gordian5668

The sheer quality of writing in my senior thesis is decent, but the project didn't really require enough original research. I feel that it would be taken as seriously. Also, the deficiency that I am most aware of, and self-conscious about, is that I only really spent a year in my undergrad history program. I started as a music education major and when I finally made the switch I was able to load up classes and finish my BA in History in a year and a summer. So I do feel that I have a decided disadvantage when compared to other applicants. I wouldn't be throwing money away on this online MA because I will have a tuition waiver from work. My main question might not even be if it will benefit my future PhD application but whether it will actually hinder it. Would an admissions committee look down so much on that MA that I would be thrown from the stack just for that?

Hi all - I just finished my BA at a decent state program and started working at a university system in my state. My job has decent prospects for promotion and surprisingly nice pay and benefits which is a situation I really can't afford to leave right now. The job is in a fairly rural area which limits options considerably. I know my definite goal is a PhD but that is more than likely a few years into the future. In the meantime, I don't want to be missing out on some opportunities to continue learning about the craft and producing a solid writing sample. I have my senior thesis from undergrad but I don't know that it would really fit the bill for a good WS for a PhD program. I did well on the project but I don't think the assignment requirements and guidelines were rigorous enough. The only extra schooling I could be doing right now while working this job would online programs. I have browsed the forum and noticed the hatred for online MA's. I understand the stigma. However, I'm mostly interested just in some continued learning during this part of my life and the chance to write a thesis that will at least be reviewed by qualified people. I guess my question is this: Do the benefits I stated outweigh the stigma associated with online degrees? I don't really want this MA because I have any misplaced notions of prestige, I truly just want to keep my skills fresh and work some more on my writing. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer! I noticed this is an active and helpful forum!