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MSc Finance (Part Time) --> PhD in Finance

Hi guys, Could you please tell me whether an MSc in Finance (part time) from a really good university, will give me a chance to do a PhD in Finance? Do the universities consider a part time masters degree as a normal MSc? Do they have the same validity?
Thank you
Reply 1
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sj27
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Original post by zziippoo
Hi guys, Could you please tell me whether an MSc in Finance (part time) from a really good university, will give me a chance to do a PhD in Finance? Do the universities consider a part time masters degree as a normal MSc? Do they have the same validity?
Thank you


Why wouldn't they? The structure might be slightly different to account for the time needs of part-time students but the content should be the same or similar enough to the full-time version. You may find some MScs are more applied than theoretical and possibly not really suited for progression to PhD, but this will depend on course content, not whether it is fulltime or part-time.
Reply 2
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zziippoo
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Original post by sj27
Why wouldn't they? The structure might be slightly different to account for the time needs of part-time students but the content should be the same or similar enough to the full-time version. You may find some MScs are more applied than theoretical and possibly not really suited for progression to PhD, but this will depend on course content, not whether it is fulltime or part-time.


I thought that too. That have the same validity, the same structure, modules.. but I have spoken with some universities about that and they told me that even if you do an MSc (part time) is still an extra qualification, but you will not be in the same position with someone who did the same masters degree as a full time. So that's why I would like to hear your opinion.
Reply 3
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sj27
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Original post by zziippoo
I thought that too. That have the same validity, the same structure, modules.. but I have spoken with some universities about that and they told me that even if you do an MSc (part time) is still an extra qualification, but you will not be in the same position with someone who did the same masters degree as a full time. So that's why I would like to hear your opinion.


I find that bizarre. May I ask which unis told you that and which uni's course apparently is perceived to have a difference between FT and PT?
Reply 4
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sj27
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Btw see this FAQ from the LSE. The problem here for someone wanting to do PhD is not the fact that the course is part-time, but that the course itself is not suitable as for preparation for PhD:

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/finance/prospectiveStudents/HowtoApplyandFAQs.aspx#FuturePhD

Is this perhaps the problem you are coming up against?
Reply 5
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zziippoo
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Original post by sj27
Btw see this FAQ from the LSE. The problem here for someone wanting to do PhD is not the fact that the course is part-time, but that the course itself is not suitable as for preparation for PhD:

http://www2.lse.ac.uk/finance/prospectiveStudents/HowtoApplyandFAQs.aspx#FuturePhD

Is this perhaps the problem you are coming up against?


One of the unis that I know is LSE. Not only is not a good preparation for a PhD but even if you want to get a place for the 4 years track (MSc + PhD) and you might want to increase your chances to get a place for that by doing an extra MSc before applying, then a part time course is not strong enough. I agree that they are doing the same modules but I am wondering why the universities do not consider a part time course as a good preparation for a PhD. I am thinking that the main reason of choosing to do a part time course is because you work at the same time. Isn't an advantage to have work experience plus a part time masters degree instead of doing only a full-time masters degree? What do you think?
Reply 6
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sj27
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Original post by zziippoo
One of the unis that I know is LSE. Not only is not a good preparation for a PhD but even if you want to get a place for the 4 years track (MSc + PhD) and you might want to increase your chances to get a place for that by doing an extra MSc before applying, then a part time course is not strong enough. I agree that they are doing the same modules but I am wondering why the universities do not consider a part time course as a good preparation for a PhD. I am thinking that the main reason of choosing to do a part time course is because you work at the same time. Isn't an advantage to have work experience plus a part time masters degree instead of doing only a full-time masters degree? What do you think?


I'm still not convinced that the fact that the course is part-time is the reason (for example I am doing a Cam masters part-time later this year and I know for a fact it is as valid for PhD entry as the fulltime course and people have gone on to do PhD at Cam and elsewhere afterwards. Different subject though.) I think the problem is more the course, (1) that MSc finance courses are often more applied than academic so not suitable and (2) the ones that are offered part-time are more likely to be the ones that people do for professional rather than academic aspirations,which underscores the first point. Again, this is precisely what LSE itself refers to: the course is clearly not academic enough for a phd, irrespective of whether the full-time or part-time version is undertaken, so the MSc finance is clearly seen (to use American terminology) as a terminal masters and not one suited for wanting to do PhD.

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