On Thursday, as I was sitting in my little office at university, I was summoned by a professor to her office. Although I am yet to have had a course with her, we have worked together on the preliminary stages of my master’s thesis. The purpose of the summons, other than to inform me that she may be in need of my assistance on Monday, was to let me know that she will recommend me for a fellowship at one of Korea’s top universities at my leisure. Both she and my boss/supervising professor have expressed disappointment in my choice of universities. While accepting that it was the best option at the time, they have both given me warning that they will under no circumstances allow me an easy go of it. They are both determined that I will produce a work of doctoral standards. The reason why I am mentioning this is not to be a prat, but to solicit edified and erudite opinions from my academic and intellectual betters on this site on this matter.
Boadicea's Chariot 
“she will recommend me for a fellowship at one of Korea’s top universities” (Excellent)
As one of the less erudite and academic authors I can only wish you well on your continuing journey.
Incidentally, a friend of mine drove a Daewoo (now part of the Chevrolet group, I think) years ago. He told me Daewoo translates as- Great Universe.
I was disappointed that your title didn’t herald a royal chest story from the Orient! However, I have now regrouped and will wait quietly until your ‘academic and intellectual betters’ emerge to answer your post.
PS Can one purchase a Korean fellowship on t’internet?
Not sure what the question is here?
Opinion on what exactly?
Is it your choice of Korean universities that is disappointing the profs? Surely not the fact that you chose their university?
Janus: 😀 No, it’s granted. One must apply for them.
CO: that I’m getting pushed to, upon completion of all technical aspects of my programme,
go on a fellowship to Korea for intense language, culture, and history study.
Sheona: No, it’s not the choice of Korean universities. It is precisely as you say, it’s that I go to
their university. It’s a small, regional university. The programme is small, there isn’t much in the way of
language options, the library is adequate only in sources pertaining to US and to an extent British or European history. For the East Asian library I will have to go frequently to Minneapolis and travel within California. They both said that I should have gone somewhere like UH Manoa in Honolulu, UCLA, or Stanford.
The Royalist: thank you. The problem with Korean is that it took most of its vocabulary from Chinese.
Not in itself an issue, but they dropped the tones and prefer using their own alphabet. One word, pronounced exactly the same way, can have more than 10 meanings. The only way to tell what it really means is if the Chinese character is given in context.
Right so as I understand it, they didn’t think you should be at St Cloud as it is not high on the totem pole academically.
However it does sound as if you will get a great deal of attention from these two whilst you are there. Which is excellent. It is possible that had you picked a prestigious uni in the USA for you Masters you may have been subsumed so to speak in a sea of excellence.
Were I you. I should stay where you are to get as much as possible attention from these staff and then carefully select a more prestigious Korean uni to finish. The combination will suffice to give you best aspects of education and satisfaction and satisfy most employers.
A word of warning, do not get too sidetracked into utterly abstruse research that has no saleability subsequently unless you intend to retreat into a university and never re-emerge! If you intend to work out in the wide world somehow make sure that some aspect has a market in the modern world.
I have various relatives in various disciplines that have taken this international approach to MSc/PhD/Post doctoral research locations. It is noticeable that it vastly improved their ‘saleability’ They were all extremely careful to pick locations with international excellent specific reputations in areas in which they hoped to make a living. And did.
CO: one reason why I am going into Korean research is because Korea is a rising country, a growing field that has not been saturated. China has some areas less well-studied, say, Hong Kong, Macau, Tsingtau, etc, but in general there is a vast amount of competition for a more limited number of stipends, fellowships, and positions. Japan has been completely saturated. So much so, in fact, that one of the instructors has given students a list on subjects he’s begging us not to write our research papers on as he’s had to read so many. The Korean government, on the other hand, has a lot of money and they’re aggressive in finding qualified and interested students to study the language, culture, and history of the country.
Furthermore, I am not completely detached from reality. My thesis will in essence be on how the Koreans and Japanese took different routes in applying Chinese norms to their societies. It works for foreign relations and business as it requires and understanding of how the countries interact with, and understand, each other. I’m not foolish enough to write a PhD on lesbian culture in South Chinese sericulture. No, I didn’t just make that up — someone actually did write that.
If I do end up working in an Asian university,even a regional one, that would be fine. Job security and not too much terrible work. The long holidays would also be nice.
Sounds like you would fit into the diplomatic service too.
CO: exactly. I wanted to focus on something that I could do well, but also that has multiple uses.
If you are ever in need of amusement I can write an entry about odd and useless theses and dissertations.