MA vs PhD

[StephanieM]

So the process of applying for grad schools will begin soon for me, and I'm a bit conflicted. I don't know whether to apply for an MA or a PhD. See, I explicitly DON'T want to work in academia, and am absolutely terrified that a PhD will only lead to that. On the other hand, the cost of a master's degree is steep, and a PhD is a better option in that sense. So I don't know what I want to do given my career plans... any advice?

[margarethale]

It depends on what you're going into, to be honest (ex: English, History, Physics, etc). Depending on your field, you may be better served with one degree than with the other, particularly if you are wary of working in academia. Certain doctoral programs in the humanities are very geared towards training you for a career in teaching whereas with the sciences this isn't always the case since you'll be trained to research more than to teach.

As far as the cost of an MA goes, you can (again, depends on your field) probably find a program that will fund you. I'm going to grad school for English this fall and before I got an offer from a doctoral program, I was going to get a fully funded MA elsewhere. Finding funding for an MA can be tricky, but it's not impossible.

[Ennue]

It does really depend on your field, but in general I think most phd programs do explicitly prepare you for working in academia, and if that is not what you want to do you shouldn't spend years of your life going there. (that sounds a bit cynical of me - I love my program, but I do think you need to be passionate about what you do to be able to love your program!)

Why don't you want to work in academia? Do you dislike teaching and research? Because that would definitely be an extra reason not to start a phd program

[Dal PhDer]

I just want to say that while traditionally PhD programs gear students towards academia, there are A LOT of outside academic jobs for PhD holders. So try not to let that be the sole reason for not doing your degree. Also, I know money is important and I considered it for my degrees, but don't let it be the deciding factor of choosing and MA and PhD program.

You should really look into MA/PhD programs in your area, and see where students are afterwards. There are lots of opportunities for both MA and PhD, but they do take you down very different roads. Sitting yourself down and asking you what you want to do, and where you see yourself working for your career is important. Once you know where either degree can take you, you can see which is the best option for yourself.

Lastly, you should also weigh the commitment. an MA vs PhD is a big thing to consider when you think about time/work...in the end, this is really a decision you have to make. My advice is to research it, and become really informed on all your options.

[ANDS!]

A PhD is a research degree. The difference between a PhD and a Masters (in theory) is just that - a PhD has been trained to carry out independent research. If you have no interest in being the LEAD on research (nothing stops a masters student from being involved with research) then go for a masters. It's a professional degree and you can do quite a bit with it.

[kaijura]

Personal opinion, but I think it's going to be really much based on what career you are looking to go into, and how proactive you are in getting into that career during your transition in education.

Not all positions require a PhD, and it is definitely major based.

Say for some examples, PharmD vs Architecture vs Biology vs CompSci vs Engineering vs History vs English vs Psychology:

Which of the above positions require PhD and what are they being used for?

Only the person getting the degree can really attest for it.

[StephanieM]

I'm an economics major right now hoping to get my graduate degree in development or security studies. I'm not against a PhD in the sense that I love research, I just despise teaching. Thanks all, hoping to hear even more opinions

[ANDS!]

I'm an economics major right now hoping to get my graduate degree in development or security studies. I'm not against a PhD in the sense that I love research, I just despise teaching. Thanks all, hoping to hear even more opinions

I've been in several departments where the "teachers" only teach one class a year. The rest is spent on research.

[Dal PhDer]

I've been in several departments where the "teachers" only teach one class a year. The rest is spent on research.

Agree. I know some that don't even teach at all.

I think it's important to be really sure about what you want your career to be.

A PhD in academia normally means you'll be on the TT, and will have to actively engage in applying for grants, getting money to support your research, publishing original research, etc. You will be required to support your research - much like during your PhD when you apply for grants/scholarships to fund yourself. You will also (depending on where you stand in the department), have to teach a course or two. I know several 'new' faculty that have to teach 2-3 courses (the ones senior faculty don't like) plus do TT. This varies between departments. You will also have to take on students and mentor them. For some, the teaching aspect is what draws them into academics, rather than the TT, for others it's opposite. During your PhD you will be mostly taught the skills to go through the TT experience, and much less on the 'teaching' experience. You may have the opportunity to be a TA or even teach a class...I would suggest that if you want to be a professor, take these opportunities- they are great learning experiences and will be significantly valuable to your CV/resume if you want to apply for a faculty position.

Outside of academics, there are a wide range of jobs for a PhD through gov't, NGO, etc. Here your PhD will allow you to apply for high-level positions, get you a pay raise, and will allow you to do research without the pressure of tenure. These positions ARE attainable with a masters in most cases, but a masters will limit you a bit, and PhDs are not becoming more desirable.

Master's is a great stepping stone for many job opportunities. You will be able to apply for lots of higher-level RA work (in general $30/hr) and will be able to do a lot of work in various fields. My experience is that an MA can take you to a broad range of disciplines, while a PhD will make you a bit more of an 'expert' with more of a focus.

But, this is based on my experience in the job field of health and health promotion. This will vary depending on discipline.

[PinkandI]

Agree. I know some that don't even teach at all.

I think it's important to be really sure about what you want your career to be.

A PhD in academia normally means you'll be on the TT, and will have to actively engage in applying for grants, getting money to support your research, publishing original research, etc. You will be required to support your research - much like during your PhD when you apply for grants/scholarships to fund yourself. You will also (depending on where you stand in the department), have to teach a course or two. I know several 'new' faculty that have to teach 2-3 courses (the ones senior faculty don't like) plus do TT. This varies between departments. You will also have to take on students and mentor them. For some, the teaching aspect is what draws them into academics, rather than the TT, for others it's opposite. During your PhD you will be mostly taught the skills to go through the TT experience, and much less on the 'teaching' experience. You may have the opportunity to be a TA or even teach a class...I would suggest that if you want to be a professor, take these opportunities- they are great learning experiences and will be significantly valuable to your CV/resume if you want to apply for a faculty position.

Outside of academics, there are a wide range of jobs for a PhD through gov't, NGO, etc. Here your PhD will allow you to apply for high-level positions, get you a pay raise, and will allow you to do research without the pressure of tenure. These positions ARE attainable with a masters in most cases, but a masters will limit you a bit, and PhDs are not becoming more desirable.

Master's is a great stepping stone for many job opportunities. You will be able to apply for lots of higher-level RA work (in general $30/hr) and will be able to do a lot of work in various fields. My experience is that an MA can take you to a broad range of disciplines, while a PhD will make you a bit more of an 'expert' with more of a focus.

But, this is based on my experience in the job field of health and health promotion. This will vary depending on discipline.

[PinkandI]

Something went wrong with my previous post; sorry I posted Dal PhDer’s comment without my reply. Strange!

Well, I agree with Dal PhDer. Plus, it all comes down to what you are passionate about and whether you love research and independent study. Do you love working alone on academic problems? Do you love research? I would not advise anyone who is not crazy about research (academic) to go after a PhD just because it's fully funded (and most are). It doesn't matter whether you love working in the academia after that or not. We are talking about a minimum of four years of nonstop research, reading and publishing and working alone most of the time. You have to love doing research.

It’s not good to start a PhD and later find out that you would rather do an MA. If you don’t like research, look for the money and some funding and go for an MA. However, if you can handle the research and all that, why not do the PhD. It doesn't mean you have to work in the academia or teach. Depending on your field, you can go into consultation or expert jobs in the public or private sectors. I for one don’t like teaching and the idea of publishing under pressure of tenure that characterizes the academic world. In fact the whole idea of academia is just nauseating to me, but I do want to do a PhD, just so I can be an authority on something in this big world. I know if I ever do it (Lord help me), I will end up a consultant somewhere and will not ever have to worry about having only one published article on my CV. For me I have to first finish a master's though (for other reasons)