<p>I've been in graduate school for two years now, pursuing an advanced degree in electrical engineering. When I enrolled here, I was only planning on getting my master's degree, but I was offered a fellowship if I sayed for my PhD, which I accepted. </p>
<p>My problem arises from the fact that I'm not terribly happy with my current situation. My interest have shifted since I started grad school, and this school doesn't have great facilities for the research I would like to pursue. Additionally, my advisor has been pushing me to begin preparing for my prelim when I feel like I haven't even nailed down a good topic of research. One of the reason I think he is doing this is because he's up for tenure this fall, and he certainly doesn't act like he's going to get it. Based on his inability to stay organized and lack of professionalism, which is a whole other issuse I have with him, I'm not surpirse if he doesn't get tenure.</p>
<p>My question is, how bad does it look to just get a masters degree and move on to another institution when you've already accepted money from a fellowship and made some commitment to get your PhD? I hate to burn bridges, and I think this is a great institution, but not for what I want and not under the tutelage of this particular professor. </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Lots of people change grad schools after their masters. Usually for reasons much like the ones you have described. Do you have your masters already in hand? If you don't, how quickly can you finish it? Who will write your letters of recommendation for the other program?</p>
<p>And as for the professor who looks like he won't get tenure, if he doesn't get it he will be out of there so fast your head will spin. Who else at your university would be willing to take you on? You might be looking for another PhD program anyway.</p>
<p>Sorry your situation isn't working out for you. I think you'll need to look into the stipulations of the fellowship you accepted. I don't think schools look to kindly on someone taking their money and running. I say this because it seems like there is a chance that you'll have to pay back your tuition/fellowship money. If you do have to pay it back, and you're okay with that, then you may need some finesse to ensure you get strong recommendation letters to your next school.</p>
<p>The only fellowships I'm aware of that require repaying upon quitting are ones done through a company or the government/military. And for those I imagine they wouldn't care too much where you got your degree, as long as you get it and perform your service requirement for them.</p>
<p>I plan on getting my masters early this fall. Hopefully I'll start writing it this summer to get it out of the way ASAP.</p>
<p>Recommendation letters are something I'm worried about. It would make sense for me to have one from my current advisor, but I don't know how much he would like having to write me a nice one if he knows its going to a different institution. </p>
<p>I made sure before I accepted the fellowship that I wouldn't have to pay it back if something happened and I didn't stick around. I'm more worried about rubbing people in my department the wrong way, and I don't know if its considered a black mark to other schools that might want to transition to. If this is a completely uncommon and unethical thing to do, I won't do it. </p>
<p>Thanks.</p>