Tigla

Finished filling out forms to submit my MA!

No need to freak out. Most people who are getting offers applied for the upcoming semester which means they applied back in June/July 2017 for February 2018 admission. Unless you also are expecting to start your program in February 2018, I would not be worried yet. Most of us here just submitted applications which means interviews will be held in late-January or early-February (mostly in February though).

@kenalyass I work more on European reindustrialization and reconstruction after WWII. For the American case, I would suggest starting with Beyond the Ruins: The Meanings of Deindustrialization by Jefferson R Cowie and Joseph Heathcott. It was published in 2003 and is very helpful in spreading the idea of deindustrialization throughout American life and classes, which culminated in "deindustrialization" becoming the norm within the USA. Also, this book left quite a few holes that historians have been steadily addressing; such as deindustrialization in the South and West, "small town" deindustrialization, long-term effects on familial and employment structures, etc. Afterwards, I suggest heading over to H-Net and going through the reviews within the Urban History Group. You will be able to address the holes within your own logic, but also the holes left behind by Cowie and Heathcott. Like I said, new books and works are being published almost daily in this area and H-Net will provide you the chance to quickly become familiar with it, as well as stay on top of it.

As an applicant, you have until Dec 1st to upload all of the supporting documents from your end (SOP, research statement/proposal, GRE scores, writing sample, etc) and pay the fee. You recommenders have until Dec 15th to upload their letters. I tend to use the first deadline as my completion date. I'd rather be early than sorry.

Typically between 500-1000 words. You need to check with the university for their required length.

Hopefully, I can bring a bit of optimism into this discussion. During my undergrad years, I met a woman who was amazing and we started dating. The first year and a half were great, but then I needed to have the graduate school discussion with her. In my head, I had imagined that this discussion would end it all because of the stories about "love" and "relationships" being destroyed by graduate school. I worked up the courage and finally sat down with her. After several hours of explaining what I wanted to do, where I wanted to go, how it was going to affect the relationship, etc, we got to the part where the break-up typically occurs. However, she did not do that! Instead, she supported me and encourage me to chase my dreams. About five months later, we had a similar discussion because I was accepted into an MA program in Germany while she was given an offer to teach English in the Arctic Circle in Alaska. Once again, those fears of losing her crept in but never manifested. We both supported each other's decision and attempted the long distance thing. The six months were incredibly hard; fighting from stress, not listening to one another, and being snippy are just some of the examples. Despite these attacks, we both realized that this was not us and that treating each other with a little respect and openness would help us immensely. In fact, it did. The spark we had back in our undergraduate re-emerged and we were supporting each other, again. The second six months were much easier since we both fell into a rhythm and understanding of one another's place. During the summer, she came to visit Germany for 2 months in which she stayed with me. At the end of her stay, I got down on one knee and asked her to be my wife. She said yes. I tell the story not because I want "awwws" or "lucky," but rather to show that relationships in a graduate program can work if both sides want it. Of course, difficulties will appear and constantly push your buttons. However, a supportive partner who will always be there is your goal. Do not settle nor put yourself out there for anyone. As most people here have suggested, take your time and be honest with everyone you meet. Converse with colleagues and non-colleagues (these actually tend to be more fun and intellectually invigorating than ones with colleagues). If you have a solid group of friends, then make one night per week a night-out; go to the bar, go bowling, go see a movie. It really does not matter as long as you leave the world of academia for a couple hours and meet "normal people." After all, these interactions with "normal people" may lead you to find the perfect person. In short, it is possible! Do not give up on yourself and value yourself in all relationships, not merely the ones that are romantic.

A Master's degree/program will serve you well. The historiography in your particular field of interest has grown exponentially over the past decade. You need to answer @Sigaba questions if you want to even begin digesting that field. A few economic historians (basically econometricians) have attempted to quantify race relations (mainly the level of segregation to economic activity) within the urban setting, but have met great pushback from cultural and social historians. Meanwhile, global historians have entered the fray and been demonstrating the continuities between American cities and European cities, as well as some Asian cities, in terms of racial relations and segregative policies. Thus, you have a long way to go in terms of historiographical development and framing your ideas. A few good questions to ask yourself: What about deindustrialization interests me? The transition from a production/factory model of growth to a service model? The structural problems communities, specifically cities, faced once deindustrialization finished? The promotion of service industries by the government? Why race relations? Has there been a historiographical gap in the literature that needs to be addressed? An over-emphasis on urban settings? Does the US city dramatically change after deindustrialization? If so, how? If not, why not? How do the phenomena called sprawl affect the composition and dynamics of urban life? Is the American city a unique phenomenon within global patterns? Why this specific timeframe? Do Cold War politics and international relations drastically alter the fabric of the American city? What are the effects of globalization and how do they affect the history of American cities? Does the "destruction of the New Left" and "rise of the New Right" dramatically change American cities?

I always suggest cutting literature review parts then doing overall cuts. The ADCOM are professionals and know the lay of the field. If they do not, then they have access to our potential advisors which can answer questions about the field. Therefore, I agree with your idea to cut the literature review section and move forward from there. If you are still stuck, then ask a colleague to do some brutal and honest cuts of the entire paper. Maybe they will find something that you missed or can explain it in a more thorough and precise manner.

@astroid88 I would agree with Sigaba here. I had to do something very similar for one of my universities. I completely cut out the historiography section and summed it up very broadly in a paragraph. I understand that our writing is our babies, but we need to remember that these are professional historians on the ADCOM. Also, they have access to all of our potential advisors. If they want to check that our work is correct/fits into the historiography, the ADCOM can go and ask one of our potential advisors. More importantly, though, our writing samples need to convey a sense of knowledge, logic, and coherency. By overemphasizing the historiography section, you are pulling away critical pages from your main body and conclusion. Both of which will demonstrate language skills, logic and reasoning skills, and your style of writing. Granted, you could also use the historiography section to complete this task. However, unless you are planning on getting a degree in the history of history/historiography, then I highly suggest finding a colleague to do some brutal and honest cuts for you. It will suck, especially so close to the deadlines, but I truly believe in reducing historiography before your main body portions. Best of luck with your applications!

Maybe I can speak a bit more to serving in the military and going to university at the same time. As you know, the military will not willingly spend money on anything and needs to be justified, even the GI bill and especially when it comes to graduate school. My GI bill was reduced because I went to a local university, enrolled in a history and economics program, and worked full-time while attending undergrad. If you are counting on the GI waivers, do not! You need to be frank with yourself and understand that graduate school waivers will be harder to obtain than undergrad waivers. Keeping that in mind, you should also look beyond cost as your first priority. There are a ton of scholarships/grants for active duty servicemembers to supplement their income and GI bill waivers (you really need to look around). Finally, we come to active-duty and education. I would not expect to study full-time and remain an active member of the military. This comes down to the mere hours of duties that you must complete. A graduate program can be unforgiving, especially when you get behind on work and readings. Therefore, I would suggest finishing your contract with the military and finishing undergrad. Only then will you be equipped to handle a graduate program in terms of money, time, and stress.

A little note for people reading my post, I am applying to both American and British universities, so I may have a few differing responses. Have you received especially information from professors and graduate students at your current school? A couple professors, who graduated from British universities with PhDs, have said that British admission committees do not care too much about passion and your feelings. Focus on the fit and your strengths in order to get past the first round of cuts then let your writing sample and LoRs woo them. Meanwhile, the American universities are focusing more on passion and drive to complete the program, as long as you fit broadly into their faculty and research interests. Have you received information that is at odds with the recommendations provided here? A handful of small things, but these are mostly distilled down to European professors critiquing the American and British systems of education. The most important/different was include theoretical and method works into your SOPs in order to demonstrate a clear and thorough understanding of the historiography and theory structure. How have your attempts to establish rapport with potential POIs worked and not worked? Yes, but I have had a warmer welcome and more interest from British universities. The professors are interested in breaking this heavy reliance on the USA vs USSR mythology for the Cold War, while American professors are interested, but still, frame their work within this bipolar structure. Obviously, this makes a lot of research on the Cold War jaded, but also students need to be aware of the pitfalls. What is your "to do" list and schedule for the rest of the current term? Finish writing grant applications for British applications this weekend. Exchange SOPs with a colleague then edit the SOPs one last time before submitting them. Nudging my professors to submit the LoRs on time. How are you balancing your current responsibilities with your applications? Things are becoming very hectic. I am currently researching my Master's thesis, finishing 5 seminars, and the PhD applications; all of which require a full workload and the utmost attention. The best way is to let things happen at this point. When I get some time in between archive trips and SOP/research proposal writing, I read my articles and necessary course material for the next week. I also mentioned to my current professors that I am in the middle of PhD applications. They all have been very accommodating and helpful with the applications, as well as understanding when I come to class and I'm exhausted while hovering over a cup of coffee. In short, we are almost there! 4 more weeks! But most of all, how do you define yourself as an aspiring graduate student in history? What are your fields, areas, and intervals? What direction do you see the profession going in the next ten, twenty, forty years? Another SOP?! Only kidding. Right now, I classify myself as a global historian of Germany from 1945-1991 with a specialization in development economics and aid programs. I have been trying to stay away from the Cold War label to avoid several pitfalls and politicization of my research, as explained in Odd Arne Westad's and Ander Stephanson's work. As for my future, well that depends on which universities (if any) accept me and support my dissertation. Good luck to everyone! We have one month left then we can finally get some rest and have a couple beers! Hang in there!

In my field, you would need to retake the GRE. A score anywhere the average does not mean an immediate discard, but it gives the committee a reason to start asking questions about your application in general. The problem with retaking it now is that you are getting very close to deadlines and may not be able to take it again before them. Can you take the GRE before your deadlines? If yes, then I would encourage it.

Over the summer, I visited an archive which was very helpful and accommodating. My last visit, they helped me prepare legal documents I needed to send to a handful of companies as requests to see their primary documents within the archive. We talked a bit about the next steps in my research and the archive suggested I get approval (or denial) to see the documents then come back. It took me about 2 months to get the legal documents approved and another month to send the information to the archive. Granted, I did take my time with the legal side of things, but for the past 2 weeks I have not received a response from the archive; neither a "yes we have your documents" nor a "thank you for the info, but the stacks are not open." In this situation, what have other researchers done? Continuously emailing them and asking for a response? Leave it be for a couple more weeks?

Hi Julie! I guess the best word to describe Berlin is unique. The city is still set in this 90s look with a mix of socialist architecture in East Berlin and skyscrapers in West Berlin. Also, the city still holds onto this Cold War identity and is not afraid to show it daily. Therefore, you will find a lot of students, migrants, and tourists. The occasional German does pop up, but the city has really become an international one. This means you can find just about anything you are looking for: grunge dive bar that allows smoking = yup; amazing Vietnamese and Turkish food = yup; opera, ballet, theater = yup; classic German bureaucracy = yup. In sum, finding a balance between studies and play is very important in Berlin because the city can suck you into its life very very very fast. As for the job market, the short answer is yes. Job hunting in Berlin is a pain and can take weeks and sometimes months. A lot of people with amazing skills and ideas are flooding to Berlin to get into the startup business. This also means that people from all walks of life are moving to the city in hoping of finding success and a new life. However, if you keep your head down and continue your search, finding work in Berlin is more than possible. Although, as I would expect someone getting a PhD from Charité, I do not think you will be living in Berlin for the long haul. The rest of Germany needs a lot of medical staff and doctors, especially Western Germany; so do not be persuaded by the job market of Berlin in not attending Charité.

@hats , @AP , @psstein Thank you. Originally, I did not include it, but my PoI suggested that I should include some theoretical foundations and language ability into the SOP for that school.

I have a quick language/SOP question. Currently, I'm using the title of a book in German to demonstrate both my language abilities and the theoretical framework I have learned. Unfortunately, this book is only published in German and has no official English translation. Since I don't expect ADCOM to know every language, should I translate the book title or not?

Yes, I think outlines are a must. In my undergrad, I was able to wing it and write from my head fairly easily. My first grad paper, I tried to follow my typical routine and fell flat on my face. Since then, I have written a basic outline with the questions and some bullet points to remind myself what exactly I'm trying to demonstrate. By doing this little exercise before I write, I noticed that my arguments have become more refined and polished. In the end, it is up to you and you need to find the way(s) in which you write best and most effectively.

Of course, but I'm assuming the OP is meaning language. It might be a difference between Europe and the US, but I have been able to resubmit papers in a foreign language if I can demonstrate that language was my issue, not content.

I don't see a problem with that. In academia, it is expected that you will continue to edit and proofread your own work, especially as a graduate student.

In your CV, you should make a section with publications and a subheader with groups (book reviews, academic articles, book chapters, etc). As fuzzylogician said, make it clear, but give yourself credit.

If I remember correctly, the American Historical Association publishes this type of information in their yearly book. I would check with your institution and see if they carry a copy of the book. If not, then maybe the chairman/woman or a professor may have a copy of the book. If that fails, then I would start google searching some prominent professors and authors in your field of interest and looking at the footnotes in some articles you have read previously. Another way to find potential professors is to ask a couple professors at your institution. Also, you might get some help here. What are your interests? Any specific region or timeframe? Methodology or theories?

For history programs, I have been told to mention the advisor I made contact with and maybe a secondary advisor. You really need to mention your main advisor and somehow tie them to your work and progression within your academic career. The advisor should already know you are going to mention them, so it is mostly to notify the committee of your intentions and contact within the department. Your SOP really needs to be about you, though. The professor aspect should be near the end and minimalistic.

The most helpful advice I received from fellow graduate students and professors is to be yourself during meetings with professors and advisors. Meeting with professors is stressful for students and can be awkward. If you walk into a meeting and try to ask all the perfect questions and have an in depth conversation, you could miss out on the little things which build relationships. I suggest bringing 2 or 3 questions that you really want to ask then let the conversation flow. You may not ask all your questions (for numerous reasons), but it is more important to start building relationships in your MA.

@samman1994 The resource aspect depends on the country in which you want to study. https://www.findamasters.com/ is a good site for schools in the UK, Ireland, and English programs on the continent (but they rarely appear). If you are looking in Germany, https://www.daad.de/en/ is a good starting point. Ultimately, it comes down to the country and language, so I would start by googling "international graduate programs in France" (substitute France for whatever country you want to search). From there, then you should be able to find a bunch of websites that are dedicated to programs in that specific country. As for financing yourself, scholarships are hard to come by for North American students (at least in Germany). However, if you study on the continent, then you have a major skill which is easily monetized - native English speaker. Over the past year, I have been an English freelancer. Essentially, I grade, edit and proofread English papers, teach English classes, babysit children, and give tours around Berlin (granted I am B2 German so I do both). This is enough to cover my rent and health insurance costs for the month, but not enough to cover the food side of things. The cost side is a fairly daunting one. I was lucky enough to have saved enough money during my undergraduate career to live off of savings and the odd-jobs I do on the weekends. However, Berlin is currently the cheapest West European capital to live in; and European in general, but a few Balkan cities are extremely cheap. In general, this means you need to have a lifeline back in the USA. In order to get a visa, most students need to demonstrate that they have help from a relative if the student does not have a scholarship or loan package. Do not get discouraged, though. It is hard to do a Master's program and even harder in another language. If you are up for a challenge and adventure, then I say go for it. Of course, do your research and plan it beforehand, but a Master's program abroad looks great on a future CV; plus you will get plenty of time to take a weekend trip to other European and even North African cities.

@infovore I would suggest looking abroad then. I agree with @TMP that a Master's degree would be very useful in formulating your ideas and expanding your horizons within the field of history. Going abroad may sound daunting, but my undergraduate advisor really pushed me to make the leap (in the end he was right). The jump across the pond has given me the opportunity to change my research interests, grasp a foreign language, and prove to PhD programs that I am prepared to take on a PhD project (hopefully). If you do look for foreign universities, you can find plenty of programs in English and with very low costs or guaranteed funding. Also, there has been a fairly recent shift to studying North America in Europe which gives the opportunity to study with some energetic and thought-provoking professors. I would not close the door on PhD programs, though. The American system requires applications to be in by January 15ish with responses coming in March. If you are rejected, the European system opens applications in February and closes in May and June. Therefore, you could realistically play out both options and see what happens.