― How to approach a potential graduate advisor in history programs
This guide is especially tailored for North American students interested in contacting potential M.A. or Ph.D advisors in history programs. *Other students in related fields may also find this useful.
BEFORE WRITING THE EMAIL
Research your potential advisor. Most history departments in North America and Europe have websites as part of university portals. Take advantage of this as a way to research potential advisors. Departmental websites usually list crucial information about Professors (such as what you would found on their curriculum vitae) and normally provide their email contact information.
Make sure you have taken the time to select the right advisor. While undergraduate studies offer students
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Many students choose to do their graduate studies in different institutions from those where they completed their undergraduate work. It may be that as you are emailing a potential advisor, you are, for the very first time, making contact with them. First impressions, even if virtual, count.
Be succinct. aside from teaching classes, grading papers (yes, Professors grade too), preparing conference papers, writing journal articles, reviewing books, keeping track of the historiography in their field and so on, Professors also have to advise graduate students (often both at the MA and PhD levels). Hence, Professors are very busy. If you are going to email them, do not waste their time and yours. Be curtitious but also be precise in your intentions.
Show your potential advisor that you are a serious candidate. Aside from sounding professional in your email and being “straight to the point” you should also show your seriousness as a potential candidate by showing that you understand what graduate work represents and that you are ready for the task. You can achieve that by briefly mentioning past academic work experience and how this prepare you for graduate
My name is Cassandra Thornton-Clark and I have expressed an interested in enrolling in the Masters of
I know that I am truly well prepared for the extensive and renowned program available at your university as a result of the excellent background and foundation I have established. Having maintained a balance of two jobs, school and a variety of extracurricular activities, I know that I am prepared to continue the same
I am currently in my senior year at Rollins College as a Sociology major and Communications Minor. At Rollins College I am involved in Greek life as a member of The X-Club Fraternity. I am seeking an internship for the Fall 2017 and Spring 2018 semesters in the social media, marketing, hr and analytic fields. After college, I plan on pursuing a career in one of these fields. I believe that my experience and education gives me an insight on aspects of society and allows me to analyze and market towards
The second piece of the email was a concise portrayal and pitching point about myself to tell them why I believed I was fit for the position and also what I could do to enable their organization to succeed, not only how might this benefit me, but rather how might this benefit them. In spite of the fact that it was brief and may have to a few people sounding somewhat forceful, to some it might demonstrate certainty. This is what I was shooting for.
Renowned for teaching how to create economic and social values through liberal arts, at Swarthmore College I want to study how to become a deft American government policy maker, hopefully a future Secretary of State.
Decide what degree program will best align with your career aspirations. Schedule an appointment with an academic advisor(s) in the program(s) that interest you. Make sure you choose something that will land you where you want to
The study abroad trip left a lasting impression on me. I am hoping to expand on ideas that I had learned while abroad for my project, with an emphasis on orientalism and heritage commodification. This is a theme that I focused on within my final paper, that I’d love to explore further. I recently went to see my advisor, as I’m preparing to graduate this fall. She told me that I was eligible to work on a Summa Cum Laude project. However, I would need an advisor for this project before the semester begins. It would truly mean a lot to
The reason of this email is to connect with my future mentor, Chad Phillips, who is the Supply Chain Manager of Valpak. The need in this case is to get a meeting with him. My indirect audience is the director of the marketing mentor program. The purpose of the email is to inform that I’m going to be his mentee and tell him a little more about me. I will be the writer of the text, which would be the email. One of the constraints of the text is time, since I have to send it before Friday. Another constraint is medium. Because it is an email, the communication would be limited to written expression.
I wanted to send you a quick email to say that it was a pleasure meeting you today. My parents (James and Joyce Balls) and Aunt Ida speak of you often. I’ve included a copy of my CV so that you have a bit of an idea of my research interest.
At first, when sending emails, double check the spelling and grammar before sending the email, people might upset if they notice some mistakes in the email. Avoid using “you should do XXX”, it would make people unhappy as they think you force them to do something. Being polite and showing people kindness goes a long way.
I have had the privilege to work with many of the faculty members of the graduate program at the A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications while I was working on my bachelors degree. I would very much like to continuing to work with Dr. Barbara DeSanto and Dr. Curtis Mathews. Dr. DeSanto is a large part of why I decided to pursue a graduate degree at Kansas State University. She has helped me grow as a public relations professional in and outside of the classroom. Dr. Matthew was my academic advisor. He helped me navigate the university and was a valuable mentor. There are so many opportunities for research within the military. With the help of Dr. DeSanto and Dr. Matthews I believe my thesis or project could produce real results.
I am writing this reference at the request of Hector Barrera, who is applying for a MBA One Year program in your university. I have known Hector for 5 years as his manager.
Once you have the viewer’s attention, don’t lose them with endless lines of text. Reduce your message to a few meaningful lines of copy and include a link to “continue reading”, “see more”, etc. Use white space and an easy-to-read font to allow the text to breathe. This makes the email look easier to read, which (crazily enough) increases the likelihood of it actually being read.
I have included my resume and the Adjunct Instructor Application and ordered my transcripts to be mailed to you from my Masters Program. At this time I have not taught in a school enivornment, but I am a quick learner and think that I can bring valueable aspect to online and in school learning due to I have ulitized both aspects in acquiring my degrees as an adult learner. I have also in my past and current roles been a trainer and auditor for my current employer. My aspiration is to teach and help other obtain their goals when it applies to higher learning. I would like to thank you in advance for your consideration of myself as a Instructor within your
Students should always talk to a professor in an email the same they would in real life. Using proper language, a student should write in such a way that he or she shows they know how to communicate with people with authority. Everything a student sends a professor should be