Choosing a MA without a favorite historical period

[grapefruit]

Hello there, thanks for reading this. I recently restarted my university career after a couple of terrible years when I basically stopped attending without dropping out (I had some depression issues that I'm not sure how to explain in my application) and everything has been going very good since then. I'm taking my BA in History from a good Italian university with a 3.8 GPA, since I missed the deadline for graduation this year I will have one year to use in order to improve my BA paper, CV and application chances for the future.

The reason for writing in this thread is that I basically don't have a favorite historical period, and I'm afraid that this could hurt my chances of being accepted anywhere.

The transcript of my past exams shows this too, I attended classes in anything between history of ancient economy, numismatics, Jewish history, modern Islamic history. There are just too many things that I consider interesting that I don't know where to begin, so maybe it would be a good idea to stick to something as long as I am competent and there are no language barriers.

Anything concerning modern/contemporary history sound like a good bet, since I'm fluent in Italian, English, Spanish and French. In order to show dedication for my future career I thought it would be a good idea to use an upcoming holiday in India as a chance to gather information and improve my BA final paper, which is focusing on India during World War II.

I chose this subject because I thought it was a great idea to combine my two biggest passions, history and traveling. Generally speaking, sticking to modern/contemporary India and/or colonial matters sounds good, interesting and feasible, so maybe focusing on this subject in my future MA would be a good idea?

For personal and future career reasons I want to apply to a MA in History anywhere in Canada. As mentioned in another user's thread in this subgroup, me too I'm mostly looking for a university that would accept me. I'm 28 and I feel like I've thrown away too much time deciding what to do as an adult, it's time to stick to something as long as I'm doing something constructive that makes me feel happy, focused on my future and on what I'm good at in life- history. Canada and India have quite a lot of connections, so why not?

Your honest advice on this matter and any kind of hint and suggestion, even brutal, is very appreciated. I'm trying to find my way and every opinion on the matter is important.

[sankd]

Getting an MA is a good way to answer these questions. I was sure about what I wanted to do when I entered an MA program, and then changed completely by the end of my first year and never looked back. I still feel passionate about my first choice, but it's not what really drives me anymore.

A word of warning. Don't do something Indian unless you are prepared to learn one of the languages if you are interested in getting a PhD later on.

[grapefruit]

Getting an MA is a good way to answer these questions. I was sure about what I wanted to do when I entered an MA program, and then changed completely by the end of my first year and never looked back. I still feel passionate about my first choice, but it's not what really drives me anymore.

A word of warning. Don't do something Indian unless you are prepared to learn one of the languages if you are interested in getting a PhD later on.

Thanks for your answer, made me feel a bit more relaxed.

About the warning, I guess I could focus on something specific still connected to India in WW2 for the BA thesis and use it as an opportunity to get better acquainted with this historical period in order to find a specific area of interest for later?

Something like... "Indian soldiers fighting on the European front: some with the Axis, some with the Allies" for the BA, then a generic "something that happened in Italy during WW2 that might be somehow connected or not with my previous work about Indians" for the MA statement of purpose? Maybe connected to Italy, since I'm a mother tongue?

[Henry Hudson]

you actually can shift topics once you're in an MA program.

Think of your statement of purpose as a chance to show you can propose a cohesive, feasible, interesting, well-thought-out topic.

you can use your breadth of coursework as an advantage. Transnational perspectives are big these days (and yes, Cnada-India does seem like a rich connection to explore); and World War II from the perspectives of one or more subaltern cultures seems like an opportune way to delve in. I recall reading a South American scholar comment that it wasn't really a 'world war' for everyone.

at 28, you're still young. I started my MA at 41.

many people have a bad patch. just going back, facing it and doing better says volumes in and of itself. profs generally like to see students bounce back from troubled periods, whatever their reason. It shows character and commitment.

I'm sure many Canadian Unis would accept you. In my MA cohort here in Ontario, out of 17, we had me (from the US), one woman from Botswana, and a man from Spain. Your English seems to be no obstacle; just polish your writing sample and you'll probably easily find a spot. Just check ahead to find out what sort of funding packages international students can get. At York, for instance, there is no international fee waiver, while here at Trent, as I understand it, the differential is going to be trimmed, and internationals students might not be able to TA in the future. In western Canada, there seems to be less restrictions on international students.

[grapefruit]

Thank you so much, you have no idea how encouraging your post was. I hope to find the right inspiration within the next months.

[sankd]

Thank you so much, you have no idea how encouraging your post was. I hope to find the right inspiration within the next months.

I was 29 when I started my MA, 31 with my PhD. Good luck!