My chances of getting into US PHD program

[lex4158]

Hey guys, I majored in Politics at 1 of the UC's (University of California) ended with a 3.5 gpa. Currently I am getting my MA at a top Political Science program in England. I hope to finish with high marks here. However, after meeting with my professors, and some other professors from the Hist department we all seem to agree that getting my Doctorate in History will be a better fit for my interests.

I am fluent in Russian and would like to study Russian history, Soviet history, Political history, as well as the transition of the 1990's. In addition, I would like to study Eurasia as a whole.

I have excellent writing and analytical skills.

Given I receive 3 excellent recommendations from Professors here at grad school, do decently well on the GRE, will I have a shot at getting into some good programs such as the following?

Boston College (Hist PHD)

Carnegie Melon (Hist PHD)

University of Miami (Hist PHD)

Washington University in St. Louis (Hist PHD)

[cooperstreet]

"we all seem to agree that getting my Doctorate in History will be a better fit for my interests."

Why?

[lex4158]

"we all seem to agree that getting my Doctorate in History will be a better fit for my interests."

Why?

Because I am more interested in doing Political history and studying cultural aspects of society in Russia and the USSR, nationalist sentiment, etc. Rather then doing statistics based research and building models methodologically.

[cooperstreet]

Its difficult to judge any applicant's competitiveness without seeing their SOP, writing sample, or LORs. Your numbers are fine.

If you want to do history and not poly sci, I would suggest conducting historical, not social science, research in your MA program.

[lex4158]

Its difficult to judge any applicant's competitiveness without seeing their SOP, writing sample, or LORs. Your numbers are fine.

If you want to do history and not poly sci, I would suggest conducting historical, not social science, research in your MA program.

Yeah I hear ya. My SOP will be solid along with the LOR's. The writing sample will be political science. The MA program I am currently at puts great emphasis on methodological Research design. I am a good writer and can make strong clear arguments, will submitting a polisci MA thesis paper be sufficient as a writing sample, or will I have to write a new one?

[TMP]

If it's too heavy on poly sci, I would just revise the writing sample to make it more historically narrative focused.

[lex4158]

If it's too heavy on poly sci, I would just revise the writing sample to make it more historically narrative focused.

Awesome, thanks.

[StrangeLight]

i think you'll have a good shot at all of those schools.

[lex4158]

Thanks for the replies guys! Currently I'm beginning to study for the GRE. I hate standardized tests (never been good at them) but Im going to put in a good amount of work in over the next 7 months;)

[Sigaba]

lex4158--

To add on to TMP's guidance, I strongly urge you to develop an understanding of how the craft of history differs from political science.

Down the line, you may take an interdisciplinary approach to your areas of interest but you can count on academic historians holding the line between the two disciplines.

[lex4158]

lex4158--

To add on to TMP's guidance, I strongly urge you to develop an understanding of how the craft of history differs from political science.

Down the line, you may take an interdisciplinary approach to your areas of interest but you can count on academic historians holding the line between the two disciplines.

Do you have any recommendations as far as reading goes? I am planning on buying a few historical methodology books to get a better sense of the discipline. Are there any journal articles you could point me to?

[Sigaba]

Do you have any recommendations as far as reading goes? I am planning on buying a few historical methodology books to get a better sense of the discipline. Are there any journal articles you could point me to?

Lex4158--

Were I in your position, I would grab four or five published influential works by political scientists on topics of interest and then read works by historians on those same topics. I would also use jstor.org to see how historians and political scientists review each others' works.

Once I'd gotten my feet wet with the historical works, I'd start culling the footnotes/endnotes and bibliography for additional readings in the historiography of the topic.