than my work in graduate school (I hope), and I cringe at the thought of publishing parts of my dissertation without the reflection and brief time away from the material that I have now had. I wish that the academic job market would allow for and support quality publications rather than publishing simply for the sake of publishing. But I suppose this is wishful thinking on my part, and perhaps other young academics have been more successful than I have in finding the balance between being productive but also producing quality material. (a hearty x4!). [I cannot agree more. Putting so much pressure on recent Phds to publish early it probably goes against the future of our own discipline. Quantity and speed usually do not afford excellence when it comes to quality and methodological consistency in the production of academic knowledge. Young Phds deserve the opportunity and the time to develop further and critically reflect on their dissertation research rather being expected to publish a book before getting a stable job. To remain a relevant discipline within the humanities in the 21st century will require a concerted effort to nurture the publication of books that could make a substantial contribution to the field and, preferably, to related fields too. This is all the more urgent if we consider how tough it has become to argue for the relevance and usefulness of ANY humanistic departments in the current economic and ideological climate.]
 * I also want to thank A5 for their helpful (and enlightening) comments. However, I do find it peculiar that what was apparently advertised as an assistant-level position became (in effect) an associate-level search by virtue of who applied. Not to be reductive, but this sounds like applying for a job working in the stock room at Target, but getting hired as a manager insteadall without re-listing the search. Is that ethical? Isn't being "overqualified" for the advertised position also grounds for disqualification?
 * But it doesn't sound like it became an associate search, rather that the qualifications for an assistant professor were in effect raised by the pool, just as has undoubtedly become the case in the Target stock room. Hasn't this been true for quite a while? The job you could get in the 1970s right out of grad school was the same one you needed conference presentations and papers for in the 80s, published articles and teaching experience in the 90s, and now those plus book or book contracts. Alongside these trends, the opportunities to do those things have expanded hugely, including both conference venues and publications. I too have been in searches where full profs applied for an assistant position, but not one where they were hired or even short-listed.
 * Seconding the comment that starts "Thanks for this perspective." I worry that the current emphasis on getting not just an article, but a book published ASAP is indeed impovrishing our fields. How many of us know a senior scholar who has published few or no books, but is nevertheless regarded as a central figure in the field, in addition to being a brilliant advisor and teacher? Not all great ideas are in book form. Our current system is not necessarily rewarding the best scholars, and I worry that the field is losing too many excellent thinkers.

Is teaching experience valued in TT hiring?

11/11: Can anyone with inside knowledge of music department hiring practices give us an idea why experienced teacher/scholars are being passed over for tenure-track hires in favor of people fresh out of grad school? According to the Amusicology blog, 31 of 44 TT hires last year went to people who finished their PhDs in 2009 or later. Why would schools rather have novices than people with many years of teaching experience? I'm sure there are many other longtime adjuncts out there who would like to know how realistic our TT aspirations are.

11/12: Because they're cheaper.

11/12 (OP): Yes, and easier for administrators to manipulate. But are these the only reasons? SC members please weigh in here: Are TT candidates in any way tainted by adjunct teaching experience?

11/13: Looking at previous years' hiring numbers, it seems that candidates had their Ph.Ds for longer periods of time.

11/14: Can the 11/13 poster please quantify his or her claim with specific numbers, as the OP did? Please include only TT positions.

11/14.5 Are you really telling us that all this stuff about the "research" and the "right fit" is bunk, and basically administrators control search committe decisions? Is there any integrity anywhere anymore?

11/13 According to the amusicology blog, in 2010, 50% (14/28) of those who received tenure track positions received their degree in 2008 or later. The blog further says that the average year of degree for completion of those who received the jobs was 2006/2007. http://amusicology.wordpress.com/2010/07/24/musicology-job-wiki-roundup-2010-some-data-and-hiring-figures/

11/15 I think this topic raises an important question for which the pre-first-job population, namely whether the newly-minted PhD has an "expiration date"? In other words, does the new PhD have a certain amount of time to land a full-time and/or TT job before they are viewed as being "expired goods" on the market? Like 11/13, I'd love to hear from TT professors and/or HC members.

11/15: From the numbers above, it is clear that the most qualified people aren't getting hired. Why would even 50% of the jobs go to newly-minted graduates when there are many adjuncts out there with years of teaching experience, not to mention records of publication and service? This is difficult to square with an economy in which you can't even get a pizza delivery job without experience.

11/15: In my experience as a search committee member, I don't think the salary is an issue in deciding between a person with a 2007 Ph.D. vs. a 2011 Ph.D. A lot of visiting or adjunct experience is not going to result in a substantially higher salary than a more green candidate, since both will be hired at the rank of Assistant Professor. (If it is a choice between a new Ph.D. and a tenured Associate Professor and a new Ph.D., the salary would be a big factor.) In a school where the primary criterion for tenure will be publication, a person's potential for success in this area simply has to be a bigger factor than teaching experience in the selection process. We do want candidates to have some independent teaching experience.We want to know that the teaching will be done well and that it won't be something we have to worry about if we hire the person. So 1-2 years of this would definitely strengthen the application, but frankly, the difference between 2 and 6 years isn't regarded as all that significant in a place where publication is the greater measure of job success. As for whether there is a "expiration date," I think this depends entirely on what the candidate has been doing since earning the Ph.D. If you acquire a good record of professional activiity during 4-5 years of visiting or adjunct jobs, then you're in the running. (I do realize how hard it is do to that, having been in that situation myself.)

11/16: I have a related question: how much does the amount of time it took to finish a Ph.D. factor in to these decisions. Does one who finished a Ph.D. in 8, 9 or even 10 years fare considerably worse than someone who took 6 years?

11/16: It seems I read on the chronicle in the last month or two that there is a strong DISadvantage to finishing quickly (bummer for me, I did it in record time). Regretfully, I did a quick search and couldn't find the article so I may be wrong about the source. The moral: Be Cool, Stay in (grad) School, and publish, publish, publish. Teach summer school/CC, take advantage of workshops and professional development opportunities, get a hobby.

To 11/16 (2): When you mention finishing your PhD too soon being a disadvantage, is that because you may have lacked those parts of the job application that distinguishes the more qualified from the less qualified candidates (e.g. conference presentations, publications, teaching experience)? If not, what was the reason?

11/17: Here is a link to the chronicle article: http://chronicle.com/article/The-Time-to-Degree-Conundrum/129360/

11/22: I realize that teaching ability is less important for the R1 job, but if there are any faculty members from a SLAC (or other less research-oriented institutions), I would like to ask if excellence in teaching (demonstrated via evaluations, training, experience, etc) could put someone higher up on the list, or does a candidate's record of publication still trump all other factors?

A1: At my place (a SLAC) this would definitely matter, more for the teaching itself and your interest in it than for the claim of excellence (since not all schools have awards and criteria vary). A candidate experienced in teaching, with an article or more and some conference presentations (esp if not all are closely rel. to dissertation), would interest many more than a contract-holding candidate without teaching experience. But I do think that beyond a year or two of independent teaching, the returns diminish.

11/29: I find it very distressing that teaching experience is not valued. More than one person here has either implied or stated directly that there is no significant difference between someone with a year or so of teaching experience and someone with several years of teaching experience. I think this assertion is ridiculous, but it matches the attitudes that I've seen as an adjunct faculty member at several different schools.

11/29: Just to clarify (I'm the commenter above you) I wasn't saying there's no difference between a year or so of teaching and several years of it, rather that the benefits to your consideration as a candidate don't rise much (if at all) after a year or two.

11/29: And the distinction is what, exactly? That you respect experienced teachers but won't hire them?

11/29 I'm not hiring anyone, just making a comment (which I increasingly regret, so I'll stop after this) about what "counts" on the market, and offering my impression that while some teaching (especially independent of your grad school) sometimes helps your candidacy, especially at SLACs, gobs and gobs of teaching doesn't seem to help gobs and gobs more. I'm not endorsing the comparatively low value placed on teaching experience!

11/30: I apologize for jumping down your throat, and I appreciate your willingness to share inside information. My frustration is not with you, but with what your comments reveal as another symptom of a fundamental problem: our society does not respect teachers.

What happened to the rest of this conversation? Can anyone who knows how please restore it? And if someone is deleting other people's comments: stop it -- you have no right to do that. 12/23: After many years of adjuncting, I fear that I will never get a TT job no matter how much teaching experience I acquire or how much I publish. It seems obvious that people with neither significant teaching experience nor publication histories are getting hired for TT jobs. Why is this?
 * I think a bunch of updates were inadvertently deleted from the wiki. I don't think it was intentional and may be a wikia.com problem.

A1: I don't know. It has to be some weird combination of: fanciness of degree-granting institution / number and fanciness of publications / who your adviser knows / quality of materials you send / random preferences of individual humans on individual search committees. Some of these things are basically impossible to know or measure, some of them are out of our control, etc. etc. Sometimes ABDs automatically don't get past the first round; other times they get the fancy jobs. Sometims teaching seems to matter; other times it doesn't. It seems like beyond a certain level of qualification (which seems to me to just be "a PhD from a reputable department") it just becomes a crapshoot. That's not comforting, but at least a lot of it is out of our hands. Also there's just the stark mathematics of it--there's like 200 people applying to, what, 60 jobs? So just purely mathematically most of us are going to fail, for whatever reason. It's grim but I guess I knew all this going in, and probably wouldn't do anything differently if I could go back. I loved getting a PhD, I loved being in school, I love teaching...even adjuncting is better than any other job I've ever had. I am trying to focus on this stuff right now, although of course you still wake up sweating in the middle of the night sometimes, feeling your life passing you by, not turning out like you thought it would. But I bet most people feel that way generally, regardless of what field they're in, so oh well. (Amen!)

1/1: I'm the frustrated longtime adjunct who started this thread, and I did so for two reasons: 1) To determine if my TT aspirations are realistic, and 2) To help others avoid my mistakes (adjuncting will be a foot in the door -- yeah, right.) We all know that life rarely offers neat resolutions to serious problems, but in an attempt to tie this up, I'll try to summarize my findings. It seems that schools make two types of hires: senior scholars with established reputations, and wet-behind-the-ears rookies. People in between these two extremes are in a tough spot, because the feeling is that they don't bring that much more to the table prestige-wise than novices, and are more difficult to manage (with our pesky opinions on important issues in higher ed and the experience to back them up). People without much experience also don't have preconceived notions of how much their labor is worth, and are thus much more easily induced to do more work for less money.

More information?

12/1 Is it a good idea to come up with some sort of (reasonable and not too bothersome) question for the contact person listed on a job posting just so they are more likely to remember your name?

12/2 I'm thinking it won't make much of a difference. In fact, it might be a bad idea to be remembered as the kind of person who sends emails over inconsequential details. Imagine if all 100+ applicants did that.

12/2 (2): Probably not. I remember students who ask me questions that are easily answered by looking at the syllabus or course website, and not really in a good way. As a professor, I also get cranky when students ask me when they're going to get their tests and papers back after, like, an hour of turning them in. That said, if you have a legitimate question about a search that isn't answered in the job ad or department website, you should definitely ask. And if you have some questions about the timeline of a search because of other deadlines concerning your job search, then, yeah, ask. But I would stay away from asking a question just to ask a question. My two cents as another job seeker, not a search committee member.

AMS-50 Fellowships

12/1 The guidelines for the AMS-50 application ask for a 12-15 page prospectus, c. 3000-4000 words. Mine is currently under 15 pages but 5000 words (12-pt. Times New Roman). Does anyone know which limit is more important to the committee?

12/2 I'm not on any committees, but when I grade, I'm more likely to count pages than words. That said, it sounds like you're prospectus is about 10 pages SINGLE spaced. The word count/page count that they give is consistent with DOUBLE spaced pages. Do the application guidelines specify?

OP- Mine is currently double spaced, but maybe my margins are too small (I thought 1 inch was standard.)

12/6 Double-spacing for a long document is much easier to read, so definitely stick with that. The AMS estimate appears to be using traditional word-count estimates (250 words for typewritten-pages in Courier fixed-type). If you hand in a double-spaced prospectus with 1-inch margins using a typical font like Times New Roman of 12-15 pages, I'm sure that would be fine, even if it goes over 4,000 words. When in doubt, email the AMS folks and ask. They should probably change that outdated word estimate.