留美申請規劃： Master's Degree or PhD?
如何選擇
對於剛開始計畫留美的同學而言，心中有太多的問題要問。除了準備留學考試之外，有什麼是在選校階段該注意的呢?
以下文章提到了美國碩士及博士學位的差異及類別，相信對於同學們的規劃很有用噢。
Graduate
school requires a lot of hard work, a lot of
time and a lot more money. So it's important to
consider these issues when deciding whether or
not to pursue a graduate degree, and just what
level of degree you want to attain.
General Definitions
A
general master's degree can either be a Master
of Arts (MA) or Master of Science (MS),
depending on the area of study. There are also
many field-specific master's degrees, such as a
Master of Business Administration (MBA) and
Master of Engineering (M.Eng).
The PhD,
which stands for Doctor of Philosophy, is a
common doctorate earned in many of the arts,
sciences and humanities. Field-specific
doctorate degrees can be earned in fields like
education, music and psychology.
Different Work Loads
The PhD
is the highest degree you can earn, so it
follows that it demands the most work. In most
cases, you complete a master's degree before
going on to a PhD. Unlike a master's degree, a
PhD usually requires a series of comprehensive
written or oral exams. "For a PhD, almost
without exception, students must pass
comprehensive exams to demonstrate their
understanding of the coursework and to qualify
to move forward," says Jane Hamblin, JD, former
director of program development at the
Council on Graduate Schools. Almost all PhD
programs also have an extensive independent
research and writing requirement, called the
dissertation. Some master's degree programs
require a thesis paper, but it's less intensive
than a dissertation.
Time
and Money Matters
You can
typically finish a master's degree in one to
three years, whereas a PhD takes four or more
years.
But the
master's degree isn't necessarily less
expensive, even though it doesn't take as long
to complete. In fact, because of financial aid
(or lack thereof), master's programs can
actually be comparable in cost to a PhD program.
"Most
master's programs don't have financial support
as much as PhD programs do," explains David
Santogrossi, PhD, associate dean of liberal arts
at Purdue University. PhD students often receive
grants, fellowships, scholarships and paid
teaching positions that master's degree students
do not. So in the end, the amount of money spent
getting a master's degree may actually total
more than the amount spent getting a doctorate.
Knowledge Benefits
With a
master's degree, you'll study a specific field
in broad terms. With a PhD, you delve much
deeper into a certain component of that field.
"People who really want to spend their lives
studying a specific facet of something - want to
get as much training as possible and find out as
much as they can - go for a PhD," Santogrossi
says.
Career Benefits
While an
advanced degree doesn't guarantee career
success, for many fields those letters after
your name can take you to the next level. "The
advanced degree provides greater income, greater
mobility in work and more independence in the
workplace," Hamblin says. It can also introduce
you to valuable professional contacts.
For many
fields, such as psychology, social work and
therapy, you'll need a master's degree for
licensing. Earning a PhD can take you even
further. "If you want to work with the greatest
autonomy without having to answer to someone
else, you get a PhD," Santogrossi says. To hold
certain positions, you're required to have a
PhD, such as a professor or researcher at a
four-year college.
Help
with Your Decision
To help
make your decision, Santogrossi advises students
to "take advantage of the zillions of resources
already available to you." This means talking to
faculty members, recent grads and other
professionals in your field of interest. Also,
contact professional associations to find out
what degrees you need to excel in your area of
interest.
(Written
by Elisa Kronish)
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列印
本校安排17種MBA專業課程及多項MS碩士班課程供全時或兼職的學生選修。