Getting a graduate degree in field not related to undergrad

[Q]

I know some people who have a Master's in a field not related to their undergrad study. How common is this? Does not following your undergrad field make it more difficult to get acceptance into the program? Any advantages of doing so?

 

[MercenaryYoureFired]

It is fairly common and it's more difficult in the sense that people with their appropriate undergrad degree will get into the program before you. You'll also have to take several of the undergrad courses which will include a different/more rigorous syllabus than your undergrad classmates (More papers, presentations, etc).

 

[nageov3t]

I'd say a lot of it really depends on what to what.

going from, say, an undergrad in philosophy to a grad degree in biology is probably a lot different than like poly-sci to history.

 

[StageLeft]

very common.if i got a masters it would be in a real field like business, not the bullsh*t one i got my degree in (psychology)

 

[Leros]

A professor was talking about this recently. There was a guy who had a degree in film and applied to get a graduate degree in electrical engineering. Apparently he presented himself right, they accepted him, and made him take about 1.5 years ago undergraduate classes before he could start his graduate classes.

 

[jingramm]

I went from undergrad degree in Business
to grad degree in Industrial Engineering

 

[JJChicken]

I went from undergrad degree in Business
to grad degree in Industrial Engineering

How did you pull this off?

 

[RKS]

I went from MIS to a JD.

 

[Parasitic]

How did you pull this off?

If he did enough math in his undergrad he could easily have pulled that off.