<p>I'm curious if going for a terminal Master's is normal for Computer Science and/or Physics majors, or if it's generally onward to the Doctorate. I used to be a Psychology student and I know that graduate applicants are encouraged to search for PhD/PsyD programs rather than Master's-only ones.</p>
<p>I am no expert in either field (recent college graduate with a major in math) but I can share some observation about my computer science and physics friends.</p>
<p>A Master’s degree in computer science is plenty to enter the workforce. Master’s degrees seem to be most popular among career changers or working professionals who want to pursue a new specialty. An undergraduate CS degree is employable enough that few CS majors consider going to graduate school, and when they do, it’s usually for a PhD with the intention to go into research. Only a single CS major I know (foreign student who couldn’t get a work visa) decided to enroll in a terminal Master’s program.</p>
<p>None of my physics friends ever considered getting a Master’s degree in physics. Most of them either left physics after college (often to go into engineering) or else went for a PhD. Physics is not the most employable discipline; a terminal Master’s degree may not make sense financially unless you intend to use it as a stepping stone to a PhD program.</p>
<p>^I have a family member who got his master’s in physics but he works in more of an engineering environment.</p>
<p>Interesting stuff, thanks. I’m heading to UPitt in the Fall and am majoring in Computer Science for certain, and am trying to decide if I’d prefer to minor in Physics or Philosophy. That might seem odd given the differences between those minors, but I have a lot of passion for at least several academic subjects, which I find to be both blessing and curse. I’m sure many on these forums can relate. Sniffing out the grad school norms is part of my long-term planning, and I did hear previously that a Bachelor’s is all one needs in CS outside of research, which is comforting, but I do like to know all of my options for when I decide to make a decision on if to go to grad school, and in what.</p>
<p>I’m a non-traditional student (in my mid-20s, returning for a second Bachelor’s… I know a lot of people think a second Bachelor’s isn’t wise, but I was lacking credits in all of the three fields, and I really do want the CS knowledge and the courses, for the sake of both curiosity and employment) and my age and potential debt come into play. All that, and the Philosophical Gourmet ranks Pitt’s philosophy department #4 in the country–wasn’t expecting that.</p>
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I know several people who left PhD programs in physics with a Master’s degree or have a Master’s degree from a combined BA/MA program. Did your family member do something like that, or did he intentionally enroll in a terminal Master’s program?</p>