Are there fields where a masters of science matters careerwise

[Juche]

In biology or chemistry I have always heard it is either PhD or B.S. degree that determines your career & responsibilities. If you get the M.S. you are considered not much different than someone with a B.S. and a few years of work experience.

However I want to look into masters that actually matter. What about a Masters of information technology in a scientific field, would that matter? Are there any masters that prepare you for a career in research that actually matter in the job market? The field I'm interested in is molecular biology.

 

[tmc]

If you're interested in molecular biology, just get a PhD in molecular biology. Why would you switch to IT just to get a masters instead of PhD if it doesn't interest you?

 

[Juche]

If you're interested in molecular biology, just get a PhD in molecular biology. Why would you switch to IT just to get a masters instead of PhD if it doesn't interest you?

Only 1/3 of students who start the PhD earn it, the rest get M.Sc. degrees. To me it seems wasteful to spend 2-3 years earning 15-20k a year and working 60 hours a week if I could get the same level of work experience working 40 hours a week and earning 40-45k a year as a B.S. biochemist. Why bother if you will walk away w/o any marketable career skills unless you are in the 1/3 who make it all the way? I'd like an educational situation where I don't feel like I've achieved nothing 2/3 of the time.

Perhaps I shall look into programs with a high completion rate. I want a PhD though, and I'd gladly take that over a M.Sc. but I don't know for sure if I'd be one of the 1/3 who finishes the degree.

 

[arunma]

Only 1/3 of students who start the PhD earn it, the rest get M.Sc. degrees. To me it seems wasteful to spend 2-3 years earning 15-20k a year and working 60 hours a week if I could get the same level of work experience working 40 hours a week and earning 40-45k a year as a B.S. biochemist. Why bother if you will walk away w/o any marketable career skills unless you are in the 1/3 who make it all the way? I'd like an educational situation where I don't feel like I've achieved nothing 2/3 of the time.

Perhaps I shall look into programs with a high completion rate. I want a PhD though, and I'd gladly take that over a M.Sc. but I don't know for sure if I'd be one of the 1/3 who finishes the degree.

In some fields (such as engineering, I suppose) this might be true. But there are other fields where a PhD is more or less required. Physics, for example, is a somewhat weak BS. If you want to be a physicist, you need to have a PhD. I guess this is why people go for physics PhDs.

 

[Astronuc]

Yes, engineering! We prefer MS or PhD, simply because the person has had exposure to research and advanced problem solving above and beyond BS. We would consider supporting a promising employee who pursues a graduate degree in a discipline releveant to our work.

 

[interested_learner]

Masters is the best degree for engineering. A Phd is not required for most jobs and just a BS leaves you doing lower type work (not always, but a MS is a good hand up).

 

[D H]

Yes, engineering! We prefer MS or PhD ...

That is the exact same situation where I work (aeronautical engineering). We much prefer a MS or PhD over a BS. We tend to hire more MSs than anything else, but that is more just numbers than preference. BS graduates have to be extremely outstanding before we will consider them.

 

[Juche]

True, I've always heard engineering is the one field where a MSc matters in the job market. But in fields that I'm interested in like biochem, cell biology or molecular bio it is a B.S. or PhD. I guess my best option is to find grad schools that have high completion rates for the doctorate. I do not want to waste 2-3 years of my life getting a degree (a M.S. in biochem or cell biology) that offers no real world benefit.