MAsters vs. PhD physics program

[Benzoate]

Are the standards lower for being accepted into a master program rather than a PHd physics program or are the standards about the same? I was thinking about applying to a master's program in physics if my grades were not high enough to be accepted into a phD program.

 

[Choppy]

It varies from school to school. Many schools admit everyone to a master's level program at first (unless they've already completed a master's degree) and then after about a year or so you can transfer into the Ph.D. program (sometimes this requires you to pass an exam of some sort). In my opinion this is a better way of doing it than direct entrance to a Ph.D. program because if you don't like your project/field/supervisor/school etc. you can get out with something to show for all your work after only a couple of years.

 

[Benzoate]

It varies from school to school. Many schools admit everyone to a master's level program at first (unless they've already completed a master's degree) and then after about a year or so you can transfer into the Ph.D. program (sometimes this requires you to pass an exam of some sort). In my opinion this is a better way of doing it than direct entrance to a Ph.D. program because if you don't like your project/field/supervisor/school etc. you can get out with something to show for all your work after only a couple of years.

what do you mean MASTER's admit everyone openly? Do you mean they completely Disregard GPA and GRE scores

 

[Choppy]

what do you mean MASTER's admit everyone openly? Do you mean they completely Disregard GPA and GRE scores

Oops. When I said "everyone," what I meant was everyone who gets accepted into the graduate program. You still have to meet both the accptance criteria of the university and department programs. Once you're in, some schools start all graduate students coming from undergrad in a master's program.

 

[Ex1]

In my experience, in the UK at least, the boundary between being accepted on to a PhD programme and accepted on to a master program is only relevant if you're right on the edge.

It does, however, make a big difference for studentships/scholarships. A great student applying for an masters place might only be an average student applying for a PhD place, so they'd get funding for a masters but not a PhD. And afterwards when that previously average PhD applicant has an MSc and is applying for a PhD, they're now a great applicant and are positioned better to get scholarships/studentships again.

If you can get a PhD place and have got enough funding to be able to afford it, take it without even considering the masters place.