[Funding eligibility if I work p/t at university?]

Hey AP - thanks for your response. I'm trying to schedule a call with someone in the department to see if this would be an option, as I can't seem to find any definitive information. The website does link to on-campus job opportunities as additional sources of funding, so I'm hoping it could actually be an option. Ideally, I'd like to be a FT student with a TA/RA position, as well as work 20 hours per week in student affairs (that way I'm still getting stable benefits and income). I know many grad students work in external positions, so it seems unfair that I would be disqualified from funding if my side job was at the university. 

 

[Funding eligibility if I work p/t at university?]

Hi all! I am interested in applying to History PhD programs. That was my original plan after receiving my BA in History in 2010, however, after talking with many grad students about the dismal academic job market, I decided to go for the more practical higher education administration master's degree, which I received last spring. I've been working in student affairs the last 4 years and really love it, however, I'd like to also build a career in academia.

 

While in grad school, my coursework focused on the history of higher education, with a specific emphasis on how the role and purpose of the U.S. university has changed over time. My research mainly focused on the growth of the research university, the role of the university in shaping the U.S. into a global superpower, and current trends and implications for public higher education in the current age of austerity. I am interested in continuing researching the history of higher education -- and its resulting cultural and political implications -- at the PhD-level. I'm mainly looking at U of MN, because I'm originally from the Minneapolis area, and after years of living on both coasts (where I've had a lot of fun, but have also been hemorrhaging money due to the high costs of living!) I'm looking to settle down in the midwest. I'm thinking of applying for Fall 2019.

 

My question for all of you is do you think I'd still be eligible for funding and TA positions if I were to continue working part-time in student affairs? I really love working with students, and I see that as a great safety net to shield me from all the uncertainty of the academic job market. Plus, I'd like to have a better financial cushion, since I'm turning 30 next year and don't want to have to go back to just barely skimping by financially like I've done for most of my 20s (I can't imagine the stipend is anything more than $30K...). I'm thinking the stipend + part time advising position could roughly equal what I'm making now.

 

Thanks, all, for your input!

[Torn: History MA or MSEd in Higher Education Administration]

Hi everyone,

 

Hope everyone is doing well and feeling good about their future plans! I was hoping I could tap into some wisdom from this wonderful board regarding my plans for next fall...

 

Some background: I have always wanted to pursue a graduate program in History. My initial plan after graduating in 2010 was to go for a PhD, but after doing some research on the academic job market and talking with people currently in PhD programs, that dream was sort of crushed. My next idea was to go for a MA because A). I love history and . it would be helpful professionally for getting jobs in research, think tanks, etc.

 

Well, here I am five years later and am still unsure of what would be the best move professionally. My most recent position was working as a program assistant for a liberal arts program at Hunter College. I really enjoyed it and would love to advance in higher education administration -- specifically in academic advising and curriculum planning. I am on the fence as to whether a History MA or an MSEd in Higher Ed Administration would be the better path to pursue that goal. I have been admitted to both programs and need to make a decision ASAP. The MSEd would be the obvious choice, but it seems like people in positions I am interested in have degrees in liberal arts fields, rather than in higher education specifically. I would also love to teach, which is another bonus with the MA in History.

 

So, to make a long story short (sorry for my long-windedness!), I was wondering if anyone had any input. Has anyone received a History MA that has allowed them a similar career path? Or do you think the MSEd would be the best option, given my career goals?

 

Thanks, all!

[How to get your History MA funded]

Thanks for all your responses. I would really like to stay in the DC area for both personal and professional reasons, but for a funded MA...I could maybe be persuaded. Would any of you mind listing schools that offer funded MA programs? I've tried doing some searches, but everything has been really vague. 

 

Thanks!

[How to get your History MA funded]

Hi all,

 

So glad to hear so much good news on the acceptance from the last few weeks! 

 

So, here's my story. I chickened out on applying for a PhD, (I want to work outside of academia - journalism, think tanks, museums, etc - so the thought of putting in 5+ years of my life into a PhD didn't appeal to me) so I applied for Master's programs instead. I know a funded MA has unicorn status these days, and unsurprisingly I was not offered university funding.

 

To all the MA veterans/financial aid gurus....do you know of any outside funding or fellowships out there for History MAs? My focus is on post WWII U.S. History, with a specific emphasis on the domestic front of the Cold War (from a gender, sociological, and cultural lens). 

 

ANY information/insight/advice would be much appreciated! 

 

Thanks, all!

 

[GWU or AU applicants - heard any news?]

I just got an email from the Department Chair, and I've been accepted to GW! Still no word about funding (if any - this is an MA after all), but still good news. Good luck to you, darrochm!

[GWU or AU applicants - heard any news?]

Hi all,

 

I applied for terminal MAs at both George Washington University and American University. This was back in early January (before the deadline to apply for merit funding), and I still haven't heard anything. Have any other applicants - either MA or PhD - heard any news from either of these schools?

 

Thanks! And good luck to everyone else in limbo! 

[GRE, how I loathe you.]

HI Simple Twist of Fate,

Thank you so much for your advice. I will definitely keep trying to beef up the research experience.

Thanks again,

BadgerAlum

[GRE, how I loathe you.]

Hi all,

I'm new here, so please forgive me if this kind of question is redundant. I am planning on applying for PhD programs in American History for fall of 2013, and I'd like to know my chances of admission with funding, given my strengths and weaknesses. My top schools of interest are George Washington University, Georgetown University, Brown University, and Boston College.

So here is my profile:

I graduated from the University of Wisconsin- Madison in 2010 with BA in History. My GPA was a 3.54 overall (~4.0 in the major). While I did not write a thesis, I did two undergraduate research seminars and have 2 solid research papers to show for them (either of which I feel comfortable using as a writing sample). Both professors I worked with are respected in the field and will be more than willing to write letters of recommendations.

Additionally, I have solid work experience in and out of the field. I currently work in marketing for a political magazine and am also a freelance writer covering the intersection of history, politics and culture for numerous web publications. Additionally, I have interned/volunteered at both a History museum and a public theater.

What I've struggled with is the GRE. The first time I took it without studying I did mediocre on the verbal (155) and not so great on quantitative (145). After putting in a good three months of studying, I retook the test and only did slightly better (156 verbal and 148 quantitative). I haven't gotten my percentile rankings back from the most recent test, but judging from my earlier score, I am about in the 70th percentile for verbal and 50% (if that) for quantitative.

Long story short, standardized tests are definitely not my thing.

So, my question for you all is do you think my GRE scores will be a liability come application time? My GPA is also on the low end (3.5), so could those two statistics both play against me, even with solid work/research/recommendations?

Thank you!