history110

I accepted UBC! I also got to chat with a current American student attending there and she had some great tips. Get a Canadian banking account early - she says you'll likely need it for paying for housing if off-campus since a lot of places require a Canadian bank. At least at UBC, tuition and fees can be paid with a US bank account however. And apply for NEXUS early if you will be driving back and forth across the border at all.

I am in the process of doing this -- in one of the cases, the declined school is in the same region as the accepted one and I'll likely see this profs at conferences or other events. Based on other threads I've seen here, I'm writing that I made a decision to attend elsewhere, that it was tough (it was!) and I really appreciate their time talking to me and answering all my questions. I then add that I hope to see them around at conferences.

Thank you very much! It looks like a gorgeous place.

Well, I accepted UBC! Brief moment of alarm that on the portal is said "offer declined" but that's because the original decision date was March 24th, but it was extended by the department head until March 31st (in writing) and I think the portal just didn't know? Anyway, this means I'm going to start rejecting some other schools so hopefully that'll open up some waitlists!

I have OCD and GAD and feel the same way - oddly calm. Like I had a small panic attack about 3 weeks ago but since then felt fairly calm. I think it's partly that this doesn't feel completely real and partly because years of OCD therapy have somewhat prepared me for this kind of fear.

@Paulcg87 Thank you for you response! That sort of confirms a lot of thoughts I have about it. While everyone at SFU is very sweet, I have pretty much come to the decision that UBC is overall just a better choice for the things you said (and the advisers I'm assigned there would be pretty amazing as well).

Hi all, So two of my schools are Canadian and have early response deadlines (they don't follow April 15th). I did get them extended a bit, but they are still early. I've heard in terms of acceptances from all other schools, but I'm waiting on funding from one US school. I interviewed for fellowships at this US school -- however, with the Canada deadlines rapidly approaching I really do need an answer from the US school on the fellowships. Any tips on gently and respectfully asking for a status update? I would at least like to know if I'm still in the running, even if they don't know the final candidate yet. But I feel super conscious of not being pushy/asking for an earlier response than other applicants would get. Thanks!

I'm still waffling. I'm waiting on funding from Portland State (should hear this week) and and between it, UBC, and Simon Fraser. I need to make my decision by Monday though, because of Canadian deadlines.

I don't have any good advice, but that sounds very unfair and I'm sorry! If your duties are online anyway it seems like you should be allowed to do them online from home...

Congratulations!

@KinoCat Hi! Good to see someone else interested in Canada What school are you considering? I have offers from UBC and Simon Fraser. I haven't got anything official from them on border closure, just the professors not seeming concerned (though I talked to them last week and things are changing rapidly). And I saw they just posted that there will be exemptions for students who already hold a student visa -- while that doesn't include me, as I still need to get mine, that's reassuring and makes me think they'll probably get one for those people with a Fall 2020 offer as well.

Hi all! Is anyone familiar with UBC's graduate housing? Or decently affordable places off-campus? Ideally, I want to be in a place that's affordable (or as affordable as you can get in Vancouver...) and quiet, not near any party houses, etc. Any places you'd recommend or advise against? Thanks!

Hi! I went to PSU for undergrad -- I lived off campus, at home, but I'm vaguely familiar with the housing options. I had a friend who lived at Broadway who I'd visit and it seemed pretty nice (newish and clean looking). I wouldn't particularly recommend Ondine. They held classes there too and I took one there - the area right outside it always seemed grubby/some loitering, though admittedly the inside (classrooms at least) seemed fine. It's also got a very "concrete" aesthetic lol. Not sure about the others, but they at least seemed nice when I walked by them.

Hi all! So the two main programs I'm considering are UBC and SFU. I'm also considering my alma mata, depending on if they offer funding (I will know this week), but I'm of course very familiar with them. Has anyone attended these programs? Both have offered decent MA funding packages (SFU has offered slightly more) and have faculty that align well with my interests and seem like they would be good people to work with. I'm a US student -- my alma mata is in the US and I live in a state that's not too far from Vancouver, BC. Obviously UBC is better ranked (it's the highest ranked out of all of the schools I've been accepted to) but of course that's not everything. Thanks!

Anyone other Americans considering offers from Canadian schools? I live in a state next to the border and am considering two Canadian school offers - the border closure definitely has me nervous but neither of the schools seem concerned, so I'm going to try to set that worry aside.

Hi all! Reviving this topic because I've been accepted to both UBC and SFU for a History MA. How does the city feel in terms of safety for women? How do the universities themselves feel? I'm aware of UBC's problems back in 2015 with a history graduate student (which makes me a bit hesitant, but it sounds like although they handled that not great, the history department committed to doing better - I'm talking with some current students and will try to tactfully ask them).

I think for me, the stress/surrounding panic, general uneasy vibe (I live in a state where we are shutting down restaurants/entertainment, etc) is contributing to the stress of making a decision. It's also delaying one US school in getting back to me, though thankfully I've already heard from most of them. I'm trying to just put it aside though and make a decision without worrying about the current situation - just telling myself, hey, if I choose the Canadian school and borders are still closed in September, I'll figure it out and I'm sure the dept will be accommodating.

Hi all. This is probably an unusual question. So 2 schools have offered me TAships (when applying, I did check the box saying I wanted to apply for them since I needed aid). Both of these schools offered fellowships is well. The offers are pretty similar - one of the for example is a 6k Fellowship, and 12k TAship, plus an international tuition award of 3k. The tuition is 8k, so the Fellowship + tuition award covers it. The degree is a History MA and I do not have any intentions to pursue a PhD. These are Canadian schools. Here's the thing I did not realize initially. My work has offered to let me work remotely. It's a really lovely job, an extremely lucky one to get since it's my field, I'm genuinely dedicated to the mission, and most of my work could easily be done remote. Also, it pays more than either of the TAships offered - I'd much rather keep working remotely at a job I like and keep in touch with the non-academia history world. I am planning on getting an MA because I know having just a BA will close some history jobs to me in the future, and while it's thesis based MA (not for example public history) I think of it as a way to grow research skills, professional connections, and skills in doing research for exhibits, and other consulting opportunities. I don't really want to TA or teach, so ideally, I'd love to work remotely and reject the TAship. Is this going to seem completely weird to the Department Head? The fellowships do not seem to be tied to the TAship, but of course they may be and I'll ask that as well. That would obviously make it more complicated. It seems like me rejecting the TAship could potentially let another student attend, since they could get that TA funding, which could be good for the department. Thoughts?

Slight update, but it's really between UBC and SFU (and maybe work) rather than WSU now.

Hi all. This is a slightly uncomfortable question, but does anyone have any insight to what the environment regarding sexual assault now is at UBC's history department? I've contacted current grad students to chat about the program in general, but it's a bit of hard subject to bring up and easier I'm sure here, online. In 2015 they had issues -- a grad student assaulted and harassed other students, it took a long time to expel him, and from what I can glean from the media some profs really stuck up for the students but the head of the department (who is now someone else) took awhile to actually do much and possibly deterred students from reporting.

There are organizations out there, such as the Historical Research Associates, that basically consulting firms that hire historians and archeologists. I plan to use my History MA as almost a professional degree, as I plan to either continue working in historical related nonprofits or in consulting firms. These organizations seem to hire both PhDs and MAs, so I'm sure a PhD would put you in a good position. They have their staff list online so perhaps one of them would be receptive to an email inquiry to chat about their career track/advice they have. I'd also suggest reading this and perhaps even contacting some of these people, especially if they located in their area - https://ncph.org/history-at-work/tag/ask-a-consulting-historian/ The NCPH is in general, a great resource for learning about non-academia history related careers. Good luck!

Hi all! Right now I'm a bit of anxious mess (though weirdly calmer today but the last few days...not so much). I've been admitted to four school (and rejected by others), ranging from my lovely but lower ranking undergrad to to a school in the top 20-30 in my field. Most of, except for my alma mata (which is very unfunded despite being a pretty amazing department) have offered funding of some kind. My alma mata has 2 fellowships (only means of funding) and they will announce those later, so I'm still waiting on that possibility. If they do not fund me, they are sadly not an option - weirdly enough they are have very cheap undergrad tuition, but very expensive graduate school tuition. To add on to the waiting for them, 2 of the schools that have accepted me are Canadian and for some reason I did not realize earlier they have much shorter decision deadlines and it's freaking me out. I had it in my head that it was April 15th to accept, I had an appointment scheduled with my very booked up anxiety/OCD therapist for the 1st of April because I know decisions send me into a tailspin...and now that is all disrupted. Not to mention the coronavirus thing is very much triggering my OCD and makes me wonder about being a US student (from Washington, no less) in Canada, etc, etc. Plus I was planning on visiting my schools and that is not remotely a possibility due to the virus making travel in WA state/BC area difficult/and schools shutting down. And it's honestly kind of sad, because I'm not even excited, I'm just nervous and feeling ill with stress and wondering if I should even leave my honestly pretty cool nonprofit job to to get a history MA. I should mention that despite this rant, I am taking means to get calmer -- trying to get a appointment fitted in with my therapist, asking Canadian schools for a slight extension, checking in with my alma mata on when the fellowships with be announced exactly, etc. It also sounds like my work is willing to allow me to work remotely, but I still feel anxious and prematurely homesick at the idea of moving 5+ hours away (I did not move for undergrad). It is nice to write this all out on a venting thread though!

I can't help but wonder slightly too. I live in WA state, which the epicenter of US outbreak and am also seriously considering Canadian school offers. They are just across the border in BC and I highly doubt they will close the US-Canadian border, but you just never know. My thoughts are with those students that in countries that have a travel ban imposed on them - this must be all very nerve wracking.

@kaaditya I've been accepted to UBC and am strongly considering it! Mine is a History MA. Congratulations!

Hi all! So out of all the schools I've been accepted to so far, University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser, and Washington State University look like the best (based on funding, etc). Vancouver is obviously a more expensive place to live (like yikes) but has cheaper tuition, both gave me decent funding so I'd be taking a 1-2 thousand out of pocket at the most. Does anyone have any insights into the schools in general/history programs? I also have a job -- it's a nonprofit but I've had it for about 3 years, since undergrad and my role is only growing (managing a resource library, turning that into a scholarly journal, etc) and it's with lovely people. I can't help but wonder if it'd be safer to stay with it. I could see myself with a MA looking for the exact same type of job -- I mean, last year we had a PhD applying for my coworker's job! However, my other concern is if we ever lost funding (very unlikely to happen in the near future due to a multiyear grant, but we are tiny and there have been scary moments in the past), etc, that a lack of a MA would hold me back from applying for jobs in history/related fields. I also would enjoy doing research during an MA. I have no plans for a PhD. That all being said, my job has been lovely and offered for me to work remote and the schools are close enough that I could come down occasionally for some events/work in person in the summer. One idea I have to take an offer, but reject the TAship and keep the fellowship, and keep my job remotely (which makes way more than a TAship). That still leaves me with a choice between UBC, SFU and WSU.