<p>I am considering doing a Biomedical Engineering BA degree in Australia, then graduate degrees in the U.S.</p>
<p>I was wondering, how common or likely is it for a BA student in Biomed or any other engineering to go straight to a PhD after finishing a BA? Do most students complete a research or non-terminal Masters before beginning a PhD?</p>
<p>Just in case it makes a difference, I will be seeking financial assistance for the graduate degree, eg. fellowships, scholarships etc.</p>
<p>Also if a Masters degree is usual, what are the prospects of getting financial aid for an international seeking a non-terminal Masters degree at top universitiies ie. MIT, JHU, Duke, UCSD etc.</p>
<p>In the US it is pretty common to go from BA to PhD. The key being, the first 2 years of your PhD is usually just taking coursework (i.e. completing a masters) and then the last 2-3 years consists of doing actual research.</p>
<p>Thank you SBUMathgrad. Anyone else got anything to share? Is this the case for all universities across the US, or is it different from school to school?</p>
<p>I would estimate that the lion's share of PhDs in the US go directly from a BA to their PhD (or if they have a masters it is not related to their PhD interest). For many PhD programs when one passes their PhD orals they get a masters.</p>
<p>This path is very common, most specifically in the natural and physical sciences. I am not too sure if it differs in engineering programs, but I would assume if you're applying for a phd, you're interested in doing research. </p>
<p>So with that said, you can start a doctoral program after finishing your bachelors as long as you have a significant amount of research and/or work experience. Make sure to spend at least 2 summers during undergrad participating in REUs or something similar. Also, try to do an independent study or volunteer in a lab during the academic year for at least a year. Doing a thesis project would help as well.</p>