Masters vs PhD

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<p>I am about to be a senior and I am majoring in biomedical engineering. Initially I was planning on applying to masters programs and then to a PhD program afterward. However, the more I am looking into some schools and their MS programs it seems like little to no funding is avaliable while most all of the PhD programs I've come across provide funding. I'm aware that PhD programs are much more competitive and harder to get into than masters but I consider myself a pretty competitive application. </p>

<p>My main question is what is the main difference between getting a PhD straight out of undergrad and getting a masters first and then a PhD. Do the direct programs have a masters built into it? Also, I really like research but I don't think I would want to work in an academic setting which is what I feel the main reason people get PhDs for. Is it possible to still get an industry job with a PhD, or is it better just to stop at the masters? </p>

<p>Thanks for all the help in advance!</p>

2

<p>If the main goal is to obtain a PhD right after undergrad one may skip the Master’s degree altogether.</p>

<p>Typically, a Master’s degree is nothing more than a specialization within a specific field (ex. HVAC within MechE). A PhD is specialization within a specific field where the individual contributes/develops/discovers/researches something original and new to the field (ex. individual discovered revolving doors allow less heat to escape from buildings).</p>

<p>Yes, one may obtain employment in many industries with a PhD but many industries do not require individuals to hold a PhD unless said individual is working in R&D.</p>

3

<p>In most of the PhD programs I have looked at you can earn a MS along the way with little to no additional effort.</p>

4

<p>thanks for the input! another question, is it easier to get into a PhD program with a MS? I’ve heard some people say that some schools almost prefer to get people right out of undergrad, not sure how accurate that is</p>