Doing a PhD in the same topic as masters?

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the decision of pursuing a PhD in a topic closely related to a master's degree versus exploring a different area. Participants share their experiences and considerations regarding the implications of continuing in a familiar field versus venturing into new territory.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses uncertainty about whether it is advisable to continue in a similar research area for a PhD after already spending a year on it.
  • Another participant suggests discussing the decision with an advisor, noting that there is no universal answer and that the advisor can provide insights on the potential for further research in the current area.
  • A participant shares their experience of pursuing a PhD on a topic similar to their master's, highlighting the benefits of familiarity with the subject matter and the skills developed during the master's program.
  • One contributor argues that continuing with the same project can be advantageous due to prior knowledge and skills, while also acknowledging that switching to a new project could offer a fresh perspective.
  • A participant mentions that continuing with a similar project allowed them to complete their graduate studies in a shorter time frame compared to peers who chose different paths.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on whether it is better to continue in a similar field or switch to a different topic. Multiple viewpoints are presented, reflecting both the advantages and potential drawbacks of each choice.

Contextual Notes

Some participants emphasize the importance of personal enjoyment and satisfaction with the current project, suggesting that this may influence the decision more than the topic's novelty. The discussion also highlights the varying experiences of participants based on their specific fields of study.

Pigeon
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
I have the choice between doing a PhD in a topic which is very similar to my masters or starting on something slightly different, I find the topic very interesting at the moment but after doing something for one year already do you think it is a bad idea to do the same thing for another 3/4 years? Does anyone have experience or advice for this?

Thank you
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Pigeon said:
I have the choice between doing a PhD in a topic which is very similar to my masters or starting on something slightly different, I find the topic very interesting at the moment but after doing something for one year already do you think it is a bad idea to do the same thing for another 3/4 years? Does anyone have experience or advice for this?

Thank you

Shouldn't you be discussing this with your advisor?

There's no one answer that fits all here. Your advisor would know if there are more to be done in your area of study. That is why you should direct this question to him/her.

Zz.
 
ZapperZ pretty gave my advice. I'll just add that I am currently doing basically the same thing as my masters. I did my Master's Thesis on some application of hidden markov models, and currently working full time and doing a PhD on scaling said HMM to large data sets. I should note that my Masters was in Stats and PhD in progress is in compsci. So perhaps slightly different focus.
 
Why would it be a bad idea to keep working on the same thing for your PhD?

The advantages of continuing on the same project are that you've already done a lot of the background reading, you already understand the project, you've developed some project-specific skills already, and you likely have a good feeling for where else you can go with the project.

If you switch projects you'll have to do all that legwork again, minus any overlap. The advantage is that the project will be fresh.

What it would come down to for me is whether I enjoyed the current project or not. The thing is, trading something that's going well, that you like, for something you might like may not be a great choice. Trading something that's not working for something that might be better could be a lot better.
 
I kept working on essentially the same project after I finished my MS. What it meant was I finished grad school in 6 years instead of 7 or 8 like some of my contemporaries who went another way after the MS.
 

Similar threads

Admissions Non-thesis masters in Material Science to Material Science PhD
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
Admissions Want a PhD in math, but stuck in a physics degree. What to do?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
Programs Distance/Remote Masters in Computer Science while working before PhD
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K
Other Switching department of my PhD (keeping same supervisor)
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
Admissions Is it harder to get into a top US PhD Program with a German Master's degree?
  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
5K
Other Am I compatible with a PhD?
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
Admissions Getting into a top tier Physics PhD Program with a Masters Degree
  • · Replies 50 ·
2
Replies
50
Views
12K
Applying for a PhD in Physics after a Master's degree
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
Admissions Advice about doing 1 or 2 masters during 2 yrs before doing PhD?
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
3K
Advice: Doing grad school abroad and getting a masters instead of PhD
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
4K