Is there any point in doing a Masters if I don't get a 65/don't want to do a PhD?
Hey! I'm a final-year social science undergrad at Oxbridge; I have a conditional offer from a top-ranked university for a Masters which requires me to get a 2.i. I haven't responded to the offer yet.
I think I'll *just* get a 2.i - some of my exams haven't gone very well which makes me a little hesitant, and I think I'm averaging around 59/60 - but I know that a lot of top-ranked universities ask for a 65+ in undergrad, as well as a Masters, to get onto their PhD programmes.
I'm not that fussed about academia - I don't think I'll stay in it (long-term) and I am really exhausted by my studies, so part of me feels ready to enter the world of work.
The thing is, say that I graduate with a 60 or 61: is there any point in doing the Masters, knowing that I'll have missed the requirements to enter into the PhD courses I'm interested in? It's a lot of money to take the offer (I missed funding deadlines because I applied late) and it's not like the jobs I'm applying to now are asking for a Masters, so I don't think that there's that much advantage in the world of work either.
If there isn't any point, what do I do? Can I call the university and ask them to up the conditional offer from 2.i to 65? (Is that weird?) Or, should I find something else to do for a gap year and, if I get a 65+, I can resubmit my application for the Masters at the university next year?
Thanks!
I think I'll *just* get a 2.i - some of my exams haven't gone very well which makes me a little hesitant, and I think I'm averaging around 59/60 - but I know that a lot of top-ranked universities ask for a 65+ in undergrad, as well as a Masters, to get onto their PhD programmes.
I'm not that fussed about academia - I don't think I'll stay in it (long-term) and I am really exhausted by my studies, so part of me feels ready to enter the world of work.
The thing is, say that I graduate with a 60 or 61: is there any point in doing the Masters, knowing that I'll have missed the requirements to enter into the PhD courses I'm interested in? It's a lot of money to take the offer (I missed funding deadlines because I applied late) and it's not like the jobs I'm applying to now are asking for a Masters, so I don't think that there's that much advantage in the world of work either.
If there isn't any point, what do I do? Can I call the university and ask them to up the conditional offer from 2.i to 65? (Is that weird?) Or, should I find something else to do for a gap year and, if I get a 65+, I can resubmit my application for the Masters at the university next year?
Thanks!
(edited 2 years ago)
Original post by Southwestern
Hey! I'm a final-year social science undergrad at Oxbridge; I have a conditional offer from a top-ranked university for a Masters which requires me to get a 2.i. I haven't responded to the offer yet.
I think I'll *just* get a 2.i - some of my exams haven't gone very well which makes me a little hesitant, and I think I'm averaging around 59/60 - but I know that a lot of top-ranked universities ask for a 65+ in undergrad, as well as a Masters, to get onto their PhD programmes.
I'm not that fussed about academia - I don't think I'll stay in it (long-term) and I am really exhausted by my studies, so part of me feels ready to enter the world of work.
The thing is, say that I graduate with a 60 or 61: is there any point in doing the Masters, knowing that I'll have missed the requirements to enter into the PhD courses I'm interested in? It's a lot of money to take the offer (I missed funding deadlines because I applied late) and it's not like the jobs I'm applying to now are asking for a Masters, so I don't think that there's that much advantage in the world of work either.
If there isn't any point, what do I do? Can I call the university and ask them to up the conditional offer from 2.i to 65? (Is that weird?) Or, should I find something else to do for a gap year and, if I get a 65+, I can resubmit my application for the Masters at the university next year?
Thanks!
I think I'll *just* get a 2.i - some of my exams haven't gone very well which makes me a little hesitant, and I think I'm averaging around 59/60 - but I know that a lot of top-ranked universities ask for a 65+ in undergrad, as well as a Masters, to get onto their PhD programmes.
I'm not that fussed about academia - I don't think I'll stay in it (long-term) and I am really exhausted by my studies, so part of me feels ready to enter the world of work.
The thing is, say that I graduate with a 60 or 61: is there any point in doing the Masters, knowing that I'll have missed the requirements to enter into the PhD courses I'm interested in? It's a lot of money to take the offer (I missed funding deadlines because I applied late) and it's not like the jobs I'm applying to now are asking for a Masters, so I don't think that there's that much advantage in the world of work either.
If there isn't any point, what do I do? Can I call the university and ask them to up the conditional offer from 2.i to 65? (Is that weird?) Or, should I find something else to do for a gap year and, if I get a 65+, I can resubmit my application for the Masters at the university next year?
Thanks!
Just to clarify, do you actually want to do a PhD? It's not very clear in your post. I also don't understand why you would want the university to increase your conditions?
It sounds like you're leaning towards not doing the masters course after all, so maybe take some time out of academia to decide if it's something you really want to do. I think you are getting too hung up on exact numbers, and that's making your decisions harder.
Original post by PhoenixFortune
Just to clarify, do you actually want to do a PhD? It's not very clear in your post. I also don't understand why you would want the university to increase your conditions?
It sounds like you're leaning towards not doing the masters course after all, so maybe take some time out of academia to decide if it's something you really want to do. I think you are getting too hung up on exact numbers, and that's making your decisions harder.
It sounds like you're leaning towards not doing the masters course after all, so maybe take some time out of academia to decide if it's something you really want to do. I think you are getting too hung up on exact numbers, and that's making your decisions harder.
Sorry, I was really jumbled in my thoughts! I have an area of political science I'm interested in, and it's a really up-and-coming topic, but I don't think I'm sufficiently well-versed in research methods to be able to contribute any output of any value. On that note, I'm not really set on doing a PhD/academia, but if somewhere will take me, I'm certainly open to it, and maybe my views will change after a Masters and time to beef up my research competency.
The reason why I was thinking of increasing the conditions is that I don't think there's any value to me doing the Masters course if I don't get a 65, because my grade will obstruct me from applying to the PhD courses I'm interested in (if I am interested at all). My impression is that's the only use of the Masters - to get a PhD - and there's no point doing a Masters if I don't do a PhD, so there's no point doing it if I don't get 65. Hope that makes more sense in explaining why I'm hung up on 65 too?
But you're quite right that I'm really not invested in academia/leaning towards the Masters course!
Original post by Southwestern
Hey! I'm a final-year social science undergrad at Oxbridge; I have a conditional offer from a top-ranked university for a Masters which requires me to get a 2.i. I haven't responded to the offer yet.
I think I'll *just* get a 2.i - some of my exams haven't gone very well which makes me a little hesitant, and I think I'm averaging around 59/60 - but I know that a lot of top-ranked universities ask for a 65+ in undergrad, as well as a Masters, to get onto their PhD programmes.
I'm not that fussed about academia - I don't think I'll stay in it (long-term) and I am really exhausted by my studies, so part of me feels ready to enter the world of work.
The thing is, say that I graduate with a 60 or 61: is there any point in doing the Masters, knowing that I'll have missed the requirements to enter into the PhD courses I'm interested in? It's a lot of money to take the offer (I missed funding deadlines because I applied late) and it's not like the jobs I'm applying to now are asking for a Masters, so I don't think that there's that much advantage in the world of work either.
If there isn't any point, what do I do? Can I call the university and ask them to up the conditional offer from 2.i to 65? (Is that weird?) Or, should I find something else to do for a gap year and, if I get a 65+, I can resubmit my application for the Masters at the university next year?
Thanks!
I think I'll *just* get a 2.i - some of my exams haven't gone very well which makes me a little hesitant, and I think I'm averaging around 59/60 - but I know that a lot of top-ranked universities ask for a 65+ in undergrad, as well as a Masters, to get onto their PhD programmes.
I'm not that fussed about academia - I don't think I'll stay in it (long-term) and I am really exhausted by my studies, so part of me feels ready to enter the world of work.
The thing is, say that I graduate with a 60 or 61: is there any point in doing the Masters, knowing that I'll have missed the requirements to enter into the PhD courses I'm interested in? It's a lot of money to take the offer (I missed funding deadlines because I applied late) and it's not like the jobs I'm applying to now are asking for a Masters, so I don't think that there's that much advantage in the world of work either.
If there isn't any point, what do I do? Can I call the university and ask them to up the conditional offer from 2.i to 65? (Is that weird?) Or, should I find something else to do for a gap year and, if I get a 65+, I can resubmit my application for the Masters at the university next year?
Thanks!
As @PhoenixFortune has said, it's important to think about why you want to do a Masters.
If the honest answer is either that you don't know, or that you've been offered a place and you're not sure what else to do, then you've probably answered your own question about whether it's right for you at the moment.
Masters courses are usually very intense so if you're feeling tired of the academic environment and of studying, a break might do you good - and allow you the time to think about that all important 'why' question when considering whether to return for a Masters (and possibly a PhD) in the future.
I say this as someone in a similar position at the end of my undergraduate degree. I loved my BA programme but I was tired of studying by the end of it - and I wasn't sure what I wanted to do as a career. I was also quite tired of being a broke student! So I opted to enter the workplace and spent 11 years building a career, a home, and a family before eventually deciding that I *did* in fact want to pursue a career change into academia and returning to university for my MA and PhD.
Whilst I sometimes wish I'd started on that road sooner, I genuinely think I've perfomed better at MA and PhD level for the break - I had the skills and confidence from the workplace to help me in interviews, grant applications etc., as well as a more secure financial footing. Most importantly, I'd also regained my passion and interest in my research area - and had developed and matured my ideas for my research.
The key thing to remember is that the decision you take now does not have to be forever. You've plenty of time to get back into academia if you decide to pursue other avenues.
Hope that helps!
Amy Louise
Original post by Southwestern
Sorry, I was really jumbled in my thoughts! I have an area of political science I'm interested in, and it's a really up-and-coming topic, but I don't think I'm sufficiently well-versed in research methods to be able to contribute any output of any value. On that note, I'm not really set on doing a PhD/academia, but if somewhere will take me, I'm certainly open to it, and maybe my views will change after a Masters and time to beef up my research competency.
The reason why I was thinking of increasing the conditions is that I don't think there's any value to me doing the Masters course if I don't get a 65, because my grade will obstruct me from applying to the PhD courses I'm interested in (if I am interested at all). My impression is that's the only use of the Masters - to get a PhD - and there's no point doing a Masters if I don't do a PhD, so there's no point doing it if I don't get 65. Hope that makes more sense in explaining why I'm hung up on 65 too?
But you're quite right that I'm really not invested in academia/leaning towards the Masters course!
The reason why I was thinking of increasing the conditions is that I don't think there's any value to me doing the Masters course if I don't get a 65, because my grade will obstruct me from applying to the PhD courses I'm interested in (if I am interested at all). My impression is that's the only use of the Masters - to get a PhD - and there's no point doing a Masters if I don't do a PhD, so there's no point doing it if I don't get 65. Hope that makes more sense in explaining why I'm hung up on 65 too?
But you're quite right that I'm really not invested in academia/leaning towards the Masters course!
You've correctly identified that your thinking is very jumbled, and not much more beyond that.
In PolSci you are right that you aren't likely to get on a PhD programme without a Masters. However, any undergrad grade is going to be eclipsed by the Masters grade and research proposal, so that is not an issue.
If you don't have a very strong desire to work in academia though, there is little or no reason to do a PhD at this stage.
You should research career options outside academia. For PolSci/IR a Masters is pretty much a pre-requisite, so there is value in doing a Masters for career purposes. Though through your research into organisations you'd like to work for, you might find undergrad is enough.
The idea of asking a Uni to raise an offer grade, especially when you aren't on track to meet it is frankly bonkers!
Research employment outside academia, that's the track you need to be exploring and understanding. The Masters will probably help, a PhD quite possibly won't, but you've got a year more to decide that.
Original post by Southwestern
Sorry, I was really jumbled in my thoughts! I have an area of political science I'm interested in, and it's a really up-and-coming topic, but I don't think I'm sufficiently well-versed in research methods to be able to contribute any output of any value. On that note, I'm not really set on doing a PhD/academia, but if somewhere will take me, I'm certainly open to it, and maybe my views will change after a Masters and time to beef up my research competency.
The reason why I was thinking of increasing the conditions is that I don't think there's any value to me doing the Masters course if I don't get a 65, because my grade will obstruct me from applying to the PhD courses I'm interested in (if I am interested at all). My impression is that's the only use of the Masters - to get a PhD - and there's no point doing a Masters if I don't do a PhD, so there's no point doing it if I don't get 65. Hope that makes more sense in explaining why I'm hung up on 65 too?
But you're quite right that I'm really not invested in academia/leaning towards the Masters course!
The reason why I was thinking of increasing the conditions is that I don't think there's any value to me doing the Masters course if I don't get a 65, because my grade will obstruct me from applying to the PhD courses I'm interested in (if I am interested at all). My impression is that's the only use of the Masters - to get a PhD - and there's no point doing a Masters if I don't do a PhD, so there's no point doing it if I don't get 65. Hope that makes more sense in explaining why I'm hung up on 65 too?
But you're quite right that I'm really not invested in academia/leaning towards the Masters course!
Tbh, a PhD isn't something you commit to doing on a whim, so perhaps set those goals aside for now until you're clearer about what you want to do career-wise.
It still seems odd to me to even consider asking a university to raise its condition - are you trying to use the offer as motivation? Like threeportdrift says, if you aren't even meeting a 65 now, it's not really a good idea to make an offer you have in-hand less attainable! You need to just do the best you can in the short-term, and think more incrementally.
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