A Physics masters degree while training to be a soldier

[positron016]

Hi everyone.
Do you know of any possibilities available to pursue a masters degree in Physics while enlisted in the army in the same country?

I am a commonwealth country citizen and seek this opportunity abroad.
I have a Bachelor's degree in Physics and I'd love to do a masters in Physics but also love to enlist in the army, I am looking for ways to do both AT THE SAME TIME.

I am already 31 years old and finishing either before pursuing the other reduces success at the later.

For example, I would enlist and be training with other new recruits while following courses in a near-by university for a masters in Physics; pass out or be commissioned after a year or so of military training and the next year graduate with Msc in designated Physics area.
Which countries, universities and or armies can facilitate this?

 

[jedishrfu]

I'm not sure your strategy will work as planned. Once you join, you are under military rules meaning they can train you and assign you to any post. Further, in order to go to school as you plan, you most likely will have to earn the right and that will take more time perhaps 1 to 2 years of service and maybe more.

You could talk this over with a recruiter but folks have often been misled by what they were told and found out too late after enlistment. A recruiter's main job is to get folks to signup and whatever agreement you may have likely won't be honored.

If you want to do both then perhaps the best strategy would be to go to school for physics and while at school consider an ROTC program. In this case, you are gaining some credit for military training while you focus on your studies. However, there may be catches to this approach as well.

My advice is to go to school for physics and then when you're done enlist if that's what you still want to do. I don't see any other safe way of getting both things done unless you are outstanding in some way or really know the military ropes well. (There's a right way, a wrong way, and the Army way).

If you've been out of school for awhile your math will pretty rusty and you will have to catch up to an undergrad level for physics. When I went back to school after a 6 year hiatus I ran into that very brick wall. You forget what you last learned.

Here's a US guide to doing this meaning its likely different for your case:

https://www.yourfreecareertest.com/college-prep/college-degrees/military-or-college/

 

[Choppy]

In Canada you could join the reserves. The officer or non-commissioned member training programs will have you on course over the summers and allow you to study the rest of the year, with responsibilities of parading once a week and working one weekend per month. Usually these are attended by undergraduates and so the cycle tends to be set up for them, but there's no reason that I'm aware of why it wouldn't be able to work for someone working on a master's degree. The MSc coursework in Canada tends to follow the undergraduate schedule at most schools. It would take longer to finish though, because other students will be working on their research over the summer while you're on course with the military. And you would have to work this out with your school as something like this may modify the level of support they typically offer.

Go talk to a recruiter about the details.

 

[positron016]

If you've been out of school for awhile your math will pretty rusty and you will have to catch up to an undergrad level for physics

Lol. you bet, I have and I really need to jump-start those engines.

 

[positron016]

I'm not sure your strategy will work as planned. Once you join, you are under military rules meaning they can train you and assign you to any post. Further, in order to go to school as you plan, you most likely will have to earn the right and that will take more time perhaps 1 to 2 years of service and maybe more.

You could talk this over with a recruiter but folks have often been misled by what they were told and found out too late after enlistment. A recruiter's main job is to get folks to signup and whatever agreement you may have likely won't be honored.

If you want to do both then perhaps the best strategy would be to go to school for physics and while at school consider an ROTC program. In this case, you are gaining some credit for military training while you focus on your studies. However, there may be catches to this approach as well.

My advice is to go to school for physics and then when you're done enlist if that's what you still want to do. I don't see any other safe way of getting both things done unless you are outstanding in some way or really know the military ropes well. (There's a right way, a wrong way, and the Army way).

If you've been out of school for awhile your math will pretty rusty and you will have to catch up to an undergrad level for physics. When I went back to school after a 6 year hiatus I ran into that very brick wall. You forget what you last learned.

Here's a US guide to doing this meaning its likely different for your case:

https://www.yourfreecareertest.com/college-prep/college-degrees/military-or-college/

Thank you so much. It was very elaborate and resourceful.

 

[positron016]

In Canada you could join the reserves. The officer or non-commissioned member training programs will have you on course over the summers and allow you to study the rest of the year, with responsibilities of parading once a week and working one weekend per month. Usually these are attended by undergraduates and so the cycle tends to be set up for them, but there's no reason that I'm aware of why it wouldn't be able to work for someone working on a master's degree. The MSc coursework in Canada tends to follow the undergraduate schedule at most schools. It would take longer to finish though, because other students will be working on their research over the summer while you're on course with the military. And you would have to work this out with your school as something like this may modify the level of support they typically offer.

Go talk to a recruiter about the details.

Gracias. Very helpful, I will check that out as well.

 

[Vanadium 50]

First, joining a foreign army Is not a trivial thing. It may even be a crime in your country, Commonwealth notwithstanding. Be 100% sure that this will work. Second, I know of no country that allows foreigners as soldiers allows them to be officers. So what you want may not even be possible.

Next, in the US at least, the intent is to give soldiers and junior officers as little free time as possible. Truth be told, many physics departments feel the same way about their grad students. I just don't see how you could do both full or even full-ish time together.

 

[jedishrfu]

When I was in grad school, a classmate was a West Pointer picking up some courses to eventually teach at West Point.

 

[Klystron]

When you take an oath of service, it is first 'at the needs of the country', second 'at the needs of the service' with no mention of individual convenience. Even with online courses (correspondence courses back in my day), you may be stationed too far to attend labs or speak with directly an instructor.

In my country the Air Force and Navy had programs for gifted prepared recruits to attend university to fulfill service needs for physicists, linguists and certain engineers and mathematicians; a few past graduate level, most requiring extended service. Unlike university, most military knowledge remains classified and cannot be shared.

I knew a naval officer who completed a PhD at university but deployed to sea each year. He missed much of the social aspects of college life and also fell behind his peers in the USN reducing chances at promotion and choice assignments despite being son and grandson of senior naval officers. Education and military life require compromise. Be prepared for surprises.

 

[positron016]

When you take an oath of service, it is first 'at the needs of the country', second 'at the needs of the service' with no mention of individual convenience. Even with online courses (correspondence courses back in my day), you may be stationed too far to attend labs or speak with directly an instructor.

In my country the Air Force and Navy had programs for gifted prepared recruits to attend university to fulfill service needs for physicists, linguists and certain engineers and mathematicians; a few past graduate level, most requiring extended service. Unlike university, most military knowledge remains classified and cannot be shared.

I knew a naval officer who completed a PhD at university but deployed to sea each year. He missed much of the social aspects of college life and also fell behind his peers in the USN reducing chances at promotion and choice assignments despite being son and grandson of senior naval officers. Education and military life require compromise. Be prepared for surprises.

Thanks a lot.
Challenging dreams I've got there.