HELP deciding which PhD program to pursue

[cbries]

Hello all!
I'm an ascending junior at the University of North Texas majoring in Anthropology with a minor in History. I have an overall GPA of 3.1 with a major GPA of 3.5 (which will likely rise as I only have classes within my major left). My main issue is deciding what PhD track I want or will even be successful in. I would like to shift my focus more towards History, specifically British history.

Professionally I would like to work in social history, conservation, and public education/consulting rather than professorial work. My openness to so many career options is the main reason I'm having trouble planning what exactly I need to do. I've been leaning towards pursuing a PhD in history but from what I've seen it's extremely competitive and my scores aren't exactly stellar so I'm open to other avenues like Public History or Museum Studies or anything else.

My universities advising department has proven pretty useless when it comes to specifics and searching on forums like this has only turned up scenarios in which the student intends to go into pure academia. Would my interest in British History make applying to schools in the UK more ideal? To any who have transferred US to UK; what is that like?
Is funding for international students common? I plan to move to the UK permanently in the future but if there was a US program that would work out more in my favor I would rather stay state-bound for it.

I realize this post is a little scatterbrained (sorry!) but that's how I am right now.
Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks so much

[CageFree]

A MA program would cover many "sins" and would make you a stronger candidate, given history wasn't your major. You could even try doing it in England and then coming back to the US for the Ph.D.

[dabeachbum]

Thought I'd offer my two cents since I just completed my BA and am headed off to an MA program in history this fall. You mention that you're an anthropology major and a history minor. Because you're a little unsure of what career path you'd like to pursue, I'd encourage you to consider taking more history classes, especially upper level courses. These classes will allow you to see if this is really the direction you'd like to head in before making a considerable commitment.

 

You also mentioned that you have multiple interests in British history social history (?) as well as museum studies/public history. I'm hoping I got this right, although I was a little confused when you spoke about social history/public history. If you're headed down the public history/museum studies track, your anthropology background may come in handy as some museum studies programs actually fall under the realm of anthropology! For instance, Columbia's M.A. program in Museum Studies is actually within the department of anthropology.

 

In terms of applying to graduate programs, your professors are your greatest resource. Get to know them and talk about your plans for graduate study. I was fortunate to have had several professors who really mentored me throughout this entire process. I can't stress enough how helpful they were with things like proofreading statements, helping me narrow my list of programs, explaining things like funding and fellowships, and ultimately assisting with choosing a program once I was admitted.

 

Onto another issue, you're correct that graduate admissions in the humanities are very competitive. GPA and GRE scores matter, but not as much as fit. Schools are looking for students who can complete the work, but who are also a good match with their school's resources. Again, it's important to have a good idea of what you'd like to study before you apply so you can explain that in your application. It's still early in your undergraduate career, so you shouldn't stress too much about this if you're unsure. Things may become clearer as the year progresses! If not, MA programs are a great option especially if you're looking to further hone your interests. Regardless of what you choose, keeping your grades up is important. Try to earn the best grades you can obtain in the most challenging courses offered. Look for research opportunities and consider enrolling in a senior thesis or capstone project  if your school offers those. Another suggestion is to complete the GRE during the summer before your senior year so you have that out of the way.  Aim for a quant score in the 150s and writing/verbal scores in the ninetieth percentiles and you should be set no matter which direction you head.

Hope you find this helpful!

[Sigaba]

My universities advising department has proven pretty useless when it comes to specifics and searching on forums like this has only turned up scenarios in which the student intends to go into pure academia. Would my interest in British History make applying to schools in the UK more ideal? To any who have transferred US to UK; what is that like?

Is funding for international students common? I plan to move to the UK permanently in the future but if there was a US program that would work out more in my favor I would rather stay state-bound for it.

 

 

Are you talking to anyone in the department of history (e.g. Professors Liles and Morris)? 

 

Also, if the highlighted portion truly reflects your experiences, you may want to develop your research skills--if not also reconsider your attitude.

 

FYI, a search on Google for "grad cafe forums history don't want academic job" yielded results that include the following: