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Goodday!

I'm a MA student in Interdisciplinary Studies who's going to finish coursework by next semester (2025-1). The placement record of this master program is horrifying. If I get back to work, I'll probably get the same kind of assistant-level job I use to have.

I want to apply for a MSc in Economics at the same university I'm currently studying. This program instead has an excellent placement, graduates often go to top PhD programs, the central bank, etc. If I'm accepted, I'll start on semester 2025-2, so I'm trying to finish my thesis on time. Because of my profile, professors at this program told me I have good chances to get in.

Howecer, my current MA supervisor is a textbook narcissist according to my therapist. Also, he has an inferiority complex towards quantitative researchers (this is a personal trauma for him). and he often brags about that he has move away from political science towards history. In the past, he denied my request to take quantitative courses as my electives. He sometimes makes snarky comments towards me.

For several reasons, he has taught me close to a third of the courses I studied so far during this MA. Because of this, my therapist tells me that, although I certainly do not like him, he has not make any moves to sabotage me (by downgrading my grade for instance). So far my GPA is good (3.8).

To apply for this MSc in Economics, I have to provide two LORs. Last semester he told me to give him a list of the programs I will apply for so he can give me a LOR (he currently thinks Im aiming for a PhD in Political Science).

Scenario 1. If I apply without telling him, there is a chance that he might find it out through the grapevine because this university is pretty small (I'll be applying to a MSc program within the same university I'm currently studying at). So if I get in, I think he might not like it and might try to delay the approval of my MA thesis to stop me from starting on this new master.

Scenario 2. If I ask him to be my one of my LORs. I think he will not write me a good letter.

Scenario 3. I could notify him of my MSc application but telling him that I asked other people to be my LORs. One of them will be the head of a thinktank I'm affiliated (a well-know academic in my home country) and my other LOR will come from another member of my thesis committe who majored in economics cum laude when she was an undergrad. I think I have solid reasons to having choosing them as LORs.

However (in this last scenario) I do now know he might react., there is a chance (like in Scenario 1) that he might try to delay the approval of my MA thesis to stop me from starting on. One of the professor in the economics department told me the admission committee might regard negatively if I don't finish my MA thesis before the MSc program starts on August 2025. I have to be very careful with my wording when I notify him.

So far I think scenario 3 is the best choice so far. Should I proceed other way? Any tips are welcome.

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