PhD after MS with Project (not Thesis)

[tanim3062]

I am pursuing my MS in Electrical Engineering at a university at OH (not the top ones) and my main goal is to go for PhD. I have completed 18 hrs of courses already, with gpa of ~3.9 and was going for thesis but as I am not getting any assistantship from the department/professor, I have to go through Project (which is not thesis, one just have to submit a paper/report etc.). The reason is - for thesis I have to register for 3 more semesters (I assume) but for project, I can finish it within next semester. The certificate would still be for MS. Will my decision of taking project ignoring thesis hurt my ambition to go for PhD in better schools? 

[Guest criminologist]

it's better to do a thesis if you DON'T plan to do a PhD, if you want to do a PhD you are going to have to do a dissertation anyway, so it is kind of pointless to do a thesis for a masters (if you have the option of choosing b/w thesis or project).

[JD - (0)]

Additionally, having published, if you publish any of the papers produced for your project, will make you look certainly better in a PhD application than a master's theses will. And typically, a lot of people write master's theses, and use that to write publishable papers. If you can skip the master's theses, do it. A demonstration of the knowledge of your field which would be demonstrated through the theses will be of better use through the project, and publishable papers. 

 

Best of luck. 

[tanim3062]

Well, thank you guys I am going for project then. And at the same time trying to publish one/two conference papers. Just hope my adviser would not hesitate to give me a good recommendation.   . 

[juilletmercredi]

it's better to do a thesis if you DON'T plan to do a PhD, if you want to do a PhD you are going to have to do a dissertation anyway, so it is kind of pointless to do a thesis for a masters (if you have the option of choosing b/w thesis or project).

Er, what?  I fail to see how this makes sense...an MA thesis can prepare you for the work of a dissertation, and can demonstrate to an admissions commitee that you are willing and able to undertake a large, long-term research project.  Besides, a thesis can be turned into a publication, and publications always look good.

With that said, though, you don't need to do a thesis to get into a PhD program.  You can use the paper as a writing sample if you need one, or talk about the process as a research project.

[Flandre Scarlet]

I've always thought that your chances of getting into a PhD program are higher if you do a master's thesis.  I don't know how it works at other schools, but at NYU, you only have the option to write a thesis if you have at least a 3.7 gpa in the foundational courses.  To me, the people choosing the thesis option are a bit more distinguished.  At the very least it shows that you can do research.

[tanim3062]

I talked with my prof about my situation and he advised me to carry on the thesis work. Even a small scale of work would be better he said. SO... let see how things unfold.