Online MA for the Writing Sample

[gordian5668]

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! 

[psstein]

Why do you not think the WS would be adequate for a PhD application?

You really only need a MA if you're changing fields or have severe deficits in your preparation (e.g. you need to know Latin, but don't yet).

 

[gordian5668]

27 minutes ago, psstein said:

Why do you not think the WS would be adequate for a PhD application?

You really only need a MA if you're changing fields or have severe deficits in your preparation (e.g. you need to know Latin, but don't yet).

 

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? 

[psstein]

2 hours ago, gordian5668 said:

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? 

To answer your question, I don't really know. It sounds like your major deficiencies may be in language preparation. I wouldn't be so worried about how long it took to do your BA in history.

Honestly, I would consider waiting a year or two before starting the MA. You may find that you like your job enough that you don't want the MA or PhD.

[TMP]

As @Sigaba says in these situations, read articles and books in your areas of interest.  Figure out the kind of historiographical questions you want to explore to write about in your statement of purpose.  You don't need a MA for that.  Also, professors understand that different programs have different requirements for thesis.  I know a colleague who went to a middle-level state school and produced a 25-page honors thesis with primary sources found on the internet.  She got into 2 PhD programs just fine because she had a strong statement of purpose among other things like grades and letters of support.

Edited June 16, 2019 by TMP

[Sigaba]

@gordian5668, given the specifics of your circumstances, I recommend that you look into the on-line MA program. Check to see if the instructors will be able to help with your development and are motivated. 

I also recommend that you make sure that you understand the full benefits of your new position. 

• What is your access to the school's library system (databases, ILL, archival sources)? Can you enroll /audit classes on-campus and adjust your work schedule so that you can attend?
• Do you have opportunities for an alternative work schedule that would provide additional opportunities for attending classes at another campus? 
• What kind of campus-related activities (departmental mixers, lectures, and what not) could you attend?

You could also reach out to the person who supervised your undergraduate thesis. Explain your objectives and ask for feedback on your plans to revise it so that it can serve as a writing sample down the line. (Note, I am suggesting here that you develop the plans before initiating the conversation.)

FWIW, I don't know if I agree that you should wait a year or two before applying to graduate school if going to graduate school is something you really want to do -- it sounds like you have the kind of job in which one sees the years fly by.

 

[Katzenmusik]

If your employer is paying for it, I suppose an online MA wouldn't hurt, BUT:

• You should make sure the MA program is through a reputable university (not the University of Phoenix or anything remotely like it). 
• Figure out who the faculty would be.  Are they full-time professors, or are they overworked adjuncts who aren't paid enough to devote their full energies to the courses?  Will they be in a position to write you strong letters of recommendation down the line?
• You will have to make a special effort to form real social connections, so that the profs see you as a real person, not just a user name on the online platform. (The formal coursework is only part of the picture. A lot of the value of graduate school comes from the relationships you form with professors and fellow students.) Will there be opportunities to meet in person over the course of the program?  Will you be able to attend "office hours" over Skype? 
• Will you be able to take time off to travel for research?  If your whole goal is to improve your SOP, travel to archives should likely be part of the plan.
• How about conferences?  Giving papers at well-respected conferences will help build your credibility.
• Are there any local programs near you at all?  Sometimes universities will work with students who have jobs to figure out a part-time schedule.

Good luck!

[AP]

On 6/14/2019 at 8:26 PM, gordian5668 said:

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? 

Based on your clear objectives and provided you apply for a good program, I think this is a great idea. However, I am a little confused by the apparent contradiction in your proposed course to achieve your goals. You mentioned you can't move or quit your job for a MA, which is perfectly understandable. How exactly would you juggle a graduate degree anyway (online or not)? If your objective is to improve your writing and research, how do you plan to do this if you said a) you don't have the time and b) you have a job that would prevent you from going to archives? 

I only bring these issues up to help you better plan for your aims.