GaiasEyes t1_ja8nfe5 wrote on February 27, 2023 at 5:40 PM

Reply to comment by Demiansmark in Eli5: what’s the difference between a graduate and undergraduate degree by deadpuppy101

Yes but they’re inverse examples. It’s not unusual to go for an AA and parlay that in to a BS later. It’s unusual in nearly all fields I’m aware of to take a Master’s and then go for a PhD. In most cases a masters isn’t offered in the same discipline as the PhD (the big exception I can think of is public health). For example, my graduate program in Microbiology was a doctoral program - the way to earn a masters from that was either to decide to leave the program after the coursework was completed or to fail the qualifying exam. The masters wasn’t a program for which you could apply.

Demiansmark t1_ja8nngp wrote on February 27, 2023 at 5:42 PM

Correct. I meant more from the perspective that you sort of earn a hidden masters in the course of a doctorate program.

GaiasEyes t1_ja8onx8 wrote on February 27, 2023 at 5:48 PM

Correct. I wish they would confer both degrees and get rid of the stigma around “mastering out”.

Demiansmark t1_ja8p24s wrote on February 27, 2023 at 5:51 PM

Never heard that term, which is amusing given that is what I did.

algorithm0r t1_ja8tqd8 wrote on February 27, 2023 at 6:20 PM

>It’s unusual in nearly all fields I’m aware of to take a Master’s and then go for a PhD.

You keep quoting your own anecdotal evidence. Your experience is incorrect. Master's degrees are required for PhD in many fields and universities around the world.

Source: I was required to get a Master's before my PhD in Canada and this is the norm at Canadian schools.

GaiasEyes t1_ja8u2ae wrote on February 27, 2023 at 6:22 PM

I’ve edited my response to state that this is a US view. Your response is also anecdotal to your country of study.

algorithm0r t1_ja8w3gu wrote on February 27, 2023 at 6:35 PM

I'm not claiming that my anecdote is correct for everyone like you are.

I used my anecdote to prove your generalization was false.