Is it possible to do MSc and BSc at the same time?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the possibility of obtaining a Bachelor of Science (BSc) and a Master of Science (MSc) simultaneously or in close succession, particularly in the context of a professor's educational background. Participants explore various educational systems, dual degree programs, and the implications of timing in degree completion.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that the professor may have graduated with both degrees in the same year through a dual degree program, which is common in some universities.
  • Others propose that the professor could have been awarded the BSc in 2001 but completed the requirements earlier, leading to a discrepancy in the graduation date.
  • There is mention of specific programs, such as those at the Naval Academy, which allow students to earn both degrees concurrently.
  • Some participants express uncertainty about the differences in educational systems across countries, noting that in some places, a combined degree may be structured differently.
  • Concerns about tuition and the financial implications of pursuing both degrees simultaneously are raised, suggesting that staying in an undergraduate status while taking graduate courses could be a strategy.
  • There is a discussion about the terminology used for undergraduate master's degrees, with some participants noting variations like MSci and Mphysgeog.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on whether the professor's situation is typical or how different educational systems handle the awarding of degrees. Multiple competing views and interpretations remain throughout the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge that educational structures vary significantly by country and institution, which may affect the interpretation of degree timelines and requirements.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to students considering dual degree programs, educators exploring international educational systems, and individuals curious about the nuances of degree completion timelines.

Defennder
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I was looking through my college's staff listing and came across one of my professors. I read a short biography and it read like:
She received her Ph.D. degree in Engineering from (censored) in 2007, M.Sc and B. Sc. from (censored) in 2001.

What does this mean? That she graduated with an MSc the same time she completed her BSc?
 
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Well, I assume:

BSc: 3 Years (2001 - 2003)
MSc: 1 Year (2004)
PhD: 3 Years (2005-2007)
 
I read it as:

B.S. received 2001
M.S. received 2001
Ph.D. received 2007

Some universities offer dual B.S./M.S. programs in which the student receives a master's at the same time as a bachelor's by staying (usually) an extra year. In other words, it took the professor 5 years (assumed, since that's typical) to earn her B.S. and M.S., and 6 additional years to earn her Ph.D.
 
Is there any difference between delaying graduation for one year just so you can receive both MS and BS together or just doing BS first then followed by MS immediately?
 
Defennnder said:
Is there any difference between delaying graduation for one year just so you can receive both MS and BS together or just doing BS first then followed by MS immediately?
The only difference I could think of would be tuition, if the tuition for graduate schools is much more than undergrad. In that case, one would stay an undergrad while taking graduate level courses, and then apply to the graduate program for the last year to satisfy the minimum requirements for registration.
 
I bet it's a typo.
 
There are programs for this. The Naval Academy has one where you go full time to the Academy and part time to Maryland during your junior and senior years, getting your BS in May and MS in December.
 
It can also be that she was AWARDED the BS in 2001 but actually completed it in 2000. I don't know what it is like in the US but here it can occasionally take a couple of months (or more) to get all the paperwork sorted even after you have fulfilled all the requirements.
 
Did the professor do her undergrad/MSc in Germany? (or any number of other European countries with a similar system?) A "diplom" there is equivalent to an American B.Sc + M.Sc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplom
 
  • #10
I don't know how it works in other universities/countries, but I am doing one of the undergraduate masters courses mentioned. I get awarded an M.Sc at the end of it but no B.Sc
 
  • #11
matthyaouw said:
I don't know how it works in other universities/countries, but I am doing one of the undergraduate masters courses mentioned. I get awarded an M.Sc at the end of it but no B.Sc

I thought undergrad masters degrees were MSci degrees, in order to differentiate them between the year long taught masters degrees (MSc)?
 
  • #12
Actually mine's an Mphysgeog as it's a physical geography degree, but that's a bit of a mouth full so I normally just say MSc if anyone asks. I didn't know that differentiation existed.
 
  • #13
Hmm ok thanks guys. Just wondering.
 
  • #14
Person in question is Ghim Wei Ho ( http://www.esp.nus.edu.sg/Research/Biography_Dr%20Ho.htm ) at NUS.

Not sure how it is in Singapore but in Australia it's possible to do a Bach. of Engineering and a Masters of Biomedical Engineering (coursework) in one five year stretch and graduate with both degrees at the conclusion.
So perhaps they have some arrangement like that there (or one of the many plausable explanations postd above).
 
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