Funded MA programs.

[histrybuff]

Hello everyone! Firstly, thanks to everyone who helped out with my previous question (a separate topic); this community is hugely helpful. So, I'm an undergrad with good stats, but I'm not sure which specialization I'd like to go into--nor am I ready to decide. I feel I haven't taken enough methodology or historiography, and also think I'd benefit from some more guidance in regards to publishing. Therefore, I've decided to do an MA before applying to PhD. And I refuse to be some other PhD's piggy bank, so those Cadillac MA's can take a hike! My question: What are the best MA programs which offer almost all of their students funding? I've heard IU-Bloomington and Miami Univerdity thrown around in response to that question, but are there any others which are really good at preparing/placing students at prestigious (top 20) phd programs? Also, are you a student at either Miami or IU-Bloom.? Would love to know what those programs are like!

Thanks in advance!

[Chianti]

Your questions could be better addressed if we knew your field(s) of interest. There are a good number of funded MA programs and this would help us narrow down the list for you.

[histrybuff]

Hi, Chianti!

Your questions could be better addressed if we knew your field(s) of interest. There are a good number of funded MA programs and this would help us narrow down the list for you.

So, at the moment, my interests are: modern intellectual history (Euro/US), cultural history French Empire, urban history, US political history, History of US Overseas Territories, history of capitalism: in a few words, lots of things. As well as being a scholar of history, I'm interested in documentary filmmaking, archives and digital humanities. Being near a cultural center might be good for my practice. Also might like to engage in MLS degree, or possibly public history. 

So far, my list for (possibly) funded MA's reads: IU Bloomington, Oregon, Delaware, UVM, UNH, Utah, UHawaii, Wash State, Cincinnati, Miami (Ohio), Ohio University, UMass, SFSU.... Ideally, everyone in cohort will get funding so that it isn't too cutthroat, but I understand that this is pie in the sky. Really want one that can jettison me into a top 20 PhD program (provided, of course, I do the good research necessary while I'm there). Maybe I should look for POI's, eh? 

I'd like to get to one of the coasts, if possible, but if not, so be it. 
thanks!

Edited May 1, 2015 by histrybuff

[catsandscarves]

IU Bloomington does not fund all or even most of their MA students...

Edited May 1, 2015 by catsandscarves

[histrybuff]

Thanks for that, Catsandscarves! I had my suspicions.... Is this the case at most programs which offer MA and PhD? Is it sound advice to look at terminal MA programs at midsized state schools for funding? Or, if I find a POI at, say, a program like Columbia's, will there be more of an opportunity to gain one of the few funding packages they give out? 

[Chianti]

The terminal MAs I applied to all gave out full funding to the top students, which is the nature of funding--not everyone gets it. However, a few of my friends that did not get funding from the history department secured assistantships in other departments around the university, and they pay the same/have other networking perks. I'd search the websites/email the programs you have listed since as catsandscarves pointed out, IU Bloomington doesn't offer much funding. It is also fairly common for programs to post where their graduates went for their PhDs, and this would give you an idea of your odds for potentially getting into a top 20 school after. And yes, look for POIs and don't be afraid to email them! 

[mvlchicago]

Hi, Chianti!

So, at the moment, my interests are: modern intellectual history (Euro/US), cultural history French Empire, urban history, US political history, History of US Overseas Territories, history of capitalism: in a few words, lots of things. As well as being a scholar of history, I'm interested in documentary filmmaking, archives and digital humanities. Being near a cultural center might be good for my practice. Also might like to engage in MLS degree, or possibly public history. 

So far, my list for (possibly) funded MA's reads: IU Bloomington, Oregon, Delaware, UVM, UNH, Utah, UHawaii, Wash State, Cincinnati, Miami (Ohio), Ohio University, UMass, SFSU.... Ideally, everyone in cohort will get funding so that it isn't too cutthroat, but I understand that this is pie in the sky. Really want one that can jettison me into a top 20 PhD program (provided, of course, I do the good research necessary while I'm there). Maybe I should look for POI's, eh? 

I'd like to get to one of the coasts, if possible, but if not, so be it. 

thanks!

Just looking at this, I get the feeling that an MA program isn't quite what you need right now: you need to first figure out what precisely you're looking to do, or at least narrow it from "I want to go into research or library sciences." These are two incredibly different fields and doing an MLS vs. a research MA are going to provide very different career trajectories.

Further, if you decide you want to do research, you're going to need a more specific set of interests and figure out where they intersect: an MA program that is strong in a history of capitalism via the culture of French Empire will be incredibly different from an MA program whose speciality is intellectual history in the context of modern US politics. Right now, it sort of sounds like you're throwing spaghetti at a wall and hoping just one thing will stick for you.

I would advise taking this summer to seriously focus on what you want to do before thinking about applying to MA programs. What programs propel you to a top 20 PhD program HEAVILY depend on the answers to these questions (for example, I really, really doubt an MLS will get you there w/o very specific reasoning as to why you did that vs. a research degree.)

Finally, I think at some point you're going to have to bite the bullet when it comes to your thinking about the MA degree re: finance. The name of the game right now is that MAs are meant for poeple who don't want to go into academic professions, but want to engage with academic history on some level, or people who messed up majorly in undergrad and need to improve their credentials. Since 2008 things have changed, but administrations have been slow on the uptake. What this means is that most programs that are going to be perfect for your specific interest (once you figure it out) will have very little funding for you to do it. If you're committed to not "be some other PhD's piggy bank" then I'd suggest you seriously evaluate other options: Fulbrights, Peace Corps, international job experience in the country of your interest, these will all provide ways of improving your applications for PhDs without your paying them. You may just happen to find an MA program that will fund you, but if you do, count your lucky stars because that is going to be the exception rather than the norm.

[dr. t]

So, at the moment, my interests are: modern intellectual history (Euro/US), cultural history French Empire, urban history, US political history, History of US Overseas Territories, history of capitalism: in a few words, lots of things. As well as being a scholar of history, I'm interested in documentary filmmaking, archives and digital humanities. Being near a cultural center might be good for my practice. Also might like to engage in MLS degree, or possibly public history. 

 

I'm going to have to agree with Mvlchicago."Things that happened after 1500" isn't really a valid answer to the question.

[Katzenmusik]

I am obsessed with funded MA programs!  I put together this list a few years back -- it might offer some leads: 

 

I'm one of those people who made a hash of undergrad and needed to redeem myself through an MA.  Plus I was switching fields.  I knew nothing about history and was careening between totally different continents and time periods. For my SOP, I pitched the one that made the most sense, given my past experiences.  Then I got into a funded MA and everything fell into focus.  Now I am at an excellent PhD program doing things I am excited about.  (yay happy story)

 

One could discern a general "19th & 20th century cultural & economic history of empire" theme in your list of interests.  (Urban history & history of capitalism can fold into that easily. And intellectual & cultural history can blur into each other.)  One question would be whether you'd be categorized as an Americanist or a Europeanist (or whether you can figure out a transnational space to exist in).

 

About placement... I've found that a lot of it is up to you, to simply make the best of the opportunity once you are there.  If it's a mediocre program: don't sink into the swamps of sadness!  Be the one who does excellent work. Get to know the professors.  Apply for every possible award or scrap of fellowship funding.  Hone your craft!

[Eternal Optimist]

Boise State University. I go there and it's amazing! 

[RevolutionBlues]

UOregon also has a funded MA for history that is pretty solid. But I second the idea that the first step is to figure out what it is that you really want to study and where you want it to take you. If you're unsure about the latter, an MA can be a good way to figure that out; but if you're unsure about the former, convincing an MA to devote precious funding to an exploratory process might be a hard sell.

 

Keep in mind, however, that you're not locked into your initial proposal. Graduate students can—and are often expected to—change their focus as they learn, develop, and mature as historians. But at least knowing what general geographical and thematic fields interest you can be a necessary prerequisite for picking up the language and methodological skills you will need for the MA and PhD. For example, if you go in as a 20th-century Americanist art historian and decide to switch to doing economic history of ancient Greece, the chances of successfully making that transition might be difficult.

Edited May 29, 2015 by RevolutionBlues