Contemplation

[kitsuki_noriyuki]

So I'm looking at my future and while I sorta have an idea about what I might do I'm throwing out some ideas and curious about what other people think.

So we're talking degree programs today. Right now I'm in a BA+BS program that will have me graduating in 2011 with my certificate to teach high school history. This is fact and will only be changed by me failing chinese at some point and having to retake a semester of that which will kill my soul.

Now by state law in Missouri if I don't have 15 credit hours towards my Master's in 5 years I get my license to teach yanked. So I have multiple options to get my MA and that is what we're really talking about.

OPTION 1-The don't sweat it option-As presented to me today by Dr. Tsieh, head of the UMSL College of History's Graduate Studies-Finish my BA+BS then after I'm working take one, one graduate level class per semester. One class Spring, Summer, and Fall Semester will have me complete a research MA in 4 years. This works good while teaching because it isn't a big load of classes distracting you from your work and then you're finished with the MA rather than only the required half complete. Upside two is that I'm working which means I won't be so dirt poor.

Option 2-The classic MA program-As presented by Dr. Westhoff, coordinating advisor for students in the BA+BS program specializing in History/Social Science-Don't sweat rushing on your MA. Either enter the normal MA program straight after the BA+BS or work a few years then do so and still complete the MA in the window of time allowed to get it half done. The downside here is I'm taking 32-36 hours of classes that won't be under a Pell Grant as you get cut off from that once you have your first BA/BS level degree completed, although that is why colleges still have slave labor, I mean GAs.

Option 3-The Suicide Death March AKA the 2+3 Program-As figured out by Dr. Westhoff and I beating our heads against the crappy website that explained it for 45 minutes-So how this works is I have my 100 level history classes, I take all my other electives(done), my education classes, and my language requirements(almost done). Instead of any junior or senior level history classes, of which I have 9 credit hours completed at the moment, I take 36 hours of graduate level classes and then graduate with a BA, BS and MA. Problem 1-even at best speed I will need multiple summer sessions to finish this by 2012. Problem 2-I will typically have to take two grad level history classes and two other classes in a semester. Problem 3-The kicker- I will likely have to take at least one, possibly two semesters at full time that are ALL graduate level history courses. Thats 12-15 hours of graduate courses in a semester, pretty sure it is actually more often 15 than 12 to get everything done by 2012. The financial upside here is that Since you finish all three degrees at once you get your Pell Grant the entire ride.

I've been waffling on option 3 there since I first heard about it, but after what Dr. Westhoff and I figured out combined with what Dr. Tsieh told me, Option 3 is sounding worse and worse. There is something about the idea of taking 3 500 level classes at once while taking anything else that makes my stomach churn, I'm managing to not think about the semesters I'll be taking 5 of them. So I know what I'm thinking at the moment, I'm curious what other people have to say at the moment. I have lots of people that either are or have been in grad school as readers, and others that just are good sources of advice. Sound off everybody, I'm interested in your thoughts. I go back and register for classes Tuesday next week.

Comments

[electrichobbit.livejournal.com]

Run away from option 3. It sounds horrifying.

[kitsukinoriyuki.livejournal.com]

Yeah the way Dr. Tsieh was telling it to me they're supposed to sell you on the idea as early as possible so that you have more undergrad classes left to intermix with the grad level courses. Taking one 500 and 3 100s isn't too bad, but when you start having to do multiple 20+ page papers and all the crap for other classes that you see people start exploding. As it is I have 2 semesters of education classes, my senior seminar, a fistful of history classes and my student teaching left. I really don't have enough left to mix in with it to not make it murder.

[jerware.livejournal.com]

As tempting as finishing quickly may sound, Option 3 is likely to destroy your soul. I'd go with Option 1, as being poor gets old.

[undeadeel.livejournal.com]

Option 4: Quit school, steal an old beaten down car, tear up a trenchcoat, and then wander the back roads and interstates of America like a weird, real life Mad Max.