Choosing a minor field

[AGingeryGinger]

Hello!

I’m a first year PhD student specializing in Early Modern English history with a focus on religion/Anglicanism and medicine.

ive been talking with my advisor about choosing a minor field and they recommend choosing something outside the realm of American or European history.

My main thought right now is Russian/Eastern European history, as I can relate it more to my coursework. There also is the possibility of Latin American or Middle Eastern studies (I don’t have an interest in African history).

i talked with another advisor and they recommended middle eastern based on the current job market trends. I am just unsure how to proceed going about choosing a minor.

Thanks!

[Sigaba]

51 minutes ago, AGingeryGinger said:

Hello!

I’m a first year PhD student specializing in Early Modern English history with a focus on religion/Anglicanism and medicine.

ive been talking with my advisor about choosing a minor field and they recommend choosing something outside the realm of American or European history.

My main thought right now is Russian/Eastern European history, as I can relate it more to my coursework. There also is the possibility of Latin American or Middle Eastern studies (I don’t have an interest in African history).

i talked with another advisor and they recommended middle eastern based on the current job market trends. I am just unsure how to proceed going about choosing a minor.

Thanks!

The sweet spot between the two recommendations is a field outside of the West that will make a more competitive applicant when it is time to look for a job. How about the corresponding time frame (early modern), the same focus, but in the Middle East?

Edited January 23, 2019 by Sigaba

[TMP]

I agree with @Sigaba and your advisers.  Keep a very open mind to other geographical periods.  Are you only interested in the early modern period?  Could you look into World History before 17th century? There is more demand out there for people to be able to teach World History.  I can't see why you can't given the tremendous period of global exploration starting in the 1400s and make an argument about different kinds of encounters between Europeans and the "rest of the world."

[AGingeryGinger]

My advisor, whose minor field was Russia, recommended doing Russia/Eastern Europe as a minor field. So it should help more with a more comprehensive view of Europe and help with world history.

[urbanhistorynerd]

What about Eastern Europe within a Global Context? That way, you'll get the "traditional" education in Russia/Eastern Europe but also a mix of global history as well. I'm thinking more of the connections between Central Asia/Asia Minor/Middle East and Eastern Europe. Of course, this is outside of my realm of study, but as the trend shifts to more transnational/global history, it'll be good to essentially "globalize" as much of your research as possible. Also - I think we're discovering that the world pre-1492 was much, much, more globally connected than we previously thought.

[ashiepoo72]

You may want to check out job ads if you're having trouble deciding. For example, I was leaning toward a World History minor when a committee member suggested I look at ads, and I discovered 9/10 US History jobs want "US and the World" so it solidified my decision. I think a combo of interest and strategy is a respectable way to decide these things.