<p>Hello, I am a freshman at University. I am thinking about post graduation options, realizing slowly that the fields I'm interested mandate early interest. </p>
<p>I am interested in a cross-sectional area of history/English, looking at manifestations of historical events in literature. </p>
<p>I've also been thinking about alternatives, the top option being Law School, hoping to develop skills in an (somewhat pretentious I know) intellectual field, maybe intellectual property, environmental, or constitutional law. </p>
<p>Though a little uncertain, I'd like to make a start sampling the field. Would it be inappropriate for me to make a drive to ask professors about research opportunities during the year and summer?</p>
<p>Would this give me insight in to academic fields? </p>
<p>Are there any steps you can suggest I take to strengthen a resume, survey career options, and getting involved with stuff I enjoy, over a 4 year period?</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>History/English is big with the Modern Language Association. Big, I tell you! So, go through your University web site and look at the little faculty profile section which an English Department would have. Then, e mail whoever is into this with History/English research and schedule a little meeting with them. </p>
<p>I cannot help you a whole lot because of how you did not specify what it is you like exactly. And, I am also really tired today! L O L </p>
<p>I will stop by this thread again on Sunday (^_^)</p>
<p>I'm in the same position. I've spent the last few weeks talking to coordinators from about 10 different departments (regarding my interests and how I could incorporate them into a degree). I've altered my plans quite significantly over that time and have finally declared a major. I'll be doing a double in "Medieval and Early Modern Studies" and "Comparative Literature", with a minor in Women's/Gender Studies. I'm mainly interested in looking at the portrayal of women and gender in Medieval and Early Modern European and American Literature. I'm luck that one of the professors is writing a book about the portrayal of women as witches and how it has evolved in America since the Salem Witch Trials. Something right up my alley. So in the fall I'm going to approach her about if she needs help with research, etc.</p>
<p>I mention all this, because if you are able to narrow your focus a little (although it's already narrower than most undergrads I've met), then you might be able to find a project you could volunteer your time towards. Is there a specific time frame or series of events you might be particularly interested in? Are you only interested in British and American Literature, or would you also be interested in other language Literatures? (Maybe you could get involved in the Classics department researching literature depicting ancient events or in the German department researching literature about the Holocaust, etc).</p>