(no subject)

[bedlamsbard]

Had a sudden urge to transfer my entire field of study from classical and/or late Rome/Byzantium (here, let me just sum up approximately two thousand years of history) to medieval Scandinavia, which would at least be more specific. On the other hand, there is, um, very little chance of me getting proficiency in a Nordic language by this time next year; strangely, intensive language programs in Old Norse are harder to find than intensive language programs in Latin or Ancient Greek, and that's saying something. (There is only one class in Scandinavian history taught at Tulane. I am currently taking it.)

Looking at grad schools is depressing, mostly because I'm going to have problems meeting the language reqs for classics. I think I can manage it for history, but that feels like such a cop-out, you know? On the other hand, I do want to TEACH history, so it makes sense to, you know, go for a grad program in history, but the Tulane classics department is (obviously) pushing a classics MA/PhD. As long as I don't do it HERE, because I DON'T MEET THE LANGUAGE REQS and I have gotten THREE DIFFERENT ANSWERS from THREE DIFFERENT PROFESSORS (including my undergrad advisor, the chair, and the graduate advisor). Er, sorry, I have issues about this.

Anyway. Yes. Scheduling drama continues apace, I still have no idea what I shall be taking next semester aside from the Etruscans and Early Rome and Honors Thesis Boot Camp (yes, it's actually called that). In theory I could graduate in Fall 2011, I should have the credits, but then I'd miss out on a semester of Latin and Greek, which could be a problem, but on the other hand, do I want to shell out another EXTREMELY LARGE amount of money just to take another semester of languages? I just. I don't. ARGH.

Comments

[isweedan]

GIRL. I just, I can't even.

Secondhand experience of your scheduling and grad school plans make me want to crawl into a hole and hide for forever.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW how you are handling it.

Why can't we just learn things and take classes for forever, or until there is nothing interesting left to learn? That would be cool, right? Right?

::sits on the sidelines with a little @bedlamsbard flag::

[bedlamsbard]

It is not that bad! Really! Okay, well, my scheduling situation makes me want to cry, but most of that appears to be slowly working itself out, but apart from that! It is not that bad. Or at least I keep telling myself that.

[aella_irene]

Why should it be a cop-out? You want to teach History, you're interested in it, you enjoy it.

(Also, of course the Classics department is pushing classics. What other grad schools were you looking at for History? What about Classics? Look at them, make enquiries, check language requirements. Backup plans are good!)

[bedlamsbard]

Because History Departments will hire classicists, but Classics Departments won't hire historians, because they don't think that history PhDs have the language skills that classics PhDs have. *twitches*

[aella_irene]

*twitches as well*

[bedlamsbard]

It's actually kind of funny, and a major point of contention between Classical Studies departments and history departments. I have been warned to look out for universities where the classics and history departments are warring when I look for grad schools, because grad students could get caught in the crossfire.

[aella_irene]

Especially as languages are just as important for medievalists, at least! (I saw an example of the importance of a medievalist knowing Latin recently. Historian with a theory which in part was based on a body being given a 'superficial' examination. Except the document that said so was in Latin, and superficial in Latin is the opposite of superficial in English...)

[bedlamsbard]

Well, a medievalist may not be a historian; depending on the university, Classical Studies, Medieval Studies, and History may all be different departments in the same university. Most medieval studies students are required to know Latin as well...

[aella_irene]

...I'm not sure if it's not as complex in British Universities, or if I just haven't noticed. Probably the latter-- Birkbeck has "History, Classics and Archaeology".

[lunarwolfik]

Not that you need more encouraging in the Nordic department, but The Far Traveler: Voyages of a Viking Woman is an amazing book about the Viking Gudrid who traveled to America and back and was MADE OF WIN. It also has a lot about the Nordic myths in general and some great archaeology anecdotes.

*pats* Grad school woes are the worst.

[bedlamsbard]

Oooh! That looks interesting; I shall look it up.