Current College Professor Considering a Return to Grad School at age 49; am I crazy?

[redheadedprofessor]

Good evening.   I'm currently teaching English at a proprietary college.  I have a B.A. in English Education from the University of North Florida in 1984, a year's graduate study in literature at the University of Florida in 1985, and a Master's in Library and Information Science from Florida State University in 1996.  After 20 years in librarianship, I took a part-time summer job teaching English Comp at a business college and fell in love with English all over again.

 

Since then I've switched back to teaching English; I've been teaching at a business and now a proprietary college now for five years.  Because I have 18 graduate hours in English, I can teach at these and community colleges, but candidates with an MA in English are usually hired ahead of me.  

 

Is it worth it for me to go back and get my MA?  I'd like to do an online, or mostly online, program since I homeschool my 10 year old daughter and teach one or two classes a semester in the evening.  Yet part of me would like to go for the whole enchilada  - the PhD in English.  I'd love to write a dissertation on possible incest in the Bronte family.  I've even been researching the Bronte scholars and their universities. (One's in Australia and one's in England) My current goal is to eventually move into FT teaching at a community college, but I haven't given up on my dream of a PhD and a college or university teaching position either - especially once my daughter is older.

 

I've thought about doing an MA online first, getting more current, and then considering a PhD program in a few years when my daughter will also be older.  I'd love to go to one of the Vic Lit schools like Indiana University, UH, UVA, etc.  But that's down the road.

 

What I'm asking (aside from confirmation of my sanity  is if any of the schools that offer online MA degrees are even reputable?  So far I've been looking at UT @ Tyler, Northern Arizona University, Southern New Hampshire University, Morehead State University, Mercy College, National University, Old Dominion University, University of Central Florida,, University of Wyoming, Weyland Baptist University and Nova Southeastern University.  

 

I also noted another poster mentioned funded MA's; does this mean scholarships?  I'd apply for aid/scholarships/loans whatever I could find, as we're not independently wealthy  Are there schools that offer funding and degrees online?  

 

Thanks for listening, and thanks in advance for any posters!  I'll be looking forward to hearing from you.  

[ἠφανισμένος]

You'll get useful advice here, but I would strongly recommend asking this at the Chronicle of Higher Ed forums as well. Most posters there are experienced academics with a good sense of the job market in various fields, including English. My own sense is that an online MA may or may not suffice for community college positions, and would probably not be the best preparation for a top PhD program if that's what you eventually want to do. Funded MAs do exist, but usually funding is available only for full-time on-campus students.

[ProfLorax]

Hi there! I think, given your immediate goals, an MA makes a ton of sense! I taught at a community college for three years before going back to get my PhD, and I found that, at least where I was teaching, where you got your MA was less important than you having an MA and teaching experience. That said, if you are interested primarily in teaching community college, perhaps you could look into some of the composition and technical writing MA's. Or if you do decide to go the MA in Literature route, some universities offer an online graduate certificate in teaching composition. There is a list of some luck! 

[Francophile1]

Personally I would not do an MA online, unless you know for SURE that it is reputable. I know in my field people usually go for the in class MA's. I admire your passion and willingness to follow your dreams! As far as financing goes, YES it is possible to get funding in the humanities (again my specialty isn't english), but I do know that if you apply to MA's that are within a department where they offer a PhD as well on a separate route or in combination with the MA, you are more likely to be funded. This would involve becoming a TA of course. And then you can tale out loans too. The good thing with being funded is they usually pay for your tuition. Good Luck!

[danieleWrites]

The director of freshman comp at my previous institution was an internist with and MD until he went back in his forties and got a PhD in English.

 

Whether you should do it or not? I can't tell ya.

[xolo]

You are not crazy. If that is what you want to do, by all means do it. For me personally, grad school online would not be something I would like to do, that would drive me crazy because NO PEOPLE!! (But that's just me)

[greenmt]

I'm in a similar boat.  I'd love to hear from other middle-aged / second-career folks who are interested in the PhD as a way to build on / refocus their existing careers.  I have a MA in English, and am applying to PhD programs (my second year through the process, after getting waitlisted but not admitted last fall).  I was in New York City at the time I got my MA at Hunter College, part of the City University system, and had a great experience doing the MA.  I was able to connect with several faculty members in pretty meaningful ways, and my grades were far better than during my undergraduate years.  I wanted to but wasn't able to continue with the PhD then, but several of my peers did, and got into good programs.  Even ten years later, Hunter faculty members gladly wrote enthusiastic letters of support.  It's impossible to predict whether I'll get in this fall, but last year I connected with a faculty member at one school who's a leading scholar in my prospective field, who's encouraged me to apply again.  During the year since my last round of applications, my prospective project (and my ability to describe it) have improved, so that the schools I'm looking at this fall are likely better homes for what I'd want to do.

 

I can't speak about the online version, but my experience doing a MA at a local / geographically convenient school was generally positive and basically set the stage for further study.  My sense is that admissions committees are looking for genuine interest, some clear picture of the proposed study, evidence of research and writing ability, and enthusiastic letters of recommendation.