Cannot make up my mind abt going for a phD or a master

[marvin74]

I am a junior undergraduate student majoring in biology. I have been working all summer in lab and I can't say I am especially passionate about it, nor can I say that I absl hate researching.

My ultimate career goal is management in the biology industry, so I don't know if a phD in cell biology is worth it, considering the amount of time invested. Someone has also suggested me go for a master im n cell biology, and work in the industry then go back to phD in Economics or MBA degree. But since there is no financial aid for master degree, that is also problematic for me......

p.s. How much time is invested in studying and researching in graduate school? Is it possible to be actively involved in leadership positions and remain academia?

I am eager to hear any suggestions/comments, different perspectives are welcomed!

Edited August 3, 2011 by marvin74

[Kitkat]

My suggestion would be see if you can find any jobs that fit what you would want. Then see what those jobs require you to have in the form of education. It might be possible to find a dual degree that fits the need for science/administration stuff. Not all scientists want to do the paperwork stuff really.

[eco_env]

maybe a Professional Science Master's?

[runningit]

First: If you're not interested in doing research, why would you get a PhD? It's a serious investment of time and money—even if you pay nothing, you're missing out on a few years of a career. Second: Whoever told you to work for a few years and then get an Economics PhD to go into management has no idea what they're talking about. An MBA, sure, that makes sense.

Doesn't it make sense to you to get a master's degree, work for a few years, and get an MBA if you're that interested in the business or management side?

[Behavioral]

An econ Ph.D. will yield little to no benefits to you (nor do I believe you'd even get into one with a bio background since most people admitted were either math/stats majors or had a good amount of hard maths [i.e., real analysis, topology, etc.] under their belt).

Any degree is an investment. If costs exceed expected return, then don't pursue it. Getting a Masters for the sake of getting it is stupid. Do your research about what benefits there are in your subjective position and see whether or not you can commit 2 years of opportunity cost and any explicit costs in tuition/living expenses. If the answer is 'no', don't get a Masters. Piling on debt is an easy way to bankrupt yourself and make yourself lack versatility in the market.

If you're going into a Ph.D., you will NOT have time for 'leadership' positions--whatever that means. A Ph.D. is a full-time job and a half by itself. If you think you're going to have any time to devote to other extracurriculars while maintaining adequate progress in your doctorate, you're sadly mistaken.

Sorry if my post sounds harsh, but it really doesn't sound like you know what a Ph.D. is and why one should pursue it. The entire forum is practically geared at answering those questions and is a repository for information regarding 'Why a Ph.D.?'