MPhys Degree in UK for US Grad School: Advice Needed

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the value of pursuing an MPhys degree in the UK for a student planning to apply to graduate schools in the US. Participants explore whether taking graduate-level courses in the final year of the MPhys program is beneficial, especially considering the potential for retaking similar courses in graduate school.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the worth of an additional year for the MPhys degree when applying to US graduate schools, particularly regarding the relevance of graduate-level courses taken in the final year.
  • Another participant suggests contacting US universities directly to inquire about their admissions requirements and the value they place on the MPhys degree and graduate-level courses.
  • It is proposed that US graduate programs may assess students through diagnostic exams to tailor course selections, indicating that prior coursework may not hinder a student's progress.
  • Some participants argue that pursuing the MPhys is preferable to a BSc, citing benefits such as eligibility for direct entry into PhD programs in the UK and gaining valuable research experience through a dissertation.
  • There is mention of the flexibility the MPhys year provides for exploring different research areas, which may be advantageous for future graduate studies.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the necessity and benefits of the MPhys degree for US graduate school applications, with some advocating for its pursuit while others raise questions about its value. No consensus is reached on the overall worth of the additional year.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the discussion is influenced by individual circumstances, such as funding opportunities and personal academic goals, which may affect the decision to pursue the MPhys degree.

spacetimedude
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Hello guys,

I am currently studying at a university in the UK en route to a MPhys degree (currently 3rd year). I was wondering if anyone has any information regarding if it is worth doing additional year for a MPhys degree in the UK if I am going to apply to the US for graduate school (I am an international student, not from either US or UK so it is much easier for me to get funding for graduate school in the US)?
Do universities in the US care that I took graduate level courses in my final year despite the fact that I will probably take them again when I enter graduate school?

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.
 
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You should contact the universities you are considering applying to and find out what they think. Google is your friend. Find the admissions or guidance department for the schools you will apply to. Ask them what their admissions requirements are for the degree you intend to apply to. Ask them what other possible things you could do to increase your chance of admission, and your chance of success in the degree.

Also, regarding funding: Ask them what scholarships you should apply for. Many scholarships will not consider you unless you apply to them.
 
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Most places will give you some kind of diagnostic exam (I think either a reduced version of the qualifying exam or the actual qualifying exam) to see where you stand and then you work with your advisor to select courses appropriately. Certainly I think most physics grad departments have a small enough cohort that you won't just get lost in a mass of postgrads and told to do exactly those x courses if you've already done them before.

More generally you should do the MPhys rather than BSc because a) if you end up deciding to stay in the UK for postgrad, you can go directly into most PhDs assuming you have appropriate marks and b) the 4th year dissertation/project/thesis/whatever you end up doing will be good research experience, both for your application and to gauge whether you are ready/cut out for academia.

It also gives you a slightly more flexible year to explore different areas you may want to do grad work in.
 
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Thank you for the replies. I really appreciate it.
 

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