MA vrs PhD programs

[nellecv]

Does anyone know if universities typically accept their own MA students to their PhD programs? I'm wondering because I'm applying to MA programs right now with the goal of going on to get my PhD. I've been out of school for years and seriously slacked in college. I don't think I have a chance of getting in to a good PhD program right now (even though I'm going to take a couple courses to boost my record). I am a mom of one very anxious child and i don't want to move somewhere to get my MA only to uproot my daughter again in two years to go get my PhD. I'm hoping that if I get into a decent MA program and do well, I'll have a strong advantage over outside PhD applicants. Any idea if that's true?

[Phil Sparrow]

Does anyone know if universities typically accept their own MA students to their PhD programs? I'm wondering because I'm applying to MA programs right now with the goal of going on to get my PhD. I've been out of school for years and seriously slacked in college. I don't think I have a chance of getting in to a good PhD program right now (even though I'm going to take a couple courses to boost my record). I am a mom of one very anxious child and i don't want to move somewhere to get my MA only to uproot my daughter again in two years to go get my PhD. I'm hoping that if I get into a decent MA program and do well, I'll have a strong advantage over outside PhD applicants. Any idea if that's true?

It really depends on the program. However, two programs that I can think of with terminal MAs and PhDs* very rarely--if ever--admit their own terminal MA students to the PhD. I'm sure there are programs out there where terminal MAs have an advantage over external PhD applicants, but I'm not familiar enough with any to speak about them.

* I'm thinking Northwestern and UVa, which both have separate terminal MAs as well as PhD programs, as opposed to the MA-to-PhD single-track system a la Penn State and UNC. Often people speak of the MA at Penn State (and other programs like it) as if it is a terminal degree because you apply to the MA rather than the PhD if you don't already have a masters, but it's not a terminal program; the expectation is that an MA student is there for a PhD, which is why they offer admits funding for the duration of the PhD. More importantly, it means that MA applications are looked at--and are as competitive--as PhD apps. I assume what you're asking about here are terminal MA programs, yes?

Edited May 13, 2011 by Phil Sparrow

[runonsentence]

Phil Sparrow is right in that it entirely depends on the program. Northwestern was the very same example of a school where this is NOT true that I was thinking of (on their website, they make it very clear that MAs have no more of an advantage for getting in than do outside applicants).

I think your best bet would be to concentrate on schools that have some kind of MA-->PhD system, though as Phil Sparrow mentions, these are often more competitive MA programs, especially because they fund the master's degree. Penn State and Ohio State are two examples; UNC used to be an example but, as of this year, seems to be moving away from its current MA–>PhD model. Some of these schools make it clear that they like to move their MA students into the PhD program; for other schools, knowing that it's some kind of MA–>PhD program is matter of hearing the word on the street, so to speak.

What subfield do you hope to move into, and what are your research interests? Knowing these details might help us to throw out some names.

[nellecv]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm interested in Medieval literature and the conflicts and reconciliations between paganism and Christianity found in it. I haven't really gotten any more specific than that. (One reason I was hoping to apply to a MA program first! I want to get a little more general background before I really commit myself to a specific field.) More about me: I graduated from college 9 years ago with a BA in Theater Ed and a minor in Lit. I was a very unmotivated student and although I managed to graduate with a 3.08, I did so poorly my senior year that I was put on academic probation my last semester. I wish I had some awesome work experience to compensate, but I spent the last 4 years working part-time as an SAT tutor while staying home with my daughter. Right now I have no academic references, so I'm going to take a course of two this year. (I'd like to take more, but money is a huge issue) From what I've seen on this board, I'm in no way competitive in the PhD admissions game, so I was hoping to try for a terminal MA program. I'd obviously rather go straight into a PhD program, but I'm scared I'll be laughed right out of application pile!

[rainy_day]

A terminal MA sounds perfect! I'm working on my own MA right now, and it's been hugely helpful in narrowing down my interests and making me increasingly qualified for the PhD; even though it wasn't fully funded it's been hugely helpful.

If concerns about relocation post-MA are part of the motivation for wanting an MA-->PhD program (I'm reading between the lines, and noticing that your daughter and perhaps a partner are part of the equation) Boston has a *ton* of MA and PhD programs in the city or within an hour drive, so it might be worth looking into.

Good luck!

[Historiogaffe]

Re: American programs that admit their own MA students

From the looks of their student profiles, Penn seems open to admitting its MA students for PhDs. Several of them may have updated their profiles when they got their along-the-way MA — i.e., having been admitted into the PhD from the get-go — but that seems a little... affected.

(My position: non-American applicant-to-be who would be mad to accept an unfunded MA offer at international student rates.)

Edited for longwindedness.

Edited June 7, 2011 by speakwrite_

[lyonessrampant]

Do you mean UPenn or Penn State? Penn State is moving to accepting MA/PhD folks only exclusively, so if you get in for MA, you almost definitely get accepted for the Ph.D.

[Historiogaffe]

Do you mean UPenn or Penn State? Penn State is moving to accepting MA/PhD folks only exclusively, so if you get in for MA, you almost definitely get accepted for the Ph.D.

Oops, yes. I mean UPenn.

Edited June 7, 2011 by speakwrite_