Taking off a year or two before a Phd Program

[Coffe-ology]

So I decided that I would take off a year or two after I finish my MA since I'm getting married this summer. Being out of school makes it difficult to get anywhere near as much research and teaching experience. So I was wondering if you guys could offer suggestions and advice on how to best utilize my time. I plan on applying for Fall 2012 or 2013.

[Roll Right]

So I decided that I would take off a year or two after I finish my MA since I'm getting married this summer. Being out of school makes it difficult to get anywhere near as much research and teaching experience. So I was wondering if you guys could offer suggestions and advice on how to best utilize my time. I plan on applying for Fall 2012 or 2013.

I would try to get a job with a research firm. RTI in Durham is a good bet. They hire extensively from the UNC system. Also, DC is full of social research groups. Anything involving data analysis is good. Or work as a lecturer or community college professor. Something to keep your skills sharp while also demonstrating ambition to prospective PhD programs.

On a side note: how was the MA program in Greensboro? I'm in my last semester in Wilmington.

[myrrh]

So I decided that I would take off a year or two after I finish my MA since I'm getting married this summer. Being out of school makes it difficult to get anywhere near as much research and teaching experience. So I was wondering if you guys could offer suggestions and advice on how to best utilize my time. I plan on applying for Fall 2012 or 2013.

If you have a MA paper, try to publish it. It helps a lot keeping you in academic atmosphere and it helps when you wanna apply to phd programs.

[Coffe-ology]

I would try to get a job with a research firm. RTI in Durham is a good bet. They hire extensively from the UNC system. Also, DC is full of social research groups. Anything involving data analysis is good. Or work as a lecturer or community college professor. Something to keep your skills sharp while also demonstrating ambition to prospective PhD programs.

On a side note: how was the MA program in Greensboro? I'm in my last semester in Wilmington.

Im definitely looking for jobs in research and data analysis. The program is okay it leaves alot to be desired though.

[Happy to be here]

I agree with Roll Right. I'm at a terminal MS in sociology program and sometimes people take a year or two before applying for the PhD, just as you're describing. I've heard from professors over and over that maintaining some kind of research job in the mean time is the best thing to do. Qualitative ,quantitative, anything counts.