<p>Hey guys, so I graduated last year from UCLA with a double major in history and poli. sci. I wanted to go get a History MA from UCLA but they don't offer a terminal MA in the department; I'd be expected to go for the Phd which is something I don't feel prepared to commit to right now. So I'm about to go to Cal State LA to get their History MA. I know it's not as good of a school, but USC is way too expensive and I doubt I could get enough financial aid to cover even half the tuition, and CSUN is too far for me so I really don't have any other options. </p>
<p>Also, I don't really know exactly what I'm going to do with my MA. I just know that' history is my favorite subject and it's been a goal of mine to pursue grad studies in the field.</p>
<p>If you don’t know what you are going to do, then why get an MA in history? A graduate degree’s purpose is to prepare you for work in some field. Therefore, you would get an MA in history if you wanted to work as a historian in some capacity. If you just love history and want to study it, you can get a library card and audit the occasional class or attend the occasional lecture.If you don’t know what you are going to do, then why get an MA in history? A graduate degree’s purpose is to prepare you for work in some field. Therefore, you would get an MA in history if you wanted to work as a historian in some capacity. If you just love history and want to study it, you can get a library card and audit the occasional class or attend the occasional lecture.</p>
<p>Were I you, I would hold off attending graduate school until I was sure what I wanted to do.</p>
<p>Update: Doesn’t look like I’ll get to go this year anyway due to some technical errors on my part with the application plus a lack of sufficient financial aid.</p>
<p>I’ve got another question though. Let’s say I wait 3 or 4 years to apply again there or at another college and find work in the meantime. Would the fact that there’s such a long gap between the time I got my BA and the time I’m applying hurt my chances of acceptance?</p>
<p>No, no, no, a million times no. Time off between a bachelor’s degree and graduate school can only help one’s application - particularly if that time is spent gaining career experience related to one’s chosen graduate field.</p>
<p>I have an idea: instead of simply telling you that you should either: a) go out into the workforce because a Ph.D. is not practical or b) tell you to go for either degree because it would be an amazing experience, why not tell you your options and help you sort it out?</p>
<p>First things first: do you want to be an historian or do you have another specific career in mind? The problem is, if you are hell-bent on becoming an historian, you might be taking a big risk if you don’t go for the Ph.D. Also, you should know if the degree leads to a good career. If not, would you be willing to simply study history outside of academia? Because, if you absolutely need to get a master’s degree to satisfy your interest, then it’s your choice - nobody should be telling you otherwise. Further, could you change your mind about a Ph.D.? And does UCLA give an M.A. en route to obtaining a Ph.D.? If that’s the case, you could go for the Ph.D., and if you don’t feel comfortable, drop out after the M.A… Next, would you be willing to postpone your career in pursuit of an M.A.? If so, you might want to go for it, because you would probably have nothing to lose. Is there another degree you’re somewhat interested in pursuing, and is it more related to a specific career you have in mind? If so, you might want to come up with a plan for obtaining that instead. Another idea: if you haven’t already, you might want to search for other forums and post your questions there - to get another opinion or a better opinion (“The Grad Cafe” gets more traffic and might be able to better answer your question). As I said, I don’t want to tell you exactly what to do, but if any of these questions jump out at you, they should lead you down the right path to either obtaining the right degree or going out into the workforce to pursue other options… And, if you have any other questions or need some clarification, just ask…</p>
<p>(And as for the gap in your resume because of recent circumstances, I’m not familiar with how a graduate committee would look at this, so maybe someone else can take a shot at it… The only thing I can think of is that maybe you want to apply again next year - if it’s feasible…)</p>
<p>To expand on what I said: it is very common for people to take one, two, five or even 10 years off of school between the time they finish their bachelor’s degree and the time they enroll in a graduate program. Unless you have done nothing but sit on the beach for that entire time, that is not a “gap” at all. If you use that time to gain professional experience in your chosen field, you will, in fact, have improved your chances of admission.</p>
<p>For example, someone might get a bachelor’s degree in forestry and go to work in the field for several years. If they desire to increase their knowledge, they might apply for a graduate program in forestry — and will have a better chance of being admitted than someone applying with only a freshly-minted bachelor’s degree.</p>
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Lots of people will tell you otherwise if you’re borrowing tens of thousands of dollars in student loans merely to satisfy one’s own interests — with no particular career goals in mind. Because that’s not financially sensible. Borrowing lots of money for graduate school should only be done as part of a well-thought-out plan with specific career objectives. Graduate school is a means to an end, not an end in itself.</p>