ponderings on grad school (why yes, I do in fact think about everything far in advance)

[bedlamsbard]

*prods* I wish Tulane had information about the 4+1 Accelerated Masters of Arts program that was the same across the board, but it differs from department to department, and I'm stuck staring at the information from the History Department, which says apply by April 1 of senior year, and the Classics Department, which says you have to be in by first semester semester of senior year. I also know that the English Department requires applications to be in by spring of junior year, although for English, you have to be invited in. So -- I am leaning towards the assumption that the History Department means "junior" when they say "senior", because otherwise...that makes no sense. I will probably e-mail whoever is in charge of graduate study applications at the beginning of the new school year in August to check, and also to make sure that I can actually apply for 4+1 in History despite not being a history major -- I think I can, if I am interpreting the MEMS website correctly. Just being a program and not a department, MEMS doesn't offer graduate study.

If the History Department doesn't let me in, I could try for 4+1 in Classics, but I don't have the kind of language background they recommend and I'm unlikely to get in the next year or so. Or I could do what normal undergraduates do and just apply for graduate school at another university, and just not worry about it until senior year.

*pauses* Possibly I should back up and describe my plan. Right now I am planning on getting a pair of B.A.s in Medieval and Early Modern Studies and Classical Studies, and I'm thinking that I'll try to go ahead and get my M.A. in History from Tulane through the Accelerated M.A. program (4+1), then go for my PhD elsewhere or take a couple years off and teach high school history or something. Getting my M.A. through 4+1 would be cheaper and quicker, and then I'd have that out of the way. Granted, Tulane's history department isn't the most well known for ancient and medieval history, which is what I'd be doing, but as far as money goes, it seems like a pretty good option, and I do know quite a few of the professors already.

Also, as a side note, looking at grad school information for both Tulane and other universities is kind of terrifying, because I thought undergrad admission was confusing. Also, the term "terminal MA" sounds like a diagnosis. Also, a question, for those that Know Things: when one applies for a PhD program, are they generally applying to get both the MA and the PhD, or only the PhD? Like, should you have a M.A. before you come in, or do they look at you askance if you do? Or does it depend on the university?

Ooooh, Brown University offers a PhD in Ancient History that's a joint effort between the Classics and History departments. That's shiny, and also my kind of degree. *bookmarks for future reference* I was previously looking at Duke, because they have a military history track, but judging by their PhD students' dissertations, they have little to nothing going on the ancient/medieval front. So that's off the list.

Comments

[snacky]

when one applies for a PhD program, are they generally applying to get both the MA and the PhD, or only the PhD? Like, should you have a M.A. before you come in, or do they look at you askance if you do? Or does it depend on the university?

Depends on the program. My old department only offered a PhD, not an MA*, so we had people who applied directly from Bachelor programs, and we had people who had MAs applying. We accepted both. The program was extremely competitive, but people with BAs were accepted every year.

Based on my experience with my old university, I'd highly recommend a 4+1 program. Cheaper and quicker is a huge plus, AND it'll be a degree from Tulane. That's not going to hurt in anyway.

Also, in terms of what you do the 4+1 in, like I said, my old department didn't offer an MA, so our undergrads would often go for the 4+1 in another, semi-related, department. Which is by way of saying, the History department is probably a good bet.


*If people didn't/couldn't complete the PhD program, and had gotten to a certain point, some were able to leave with a terminal MA, but there was no formal MA degree.

[bedlamsbard]

I'm less worried about what I'm going to do my grad work in and more worried about whether I can technically apply for the program -- I mean, at this point I'm not going to find out except by asking the nice people in charge. The Department of History says that only History undergrads can actually apply for 4+1, and I am not quite a History major. I mean, most of my classes for both majors are in the history department, but I'm not actually a history major. So it's awkwardly technical.

I still believe that "terminal MA" sounds like a diagnosis. OF DOOM.

[snacky]

Oh, I see what you mean now. Yeah, the undergrads in my dept (Geography) used to do their 5th year in a related dept (not Geog, but the dept was closely affiliated and a lot of the courses were interdisciplanary to both depts). They couldn't just bop in and do the 5th year in Psych. So yeah, it seems like you'll have to ask, but it also seems like you've got a lot of what you'll need for it.

Terminal MA is like, "Oh, I'm sorry to tell you, miss, but you've definitely got a Terminal MA there." :D

In regards to getting out without student loans, you definitely want a PhD program that's a free ride, like the Brown one you linked.

[bessemerprocess]

4+1 sounds like the way to go. Cheaper is always a good thing in this game. At least until you get to the PhD wherein they should be paying you.

[bedlamsbard]

Cheaper is what I'm hoping for. I'm probably going to get out of my undergrad without student loans (knock on wood), so hopefully I can do my grad work that way too. (Which is good when it comes to a stupidly expensive private university; I try not to think about how much my tuition actually is.)