• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Quick question about grad school

Superfly

Superfly

Salty, defiant, and completely non-compliant.
DP Veteran
Joined
Jul 27, 2011
Messages
54,792
Reaction score
43,125
Location
From Tucson to Tucumcari, Tehachapi to Tonopah
Gender
Female
Political Leaning
Independent
So I applied for grad school today, but I don't want to take what I had originally majored in for undergrad.

I graduated undergrad with a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies. I had many social science/psych classes, so that was my concentration.

I was thinking I might rather go to grad school for history. Might want to be a history teacher.

Would I need to go back to undergrad and take more history-oriented classes?

Or since my BS is in interdisciplinary, can I just take history instead?
 
Superfly said:
So I applied for grad school today, but I don't want to take what I had originally majored in for undergrad.

I graduated undergrad with a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies. I had many social science/psych classes, so that was my concentration.

I was thinking I might rather go to grad school for history. Might want to be a history teacher.

Would I need to go back to undergrad and take more history-oriented classes?

Or since my BS is in interdisciplinary, can I just take history instead?
Click to expand...

The interdisciplinary is the space between which specific disciplines? I'm guessing not history and something else. I stayed in my field throughout, so I'm only guessing, but I think you might want a couple courses just to make sure your foundation is robust enough to provide a solid platform for exploration.

My interdisciplinary is the space between ecology and anthro/sociology.

For those readers unfamiliar, interdisciplinary is not multidisciplinary. It's not ecology and anthropology, it's what falls between them. One must learn each discipline, but it's not as much about combining them as it is looking between them.
 
ecofarm said:
The interdisciplinary is the space between which specific disciplines? I'm guessing not history and something else. I stayed in my field throughout, so I'm only guessing, but I think you might want a couple courses just to make sure your foundation is robust enough to provide a solid platform for exploration.

My interdisciplinary is the space between ecology and anthro/sociology.

For those readers unfamiliar, interdisciplinary is not multidisciplinary. It's not ecology and anthropology, it's what falls between them. One must learn each discipline, but it's not as much about combining them as it is looking between them.
Click to expand...

Psych and Social Science
 
Superfly said:
So I applied for grad school today, but I don't want to take what I had originally majored in for undergrad.

I graduated undergrad with a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies. I had many social science/psych classes, so that was my concentration.

I was thinking I might rather go to grad school for history. Might want to be a history teacher.

Would I need to go back to undergrad and take more history-oriented classes?

Or since my BS is in interdisciplinary, can I just take history instead?
Click to expand...



That's what your advisor is for. Your grad courses will probably have prereqs, which might mean you need to take some undergrad history, but maybe not an onerous amount. And/or maybe there will be some bridge courses made specially for history grad students who cross over from other majors.

Ask at the school.
 
Go to trade school & learn auto mechanics or HVAC. Much more lucrative. Unless you have a gold mine in your basement & just don't care how you waste the rest of your life.
 
Superfly said:
So I applied for grad school today, but I don't want to take what I had originally majored in for undergrad.

I graduated undergrad with a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies. I had many social science/psych classes, so that was my concentration.

I was thinking I might rather go to grad school for history. Might want to be a history teacher.

Would I need to go back to undergrad and take more history-oriented classes?

Or since my BS is in interdisciplinary, can I just take history instead?
Click to expand...

There are usually grad-level classes available to make up for undergrad shortcomings. The cases I know of where cross-education becomes problematic is when seeking a STEM related grad degree with an undergrad in liberal arts. But, even that can be overcome.
 
calamity said:
There are usually grad-level classes available to make up for undergrad shortcomings. The cases I know of where cross-education becomes problematic is when seeking a STEM related grad degree with an undergrad in liberal arts. But, even that can be overcome.
Click to expand...

And where exactly can you get a job today with even an advanced LA degree?
 
I'm sure each state's teaching certification requirements differ, but if you want to teach history, might you get a masters in education, with an emphasis in history? In which case you might be missing undergrad education courses. But you'll need those one way or another to teach at high school level. MA in history and you can enter college teaching, but will need to go PHD to stay there.
 
Amelia said:
That's what your advisor is for. Your grad courses will probably have prereqs, which might mean you need to take some undergrad history, but maybe not an onerous amount. And/or maybe there will be some bridge courses made specially for history grad students who cross over from other majors.

Ask at the school.
Click to expand...

OK good idea.
 
JMR said:
I'm sure each state's teaching certification requirements differ, but if you want to teach history, might you get a masters in education, with an emphasis in history? In which case you might be missing undergrad education courses. But you'll need those one way or another to teach at high school level. MA in history and you can enter college teaching, but will need to go PHD to stay there.
Click to expand...

I was thinking college level. Maybe teach a few online classes. Husband isn't in the best of health, and I don't want to leave him for long stretches at a time.
 
Superfly said:
I was thinking college level. Maybe teach a few online classes. Husband isn't in the best of health, and I don't want to leave him for long stretches at a time.
Click to expand...

That would be a nice fit for you. Hope you can make it work.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom