Job Experience vs. Thesis and Research

[Brazililio]

So I'd like to apply for a PhD in Japanese history in the next few years, but I'm a little concerned. I had a stellar undergrad GPA (not in history) and have a good, but not great, GPA at a totally unknown MA program in history. I opted to do non-thesis option but have some really great writing samples for when I do apply. I want to get some teaching experience (e.g., community college, adjunct at a small or medium sized university) before applying. I know I probably have no chance of getting into a top school, but will my lack of thesis and not perfect grad GPA keep me out of lesser-ranked programs, too? Should I go back for a second masters and do a thesis?

[cooperstreet]

So I'd like to apply for a PhD in Japanese history in the next few years, but I'm a little concerned. I had a stellar undergrad GPA (not in history) and have a good, but not great, GPA at a totally unknown MA program in history. I opted to do non-thesis option but have some really great writing samples for when I do apply. I want to get some teaching experience (e.g., community college, adjunct at a small or medium sized university) before applying. I know I probably have no chance of getting into a top school, but will my lack of thesis and not perfect grad GPA keep me out of lesser-ranked programs, too? Should I go back for a second masters and do a thesis?

What was your graduate GPA? Its hard to determine what 'good, but not great' means. Why do you want to get some teaching experience? Its almost irrelevant to your application.

More importantly, how much language training have you had in Japanese? If you have zero, stop worry about getting in. You won't. Start learning Japanese.

[Dirt]

So I'd like to apply for a PhD in Japanese history in the next few years, but I'm a little concerned. I had a stellar undergrad GPA (not in history) and have a good, but not great, GPA at a totally unknown MA program in history. I opted to do non-thesis option but have some really great writing samples for when I do apply. I want to get some teaching experience (e.g., community college, adjunct at a small or medium sized university) before applying. I know I probably have no chance of getting into a top school, but will my lack of thesis and not perfect grad GPA keep me out of lesser-ranked programs, too? Should I go back for a second masters and do a thesis?

I can't imagine that not having a thesis is itself a deal-breaker. A thesis is good because it shows that you can do research, and it can also be very helpful in helping you to think through the kind of things that you would want to do in a doctoral program. If you can do these things without writing one, I think you're OK--lots of people come into Ph.D. programs straight from undergrad.

Usually, I would say that doing a second master's seems a bit redundant. However, since your field requires much more extensive language training than others, I think you might look at something like an M.A. in Japanese Studies (unless you're already very strong in the language). That would benefit you much more in the application process than teaching experience would. The other benefit would be to bring up your graduate GPA. I'm not sure what you mean by "good but not great GPA," but anything under, let's say, 3.5 is going to raise some eyebrows. Remember that graduate grading scales are very compressed--basically A, B, and not-doing-well-at-all. You want to be in the upper bracket of that.

[TMP]

I agree.

The biggie for you is.... do you have reading fluency in Japanese? As in, can you read some Japanese literature, or some scholar articles with the help of a dictionary?

If the answer is no, then I would spend the next year or so honing up your Japanese reading skills. Besides with a MA, you're not going to find any job in the community college or as an adjust in an university. The best you'll be able to do is teach HS. If you have a paper that uses a lot of primary sources, that's fine. No thesis required. They just want to see that you are able to use primary sources to draw conclusions and that you can write.