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College Question about Masters and phD

M

Mayfriday0529

Diamond Member
Once you graduate college, if you want to pursue a Masters what is required, and about how many credits is it and years?

Also what is required to try to get a PhD?

I'm just wondering.


 
If you *know* you are going to get your masters, some colleges will let you take up to x (9 in my case) masters level credits as an undergrad, possibly knocking off a semester.
 
Originally posted by: minendo
Masters - generally 2 years
PhD - depends on what it is for, but is possible to get after 2 years
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When you pursue a Masters do you generally stick to what you graduated with, say Criminal Justice, some friends of mine say they want to get a Masters in Forensic Science? Do you start over with like beginner classes or more advance classes?
 
When you pursue a Masters do you generally stick to what you graduated with, say Criminal Justice, some friends of mine say they want to get a Masters in Forensic Science? Do you start over with like beginner classes or more advance classes?
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It depends on the field of study you want to pursue a graduate degree in and what coursework you've done at the undergrad level. Therefore, no, you don't have to go into grad school in the same area as your undergrad. In fact, few people ever do this if you ask around. But like I said there is minimal coursework usually required unless it's a professional school (i.e. law, business). You'e expected to have taken the basic intro classes for sure, but you can be missing out on some upper division coursework by taking undergrad deficiency courses -- basically, you're a grad student taking undergrad classes for a semester or two. Does delay your grad school graduation date but it's a lot better option than taking on a second bachelors before hooking up to grad school in the same area.
 
A typical masters program is 1.5 - 2.0 years assuming you had your undergraduate degree in that field. Typically they are ~30 credits, of which ~18 credits are classwork (6 total classes) and the rest is research. Some fields where research isn't possible or unlikely to be finished with just a masters will do it all with classwork (~10 classes). The amount of time really depends on how much effort you want to put in (work 4 hours a day or 12, it is your choice).

If you want a masters in a field which is unrelated to your bachelors degree, then you'll likely have to take makeup classes. Your advisor and graduating committee will choose the most important undergraduate classes that you missed and force you to take them in addition to your ~6 or 10 masters level classes. This often adds 1.0 - 1.5 years to your masters degree. Contrary to what vetetation said, I think about 30% or more of my classmates did this.

A PhD typically takes between 4 and 8 years (total starting from the beginning of your graduate work) depending on the field you go into and how much work you put in each day. Sometimes you add a year or so if you stop and get a masters along the way, but usually the classes and research you take during your masters will completely transfer and won't slow you down one bit.

Note: at most schools, there are no set rules. You CAN get a PhD after being there one day if your advisor and graduating committee wish. I don't think this ever happens though (except those stupid honorary degrees). I did know one person who took 1.5 years for his masters and the graduating committee was so impressed that they gave him a PhD instead. He later went to another school to get a second (real) PhD.

<- Dullard took 2 years for masters since he spent a summer in Germany and did a few presentations around the US instead of working intensely on his masters. PhD took another 3 years.
 
Originally posted by: dullard
Note: at most schools, there are no set rules. You CAN get a PhD after being there one day if your advisor and graduating committee wish. I don't think this ever happens though (except those stupid honorary degrees). I did know one person who took 1.5 years for his masters and the graduating committee was so impressed that they gave him a PhD instead. He later went to another school to get a second (real) PhD.
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wow. that's the first time i've ever heard something like that (Ph.D. instead of Masters in 1.5 years) 🙂
which university was this?

 
Originally posted by: saxguy
wow. that's the first time i've ever heard something like that (Ph.D. instead of Masters in 1.5 years) 🙂
which university was this?
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It was the University of Johannesburg in South Africa. He then came to the US to get a real PhD.
 
Originally posted by: Jnetty99
Also what is required to try to get a PhD?
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The PhD is a very different degree from the BS or MS degrees. While there may be required classes, the main requirements are to pass PhD qualifier exams, do original research, and write a dissertation. You learn via apprenticeship rather than through classes. After all, the goal is to reach the forefront of your field of study and advance it further, so textbooks or classes haven't been developed for the material you spent most of your time on. That's also one of the reasons that the time is so variable. I know one person who got his PhD in 3 years, but I know others who took 12 years of study (and others took longer if you count time taken off to work and such.) In the sciences, most people take between 4 and 8 years.

If you haven't done undergraduate research, get a MS first, write a good thesis, then apply to PhD programs. If you have done undergrad research and can get into the schools you want, go directly for the PhD and you'll usually be awarded the MS along the way when you complete all your classes, pass PhD qualifier exams, or some other such event.
 
I have a Master degree in business. It required 33 hours or 11 classes. Like others said, if you have basic foundation in you Bachelor, then you can go straight for the grad classes (business classes for MBA, science classes for MS).

BTW, you will have to take a grad admission test (MCAT test), similar as SAT/ACT for college admission, but this one is for grad college.

Whatever you do, just do it, you will be proud and no one can take that knowlege/advance degree from you.
 
If you really want to get PhD and think you're good, get it directly without getting a MS first. This will save you a year.
 
Originally posted by: dullard
Originally posted by: saxguy
wow. that's the first time i've ever heard something like that (Ph.D. instead of Masters in 1.5 years) 🙂
which university was this?
Click to expand...
It was the University of Johannesburg in South Africa. He then came to the US to get a real PhD.
Click to expand...

he must have done something really spectacular for the committee to have granted a Ph.D. degree instead of Master's. i have read a few Master's thesis that have depth in them that could easily (with a few months more research) be turned into a doctoral dissertation, but i bet here in the US it's not that easy to just switch graduate level like that. there are too many steps to skip, the qualifier, the minor requirement, and preliminary exam until you can go into your doctoral defense, and those aren't required for Master's.

<--- on his 3rd year in the doctoral program and the end does not seem near...
 
Originally posted by: Svnla
BTW, you will have to take a grad admission test (MCAT test), similar as SAT/ACT for college admission, but this one is for grad college.
Click to expand...

the MCAT is for med school (Medical College Admissions Test). the grad school test is the GRE. LSAT for law schools.
 
Originally posted by: GOSHARKS
Originally posted by: Svnla
BTW, you will have to take a grad admission test (MCAT test), similar as SAT/ACT for college admission, but this one is for grad college.
Click to expand...

the MCAT is for med school (Medical College Admissions Test). the grad school test is the GRE. LSAT for law schools.
Click to expand...

GRE is for most engineering and science. GMAT for business school.
 
Originally posted by: Jnetty99
Ok So i finish the my Criminal Justice Degree, and then which test would have have to take if i stayed with the same career, GRE?
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the graduate school where you would apply will clearly states the required test that you would have to take to apply to their program. it might be different from one school to another.
 
Originally posted by: Jnetty99
Ok So i finish the my Criminal Justice Degree, and then which test would have have to take if i stayed with the same career, GRE?
Click to expand...

probably GMAT. GRE is for more quantitative degrees such as engineering.
 
Originally posted by: nietsni3
how long does it usually take for one, who is fresh off Bachelor, to acquire a PhD in physics (skip the master degree)?
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You need to be an exceptional undergrad - meaning top grades, top scores, awesome recs, but most importantly, awesome research ability, experience, and dedication

applying to the phd is ALL about research
 
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