Switching Fields

[urbsroma]

Hey all,

Currently, I am entering my third year (1st post-MA at a new institution) of graduate work in the Classics. At this point in time, however, I am sensing my research interest beginning to change in new (and interesting ways) towards how ancient thinkers and ancient institutions have affected the development of modern political/democratic theory. As a result, I am not sure the best place for me to do the type of work I desire to is within a classics department (especially one that is very strong in literature and archaeology but has no faculty (either affliated or departmental) who specialize in the sort of issues I am interested in pursuing). All of this has led to consider leaving my department and applying for phd work in a political science department.

While I am reticent to lengthen my time as a graduate student, I also want to avoid being unfulfilled by the research out of which I will build my academic career (not to mention the depressingly sad state of academic opportunities as a Classicist at the moment). I have plans to stick this year out (the fellowship support I have at my current institution is very good) and make sure my interests continue to trend in this new direction before making any major decisions. Still, however, I wonder what you all would recommend should be my next step should I decide Classics does not fit. I have experience teaching Latin at a secondary level and, at the moment, see myself teaching for several years before reapplying to Poly Sci grad programs. Does this sound sensical, or do you think my application would be warmly received if I applied directly out of my classics program?

To help, here are some vital stats:

3.85 GPA, Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa from a highly ranked liberal arts college.

4.0 GPA in my graduate program with a university-wide competitive fellowship at a leading public university.

Teaching experience at both a secondary and post-secondary level

Strong recommendations

Winner of a national essay competition.

What I dont have:

I have never taken a class in political science. I have, however, used modern political theory in my research.

I am looking to apply primarily to schools on the east coast for personal reasons: Harvard, Boston University, Brown, Yale, NYU, Columbia ect.

What would I need to have a good chance at gaining admittance to these programs?

[Penelope Higgins]

Your stats suggest that you would be a reasonable candidate for the right program, but you need to do some research on departments that would be interested in this kind of work, and to read some of the work done in this vein to figure out how your interests relate to the (vast) existing literature. This is not my field, but three names that come to mind are Melissa Lane (Princeton as of this fall), Melissa Schwarzberg (Columbia) and Eric Nelson (Harvard). Josiah Ober at Stanford is another great choice, but you say that you are limited to the East Coast.

Edited to add: your quant GRE score will be important at many departments to make the 'first cut' of files reviewed. Without that information, it is hard to evaluate your application. If you have the test scores and a clear research statement, I would think you could apply right now from your current program.

[urbsroma]

As I remember (it has been quite a few years) my quant score was quite middling (~600) whereas my verbal was much higher (~720) and my essay was a 5 or 5.5 (i cant remember).

I only mentioned taking a few years off because I am not sure that i could get good recs right away. I got good recs from my professors from the department I just transfered from, but I am not sure they would be willing to send along another rec so soon after I have left. What do you suggest? I am afraid it might just be best to stick it out in Classics and spend my own time adding political science into my research.

[Manchild]

Penelope has already suggested the names I would have mentioned. Given the way you have characterized your interests, Ober and his work sound like a fantastic fit, so it's a shame you can't/won't consider West Coast options.