<p>I will be starting the graduate EECS programme at MIT in September and am very excited!!
I chose to do the programme as I have my tuition paid for and because I wanted to learn about a particular area in electrical engineering.</p>
<p>I am not so keen on an academic career, so I am unsure about doing a PhD. From my point of view, by beginning work in industry after a masters the real world experience outweighs the years that would have been spent on a PhD. This is my own opinion. The reason why I didn't apply for a master's is financial - I don't want to be in debt, and this opportunity is paid for. Also, I simply could not refuse being accepted to somewhere like MIT and the economic prospects available to its graduates - especially coming from a small village in the countryside</p>
<p>I know that one receives an SM (Master of Science) after approximately 2 years into the programme.
Is it possible to leave after this qualification and not pursue a PhD?</p>
<p>Unless that SM has the same exact name as a degree given out to people who don’t drop out of the PhD program, the people who are considering hiring you will know that you dropped out and they will not assume it was your plan all along.</p>
<p>The only way to get a SM in Computer Science at MIT is either as part of the PhD program, or through the LGO program. If you don’t have the PhD or the MBA that goes with either of those programs, it will be clear that you dropped out of some program. Though I suspect most employers won’t realize or care about this.</p>
<p>I think it’s fine to drop out of the PhD program with just a masters if you find that you aren’t suited to a career in research. Though it seems dishonest if this was your plan from the beginning.</p>