How necessary is it to have a masters to enter an ivy PhD Program?

[Kaddyreena]

I applied only to Oxford this past year and was accepted into its MSt in Modern Languages to study Spanish literature with no funding. I am excited by the program, and have been struggling to narrow down exactly what I would want to study in a PhD program, so I thought a masters would be a good choice to do first. I was also a Fulbright ETA in Spain, have a 3.88 GPA, have published a few articles and have presented at a few conferences. As I’ve been gathering advice for what to do from different professors, one in particular told me she thinks that I would be wasting my money on a very expensive Oxford masters because she thinks I have what it takes to get into a decent PhD program straight-away. Nonetheless, I have heard that it is difficult to get into an ivy-league PhD program without a masters first. Does anyone know if this is true? Would it be worth it to get the Oxford masters first? I currently have no student debt, so the prospect of steeping myself in severe debt is frightening as well. A friend of mine has also said that because the economic situation is tenuous for many universities because of COVID-19, she thinks it’s best to take the place that’s given to you because it’s probably not guaranteed after this year. 
 

Also for you language people, it isn’t too late for me to apply to some masters programs in Spain, where I could get a really inexpensive masters. Would you recommend Spain masters programs? Of course none are comparable to Oxford...

Edited May 18, 2020 by Kaddyreena

[Glasperlenspieler]

Many departments provide profiles for their grad students which include their educational background. Yale's Spanish department, for instance, does this: https://span-port.yale.edu/people/graduate-students

Spend some time looking at departmental webpages and you can get a decide idea of the profile for a typical student.

[Kaddyreena]

13 hours ago, Glasperlenspieler said:

Many departments provide profiles for their grad students which include their educational background. Yale's Spanish department, for instance, does this: https://span-port.yale.edu/people/graduate-students

Spend some time looking at departmental webpages and you can get a decide idea of the profile for a typical student.

Thanks you. It seems that it’s a pretty mixed bag (some have masters and others don’t), so it’s really difficult to tell if it’s necessary.

[frenchphd]

Yale's Spanish department is complete garbage-fire. That said, I wouldn't recommend that you get a masters in Spanish lit from Oxford -- your professor is right; it is a waste of money. The likelihood of getting a full-time faculty job after the PhD is very slim; in the process, you don't want to pay any debt in this precarious profession. I would recommend that you apply to PhD programs that you want to attend (although note that next year is going to be pretty dismal admissions-wise: COVID will translate into fewer admission offers at all schools.) Don't apply to programs you are not sure about attending. Along with these top programs, I would say you should apply to funded masters programs in Spanish. Through a funded MA program, you will get teaching experience as well as experience with graduate coursework (teaching experience is much more valuable in the job market than just more coursework). The masters won't be from Oxford, but many top schools like Notre Dame offer a funded masters in Spanish. Also look into public schools that depend on MA graduate students to teach introductory classes (UIUC, UMass).

I don't have the impression that an MA is really necessary. I did not get one before starting my PhD. Neither did many of my friends. This is anecdotal, yes, but I think you would be admitted primarily for your writing sample, quality recommendations and personal statement--not because you have a masters.

Edited May 19, 2020 by frenchphd

[Saltshaker]

Hi! I can't speak for Spanish in particular, but I'm currently working towards a PhD in French Literature at an Ivy League and don't have a masters. It's more common for accepted students to have an MA, but mostly because those students tend to be more advanced scholars and are therefore more likely to be accepted. But it's definitely not necessary, and often if you already have an MA, you then end up having to redo coursework in a PhD program. For my undergrad, I went to a small liberal arts college that no one has heard of, so to echo @frenchphd, your writing sample, recommendations, and personal statement matter more. 

But definitely go somewhere funded. The best advice I got from professors when I was applying to grad schools was, "Make sure you don't pay a penny. Going into debt isn't worth it." This is even more true now, I think, since the job market will be abysmal for the foreseeable future. 

[coffeeortea]

Hi again! A Master's is definitely not required to get into an Ivy for a PhD in Spanish lit, especially if you have a good profile, as you seem to have. Of my cohort at Princeton of 8 people, I don't believe any of us have Master's (maybe one or two do, but I don't think so!) 

[María de Zayas]

Hi. I'm sort of in the same situation as you. I did get into Oxford for an Mst in modern Languages and into an Ivy league for a Phd. I didn't have a masters degree though. I would recommend to apply to an Ivy and try to enroll in a Phd. Now, if you don't get into any, then perhaps try to get an MA first. But, as everyone says here. Do not pay for it, at least not a lotof money. Good luck!