Is applying and getting into a PhD program in History realistic for me?

[fsugita]

I am currently a Junior at Pitzer College (part of the Claremont Colleges in CA) with a GPA of 3.7. I have yet to take the GRE, but I assume, based on previous standardized test scores, I should do well. I am studying International Politics and Economics, but I have learned a little too late that my interests lie more in Asian History. I am Japanese (speak fluent English and Japanese), and I am heavily invested in the history of Japanese Colonialism and how it has shaped contemporary issues and conflicts in East Asia. I will most likely be able to finish a History minor. I will partake in a language fellowship to learn Korean in Korea, and will then continue to learn Korean. I don't expect to apply for a PhD in History until at least a year after I graduate because I am hoping to apply and receive either a Watson or Fulbright Fellowship (I am confident because Pitzer has around 10 Fulbrights a year).

 

Some professional experience and extra curricular activities: translator for a Harvard initiated company (Crimson Hexagon), where I translated topics such as food security and monetary policy (Japan), part of Pitzer Model United Nations, and worked on a board for the economic development of Little Tokyo (Los Angeles).   

 

I know I am not a History major and therefore will not be able to do a honors thesis like most of the candidates, but I do have a strong interest in Asian History. That being said, I will also apply for graduate programs in Political Science. I would like advice on whether applying for a History program is realistic or not. Thank you.

[TMP]

Only you can decide what's for you.  You'll need to investigate the types of intellectual questions you want to ask.  Are you interested in Japanese colonial history and intend to write a dissertation about it?  Are you using the contemporary issues as a jumping off point for "why history matters"?  

 

Or are you more interested in theory, methods, and quantitative analysis and not consider the "humanity" of colonialism?

[L13]

I don't think what you want to do is impossible, but you'll need to develop a good writing sample that shows you're capable of historical writing. Are there any history professors at Pitzer who could take you on for an independent study project or something like that? Can you become a research assistant for a history professor next summer?

 

I don't think you necessarily need either of the above on your resume, but you should be looking for opportunities to prove you have an affinity for the subject.

 

On an unrelated note, I'm doing the reading for my Japanese colonialism class right now

[kyjin]

Since you don't have a History BA, I'd recommend looking at some MA programs. You might also want to look at some East Asian Studies/East Asian Languages and Cultures MA programs. (That could allow you to take more history courses and also work on your Korean language.) The fact that you're already fluent in Japanese is extremely helpful though!