Is it appropriate to approach faculty members and offer to become their research assistant?

[boomah]

Hi all,

 

I hope everyone's application season is going well!
 

I majored in English back as an undergraduate and now would like to transition to graduate school in History. I'll be applying next year, to MA as well as PhD programs, but I was thinking of what I could do in the meantime to improve my chances at admission especially given my non-traditional background.

 

I'll be moving back to my hometown in the summer, and I was wondering if it would be appropriate to reach out to individual History faculty members at my alma mater (or another institution) and offer to become their research assistant. I think it would be great valuable experience for me and would provide something History-related for my resume. To them, the benefit is that they get someone to research for them, write, edit, whatever they want. It's mutual benefit--yay!

 

But is this a thing? Would it be appropriate to do that? Would they be happy to receive an offer of free assistance or would they be creeped out at this out-of-the-blue email?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thank you.

Edited February 7, 2015 by boomah

[TMP]

It doesn't hurt to get the experience, feel of what it's like to be a historian.  At the same time, it's not going to help with admissions.

 

Be prepared to do it for free as many history professors do not have money like their science counterparts to pay.  I'd rather that you spent time reading books in your field to get a firmer sense of the landscape of facts and debates.

[boomah]

It doesn't hurt to get the experience, feel of what it's like to be a historian.  At the same time, it's not going to help with admissions.

 

Be prepared to do it for free as many history professors do not have money like their science counterparts to pay.  I'd rather that you spent time reading books in your field to get a firmer sense of the landscape of facts and debates.

 

Oh--I'm happy to do it for free. But is it really not going to help with admissions? Wouldn't the experience reflect well on me, especially if they write me a letter of rec saying that I'm capable of working in history despite my background?

[a.rev]

I second reading books within your field, or just academic history books/articles at all. I came into my MA program with a different (but similar enough) bachelor's degree and it took me a bit to catch up to the other students. See if you can't find a professor's reading list for the introduction to graduate study of history seminars everyone is required to take. It doesn't have to be from your target institution, I actually do this pretty regularly for courses I'd like to take but don't have time for. I've actually never known a history professor (aside from museum studies or public history) to take on a research assistant and those were student workers/TAs, although my professor did ask my opinion on his manuscript last summer but that was a personal favor.

[ashiepoo72]

I think it could help, but getting versed in the literature of your field and starting some self-guided primary source research (maybe in consultation or with the advice of one of those professors you mentioned) would probably be more beneficial. That'd show admissions committees you know exactly what grad school and a career in history are about and that you're self-motivated.

Edit: you could also ask said professors if you can audit their grad courses, or sign up as a non-degree student to get some grad courses under your belt.

Edited February 7, 2015 by ashiepoo72