MA-only programs

[kairina]

I hope I don't come across as ridiculously ignorant with this.

I was looking at the graduate program posters from different universities on my university's philosophy department bulletin board. Although it is still too early to gauge how competitive of an applicant I'm going to be since I've only finished about a quarter of my major coursework, I

Comments

[freddie]

It's a complicated question. There was a time when people looking to pursue a doctorate were discouraged from getting an MA somewhere else first. To my understanding, that is largely no longer the case, but I'm sure it varies considerably from school to school and field to field. In some places, having an MA prior to getting your doctorate can make you a more attractive applicant. I personally got an MA before I started working on my doctorate, and it seems to have helped me get into the program I wanted

[everyoneiknow]

If you are going to a PhD program directly related to your undergraduate field, and show a commitment to research etc. during your undergrad years, a MA probably isn't necessary. However, if you want to study a non-related or only tangentally-related field, getting a MA first will show you are interested in/dedicated to the field. I'm currently in an MA program (different field than yours, though) and was told by one office that students who apply with an MA are obviously demonstrating a commitment to grad-level work, which is one thing PhD programs are trying to judge in your application. However, as already mentioned, having an MA probably won't decrease the number/type of classes you have to take for a doctoral program. And I'm sure it varies by program, school, and subject

[gradtheory]

be sure to check if the MA programs will offer you funding - most schools in my field don't offer funding for MA programs, and for international students it's even harder