any successful grad applicants in programs they didn't do their undergrad in?

[We regret to inform you]

If you got accepted into a program which you didn't major in during your undergrad, could you share your story and your background and any tips?

Thanks.

Edited July 9, 2011 by We regret to inform you

[Behavioral]

Instead of copy+pasting the text:

http://www.reddit.com/r/GetMotivated/comments/iez1l/are_there_any_stories_of_how_you_changed_yourself/c23avdj

[atmaero]

Well I'm not sure if this counts as an entirely different major, but yeah. I did my undergrad in Mechanical Engineering and got accepted into the PhD Aerospace Engineering program.

But technically, Mechanical and Aerospace are fundamentally related. So i guess it would not have been a big factor during the admission decisions.

though I did have my undergrad in Mechanical , my heart was out flying in space ( i.e. Aerospace, which I had really wanted to take up for my UG but could not- due to a variety of reasons)

Being so, the day I entered the Mech program I had decided to go to grad school for an Aero degree. IMO, it was this mindset which made me to actively participate in Aerospace quizzes, contests, research and even aero-modelling - Anything even remotely related to aeronautics I would be involved in. My sole objective was to learn aeronautics in my undergrad.. and i didn't care about the Mech curriculum much.

My undergrad projects, research etc were all related to aerospace. Having done this, it was only a matter of time I applied to grad school with a neat SOP stating point blank " This is what I want to do in my life"

I dunno how much this helped you, but this was pretty much my (rambling,if not vague ) experience this fall.

[Mal83]

Instead of copy+pasting the text:

http://www.reddit.co...ourself/c23avdj

Wow, that's one hell of a story. It's always good to see how other people have arrived at their decisions after wandering a long and winding path. My path was a long one too. Not that it's any less rewarding for the person who achieved their goals after a more cut and dry experience, but I feel like I really made it despite all of the confusion and uncertainty of the years following high school graduation. I don't mean like I'm now set for the rest of my life or anything, but the satisfaction and peace that comes with really knowing what you want to do in life is something that I'll be eternally grateful for. The validation of my efforts by my dream school just happens to be the icing on the sweetest cake in the world.

[awvish]

I majored in Chemistry and English and am just starting my first year in Ecology. Like atmaero, though, I got some experience during undergrad, but unlike atmaero, I didn't know at the time that Ecology was what I wanted to do. For various reasons (social, convenience, etc) I ended up getting a job helping out in an Ecology lab during my sophomore year, which led to my having enough experience to get into an international summer research program (and was I really going to turn down a summer in a tropical rainforest?). I kept working in the lab, and the summer after that I got into another international research program (right, okay, I'll turn down the chance to spend a summer in the Mediterranean) and as a bonus, ended up with a co-authorship. I subsequently took two years off, but when I decided that I wanted to go to grad school in Ecology I was the only one who was surprised, and with the Chemistry background and the practical experience in the field I was able to overcome having (a.) poor Intro Bio grades and (b.) having taken no classes in Ecology during undergrad.

I'd say I'm mostly just very lucky, but a lot of times, if you're switching fields, you're doing it because your target field appeals to you and relates to your interests. This practically guarantees that you'll have something to tie into your statements. Not always, though. Maybe you're transitioning to a new field of interest, rather than what I did (a parallel one) or what atmaero has done (continuing interest but now under its true name), or maybe you're one of those people who gets totally absorbed in what you're doing and doesn't end up with time to develop outside pursuits.

(edits for egregious spelling--sorry!)

Edited July 9, 2011 by awvish

[Zorah]

I majored in Sociology in undergrad and got a Masters i n Business and now I'm in a PhD program in Organizational Behavior. I have no tips to offer, but one thing I can say it does not matter what your undergraduate degree is in to pursue additional education. I know doctors who majored in undergrad in medieval history and literature.

[2400]

Most of my classmates in my MA program had undergrad majors in different subjects -- though some had related work experience. Now I'm working on my PhD and I've noticed many people have majors -- grad and undergrad -- in different fields. Of course, I also know a few students who went straight from undergrad to masters to PhD all in the same subject. I am in the social sciences, so I imagine it could be different depending on the field -- but it also seems that some programs value varied experiences -- as long as you have a strong reason for pursuing your chosen field.

In my case, when I changed directions between undergrad and my MA, I had relevant work experience and had also taken a couple of classes related to the MA program I applied for -- this was not required, but I felt more confidant in my decision having taken a couple of courses and I think it also added strength to my personal statement.

I majored in Sociology in undergrad and got a Masters i n Business and now I'm in a PhD program in Organizational Behavior. I have no tips to offer, but one thing I can say it does not matter what your undergraduate degree is in to pursue additional education. I know doctors who majored in undergrad in medieval history and literature.

[eco_env]

Majored in environmental studies, getting a PhD in ecology (I hope!). I did research that was primarily ecological, took a bunch of biology courses, and took the GRE subject test in biology and got a good score, showing that I knew basic undergrad ecology. I did have a hard time getting an advisor to accept me, though. I think you just need to show you know the background material and can do research in the area of your grad studies.

[atmaero]

Well yeah Awvish. For most of us here our undergrad program was something which we took up due to the circumstances of the day.

But on the hindsight, it does look kinda cool when u got degrees in different branches ( u Actually have a broader knowledge than others who have had done their UG and grad programs in the same branch). For example, here I will be a qualified Mechanical Engineer -cum- Aerospace scientist when I finish my Phd .. Isn't this what we call "diversification of interests" ?

In my opinion, as long as u get into your new grad program comfortably, the undergrad is going to be more of an asset and "added qualification" than a disadvantage.In fact, my undergrad Mechanical will help me a lot in my Aero program, and even if its not so for others , you can atleast show off ( Man Awvish..ur a pro in Chemistry , English and now ecology.. ..how many people u know of can boast of that? ). I say that we are a more flexible bunch in our pursuits , and we do not refrain from taking such risky,intimidating grad school maneuvers .

[awvish]

In my opinion, as long as u get into your new grad program comfortably, the undergrad is going to be more of an asset and "added qualification" than a disadvantage.In fact, my undergrad Mechanical will help me a lot in my Aero program, and even if its not so for others , you can atleast show off ( Man Awvish..ur a pro in Chemistry , English and now ecology.. ..how many people u know of can boast of that? ). I say that we are a more flexible bunch in our pursuits , and we do not refrain from taking such risky,intimidating grad school maneuvers .

Well, I wasn't trying to show off, sorry if it seemed like that.

As to the flexibility, I definitely agree--it takes some courage to switch fields and know that you'll be scrambling for the background you need to catch up with people continuing from their majors. Once you've done that, doing other risky or unorthodox things seems less intimidating.

[Red Bull]

I majored in philosophy and am entering a religious studies master's program. That said, philosophy and religious studies are two fields that are very close to one another due to the historical relationship between theology and philosophy. Also I have been interested in my subfield (Islamic studies) for the last two years of my bachelor's degree and wrote papers and published in the field. So I am a special case where my major and my ultimate field were different but I am not playing catch up with others, in fact I feel like I have more preparation than most other students who are entering my master's program.

[atmaero]

Awvish, I did not mean that you were showing off .. You do not , in fact!

Its just that our academic diversity looks intriguing to many.. and that we also tend to learn a lot during the course of our life. Often, having knowledge outside our specialization comes in handy.

[msafiri]

I did my undergrad in the humanities and am now doing grad school in the social sciences. I did take a lot of social science classes (anthropology and religion mostly) as an undergraduate, in addition to the literature courses required for my degree. In grad school, I realized that I somehow managed to avoid theory (whether literary, anthropological, or social theory more generally) which has meant a huge learning curve. Luckily, I was able to get a lot of that background during my MA. Even so, I still felt behind when I got to my PhD. My field is interdisciplinary so people have all sorts of backgrounds, some heavy in theory and some not. In hindsight, I wish I'd majored in ecology as an undergraduate because it would've given me coursework that's an excellent complement to what I study now plus more field experience (fieldwork is not common in the humanities). I mean, I could've studied abroad in Kenya if I'd done ecology!

My main advice would be to do research on the field you want to go into to make sure it's a good fit. Doing that will help you write an interesting and convincing SOP, which in turn will help you get in.

Go for it! What have you got to lose?

Edited July 11, 2011 by msafiri

[ktel]

Well I'm not sure if this counts as an entirely different major, but yeah. I did my undergrad in Mechanical Engineering and got accepted into the PhD Aerospace Engineering program.

But technically, Mechanical and Aerospace are fundamentally related. So i guess it would not have been a big factor during the admission decisions.

though I did have my undergrad in Mechanical , my heart was out flying in space ( i.e. Aerospace, which I had really wanted to take up for my UG but could not- due to a variety of reasons)

Being so, the day I entered the Mech program I had decided to go to grad school for an Aero degree. IMO, it was this mindset which made me to actively participate in Aerospace quizzes, contests, research and even aero-modelling - Anything even remotely related to aeronautics I would be involved in. My sole objective was to learn aeronautics in my undergrad.. and i didn't care about the Mech curriculum much.

My undergrad projects, research etc were all related to aerospace. Having done this, it was only a matter of time I applied to grad school with a neat SOP stating point blank " This is what I want to do in my life"

I dunno how much this helped you, but this was pretty much my (rambling,if not vague ) experience this fall.

I think it's actually quite common to go from Mech to Aero. I'm doing it for example. Not many schools in Canada offer Aero as an undergrad degree. Besides, other than learning some basic aerodynamic concepts, I think my Mech training has left me very prepared to go into Aero.

Also, you sound like me. I almost went to a school that offered an Aero undergrad, but for various reasons did not. Always had my eye on it though. I was crushed when the prof that taught the 4th year aerodynamics course went on sabbatical. Luckily I still got to do a wicked aerospace-related project (designing a part for a Red Bull Air Race plane, too bad the race is cancelled indefinitely )

[atmaero]

I think it's actually quite common to go from Mech to Aero. I'm doing it for example. Not many schools in Canada offer Aero as an undergrad degree. Besides, other than learning some basic aerodynamic concepts, I think my Mech training has left me very prepared to go into Aero.

Also, you sound like me. I almost went to a school that offered an Aero undergrad, but for various reasons did not. Always had my eye on it though. I was crushed when the prof that taught the 4th year aerodynamics course went on sabbatical. Luckily I still got to do a wicked aerospace-related project (designing a part for a Red Bull Air Race plane, too bad the race is cancelled indefinitely )

yeah. it is quite common... but for direct PhD Aero programs ( like in my case) sometimes give more priority to Aero undergrads. UTIAS is a great place for Aero! (I like Prof.Zingg's work ) pity that I did not apply there. A mech degree is often advantageous sometimes , especially in areas like manufacturing , where Aero undergrads cannot match upto us. Of course , CFD and Aerodynamics are places where we lack , but we can easily make it up in the grad program.

And yeah, looks like ur undergrad experience was pretty much like mine. I was a national level aero-modeler , and my project was in CFD :-)

On the whole I guess a Mech degree is a great plus for Aero Engineers.

Just out of curiosity, which area of aero ur planning research in?

[starmaker]

I did my undergrad in neuro and am doing my MS in CS. Most of the PhD programs that I'll be applying to are CS, though there are a couple of exceptions (all are at least CS-relevant, but my interests are interdisciplinary and there are a couple of schools where the profs doing the work that is the best fit for me are not in the CS department).

[ktel]

yeah. it is quite common... but for direct PhD Aero programs ( like in my case) sometimes give more priority to Aero undergrads. UTIAS is a great place for Aero! (I like Prof.Zingg's work ) pity that I did not apply there. A mech degree is often advantageous sometimes , especially in areas like manufacturing , where Aero undergrads cannot match upto us. Of course , CFD and Aerodynamics are places where we lack , but we can easily make it up in the grad program.

And yeah, looks like ur undergrad experience was pretty much like mine. I was a national level aero-modeler , and my project was in CFD :-)

On the whole I guess a Mech degree is a great plus for Aero Engineers.

Just out of curiosity, which area of aero ur planning research in?

I'm going into Computational Aerodynamics, Prof. Zingg will be my supervisor actually. While the Aerodynamics course was not offered in my year, I did get to take an Introduction to CFD course, and my design project for the RBAR also involved extensive CFD work. We were using ANSYS CFX, however, while my Master's work will focus much more on developing your own CFD code or using already developed code.

[atmaero]

I'm going into Computational Aerodynamics, Prof. Zingg will be my supervisor actually. While the Aerodynamics course was not offered in my year, I did get to take an Introduction to CFD course, and my design project for the RBAR also involved extensive CFD work. We were using ANSYS CFX, however, while my Master's work will focus much more on developing your own CFD code or using already developed code.

Ditto here. Only that I would be working for my PhD in Hypersonic Aeroelasticity and CFD development. My CFD work was primarily in Ansys Fluent , though I did dabble here and there with CFX.

Most of the Aero grad programs do not encourage using commercial software, for various reasons.

CFD algo development is the "in thing" ,especially in areas like high speed flows.You have got a very good advisor .. All the best!

[hupr]

I did undergrad degrees in philosophy, psychology and French and then went on to do two MAs abroad, the first in comparative literature, the second in linguistics with a focus on African history. I went 5 for 8 for applications in political science and 0 for 2 for area studies this year, and while I can't really say what went right (or what went wrong for the other 5 schools), my feeling is that in order for a diverse background to be seen as an advantage instead of an obstacle, one needs to create a narrative in which it's logical (or even inevitable) that one would go from point A to point B -- in my case from psychology, philosophy and French to comp. lit and linguistics and finally to poli sci.

If one isn't careful, such breadth of knowledge can probably be interpreted as a lack of focus -- all arm and no follow through. So the key, to my mind, is to have your personal statement describe exactly how these other fields fit together to lead to the apex of your academic pursuits. It's not really important that the narrative of how this happened be true, strictly speaking, but it is important that it be compelling and feel like a logical progression toward your goal, rather than isolated attempts in different directions.

Like I said, the admissions process is a bit of a black box for me, so take my advice for what it's worth.

[awvish]

If one isn't careful, such breadth of knowledge can probably be interpreted as a lack of focus -- all arm and no follow through. So the key, to my mind, is to have your personal statement describe exactly how these other fields fit together to lead to the apex of your academic pursuits. It's not really important that the narrative of how this happened be true, strictly speaking, but it is important that it be compelling and feel like a logical progression toward your goal, rather than isolated attempts in different directions.

Well said.

[atmaero]

I did undergrad degrees in philosophy, psychology and French and then went on to do two MAs abroad, the first in comparative literature, the second in linguistics with a focus on African history. I went 5 for 8 for applications in political science and 0 for 2 for area studies this year, and while I can't really say what went right (or what went wrong for the other 5 schools), my feeling is that in order for a diverse background to be seen as an advantage instead of an obstacle, one needs to create a narrative in which it's logical (or even inevitable) that one would go from point A to point B -- in my case from psychology, philosophy and French to comp. lit and linguistics and finally to poli sci.

If one isn't careful, such breadth of knowledge can probably be interpreted as a lack of focus -- all arm and no follow through. So the key, to my mind, is to have your personal statement describe exactly how these other fields fit together to lead to the apex of your academic pursuits. It's not really important that the narrative of how this happened be true, strictly speaking, but it is important that it be compelling and feel like a logical progression toward your goal, rather than isolated attempts in different directions.

Like I said, the admissions process is a bit of a black box for me, so take my advice for what it's worth.

completely agree.it is an asset if, and only if , we know why we are doing it.

[Nikara]

In undergrad I majored in English with a Biology minor. I'm about to start a Masters program in Disaster Science and Management. While what I studied in undergrad didn't relate to my masters (although the ability to write is always useful), I got a lot of job experience in Disaster stuff. I've spent the last two years working full time in the field, so I'm going into the program as the student with practical, instead of research, experience. I'm a bit nervous about catching up on the research aspect, but it seemed to me that lots of students in my program had similarly diverse backgrounds. I explained how I came to be interested in the disaster stuff in my personal statement. It also helped that my English professors remembered me talking about Emergency Management stuff with them occasionally during office hours. They could attest to my ability to be a strong student, even if they couldn't talk about my particular subject. I got into all three places that I applied, with funding from two.

[ktel]

Ditto here. Only that I would be working for my PhD in Hypersonic Aeroelasticity and CFD development. My CFD work was primarily in Ansys Fluent , though I did dabble here and there with CFX.

Most of the Aero grad programs do not encourage using commercial software, for various reasons.

CFD algo development is the "in thing" ,especially in areas like high speed flows.You have got a very good advisor .. All the best!

Yeah the commercial software is useful for a general CFD analysis, but when analyzing more complex flows its use diminishes. For my undergrad project we were trying to predict a drag change of 1-3% and we couldn't even get mesh independence after getting access to a prof's research cluster and maxing out at around 1.5 million nodes

[Guimauvaise]

I entered my undergrad thinking pre-optometry, but changed that to French lang./lit. on the day of matriculation. As a grad student, I went for an MFA in creative writing, focusing on poetry. The only experience I had with poetry, aside from reading it in French and English, was an introductory poetry class and a casual workshop offered at my undergrad. I was told upon enrolling that the English dept. might ask me to take courses to make up "deficiencies," but nothing ever came of that. Now I'm going to start a PhD in English lit. Obviously, there's a natural flow between the three degrees...all are lit-based. Still, it felt weird sitting in a poetry class as a first-year MFA -- hell, even a fourth-year MFA -- and the instructor and students started rattling off poems they had read that reminded them of something in the lecture, and I had never even heard of it. For that matter, there were poets/poems on my comp. that I had never seen before. Talk about disconcerting. I passed, of course, but I still felt awkward.

[polarscribe]

My undergraduate degree is in journalism, and I'll be starting a master's program in outdoor recreation at Indiana University this fall.

They may seem like completely different fields, but my specific specialty will be natural resources interpretation, which is a field directed at creating meaningful experiences for park/historic site visitors, by helping them understand the significance and meaning of the site's resources. That's a long and complex way of saying, park interpreters create communications tools (both person-to-person and mass media) that inform, educate, enlighten and entertain visitors.

With journalism jobs being few and far between these days, I accepted a communications-based internship with a federal land management agency last fall. That experience exposed me to working as a park ranger/interpreter, and led to a federal job program that was contingent on pursuing a graduate degree. I developed a research pitch that leveraged my extensive new media journalism experience, proposing to study the potential uses of social and mobile media platforms for parks. Then I pounded the electronic pavement, contacting professors at a number of schools and applying only where I received expressions of interest from faculty members. I ended up being accepted at 7 out of 8 schools I applied to, and after a visit trip to the most promising candidates, was offered varying levels of funding at three of them. I accepted a fully-funded research assistantship at IU's Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Studies.