<p>I mentioned on another post, that I kinda ****ed up undergrad in engineering but I still am keen to pursue graduate school in places like Harvard. And yet, another part of me really wants to switch over to Anthropology/Archaeology. Is it possible to get a ALM from HES in a different subject field than the bachelor degree? Would an HES degree enable me to academically switch careers and then pursue further studies in that field? I am pretty much guaranteed graduate school in my department at U of T, so is it still worth it? I am getting a lot of contradictory information, so any insight will help.</p>
<p>Why some place like Harvard? Graduate school rankings work differently than undergrad; you have to look at places that are ranked within your field. The rankings in engineering are going to be different from the rankings in anthropology, for example. (Far as I know Harvard’s not highly ranked in engineering, but they do have a good reputation in anthropology.)</p>
<p>In any case, it is indeed possible to get a master’s degree in anthropology and switch fields. A lot of people do switch fields by doing just that. Depending on where you live and how much money you’ve got lying around, it may be smarter to get a master’s degree in anthropology from a less expensive school that still has a good reputation in the field and then apply to PhD programs at places that are better reputed in anthro.</p>
<p>What does “guaranteed graduate school” mean? I would take that very carefully, as few people are guaranteed even when their home departments look very highly upon them. Besides that, you don’t select a graduate program based on convenience unless you’re just earning a credential to make more money. If you’re serious about academia or working in the field as an archaeologist/anthropologist, you need to pick a graduate program that suits you as far as the research of the professors and your own academic goals and interests go.</p>
<p>Seeing as I have an undergrad in engineering, no graduate anthropology program would accept me.</p>
<p>Does anyone know if undergrad GPA matters for graduate admission to HES?</p>
<p>Yes you can change fields.</p>
<p>Most often, people pick up the coursework necessary at a local public community college or university. Some complete a full second degree (usually this takes about two years because many earlier credits transfer), others just select coursework that is pre-requisite for the graduate courses that they want to take. In either case, it is very important to earn excellent grades and to develop good relationships with the faculty members who will write the LORs.</p>