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Hello, I am currently an undergraduate student planning for grad school. I will graduate with a BS in Biology and eventually hope to pursue a career in research or academia. My area of interest is the evolution and genetics of cognition, specifically within the hominid line.
I am wondering if I should go for a Master's first, or proceed directly into a PhD program upon finishing my undergrad. Specifically, is it looked down upon in the field to pursue a master's first?
In my university you were required to get a masters before you would be considered for the PHD program in Anthropology.
Seriously though, there isn't much of a market for Anthropologists and competition for tenure is fierce in academia... so the more degrees you can put on your resume, the better.
yeah, I know that's a requirement at some, but there are also many programs where you go straight into a PhD track. I know in some disciplines such as genetics, molec bio, and biochem, it's frowned upon to go into a master's first and you fall behind the curve of learning if you do so.
From Washington State University's Evolutionary Anthropology admissions page for their graduate program: "Incoming Ph.D. candidates are expected to have completed a M.A. (or equivalent degree) in anthropology or an appropriate allied field."
This is only one example, but I haven't ever heard of any graduate program "looking down" upon someone applying to a Ph.D program with a Master's degree already under their belt.
I would get a Masters first. It will give you a chance to do more research/get more publications in the long run before you one day are ready to apply for jobs. It's important if you eventually want a job in academia to make yourself as competitive (read: productive) as possible... and to start that from day 1 of grad school. Also, whatever your masters thesis topic is can wind up as a springboard (background research) for your eventual dissertation topic.(it's all about long term planning) One of the biggest problems I see with students in doc programs is that they get 'stuck' on finding an acceptable (do-able) dissertation topic that their committee will agree on. Having completed a thesis first might give you a leg up.
Edited to add: If you're interested in primate evolution, you might some of this interesting: http://www.yerkes.emory.edu/
If you want to study this field, OK, whatever, but compared to a business or engineering science degree, I think your career choices will be relatively limited.
I think you have to do the work for a Master's as part of the path from Batchelor's to PhD.
yeah, I know that's a requirement at some, but there are also many programs where you go straight into a PhD track. I know in some disciplines such as genetics, molec bio, and biochem, it's frowned upon to go into a master's first and you fall behind the curve of learning if you do so.
Genetics may be a bit different since so many faculty members are MDs. I would assume looking down on master's degree holders is the exception and not the rule in most social sciences and economics. My personal experience in business tells me the overwhelming majority of graduates have useful MA degrees (for business, often economics or mathematics).
The easiest way to find out how it works in anthropology is to look for the CV of assistant and associate professors at top schools.
Hello, I am currently an undergraduate student planning for grad school. I will graduate with a BS in Biology and eventually hope to pursue a career in research or academia. My area of interest is the evolution and genetics of cognition, specifically within the hominid line.
I am wondering if I should go for a Master's first, or proceed directly into a PhD program upon finishing my undergrad. Specifically, is it looked down upon in the field to pursue a master's first?
I'd be surprised if you had a choice. The M.A. precedes the Ph.D. Sounds like a great field, it's one of my faves, myself.
I would think that someone who is looking to do a PhD in something would be pretty much dead set on doing research in that field and not going back and forth between two studies... I'm not sure which professor is going to want you researching with him if you don't even know what you want to do...
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