Advice on choosing between an MA and a PhD?

[kat99]

Hi all,

I have been keeping up with the forums and feel that some of you might be able to offer some advice.

I have been very fortunate to receive two fully funded PhD acceptances this application season to Leiter ranked institutions.  This morning, I was accepted to my top choice for master's programs (a good program with a great track record for moving students to good PhD programs).  It is also fully funded with a living stipend on which I would be comfortable.

I know that I want to pursue philosophy as a career path but am unsure whether I am ready for a PhD program, (my undergrad program wasn't the best and I am inexperienced in several areas of philosophy).  In addition, I have a complicated family situation and attending the master's program would allow me to stay closer to my family for awhile.  The master's program sounds so good short term.  On the other hand, I don't know if I could forgive myself if I didn't make it into a PhD program the second time around.  Also weighing on my mind, is the fact that I am older than most applicants, (I have a non-traditional educational experience where I took many years to complete my undergrad), and I am ready to get serious about a career path.

If there is anyone who can relate or offer any advice, I would really appreciate it.  The master's program has asked me to let them know asap because they are offering me special funds which could be allocated elsewhere.

[MentalEngineer]

46 minutes ago, MickeyRay said:

If I were you then I would probably go to a PhD. Even though its illegal, I do think that age matters and that it will be harder to get into a phd program later and even get a tenure track position if youre significantly older than other applicants. Also, I do think that it is harder for some people to get into phd programs with an MA compared to just the BA. While I can't be sure about you specifically, and I definitely encourage you to talk to your advisor, I think that you should just trust the fact that you got in to PhD programs and go straight to PhD. 

I'm probably biased, but I don't agree with these concerns. My program accepts and successfully places a significant number of older and less traditional students. While having an MA will raise expectations for your work quality, this is because being in an MA program will raise your work quality.

If you're concerned about having strong background and feeling at home in academia, I would think seriously about the MA. One benefit that I saw from my program is that you can make the shift from "undergrad" to "academic" in terms of your level of work without introducing a ton of other pressures - teaching, starting on a serious research program, networking, and so on. Those things will start to happen, but they happen naturally in the course of learning how to produce better philosophy than you ever have before, rather than as a pile of things that are all part of your new job from Day 1. I feel so much more prepared to do the work that's unique to a PhD - learning to teach original material, do serious research on particular self-chosen topics, learn who in the field I want to be talking to and then actually talking to them, all that stuff - than I possibly could have a couple of years ago.

I realize that the MA wants a decision ASAP because of funding issues, but my honest advice would be to decide at least partly on the basis of campus visits and your sense of departments. A PhD program that's tight-knit and supportive would probably be able to help you through those tentative initial stages and make it OK to go straight into it, but you can't tell that from a website. If the MA is fairly close to you, I would at least try to visit them; if they're offering you special funding, they'll likely be more than happy to accommodate an early visit.

And if by chance the program to which you've been accepted is my alma mater, feel free to PM me with questions.

Edited February 11, 2016 by MentalEngineer

[abisch]

I've been accepted by both a PhD and a MA program. I'm choosing to go the PhD route. I've made this decision because I know I really want to get a PhD, and I'm afraid that if I did choose the MA route, there's a chance I might not get in anywhere in two years. I'm also from a small undergraduate program, so I might have to work to catch up in some areas, and I'm mentally preparing myself for that challenge. 

[psm1580b]

I started my college career about 8 and a half years later than many people and chose initially to attend a terminal MA program. I do not regret it one bit. Given your situation, and the need for absolute dedication and focus in a PhD program, I think the MA is your best bet. I was lucky to go to a ranked MA program in philosophy and feel it has prepared me in ways that I would otherwise not feel prepared. 

[kat99]

Thank you all for the advice; it is much appreciated.

@Abendstern Sorry to be so cryptic about details.  I am a very private person and am just looking for general advice without having to share too many specifics.  The MA offer is from a Canadian university if that helps anyone who is stressing over MA programs right now.

[pecado]

If they accepted you to the PhD then they do think that you are prepared to study the PhD, and you should take the chance, UNLESS you do not want to study at that school for some big reason -but if there is such a reason you should not have applied to that school in the first place-. So, go for the PhD, unless you do not want that school.

Believe me, I, and I bet most people here, do not consider ourselves ready enough for the PhD, specially because we have never been in one and we do not really know how it feels. But we do know that if we get it we will do our best effort to achieve success in it. And I bet that is your case. So do not be afraid of it, it is possible to succeed, you only need to try and try and try and try...

Also, what you would do during the PhD is very different -and in my opinion better- than what you would do in the Master. You would be starting your personal research soon, and you would get the degree younger, and therefore the opportunities -in every aspect of your life- that you would get would be very different, and I think, better, if you choose the PhD now that if you postpone it.

 

STUDY NOW THAT YOU CAN. Which is similar to "Eat now that there is food, because when there is not, you will not eat even if you want".

[Establishment]

I want to address a few things.

As someone else said, although you may not feel prepared, you've been admitted to some PhD programs. You're qualified. It's true that maybe you have a less general knowledge of philosophy, and that an MA might give you some time to expand your exposure. But I think in the grand scheme of things, this isn't a big concern. You got into a PhD, this may not happen in the future. It just doesn't seem worth it to forgo a PhD just to increase your comfort levels.

As someone also said, the details of where you got into matter a good bit. You didn't mention anything about wanting to attend an MA in order to get into a better PhD program. In which case, it doesn't make particular sense to forgo a PhD if you're satisfied with the PhD programs you got into.

I think that the strongest reason you have for forgoing the PhD, is your family situation. I don't know what sort of situation you're in, but it's true that perhaps you have some overwriting familial obligations. I wonder if it would be possible to defer your admission to one of the PhD programs for a year. People have done this in the past. It may be possible for you. And this part is purely speculative, you might be able to talk to the PhD programs about this, but if you specifically need to be bringing in some money, perhaps you could defer your PhD admission, and still attend the MA program.

Personally, I think barring a particular desire to get into a better PhD program, and barring some overwriting familial obligations, it makes the most amount of sense to go ahead and pursue the PhD. Granted, I'm a little biased from my own experiences. I got into a PhD program and some MA programs, and chose one of the MA programs. I loved my MA program, but I had a terrible performance and have ended up going into a different career path. And I wonder how things might have been different had I gone to the PhD program.

[kat99]

Thanks all, really helpful!

[pecado]

What did you choose?

[kat99]

Oh man it's a really hard decision.  I am skyping some advisors this weekend to discuss it, but I think deep down, I am too afraid of not choosing PhD.  I mean, no matter what your qualifications, it's a bit of a lottery right?  Not sure if I want to risk another lottery in 2 years...

[philstudent1991]

Take the PhD if you want to get a PhD. This process is too random to hope for luck a second time. 

[MickeyRay]

9 hours ago, kat99 said:

Oh man it's a really hard decision.  I am skyping some advisors this weekend to discuss it, but I think deep down, I am too afraid of not choosing PhD.  I mean, no matter what your qualifications, it's a bit of a lottery right?  Not sure if I want to risk another lottery in 2 years...

I mean...can't you just leave the PhD after the two years with a masters and go to a different PhD if you're unhappy with your performance/changed interests/think you could get into a higher tier/etc?

And yes, a LOT of it is a lottery aspect. 

Edited February 20, 2016 by MickeyRay