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Help from the academics on the board?
Posted on 2/3/20 at 6:17 pm
Posted on 2/3/20 at 6:17 pm
I’m getting ready to spend the next 5–6 years overseas doing PhD work and would love any advice y’all have for that time period and afterwards for maximizing my ability to get a job in the USA when I get done. If I gotta go back to school and finish my engineering degree and rot away at a desk job for the rest of my life, so be it, but I’d really like to avoid that if at all possible. I left my engineering program for a reason, haha.
History undergrad. Have spent the last four years in a master’s program at Emory doing mostly biblical studies, with a year of that studying in Munich to learn German. Got an article out already and I’ve presented at a conference. Got more on the docket for both. I’ve helped edit a book. I take any German->English translation job that shows up in my inbox. About to spend a year in an MA program in archaeology in Israel, and am in the process of talking with advisors in Israel and Europe to figure out how exactly to have that segue into a split PhD between an Israeli archaeology department and a German biblical studies one. Managed to be in the right place at the right time for a lot of that and I’m hoping it works out. Gonna be involved with a lot of really cool, cutting-edge research and I’m super pumped about it.
BUT:
I’ll be trained mostly as an historian, somewhat as an archaeologist but definitely not as a theologian (which I reckon is where most of the jobs would be, at small religious colleges etc etc). Unless my rate of German learning picks up with a quickness, I doubt I’ll be teaching any classes during my PhD work. I’m well enough connected in Europe at the moment (by master’s student standards) but won’t really be very much in the US.
I’m not gonna come out of it with any debt, so that’s nice, but I still sorta feel like I’m embarking on some lamed-down, pseudo-search for the Ark of the Covenant that’s gonna end with me working too much at the margins of a whole lot of different fields but not deeply enough in any area that would make me employable.
pls help sos I don’t want to spend my life in front of a computer
ETA: if the advice is “talk to people in your field about it,” I do that maybe a little too much as it is; just looking for more data points to take into consideration I guess
History undergrad. Have spent the last four years in a master’s program at Emory doing mostly biblical studies, with a year of that studying in Munich to learn German. Got an article out already and I’ve presented at a conference. Got more on the docket for both. I’ve helped edit a book. I take any German->English translation job that shows up in my inbox. About to spend a year in an MA program in archaeology in Israel, and am in the process of talking with advisors in Israel and Europe to figure out how exactly to have that segue into a split PhD between an Israeli archaeology department and a German biblical studies one. Managed to be in the right place at the right time for a lot of that and I’m hoping it works out. Gonna be involved with a lot of really cool, cutting-edge research and I’m super pumped about it.
BUT:
I’ll be trained mostly as an historian, somewhat as an archaeologist but definitely not as a theologian (which I reckon is where most of the jobs would be, at small religious colleges etc etc). Unless my rate of German learning picks up with a quickness, I doubt I’ll be teaching any classes during my PhD work. I’m well enough connected in Europe at the moment (by master’s student standards) but won’t really be very much in the US.
I’m not gonna come out of it with any debt, so that’s nice, but I still sorta feel like I’m embarking on some lamed-down, pseudo-search for the Ark of the Covenant that’s gonna end with me working too much at the margins of a whole lot of different fields but not deeply enough in any area that would make me employable.
pls help sos I don’t want to spend my life in front of a computer
ETA: if the advice is “talk to people in your field about it,” I do that maybe a little too much as it is; just looking for more data points to take into consideration I guess
This post was edited on 2/3/20 at 8:06 pm
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Posted on 2/3/20 at 6:56 pm to TheSandman
I would suggest marketing yourself, that sounds so very bad, as a Biblical Historian/Archaeologist to potential colleges.
Believe it or not I think someone that could present themselves as a historian with enough of a background in archeology and theology to qualify as a Biblical Historian could very likely find work in the US.
I am sure you could do a general history class for the undergrads. Then a Biblical history for the undergrads a bit more interested. Then, say, Biblical history as relates to the Old Testament. Or Biblical History in the New Testament and the spread of Christianity into Europe.
If you get enough interest trot out a Biblical history of the Egyptian Copts and Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Go with the spread of Christianity into Eastern Europe and the Orthodox church of Byzantium.
Don't see it as limiting your area of expertise because every historian limits their area of expertise. See it as picking an area of expertise that even non history majors might be interested in.
Believe it or not I think someone that could present themselves as a historian with enough of a background in archeology and theology to qualify as a Biblical Historian could very likely find work in the US.
I am sure you could do a general history class for the undergrads. Then a Biblical history for the undergrads a bit more interested. Then, say, Biblical history as relates to the Old Testament. Or Biblical History in the New Testament and the spread of Christianity into Europe.
If you get enough interest trot out a Biblical history of the Egyptian Copts and Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Go with the spread of Christianity into Eastern Europe and the Orthodox church of Byzantium.
Don't see it as limiting your area of expertise because every historian limits their area of expertise. See it as picking an area of expertise that even non history majors might be interested in.
Posted on 2/3/20 at 7:11 pm to TheSandman
Learn to code. You're welcome.
Posted on 2/3/20 at 7:35 pm to Arksulli
quote:...Okay I hadn’t considered that as a helpful route for employability’s sake. I already know Ge’ez and will be picking Coptic up soon enough. That’s... extremely helpful
Or Biblical History in the New Testament and the spread of Christianity into Europe.
If you get enough interest trot out a Biblical history of the Egyptian Copts and Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Go with the spread of Christianity into Eastern Europe and the Orthodox church of Byzantium.
quote:I left software engineering after three years. I know how to code. I hate it.
Learn to code. You're welcome.
Posted on 2/3/20 at 11:20 pm to TheSandman
Yikes. I thought you were only going to be over there for 2 years
What’s your ideal job when you get back? Not necessarily a field or job title, but what do you want to do on a day to day basis?
What’s your ideal job when you get back? Not necessarily a field or job title, but what do you want to do on a day to day basis?
Posted on 2/4/20 at 8:58 am to TheSandman
Drop out and cook meth
Posted on 2/6/20 at 8:34 am to The Nino
quote:I wish
Yikes. I thought you were only going to be over there for 2 years
If I had my way I'd never live outside of Lee County ever again haha quote:Would love to teach at a college or university somewhere, ideally in a history or archaeology department. Could also work for an academic press without much complaint. Reckon I may end up having to get more creative with this down the line.
What’s your ideal job when you get back? Not necessarily a field or job title, but what do you want to do on a day to day basis?
tbh I just want to spend my life reading and doing research, even if that's gotta be on the side of some other, full-time job
Posted on 2/8/20 at 9:21 am to TheSandman
Go rewatch all the Indiana Jones movies. You’re welcome and adventure awaits you.
Posted on 2/10/20 at 9:11 am to TheSandman
quote:I see nowhere in your post about what you enjoy doing the most. I've pretty much lived my life, and can certainly attest to what the most important things in ones life will be when it's all said and done.
I’m getting ready to spend the next 5–6 years overseas doing PhD work and would love any advice y’all have for that time period and afterwards for maximizing my ability to get a job in the USA when I get done. If I gotta go back to school and finish my engineering degree and rot away at a desk job for the rest of my life, so be it, but I’d really like to avoid that if at all possible. I left my engineering program for a reason, haha.
History undergrad. Have spent the last four years in a master’s program at Emory doing mostly biblical studies, with a year of that studying in Munich to learn German. Got an article out already and I’ve presented at a conference. Got more on the docket for both. I’ve helped edit a book. I take any German->English translation job that shows up in my inbox. About to spend a year in an MA program in archaeology in Israel, and am in the process of talking with advisors in Israel and Europe to figure out how exactly to have that segue into a split PhD between an Israeli archaeology department and a German biblical studies one. Managed to be in the right place at the right time for a lot of that and I’m hoping it works out. Gonna be involved with a lot of really cool, cutting-edge research and I’m super pumped about it.
BUT:
I’ll be trained mostly as an historian, somewhat as an archaeologist but definitely not as a theologian (which I reckon is where most of the jobs would be, at small religious colleges etc etc). Unless my rate of German learning picks up with a quickness, I doubt I’ll be teaching any classes during my PhD work. I’m well enough connected in Europe at the moment (by master’s student standards) but won’t really be very much in the US.
I’m not gonna come out of it with any debt, so that’s nice, but I still sorta feel like I’m embarking on some lamed-down, pseudo-search for the Ark of the Covenant that’s gonna end with me working too much at the margins of a whole lot of different fields but not deeply enough in any area that would make me employable.
pls help sos I don’t want to spend my life in front of a computer
ETA: if the advice is “talk to people in your field about it,” I do that maybe a little too much as it is; just looking for more data points to take into consideration I guess
Firstly, don't let the trees get in the way of your being able to see the forest. Break down the different opportunities you would have with each possible direction that you could take. Weigh them with the overwhelmingly MAIN factor being your enjoyment of the job itself. Then inject the other aspects, weighing them from most to least important. From that point, you should be able to pretty clearly make your major decisions.
I've told you this because there is path that most happy and successful people have followed in their "work" lives (whether they realize it or not
) If you truly enjoy what you do, you'll learn it well and probably be considered very good at it. If you'll notice, nearly every person considered at the top of their occupation, makes either, or both, a significant income and/or public acclaim (and the good things that go along with it) At the end of the day, that's all anyone can ask for.....to be happy with what you do, while being paid well and having people appreciate what you do!
This probably has nothing to do with what you're asking, but if you factor it in, I don't think you'll go wrong. Good luck!
Posted on 2/10/20 at 11:53 am to TheSandman
Camp counselor at Camp Sumatanga could be in your near future.
Posted on 2/11/20 at 7:03 pm to TheSandman
Experience women abroad.
Posted on 4/2/20 at 11:57 pm to TheSandman
quote:
History undergrad. Have spent the last four years in a master’s program at Emory doing mostly biblical studies,
O my....the only major worse than that is Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies graduate or Art History.
You need to get a degree that has broad appeal so you have choices. Better yet, learn to code
Posted on 6/29/20 at 3:51 am to johnny25
I'm learning programming too and believe me, I'm enjoying it and to clear my doubts I simply ask in related forums.
Posted on 6/29/20 at 8:06 am to TheSandman
Chiropractor school in Guadalajara?
Posted on 8/6/20 at 3:52 pm to p0845330
quote:
Experience women abroad.
Take a little pack of disposable razors.
Posted on 8/7/20 at 7:39 am to TheSandman
Is there a question in there OP?
Posted on 8/13/20 at 8:44 am to TheSandman
Write. Period. If you want to spend your life reading and conducting research, both laudable goals, writing is going to happen anyway....may as well do it for profit and not just for academics. Use a different name if you like but you are going to spend a great deal of time writing anyway....make it profitable.
Posted on 10/15/20 at 9:07 am to Ristina
quote:
Ristina
How many AI bots do we have posting here?
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