Required Latin for Graduate Medieval Studies

[LNA]

Hi all, this is my first time posting on here, but I could really use some advice. 

I graduated this past spring with a Bachelor's Degree in History and a minor in Art History. I also wrote a Senior Honors Thesis at my program that was based in Medieval history. I want to focus on Medieval history and get a PhD with the intention of working in the museum field. I am planning on applying to graduate school for Fall 2021, but I'm concerned about my language experience, and getting into a PhD program vs. an MA. I have two semesters of Latin and four semesters of French completed, but my Latin isn't as strong as I'd like it to be. I struggled with Latin during the second semester I took it but still managed to pass the class. I'm currently trying to work through Wheelock's Latin again to beef up my Latin but I'm worried that I'm not in as strong a place as I want to be for applying to a PhD program in Medieval Studies, and I'm unsure about most MA programs because of the lack of funding. Is it realistic for me to apply in December for PhD programs now or should I wait and work on my language skills?

For reference, the schools I'm looking at are Yale, Cornell, Columbia, Oxford, Cambridge, and UC Berkeley.

[dr. t]

Are you thinking about applying to History, Art History, or Medieval Studies? An Art History degree will be better than the other two for a museum direction.

For History and Medieval Studies, weak Latin will be a significant millstone on your neck for any of the programs you suggest. For Art History, there will be less emphasis placed on your Latinity, but your total lack of German will be a problem. 

I would never recommend an MA as a way to start a language, but it can certainly be a place to improve it. There is also some decent MA funding out there. 

[LNA]

I was thinking of applying to Medieval Studies, with the intention of combining that with museum work. My goal is to work in a museum dedicated to Medieval History in some capacity. I have experience with Art History and I've worked in museums as both an intern and a docent, but it's not where I want my focus in my career to be. However, while I'm really interested in Medieval history in museum work, I am worried about narrowing my options too much when it comes to actually finding a job, which is already difficult enough in the Humanities as it is.

I am trying to decide on a third language to work on, but I haven't decided on one yet. I'm hoping to have strengthened my Latin enough by the time to send in applications, but if it isn't where it needs to be at that point then I was going to just keep working on it and apply next year again.

Do you have any suggestions as to the best options for MA funding that I could look at? My concern with getting an MA separately from the PhD first is funding, but I know that it would help to prepare me for the PhD.

[dr. t]

35 minutes ago, LNA said:

I was thinking of applying to Medieval Studies, with the intention of combining that with museum work. My goal is to work in a museum dedicated to Medieval History in some capacity.

The first question is: have you looked at people who are in jobs you want to have? What degrees do they have? I personally love curatorial/manuscript work, but since I don't have an MLS, I have a harder time getting one of those jobs, PhD or no. 

36 minutes ago, LNA said:

I am worried about narrowing my options too much when it comes to actually finding a job, which is already difficult enough in the Humanities as it is.

Yes, this is a very good thing to be concerned about

37 minutes ago, LNA said:

I am trying to decide on a third language to work on, but I haven't decided on one yet.

German. 

38 minutes ago, LNA said:

I'm hoping to have strengthened my Latin enough by the time to send in applications, but if it isn't where it needs to be at that point then I was going to just keep working on it and apply next year again.

The standard you're looking for is: is your Latin good enough that you can give an admissions committee a writing sample drawing heavily from sources in the original language, buttressed by secondary lit in your research languages? 

39 minutes ago, LNA said:

Do you have any suggestions as to the best options for MA funding that I could look at?

There used to be a thread in here of funded MAs. I did mine at Harvard Divinity School.