MS,MS/PhD or PhD ?

For most of us obtaining a masters/doctorate degree is a challenge by itself. For many it is a life time aspiration/desire. If you are considering to apply for universities abroad (especially US), you should ,ask whether you are motivated to do higher studies.



Before you apply:

Making the decision:
Be it a MS or PhD degree, you need to make few things clear before you apply.

1) Do you really want to do higher studies? Yes/No

2) Are you inclined for studies/inclined to earn wages immediately after completing your 4 year bachelors degree course?

3) What is your ultimate goal of pursuing higher studies ? For some, the answers might be: "Don't know, My parents wanted me to do higher degree studies to get better marriage prospects","The other guy did it, so I also wanted to do","Just to migrate to US or other countries","I do not like to work here",etc...

If you are considering to apply for MS/PhD, please do not apply for it if you have any of these answers in your mind. But keep in mind that obtaining a Masters degree itself can be a nightmare for many. Doing a PhD is all about selfless determination,perseverance,hard work,patience.

4) Can you study for another 2 to 6 years (depending on your option-MS/PhD) after completing your 4-years course?


5) Draw out your plans for the future :
a) How would you like to see yourself after completing the degree?
b) What are the career options available upon completion of the degree?

Honestly answer the above questions and decide on your choice.

Once the decision is Made:
If you have decided to go a head to apply for MS/PhD, you have three options to choose from.

1)MS
2)MS/PhD
3)Direct PhD

Making the decision on MS,MS/PHD or PHD ?
Summary of Differences:

Course Type	Duration	Easy to get Admit?	Funding	Career Prospects
MS	1.5-2 years	Relatively Easier	Tough to get	Job
MS/PhD	2-6 years (2 years for MS + 3 to 4 years for Phd)	a bit tougher compared to MS	Mostly funded for PhD(after the qualifying exam) or after the 1st sem of your MS program	Jobs,research,academic teaching
PhD	average 5 years	Very tough (depends on your credentials)	Easily available	Jobs,research,academic teaching

MS/PhD: The traditional way
Complete your Masters degree first and then enroll for PhD. After obtaining the Masters degree, you will write a qualifying examination.  You will be admitted to PhD only after you pass the exam. In most cases professors will not fund a student (i.e. will not offer Research Assistant-ship) before he passes the qualifying exam. So you need to be prepared to fund yourself for the initial 1.5-2 years of your Masters degree course.

Direct PhD: Jumping ahead
What's this ?
Skipping the intermediate process of obtaining a Masters degree and directly doing a PhD

Who can apply ? 
If your ultimate aim is to obtain a PhD.

Chances of Getting Admit ?
It depends on your confidence level and your credentials. If you think that you have good credentials (like international publications,good GPA or marks,internships,projects etc...).

After getting Admit:
You need to write the qualifying exam right after getting your admit to the grad school. Most of the questions in the qualifying exam requires in-depth understanding of the subject. Remember that you will be competing with students who has already completed MS degree.

Not able to decide between MS and MS/PhD ?
Safest bet is to go for MS. Some people may find it too early to decide on whether to do a PhD after obtaining a Masters. They can opt for MS , complete the degree and decide in due course whether they are really into going for a PhD.


The main difference between MS and MS/PhD: 
In MS/PhD program you might be allowed to write the qualifying exam even before completing the MS degree. This saves time if your aim is to do a PhD. On the other hand,  a student in MS will not be allowed to write the qualifying exam till he completes the degree.