Decision Advice History MA or wait...

[narple]

First time posting...and I need some advice.

I applied this season to a handful of PhD's and MA programs. I got rejected from the PhD programs, which I semi-anticipated as I am changing fields from philosophy to history and don't have all the language background I should. That being said I do have some offers and I am trying to weigh the options.

UH Manoa MA with next to no funding.

UChicago MAPSS with some funding.

NYU World History MA non-funded.

I am still waiting to hear back from Columbia/LSEs' World/Int'l History MA.

I am curious about UChicago, but I don't really understand what my degree would be should I complete the program. I have done some research and plan on visiting. I've heard really good things and not so good things about the program. I like the idea of a one year program with a "gap year" for a fellowship or language training purposes. It appears I could create my course of study which would be a benefit as I am a little wide spread in focus area. (I am interested in international comparative history with an emphasis on philosophy and socializing cultural norms.) This being said I don't really know how it appears to PHD admissions committees when I reapply.

UH Manoa would focus on Korean history (my weaker geographic area of interest) over two years and would allow me to bolster my language skills and balance out my interest areas. I could also (hopefully) get funding for the second year as well as in-state tuition. However, there is no one I particularly want to work with. Though their resources for East Asian studies are no joke. 

Lastly NYU World MA could be cool, but I am not super stoked about it. I've heard some not so good things about the department and the lack of support for MA students there. It would allow me a more balance approach to studies like Chicago, but not thrilled about the attitudes I hear from others.

In terms of finances, I am going to take an almost equal hit across the board (NYU being slightly more costly in terms of daily expenses). The two years in Hawaii would (hoping that the second year's funding would improve) probably be similar to one year in Chicago (which is another con the whole MA cash cow thing frustrates me). I am lucky in that I was able to graduate with next to no undergrad debt. While I am not excited about the prospect of creating buckets full of debt, I do really want to improve my chances at a solid PhD program (with funding) and from what I have discovered through this season I need more background in history and in my non-european area of interest.

Any thoughts, advice?

[TMP]

If you are not too excited about ANY of these programs and the notion of taking on debt, then wait out and reapply to PhD programs and well-funded MA programs (there's a list somewhere around on this forum) next  year.  As you wait for the results, you can spend the the year working on your language.  Spend this summe reading up materials on your chosen field of interest and prepare a strong statement of purpose.

[Septerra]

I am finishing up an MA from a school with a very small, and not particularly competitive, program. However, our department has produced some pretty outstanding graduates who are now in high ranking PhD programs, including one at UNC Chapel Hill and Vanderbilt in the last 2 years. This is because, as many will tell you, the MA degree is more about what you do rather than where you go. I know it sucks to hear, "wait another year," but this may be the way to go if you don't want to pay for these programs out of pocket. If you can get into a fully-funded MA program, present at conferences, working on language training, and try to get a book review published. After two years of persistently honing your craft and showing your dedication to history as a discipline and your research area more specifically, you will have a much better shot. I just don't recommend paying out-of-pocket for one of these programs. Good luck.

[rising_star]

From a perspective outside of history, I have to say that none of your options sound particularly appealing. If you know you need to build up your language skills AND you have an interest in East Asia, why not try to teach English abroad for a year or two and take language classes while you're in the country? If you went that route, you could potentially save money, rather than going into debt for a MA.

[bibliomancer]

Based off the responses in the forums, there seems to be two camps regarding getting into debt for an MA. I did MAPSS last year, and have gotten into four of the five history programs I applied to; likewise several friends I had in the program also got into pretty fantastic history programs (Princeton, Michigan, Columbia, Cornell). An MA from Chicago is nothing to scoff at is the general consensus. Granted, in my case I got a pretty substantial tuition-remission, and have no debt from undergrad, so I decided to eat the cost in the hopes of getting into a pretty well-funded PhD (which paid off pretty well for me). So I guess it really depends on your situation. Most people were worried (and rightly so) about the gap year. It also depends on the amount of language-training you already have (East Asian history, perhaps of all of the fields, seems to want an absurd amount of prior language-training)--which you will not get from Chicago since it's a one-year program. I'm sure you've also been informed of the great PhD acceptance rates of MAPSS grads--something over 93% yearly. It's good to take this with a grain of salt--how the program works is that it dissuades people who are not fully committed to doing a PhD (and I know a lot of people who changed their minds about going on to the PhD). There were about 25 people doing history in MAPSS my year, and about eight of us ended up applying this cycle. Some people, of course, wanted a break from school since they came straight from undergrad, and they wait a couple of years before applying. 

[nevermind]

2 hours ago, rising_star said:

From a perspective outside of history, I have to say that none of your options sound particularly appealing. If you know you need to build up your language skills AND you have an interest in East Asia, why not try to teach English abroad for a year or two and take language classes while you're in the country? If you went that route, you could potentially save money, rather than going into debt for a MA.

I second this suggestion. I think international experience is extremely valued in the admissions cycle and it can really help you think of more specific intellectual questions for your SOP.

[narple]

Thanks for all the advice. I have just come from living abroad and have foundational language skills. If anything I am trying to attain a higher level competency for research.

I also have experience in research, but the majority of it is based on philosophical texts and modern European history. The feedback I have recieved is that I need more background in the academic aspects of Korean history, hence the MA programs. It ultimately comes down to how frugal I want to spend these years. 

I appreciate all the help

@bibliomancer could I pm you about the program?