<p>Hi, my undergraduate major is Political Science (General), but I want to apply for a history Ph.D program, could I do that?
If yes, does changing polisci major reduce the chance to be accepted to a history Ph.D program?</p>
<p>Please leave any advice to me, thanks a lot!</p>
<p>You could apply, but chances of admission depend on a number of considerations. You might have better chances applying to an MA program first.
Some considerations relevant to your prospects of admission:
-Do you have undergrad history courses in which you performed well? Are these courses in your proposed history specialty?
-Do you have relevant languages for your proposed history specialty?
-Do you have a very good extended writing sample?
-What are your reasons for switching to history?
-Can your bring special perspectives or analytic tools to bear on historical problems (e.g., statistics)?
-Are your areas of interest in political science relevant to one or more of the history specialties? (e.g., international relations for diplomatic or military history; an area studies focus; history of political thought for intellectual history; etc.)
-What reading have you done in history?</p>
<p>[Guide</a> to Graduate School in History](<a href=“Division of Information Technology”>Division of Information Technology)
[Switching</a> Fields for Graduate Study](<a href=“http://gradschool.about.com/od/choosingaprogram/f/switch.htm]Switching”>Applying to Go to Graduate School for a Different Major)</p>
<p>Hi, it is quite nice of you to reply me! My background is that I am an international student from China at the University of Minnesota, and have finished my bachelor degree for 3 years. I am now interning at the governor office, teaching math at International Institute of Minnesota, and volunteering at a non-profit organization.
My major is Political Science with a minor in Management at Carlson School of Management. My cumulative GPA is 3.01; my major GPA is 3.11.<br>
I took 2 history courses at the University of Minnesota-Modern Chinese history and African history. Since I am greatly interested in modern Chinese history (4000 level class; got A- in this course), my field of study is supposed to be Chinese history. If I am not admitted to a Ph.D program, then I probably study Chinese politics, American politics and political psychology. In fact, I took more courses on comparative politics at college. One of the courses I took is Chinese politics (4000 level class; got A-in this course).
Chinese is my native language. Otherwise, I do a 17-page single-space research paper on Egyptian revolution directed by a African politics professor or a scholar; a 9-page single-space research paper on Chiang Kai-shek; and other several papers on SEA politics or on American politics. Otherwise, I wrote a book review for Hungry Ghosts Mao’s Secret Famine graded by a modern Chinese history scholar.
The main reason I plan to switch to history is that I, personally, prefer the history academic environment. History focuses on more facts, which means that history attempts to how something develops or is evolving. Politics get involved with more arguments-sometimes, they twist or bias against the opposite opinions.
We have read the Search for Modern China written by Spence, Policing Shanghai, Hungry Ghosts Mao’s Secret Famine, SEA history, African history, the Vietnam Wars, Living Silence: Burma under Military Rule, third parties in America (American third parties history) and so on.</p>
<p>Therefore, how much chance do I have to be admitted by a history Ph.D program? Or applying for a Politic Science Ph.D program has a bigger chance?
Could you recommend some safe schools to me?</p>
<p>Still wanna to hear Zapfino’s advice, if Zapfino could see this post!!!</p>
<p>If you only took two history courses as an undergrad, your chances of being admitted directly to a history Ph.D program are very, very slim.</p>
<p>Thanks for your posting, so applying for a polisci program may be a better choice?</p>
<p>btw, could you recommend some safe schools to me?</p>