<p>I know this may sound stupid, but I am currently enrolled in a one year M.A. program at the same university I just received my B.A. at (graduated summa cum laude, double major in Anthropology and Spanish, 4.0., wrote thesis etc.). I basically went to the program b/c I was uncertain what I wanted to do this upcoming year and was offered an almost full scholarship to attend. While it is in a field I enjoy and is preparing me to teach it (it is an M.Ed. in Spanish), I am not sure that in a year that I will want to "end" my education there and simply teach most likely in a middle/high school setting.</p>
<p>My friends and family think I am crazy, but I am actually looking into various M.A./PhD programs in both Spanish, as well as Anthropology to apply to during next year. I have basically everything in line to apply to either programs, minus the GRE (I did not need them to be admitted "in-house" to the program I am currently in. I am however, registered for a Kaplan course to take this fall and plan to take the test in either late October/early November. Recommendations, writing samples, resume/cv, etc. are not a problem. </p>
<p>A friend of mine said getting a professional degree and then applying for a PhD program will look "bad." But my argument is, if I excel in that program as well, won't that serve as an advantage...not to mention my undergrad record too?</p>
<p>Really, why do you want to go for the PhD? What are you really interested in? I men, Anthro and Spanish Lit are a bit… different in terms of methodology.</p>
<p>How is it being “directionless” when I am in a program for a discipline I love and was offered a full scholarship to attend…plus it was only a year? I am pretty sure I would like to do research at the PhD level in Anth. and teach it at the college level…I don’t see how having an MEd will “hurt me”…the reason I didn’t go into that program right now, is because I wanted some credentials if I ever wanted to work with Spanish…plus I don’t think having an MEd will hurt if I want to teach at any level!</p>
<p>It will not hurt you. Right now, you need to concentrate on making your case for a PhD program. I’m concerned because you haven’t mentioned anything about research, something that will be a bigger factor than a one-year teaching degree. </p>
<p>As others have noted, your Spanish-or-Anthropology statement suggests a lack of the necessary passion and commitment to gain entry into a PhD program. You can spin just about anything, including a teaching degree, into an SOP as long as the details demonstrate a commitment to research in the chosen field. But you have to have that passion. That said, I’ve known people who have applied to two distinct fields like that and then decided once they’ve had their acceptances in hand, but the amount of work to do that is tremendous. </p>
<p>It’s okay to state in your SOP that you learned during your M.Ed. program that you weren’t satisfied teaching middle-school Spanish, that you want to dig into original sources and analyze them (or whatever it is that you want to do.)</p>
<p>Thanks for all of the responses. Like I said, I am in the program right now mostly because they gave me a full scholarship and I needed more time to “think” about what path I wanted to take for an MA/PhD program. I figured I would get this degree, keep my skills “sharp,” use the time to assess what it is I wanted to study extensively, and then reapply to schools this fall for the following year.</p>
<p>I know I did that with my undergrad kind of. I went to a school for a while, before transferring to a more prestigious one after a year. </p>
<p>Like I said, I am leaning towards Anthropology more than anything, always have been. I should have specified that in my original thread. I also have done much research in BOTH fields as an undergraduate and have a very good research resume. I am not directionless, needed more time to think. Rather than getting a full time job I figured I would enroll in the free program I am currently in and pick up the extra degree while I had the chance. I agree with the last post, it won’t “hurt” me and I don’t get why people say that. Had I gotten an unrelated job then applied, I highly doubt that would have been better! I just don’t see someone opening up my file and going “oh boy he has an MEd, reject him,” provided I do well in the program when it starts this fall and keep building that resume. Am I wrong in saying that? And I have direction! I want a PhD in Anthropology and to teach at the college level!</p>
<p>p.s. It is my fault I was not as clear about this in my opening thread about how I am only applying to one track (Anth. or Span.) and am HEAVILY leaning towards Anth. b/c I love the field and have done most of my research in it. My apologies!</p>
<p>Are you aware of just how difficult the job market is for anthropology professors? </p>
<p>If I were an adcom, I’d wonder if you’d want to do your fieldwork in Latin America, Spain, or other places with heavy Spanish-speaking population because you have such strong Spanish background (a real asset to doing fieldwork in these places).</p>
<p>You need to be quite persuasive in your SOP that Spanish is NOT what you want to do… despite being in this “free” program for a M.Ed in Spanish AT THE MOMENT. That’s where I’m having trouble understanding. If you wait to apply for Fall 2014, after finishing your M.Ed and teaching a year of Spansih and go into your second year of teaching, I’d buy your argument more easily that you’re discovering that you’d rather do anthropological research than teach middle school Spanish.</p>
<p>What about Spanish Literature from cultural perspective?</p>
<p>Thanks again for the great input. I would like to, if possible, do research on Spanish culture and anth…a lot of my undergrad work combined the two and that is where I really felt in my element…</p>
<p>I understand all of you points. I go back and forth b/c basically I always wanted to teach in a hs…but then once I began performing the way I did as an undergrad people seemed to become VERY critical of that. I personally see nothing wrong with teaching, I just get kind of weird when people give me an attitude about it. That is the main reasons I am contemplating another degree immediately after this one.</p>
<p>Here’s something else I have been thinking about. Would it be possible for me to teach let’s say Spanish in a hs for several years, save, and then go for another MA/PhD if I still want one? I always worry that once I leave academia as a student it will be impossible to get back in. Would it even be possible to maybe teach hs and get my PhD at the same time? My parents asked me to maybe consider something like this…I mean I am in the program now largely b/c of the money, but also b/c I did have some interest in it as well obviously (or I of course wouldn’t be there!)…So basically, if I became a Spanish teacher for a while, could I make a “comeback” either for a PhD in another field and/or maybe an advanced degree in Spanish itself and/or teaching it (i.e. EdD, etc.)?</p>
<p>Go ahead and teach Spanish. Since you have to teach students literature and culture of Latin America, you should get a better idea of which excites you more. Your students will certainly pick up on your energy and if you get excited and look forward to planning those particular lessons, then perhaps that’s the type of PhD program you should look into.</p>
<p>Grad school will always be there. I do think that being a teacher will certainly keep you focused as I remember a number of high school teachers whom I knew taking pride in having a masters because they could keep on learning (and earn more money!). It’s impossible to do PhD coursework and teach HS at the same time. But you can always tutor for extra money while in a PhD program.</p>
<p>I usually agree with TMP, but not this time. If you really want to do a PhD program in anthropology, then teaching Spanish for several years is going to hurt you. You will have created a lot of distance from your anthropology days and might seem as though you are pursuing a PhD because you don’t like working.</p>
<p>I would suggest going straight from the M.Ed to anthropology since then the PhD program seems like an extension of your education even though it is in a different field. One year of teaching wouldn’t be too bad, although it will start to give the impression that you don’t have focus.</p>
<p>If you wanted to do a PhD in Spanish, then several years of teaching will not hurt you at all and may even help.</p>