This is probably a silly question, but after I earn my Masters Degree, is it okay to wait a couple of years before embarking on the route to getting a Ph.D? Will I look less competitive when applying for a Ph.D program? The couple of years off will be spent earning an additional Bachelors degree that is related to the field of study in which I am pursuing my Ph.D. I want to become a College Professor, so will this also make me look bad for the job market? I am currently getting my Bachelors degree in the USA, plan on my Masters in Germany, and I desire my Ph.D to be earned in either Germany or Switzerland, for the additional bachelors degree before my Ph. D, I plan on earning it in Japan, or some other country.
I will appreciate any help or insight offered!
It’s certainly okay, and is common in some fields. I am entering a business management program this fall and I’m one of the youngest students in my department (and I’ve been out of school for several years). It may be less common in other programs, and possibly other countries, but you can easily determine that by browsing current PhD students at your target schools or seeing if the schools publish the average age of their admitted students on their websites. Just keep in mind that having young students doesn’t necessarily mean the school is adverse to admitting older students.
I do have a few things for you to consider, though.
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Why are you considering completing a masters degree if it is unrelated to what you want to do as a career? Completing a masters program and then going back to do a bachelors program again might raise some eyebrows in the admissions process, and can also be quite costly both in terms of tuition expenses and the loss of a bigger/industry salary during the PhD program.
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A 2nd bachelors degree may not be necessary to meet admissions requirements; you can take courses as a non-degree student, or pursue a masters in a field related to the PhD program you want to enter. Can you take elective courses now, in your current program, that meet the admissions requirements for the field you are pursuing?
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Where do you want to be a college professor? If you want to teach in a US institution, you may be better off getting your PhD in the US. This, again, can vary a bit by field, and depends on the reputation and network of the program you attend. For example, if you attend a school in Germany but some of the professors have PhDs from US schools, and thus perhaps a strong network in the US, that may be helpful in landing a job there. Consider that some schools in other countries may have shorter programs (3 or 4 years, compared to a 5 or 6 year program elsewhere in the same field), which can impact your training and marketability in other countries or more prestigious schools.
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In the PhD admissions process, you may be asked questions like: Why do you want to pursue a PhD? Why now, after working for several years? Are you certain you’re ready to leave industry (and the salary that goes with it) for four, five, or six+ years? I was really drilled about this by one of my interviewers at a social psychology program I had applied to, where it is perhaps more common to attend directly out of undergraduate school. So be sure that you have well prepared answers to these questions that will convey your passion and certainty of pursuing a PhD at that time in your life.
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Do you have any research experience? Gaining some will not only help you determine that this is the right path for you, but will strengthen your application and demonstrate to PhD programs that you know what you’re getting into and will succeed on this career path.
I also strongly recommend that you speak with your current professors, or a professor in your desired field, about your plans and see what they have to say.
Thank you for the reply!
- I apologize, I did not make this clear, I am pursuing a masters degree that is related to my career of choice and my PhD program. I have heard it is better to take a break going from a masters degree to a PhD rather then going from a bachelors to a masters, is this correct?
- My current degree is in Biology, and I want my masters and PhD to be more genetics and molecular based, so I thought pursuing a second degree in Biochemistry or Chemistry would be helpful for me.
- I desire to become a college professor outside of the US, preferably somewhere in Europe, and I have read and researched that some Europe institutions prefer European degrees compared to the US, especially in Germany. (I am unsure if this is true, this is just what I have currently read and looked into on the internet).
- I can answer these questions easily, I truly desire to obtain my PhD, I just desire this second degree to expand my field of knowledge and to increase my experiences in a foreign country and language speaking abilities.
- I have heard research experience was extremely beneficial, and I will start doing research projects this Fall semester of my Undergraduate program.
Thank you for your comment on this post, it has helped me a lot! I will also speak to my current professors and see what they also say, thank you again!
Opportunity may an important factor. If you are offered an opportunity to earn a doctorate where you are studying for a masters degree, I would choose that path unless the program is poor. If you were asked to continue and only needed some new paperwork, you have saved yourself from the paperwork, tests, and other pesty part of applying for admissions and get going on your work now. If there is financial support, you might not be forced to compete with other applicants for money. I had a fellowship for graduate work and know I would not have the money to support myself. Follow the money. There is a continuity in doctoral training. I think it would be potentially difficult not to attend classes with a stable peer group and keep up with changes in your academic area. Finally, picking away at individual classes while working seems expensive and uninvolved in your schooling.
When and how much time you take between degrees is a personal choice. I don’t have a master’s degree; I took a few years off between my bachelor’s and PhD. Everyone has different reasons for taking time off, so don’t worry about what is normal or recommended; do what makes sense for your life.
I don’t think you need a second bachelors degree - especially after a masters degree in your desired field. You can expand your knowledge and language skills without taking on the additional costs and time to complete another undergraduate degree. If you can take advanced courses in your field in a masters program, why go back and take the basic undergraduate courses afterward?
Absolutely do not get a second Bachelor’s. It will be a waste of time and won’t help you at all. You’re already getting a Master’s in a relevant field of study–what do you think another Bachelor’s will achieve? Furthermore, while I’m not as familiar with study outside the US, I know that in the US, virtually no institutions would even allow you to enroll in a second Bachelor’s program if you have a Master’s degree in the same discipline. Biology and genetics are not just closely related, molecular biology and genetics (as well as biochemistry) are simply sub-fields within biology. You will be plenty prepared for a PhD program, at least in terms of your academic background, with an MS in biology. More important for admission to a PhD program will be your research experience.
And if you really think you could use more coursework, simply take a few extra courses as a non-degree student, like @Slynnx said.
Totally agree with @AuraObscura - no need for a BS in biochem to get a PhD in genetics if you already have a biology degree. Truly a waste of time and money. Definitely get as much research experience as possible.
I’ll go further - pursuing a second undergraduate degree after a first undergraduate and masters is going to hurt your chances of acceptance to a competitive biomedical PhD program. Either go straight from MS to PhD programs or take some time off, but during your time between programs make sure you are involved in science. You can take a tech position in academia or industry, doesn’t matter - just be actively involved in research, to remain competitive for PhD programs. And keep in mind, the longer a break you take, the more important it will be that you show productivity, and not just aptitude in research, if you want to get into a strong PhD program - i.e. if you take 3 years off to work as a tech after your MS, you should have a publication if you want to be competitive for a good biomedical PhD program. An extra degree is not going to impress anyone on a PhD admissions committee. You run the risk of being considered a perpetual student avoiding real life, when you want to appear as someone passionate about the research side of science.
^ I agree that the second bachelor’s won’t look good. Perpetual student is what I was thinking as well.