<p>So for everywhere I applied, I got into my top 3 choices. UNtil yesterday, the decision seemd easy because I only received full funding at one place, but at the last minute, one other of my top schools came through with a fellowship. Now I ahve a bit of a conundrum. Both are good programs, and because it is a general masters (East Asian Studies) specificity and fit is not so much of a concern as with a PhD. But the main difference between the 2 is that one program is 2 years long, and the other is 1 year long. Any advice? I am not 100% decided on wether I want to go back into industry (likely journalism or a thinktank) after my ma or continue on for a PhD. I feel like the 1 year program will take up less of my life, but a 2 year program will give me more time to relaly figure out what i want to do and get to know my profs for recs if i want to go on to PhD. Any thoughts ona 1 year vs 2 MA?</p>
<p>I am a similar position, in African Studies. I have a fully funded 1-year program versus a 2-year with no year one funding and a good shot at year two money. I change my mind every five minutes. The way I see it, you won't be in a great position to apply for a PhD this coming fall, anyway, because you won't have built up recs and writing samples. If I had gotten funding, I'd definitely go for the two-year-- I want that extra time to figure out my life. If I take the one-year, I will try to study my language and research abroad (or work) for a year before continuing into a terminal degree. Any feelings on which program is better, both in terms of reputation and for you?</p>
<p>I briefly thought about doing a 1 year MA in the UK, but in the end decided against it. My reasoning: this is probably the last time I'm going to be a full-time student. I really want to get as much as I can out of it in terms of coursework, skill development, etc. Some people seem more focused on getting the MA itself for professional reasons, so I suppose if you're more looking to put it on your resume, a 1 year program might be a better option. If you're seriously considering a PhD, it might also be a good option, though I would just apply for a PhD with funding instead of paying for a MA program. my .02</p>