Kosmosis707

Hi Hiraeth, We have very similar interests! I’m also interested in identity in Southeast Asia. I decided to do an MA in Area Studies to fill in some gaps before applying to PhD programs, but I have looked into programs that may be a fit. My initial inquiries were more focused on Political Science than Anthropology, but all of these same schools had numerous faculty that work in both fields. They are at least worth taking a peek at. US Schools: Yale (seems more SEA History to me), Cornell, Michigan, UCLA, Berkeley, Wisconsin, Washington, Hawai'i Overseas: National University of Singapore, Australian National University, School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS) There are other programs that seem to place well to programs with Southeast Asian research centers, despite not having a strong focus on that region, like: Stanford, U of Chicago, UC San Diego, Oxford I’m curious to know how things work out for you! Good luck!

Thanks so much, Lexie! This is great information and truly helps. It’s interesting. My whole life I had been putting my “eggs" into comparative politics, but it truly feels like anthropology is where my heart really is…and has always been…but I didn’t even know it until now.

Greetings current & hopeful anthropologists! I’m currently preparing for a Masters program but am hopeful to continue onto a PhD afterwards. My undergrad is in Political Science, but I’ve recently become confused as to which discipline would suit my specific academic interests. They have a strong regional focus, but are basically in the realm of “identity politics” and nationalism. I guess at this point, I’m a bit confused as to which discipline my interests fit into. Although I’m familiar with Political Science, I’m starting to believe that I would rather move into Political Anthropology. And then there is also Cultural Geography. I’m assuming the only differences here are in methodological approaches but I’m unsure. Are you anthro folks familiar with political anthropology? What are the differences from Comparative Politics in regards to studies on national identity? Thanks!

Hello all, First off, thank you for taking the time to share your perspectives here. it's a great resource for those of us insane enough to consider academia! I've recently decided to refocus my energy towards social science research. I was a Political Science undergrad at a top 15 university and performed exceptionally well. I have taken a few years away to raise my son and work full-time in public administration, but I realize I have a very specific passion that can probably only be realized through academia. Rather than give you my life story, I'll get to the point. My interest has a very specific regional focus (Southeast Asia - more specifically, Myanmar). I am interested in issues of identity in the country, especially national identity. When I sit down and think of the "gaps" that I have it feels a bit overwhelming. I have yet to visit Myanmar, though I spent a total of about 7 or 8 weeks in Thailand and Cambodia. I have only started to crack open Burmese language books. Also, although I conducted some exploratory research as an undergrad and took a course in quantitative methods, I never had a chance to really utilize social science methodology and produce what I think would be first rate (or even second rate) research. SO..I have decided to take up an MA program outside of the US to try and fill the perceived gaps I have in international experience, language skills, and research methodology. I feel that this may help me get into a quality PhD program rather then trying to apply now. Right now I am juggling between two options and I am curious to get your opinions on if these will be valuable for a candidate for comparative politics: 1) A 1 year MA in Southeast Asian Studies at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand. Although many people seem to state that U.S. schools are always the way to go, it seems learning about Southeast Asia in Southeast Asia is a good way to fill several of those gaps (international exp, offers Burmese language). However, I am concerned about the program's lack of international reputation (although it is a top uni in Thailand) and I'm also concerned about getting the methodology experience I would need at a PhD level. I have considered going for a 2nd Masters in Comparative Politics from the LSE (also a 1 year program), following Thailand to hopefully fill that gap. 2) A 1.5 year MA in Asia Pacific Studies from Australian National University. ANU is a world class university for my region of interest and has a much better global reputation. However, the program also seems to lack political science research methodology course options (aside from ethnography courses) and has limited language study options. I guess I am just curious to know if these options would fill my perceived gaps. Or maybe there's another option I'm not seeing? Thanks and sorry for the long post.

For MIA programs, you should definitely apply. I had a Quant score of 147 and was offered admission to George Washington, American, and UC-San Diego. I didn't apply to Georgetown or Johns Hopkins, so I'm unsure if that would have bounced me, but you can still get into some quality programs if the rest of your application is solid.

Howdy again! You won't need to detail which language you plan to use to fulfill the requirement. However, I think you do need to show your proficiency in one of those Southeast Asian languages by the time you graduate to meet the regional requirement. You may be able to work with the admissions office to see if your current language proficiency can be used instead. It wouldn't hurt to try! Looking at your background, I think you would be a competitive applicant if you received above average marks in your undergraduate studies. Go for it!

Hey there! I was admitted but deferred enrollment until 2016. I don't think will hurt you. I was admitted with only first year completion of Mandarin and a semester of Thai, but made it clear in my application that I was going to try and test for Burmese before graduating. I did give them a detailed explanation of how I plan to meet the language requirement somewhere in the application so that may help. Which language did you plan to test out for? Be forewarned..for Southeast Asia track they only offer Indonesian and Mandarin coursework, so if you wish to learn another language you will have to learn it on your own.

I would definitely reach out to a Financial Aid office. From what i understand, a DUI conviction can affect federal loan eligibility, but it may be only in felony convictions or multiple offenses. This is something you'll definitely want to investigate before creating any finite plans. I think each school has its own policy as well.

You may want to also look at UC San Diego's School of Global Policy & Strategy. They have a Southeast Asia regional option and seem to have strong focus on Indonesia. UCSD has a strong focus on Econ & quant methodology.

It's too bad IR/PS doesn't have something comparable to what I just received from Elliott regarding employment statistics. It's a 13 page PDF with specific outcomes and stats. Has anyone enocuntered anything besides the one webpage at: http://irps.ucsd.edu/current-students/career-services/employers/employment-statistics.htm?

I didn't get a chance to go into the student housing. However, I talked to an undergrad student who is entering into IRPS and she currently resides in Rita Atkinson. She seemed very happy with housing and confirms that it is MUCH cheaper than elsewhere in La Jolla. She said it's about a 15-20 minute walk to the Robinson Building Complex (IR/PS). I also noticed loop buses all over the place, so plenty of bus transportation when you are on campus. Although some friends offered for me to stay with them in North Park, the campus housing seems like the way to go for grad students due to cost, distance, and the free gym. Unfortunately, I had to split during the Career Services sit-down to catch my flight on time. The representative pretty much echoed what I had been hearing..that their alumni connections have helped them overcome geography. However, there wasn't much "proof" as far as placement numbers. It was just a verbal Q&A really. I still think the LinkedIn Alumni search may be a good way to get a "snapshot". Wouldn't be nice if we had some hard stats for all these programs!?

My situation may be a bit different. I received no additional funding from any programs, am in-state in California, and am committed to a focus in Southeast Asia. It was these factors that made UCSD may top choice. Your situation may be quite different than mine. After the visit, I do feel confident that the program is top notch, rigorous, and gives you the hard skills needed for a policy career.

I just flew back to Northern California after attending admit day today. Here’s my two cents on the program and the Admit Day: The program seemed just as advertised. I sat in on a couple of classes and I felt they were stimulating and very much “applied”. Also, in both classes there was discussion of some practical assignments: memorandum drafting and one course had presentations that were given positive and negative feedback by fellow students. Overall, the program is definitely focused on skills…which may not be as “fun” as writing about your favorite country tr topic, but way more necessary. Everyone at the Admit Day was very helpful, but I will say that if you missed Admit Day, it’s no biggie. Much of the information that was presented I had already discovered on the website, although there were a couple of new pieces of information. The biggest highlight was the short conversations with other admits and the first year students. It was VERY interesting to hear everyone’s backgrounds. It’s a diverse class with diverse interests. One student who sat for lunch with me and a couple of other admits was a cool fella from Indonesia. He gave us some good, honest information on the first year of the program. Overall, it was great to see the campus and talk to those involved. But learning new things about the program that you can;t find on the website..somewhat minimal. Feel free to post any questions! They may have covered something that you are curious about.

Previous Schools (Name, type, or tier): Public University in California Previous Degrees and GPAs: B.A. in Political Science, 3.60 GPA GRE Scores (Verbal/Quantitative/Analytical Writing): 155/147/4.5 - yuck Previous Work Experience (Years, Type): 13-14 years of experience. 4 years in the Navy Submarine Force. Around 9 years working mid-level positions in Human Resources for Homeland Security and county governments. Math/Econ Background: Well below the average! In high school, I only completed up to Geometry. No economics. Took Stats and Quant Methods during undergrad and received an “A” in both. This is the part that probably killed any funding outside of my VA benefits. Foreign Language Background (if applicable to your program): First year Chinese. One semester of Thai. No longer proficient in either. Intended Field of Study in Grad School: International Affairs or Asian Studies Long Term Professional Goals: Foreign Service with State Dept or USAid. Or any position that will put me overseas often and utilize my skills. Schools Applied to & Results: I applied to a very strange mix: Cornell Asian Studies, GWU Elliott, American SIS, UCSD IRPS, LSE in London, ANU (Australian National University), and SOAS in London Ultimate Decision & Why: UCSD IRPS. However, due to a recent family crisis, I may have to defer. I chose IRPS because I can pay in-state tuition, have a strong support system in the area, their academic reputation in addition to the professional reputation, and the strong focus on Asia. After researching a bit, I felt IRPS has more focus in skills that I am very weak with (quantitative methods). I received no additional funding for any program I applied to, probably due to my quant GRE and background, and that made my decision for IRPS easier as well. Advice for Future Applicants: DO NOT underestimate yourself. I thought I was “reaching” with GWU, American, Cornell (which was true), LSE, and UCSD. I ended up being admitted to every program except Cornell Asian Studies. As you can see, my quant was HORRID, my professional experience had no real international focus, and my language skills are no longer. But I think programs saw my success in undergrad, my focus in coursework relating to the international arena, and strong academic letters of reference as positive signs. My only regret now is not taking more of a reach towards a program like SAIS. Yep…I was actually HOPING for a rejection at one point! In the end, I probably would have ended up with the same result but I really encourage you to reach HARD for at least one program. Also, try to obtain a laser focus on a career path and find the best fit. I only knew that wanted to work in the international arena or academia, so my program choices were all over the place.

Hmmm. You may want to reach out to them. I received a letter on March 20 informing me of no funding.