Hey All, Since joining this board, I have been weighing several different academic options very seriously and have finally come to a conclusion of what I would like to pursue. First of all, for various reasons I have decided not to complete my MDiv studies at Liberty. I have always been passionate about the area of History and would love to teach at the community college level. However, many of the MA programs in History do not have history courses as much as they do research methods and other similar courses. What I felt would be my best option would be to pursue a 36 hour MA in Interdisciplinary Studies. This would allow me to take 18 credits in History courses and 18 in another concentration - making me qualified to teach two different subjects. Here are my questions. First of all, can anyone recommend affordable regionally accredited MA programs in Interdisciplinary Studies where one concentration is in History? Also, I already have an MA in another area from Liberty. Would it be wiser for me to pursue a doctorate? Is that even feasible considering my goals? Do they have doctorates in Interdisciplinary Studies? Sorry for all the questions, but I know you guys can help me out. Thanks!
Western New Mexico University has exactly that program, and there are alumni here on this forum who will likely chime in about their experience with it.
Hey Steve, I looked into their program, and it seemed ideal. There just seemed to be a huge gap between in-state and out-of-state tuition. However, I do like it.
Any more replies on the subject? I'd be particularly interested to hear from WNMU grads on the program and what type of proctors are required, tuition costs for more than 6 hours or any other information about that program or any other related programs. Also, what about the possibility of pursuing a doctorate in Interdisciplinary Studies as opposed to another Master's. Thanks!
A PhD in History is only slightly more valuable than a PhD in Philosophy (you want fries with that?). A Masters in Philosophy is only slightly less valuable that a Masters in History. Point? Don't get a Masters in History. Get a PhD.
A Ph.D. in any field, including Philosophy or History, can be extremely valuable to the recipient. The key is to know why you're doing it and what you expect from it. Going blindly into a field not in high demand is a recipe for disappointment, sure. But knowing what you're doing and why--and the likelihood of success--can make such a decision turn out to be a winner. As with most things at that level, it is complicated, personal, and has lots of variables. No pat answers from a discussion thread will do.
The only Doctorate in Interdisciplinary Studies I am aware of is at Georgetown, and unfortunately it isn't available via distance nor is it affordable.
I can highly recommend the Master of History at the University of New England in Australia to you. UNE - Humanities - Master of History UNE is one of Australia's leading distance education universities and has been involved in the field for many years. This degree was designed primarily for secondary school history teachers or teachers wanting to enter the history field. History is now a priority area in Australian schools so many teachers are interesed in this degree. It is open to everyone and I do know that there are overseas students. All the subjects are online. I am in the last part of this degree myself and it is my second UNE master's degree. All Australian universities operate under legislation so there are no issues here about accreditation. Nor is there any stigma attached to online study. A good point about this degree is that you can include modern and ancient history without any problems. There is also a MA in history as well in which you can do exactly the same study if you wish, but you do not have to do the required units as in the M. Hist. In the MA you can study other fields as well.
Their Doctor of Liberal Studies is not available by distance and isn't going to be ever, but it's still less than $40K altogether, which while it isn't pocket change is pretty good for Georgetown.
Well, I think I may have found a solution but would love to hear your input. Since I already hold an MA and my desire is to teach History at the community college level, could I not just earn a Graduate Certificate in History from APU/AMU? It has 18 credit hours and that would allow me to teach. Or would it be better to go for the full degree? Thanks all!
Technically, the Graduate Certificate would meet the minimum qualification, but you will be competing with individuals who have completed their PhD degrees.
