Applied for PhD, but got accepted for Masters...

[an0nym0us]

I see that there are historical threads on this but just wanted to get a fresh set of perspectives on this. I applied for a PhD, which offers a path to the Masters. Although I submitted my app to the PhD, I got accepted to the Masters. I never received a rejection from the PhD, so it appears as though they moved my app into the Masters pool. Not sure what to make of this. I was hoping to enter the PhD and obtain the Masters along the way. This program was/is my first choice, but a non-terminal degree would not make sense for me since I am already well established in my field outside of the academy. The reason why I want to go to grad school is to obtain a PhD, not to up my skillset or accumulate debt to get the exact same type of job that I already have... 

So my question is: do you have any advice for how to proceed in this situation? Is it worth pursuing/inquiring about the possibility of a contingent offer to the PhD upon completing the Masters -- or is that a silly question / not at all how PhD funding "works"? For context, so far I have been waitlisted by a PhD program that offers a Masters along the way, and I am still waiting to hear back from one more. Not sure how to navigate all this. Many thanks! 

Edited March 18, 2021 by an0nym0us

[Modulus]

This will likely be specific to your field and the program itself. 

It is not unheard of for individuals to begin in a masters program and reapply to the PhD program from there. Sometimes this can be done rather smoothly.

But if you are established in your current field, you may want to consider just waiting to reapply altogether.