<p>Before I start: I'm a longtime user of CC, but I did not want to post this under my usual account for privacy reasons.</p>
<p>I am a junior at a fairly prestigious university in the US. I am a biology major. My GPA is 3.3, and my science GPA is probably slightly lower. I have been working in an lab for more than a year. I run experiments for other people's projects and I am also doing my own research that should lead to a publication by graduation.</p>
<p>I have been long reading about how grueling a PhD is, so I am not even considering that as an option.
I am, however, open to the idea of a master's degree in some area of biology. I would only do this if I knew that it would significantly improve the likelihood that I could find employment in some biology-related field. I like all kinds of biology, and I have taken a wide range of courses, so I would go with whichever one feeds into the most favorable job market.
I would also be willing to work with only my bachelor's degree, or my bachelor's enhanced with some additional certification or accreditation.</p>
<p>In terms of what I'm looking for in a job: I value low-stress above high-pay. I want to live in a city where there are some hospitals and universities/colleges, but it is not huge. Given the kind of lab I work in, I do not think that my skill-set is very transferable, but I would get good reference/recommendation letters attesting to my competency in the laboratory setting. It would be nice to feel like I am having a positive effect on the world with my work, but that is mostly for my own ego. </p>
<p>I do not know anyone who has taken a similar career route, and some interested parties in my life have rather strong opinions, so I'm here for a little impartial input.</p>
<p>actually i doubt whether masters in biology are common in the US, as i’ve only come across a few schools offering masters in bio-sciences, except for bioengineering.</p>
<p>Low stress, low pay, not rural, doesn’t require a phd. May I suggest you look into Pharma for a non research area eg manufacturing, quality control or quality affairs. The hours would be set in stone and if you are okay with not being challenged, it would provide a steady if not a bit boring job. The pay is actually pretty decent for these positions. Given the location of most Pharma companies, it would satisfy your desire to be in a city. A great way to get involved in this is to do an internship. A masters degree might help, but it might make you overqualified for an level position, making it more difficult to get a foot in the door</p>
<p>Don’t pay for a MS degree. Just enroll in a PhD program, where tuition is free AND you get a stipend, and just quit after they grant you your master’s degree. If you like what your do, then you can choose to stay for a PhD. Many times in industry, a MS is the best overall degree to have. Most companies view a MS+4-6 years of experience equivalent to a PhD anyway.</p>
<p>From my experience working in industry(pre-clinical R&D), a BS and MS are viewed as essentially the same, with just more experience required if you have a BS. I have a BS and am on the same job level/function as those with a MS, with a PhD needed for any kind of leadership position. The only thing is, having an MS will in all likelihood mean more pay. If you are looking for more regular hours, research in industry is the way to go; although, depending on the place, the level of stress varies.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the replies!
I am not sure I would want to join a PhD program and then leave, because going in with that plan seems like breaking a contract with your advisor. I do know that a master’s degree would likely require loans, but I expect be in an OK position financially to deal with that. I mostly don’t want to miss an opportunity to set myself apart a bit while I am young and more willing to bit uprooted for 1-2 years (while I get the degree.)
I do worry about being overqualified, though. </p>
<p>I guess what I will do is take the GRE and apply to both jobs and master’s programs and then see what happens. Just the fact that the responses here are not all saying the same thing makes my own confusion a bit less disconcerting.</p>
<p>I think applying to both masters programs and jobs is a good idea. During your job search you may also find out more about what having a masters would do for you. I do not recommend trying to get into a PhD program with the intention of quitting with a masters.</p>