By Anjanita Mahadoo, MA, MSEd, IECA Associate (MA)

When choosing the right educational path to follow after earning an undergraduate degree, 75% of current undergraduates plan to continue on to a master’s or doctorate degree compared to 50% of their counterparts in the 1970s, according to a survey of college freshman (Nelson 2015a). In fact, “master’s degrees are as common now as bachelor’s degrees were in the 1960s” (Nelson, 2015b).

In most countries, students are expected to earn a master’s degree before undertaking a doctoral degree, but in the United States, a master’s degree is not required to pursue a PhD. Students are not obligated to undertake a master’s degree in the same field as their undergraduate degree. The same is true for a PhD, although it might be more challenging to undertake advanced research in a new field. A master’s degree provides college graduates as well as career changers an easier and faster way to switch fields of studies and professions.

Although a doctorate degree might be more prestigious and may offer candidates a higher level of authority in their fields of research, the master’s degree remains the fastest-growing college credential in the United States.

Cost

As the number of people holding a master’s degree increases, so do the associated educational debts, because most master’s degrees are not funded by the institution nor is federal financial aid granted to master’s students. Most PhD candidates, on the other hand, receive full tuition reimbursement along with a living allowance in return for a teaching assistantship or research assistantship through the program to which they are affiliated. Yet a doctorate degree might not necessarily carry a return on investment that is as high as the master’s degree because it takes an average of six years to obtain a PhD, a substantial opportunity cost. In comparison, a master’s degree can be obtained in as little as one to two years, so a person could enter the workforce much sooner than the PhD candidate and start earning a salary that is much higher than the PhD stipend. Plus, the salary of a PhD is not always proportional to the time investment and effort.

Passion

Aside from cost considerations, a PhD typically appeals to students who are particularly passionate about a subject in which they are prepared to immerse themselves through research that culminates in a dissertation to advance the field in an original manner. In addition, liberal arts and humanities students might find PhD programs more apt than a master’s degree to improve their employment prospects. But computer science, mathematics, and information systems students might not find it as useful to pursue a PhD, especially if they have no special research interests and would rather join the industry and hone their skills on the job with a bachelor’s degree or a master’s.

In the technological fields, for example, a higher degree is generally not required, except to join a higher salary point or engage in original research in the field. According to the Education Department statistics (https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d17/tables/dt17_323.10.asp), since the 1970s, the most popular master’s degrees have been awarded in the fields of education and business. Irrespective of the profession, master’s degree holders generally earn a higher salary rate than their college graduate counterparts (Schram 2014).

Preparation

Regardless of their areas of interest, students need to evaluate both options carefully to determine their right fit. A student who is genuinely interested in moving on to graduate school after earning an undergraduate degree needs to start planning while in college by gaining a deep understanding of what each option will entail.

Joining a PhD program calls for exceptional graduate school readiness: demonstrating focus and temperance and building mental strength that will see the candidates through the lengthy, often lonely journey that requires six to seven years of researching a hypothetical idea. The prospective candidates should understand that research entails investigating an abstract idea that can be proven wrong; therefore, they need to be ready to fail. But they also must be prepared to persevere and continue believing in their idea despite the hurdles that they face along the way.

Although research can be a solitary endeavor, it can rarely be done in isolation. Students also need to able to build relationships with mentors while in college and learn to appreciate collaboration with other students within their own and allied fields. Joining a PhD program involves a deep commitment that is not easy to maintain unless it is accompanied by relentless dedication and intrinsic satisfaction due to the person’s innate passion and deep interest for the field. More importantly, it is essential to choose a right-fit program.

Evaluate Options

Before joining a PhD program, candidates should fully understand what research entails, whether they are cut out for research, and whether they are ready for the intensity of the PhD coursework, which can be more rigorous than a master’s program. If they cannot keep up with the intensity of the PhD program, they can be asked to leave the program without any terminal degree; not all PhD programs would award a master’s degree en route to a PhD.

When a student is unsure, it might be better for him or her to consider starting with a master’s program before moving on to a doctorate program to familiarize themselves with what awaits them as a PhD scholar. Similarly, a master’s degree, especially a research-based program, can be used as a stepping stone by PhD students who need to reinforce their foundational research groundwork before undertaking a PhD, especially in a new field. A predoctoral master’s degree will strengthen the student’s PhD application and has the potential of reducing the number of years the student will spend in the doctoral program.

There is no right or wrong path to graduate school, but students need to evaluate all their options carefully to determine their right fit: master’s or PhD?

References

Nelson, Libby. 2015a. “Today’s College Freshman Explained in 4 Charts.” Vox, February 5. www.vox.com/2015/2/5/7987895/college-freshmen-survey.

Nelson, Libby. 2015b. “Master’s Degrees Are as Common Now as Bachelor’s Degrees Were in the ‘60s.” Vox, February 7. www.vox.com/2014/5/20/5734816/masters-degrees-are-as-common-now-as-bachelors-degrees-were-in-the-60s.

Schram, Michael. 2014. “The Degree Debate: Should You Get a Master’s or PhD?” USA Today, December 10. www.usatoday.com/story/college/2014/12/10/the-degree-debate-should-you-get-a-masters-or-phd/37399083.