How much is the average cost for a Masters degree...

arkbar

Just as a point of information, I'm pretty sure MSci/MPhys/MEng allow you to go straight onto a +3 funded PhD, so it has some standing even if not a postgraduate degree.

Interesting but I'm sure people go straight into a PhD with a standard BSc. So the difference comes down to funding and with the ESRC, whether the course is on their list of approved courses.

Also my point was more that it is not equivalent to an actual MSc and in that respect, the MSCi has no comparison in the postgrad world, ie: someone with a BSc and a MSc is better qualified than someone with a MSci

Reply 21

SleepyGrad

apotoftea

Interesting but I'm sure people go straight into a PhD with a standard BSc. So the difference comes down to funding and with the ESRC, whether the course is on their list of approved courses.

Also my point was more that it is not equivalent to an actual MSc and in that respect, the MSCi has no comparison in the postgrad world, ie: someone with a BSc and a MSc is better qualified than someone with a MSci

I'm pretty sure you're very unlikely to get funding going straight from a BSc. I know I couldn't have gone straight from a BA to a PhD and got funding, except in very special circumstances. Now I know what an undergrad masters is (it's what my brother has, I should have known), I know it lets you go straight into a funded PhD.

Btw, re. loss of earnings - the other way to look at it is that the funding is like living on mininum wage for however many years, as opposed to the possibility of a grad starting salary. A bit scary, but in the current situation, not too bad.

Reply 22

apotoftea

19

SleepyGrad

I'm pretty sure you're very unlikely to get funding going straight from a BSc. I know I couldn't have gone straight from a BA to a PhD and got funding, except in very special circumstances. Now I know what an undergrad masters is (it's what my brother has, I should have known), I know it lets you go straight into a funded PhD.

There are people on this forum who have just started their PhD with funding having only got a BSc - it CAN be done :biggrin:

Reply 23

SleepyGrad

apotoftea

There are people on this forum who have just started their PhD with funding having only got a BSc - it CAN be done :biggrin:

Well, this is one of those situations where I'm really glad to have been wrong! :smile:

I do think it's stupid that there's this move towards making master's degrees compulsory in some subjects; it's great sciences haven't fallen to the pressure.

Reply 24

apotoftea

19

SleepyGrad

Well, this is one of those situations where I'm really glad to have been wrong! :smile:

I was surprised too and before I knew of posters who had succeeded I got a bit of stick for telling people to consider MSc courses in order to improve someone's chances of getting research council funding. I guess it all comes down to the person in question.

I do think it's stupid that there's this move towards making master's degrees compulsory in some subjects; it's great sciences haven't fallen to the pressure.

Already compulsory in mine and I can quite see why tbh :biggrin:

Reply 25

SleepyGrad

apotoftea

I was surprised too and before I knew of posters who had succeeded I got a bit of stick for telling people to consider MSc courses in order to improve someone's chances of getting research council funding. I guess it all comes down to the person in question.

Already compulsory in mine and I can quite see why tbh :biggrin:

I dunno - I really enjoyed my master's and I'm glad I did it, but there's a guy on my course who is so bright, I don't see why he needed to do it and it is an extra year you need to budget for. If you're bright enough, they shouldn't make you do it.

Reply 26

apotoftea

19

SleepyGrad

I dunno - I really enjoyed my master's and I'm glad I did it, but there's a guy on my course who is so bright, I don't see why he needed to do it and it is an extra year you need to budget for. If you're bright enough, they shouldn't make you do it.

Can understand that but for my subject (History) there's no way a 3 yr UG course prepares you mentally and physically enough to go straight into a PhD and I say that a) after having a fantastic BA course that did give me oodles of research and training opportunities (unlike some BA courses...) and b) now having completed a Master's, which whilst I've hated parts and hated the academic side of where I went, it did do its job in parts about being a research prep masters course.

Swings and roundabouts I suppose? :smile:

Reply 27

Apocalypte

12

My masters costs less than the average (it was €2000) because it is subsidised by the government through the Graduate Skills Conversion Programme, and my living expenses are relatively low for the year because I'm living at home (again... blargle).