Masters degree and PhD restrictions for a specific college degree.

[ninar]

Hello! How do I know which degrees grant me elegible to study a masters degree on a different study branch? For example, neuroscience, is it restricted to certain degrees? Or, is it possible to attend a special program to certify the credits needed for a particular specialization degree?

 

[Choppy]

The best way to answer this is by contacting the specific departments you're interested in studying at. For interdisciplinary or newer programs, the entrance requirements will likely vary from school to school. So, even if you don't know exactly which school you're interested in, start by checking the published admission requirements (which are generally available online or at least in school calendars), and if the answer isn't clear, email the department graduate or undergraduate advisor.

 

[ninar]

Hi! Thanks for the reply. So, in theory, all (or most?) masters may accessible with any college degree, and under the restrictions that the department imposes? For example, someone in physics>psychology... or finance>biology, etc?

 

[Choppy]

I'm not sure that's the best way to look at it.

Graduate studies require a solid foundation in the subject matter. Thus, if you want to enter a psychology graduate program you need a psycholgy undergraduate degree. That would be the general rule, to which there may be exceptions. In some cases one can cross over from related programs. For example, one may be able to enter a physics graduate program with an undergraduate degree in engineering or mathematics, provided one has an acceptable (as determined by the graduate admissions process) number of courses in physics.

Graduate programs in subjects like neuroscience are interdisciplinary and may take students from an array of undergraduate majors: physics, biology, computer science, psychology, mathematics, etc. - often depending on the particular focus of the program.

The take home message is this: don't assume that you can cross over from one subject to another. Do your homework and as soon as you may be interested in a given program for graduate study, figure out what the entrance requirements are for it.