Applying to PhD AND Masters Programs?

[CNLpsy]

I have received different opinions regarding whether to apply to masters and doctoral programs in the same application round. I would like to apply to one masters program just in case I do not get into any doctoral programs. Obviously, my first choice would be to attend a PhD program, but I am the type of person to make sure I have a back up plan.

What do you guys think? Do schools think of it as a bad thing when you apply to both masters and doctoral programs?

Thanks!

[lewin]

The other schools won't know where else you've applied unless you tell them.

[PsychGirl1]

You could also apply to a few PhD programs with good master's programs and check on your app that you want to be considered for the master's program as well. Sometimes, if they feel like you are a good candidate but just need more experience, they will reject you for hte PhD but interview you for the master's program. I'm currently in a master's program- which I love- and I know at least 1/4 of my class is from PhD applicants who got deferred to the M.S. program and didn't get in anywhere else.

[runonsentence]

I did that my first application cycle (fall 2009) and was glad I did. The master's programs I included had funding, which made decisions easier (though I'm not sure if master's level funding is a possibility at all in psychology). I don't really see a reason not to do it.

[Arcadian]

_{Usually, doctoral applications are due in December-February, while master's applications are due in March-July. This is done intentionally so that people who applied to doctoral programs but were rejected will still have time to apply for master's programs. I had the same initial strategy as you - apply to a bunch of PhD programs and one MS program as a backup. However, the application for that MS program wasn't due until July 1, so I filled out the application but waited to submit it. Then I got accepted into my PhD program in March, and I deleted the MS application.}

[runonsentence]

_{Usually, doctoral applications are due in December-February, while master's applications are due in March-July. This is done intentionally so that people who applied to doctoral programs but were rejected will still have time to apply for master's programs.}

Interesting. This is not how my applications worked, so I wonder if it's a field-specific thing. MA deadlines at the programs I applied to coincided with their PhD deadlines, so there wasn't really a rhyme or reason to which ones came first and which ones came last, it simply depended on when that particular program collected applications.

[PsychGirl1]

In Psych, the M.S. and M.A. programs are generally later, but you won't usually (at least from the ones I applied to) hear about your PhD programs before the Master's apps are due.

Honestly, if you're applying to a normal amount of PhD programs (10ish?), it won't make any difference as far as effort to tack on 1-2 Master's programs, esp if one or two of the PhD programs also have master's programs that you can get deferred to.

[mj53]

I'm applying to both because I feel like I lack the experience for a PhD program. It really doesn't hurt to tack on a few if you're worried about not getting in to PhD programs. I wish I had known all of this last year when I first applied and got shot down by a bunch of PhD only programs.