Significance of En-route Masters?

[fermatsenigma]

Significance of "En-route" Masters?

I am a first year Ph.D. student in Optical Science & Engineering. I have a B.S. Physics (Honors). I started doing research in Jan. of 2009. I started the Ph.D. program in Jan. of 2011. Currently I am still doing research for the same Prof. I started with in 2009 (I plan to stay with his group). He is suggesting that I should NOT get my en-route M.S. in Optical Sci. & Engr. I have published 6 conference proceeding, an extended abstract, and I am currently writing my first journal paper and just submitted another abstract for a conference proceeding. His claim is that no one really considers your M.S. if it is the same as your Ph.D. I would select the non-thesis option M.S. which would require me to take 3 more courses (I have 6 courses left for my Ph.D.). He says that I could spend the time that I would spend for those courses earning my M.S. doing research. And the more publications and research experience I have the better chance I have of obtaining the job I want when I get out of school.

My main concern is getting a job when I get out of school. I do not care whether I not I have my Masters (as long as I have my Ph.D.) I just want to do whatever will give me a better chance of getting a job. Any advice?

 

[twofish-quant]

His claim is that no one really considers your M.S. if it is the same as your Ph.D.

His claim is correct.

My main concern is getting a job when I get out of school. I do not care whether I not I have my Masters (as long as I have my Ph.D.) I just want to do whatever will give me a better chance of getting a job. Any advice?

My advice is listen to your prof. He knows more about the bureaucracy of your university than either of us. If you get your Ph.D., no one will care about your Masters, and if you don't, no one will care about which Masters you got.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Your advisor is right (and even if he weren't, would you really take the advice of some guys on the internet over his?). Nobody cares. I'm not sure my present employer even knows that I have an MS as well as a PhD.

 

[fermatsenigma]

I never said I was taking "the advice of some guys on the internet over his?". I do not believe I ever implied that. He is very knowledgeable about the academic sector, however, he has no experience outside of academia. So I thought I would post it on a forum in a related field where there are probably people who have worked outside of academia. That seemed logical at the time lol. I was hoping someone may have encountered a similar problem and now have a well delineated opinion that I could consider and potentially discuss my concerns with my adviser.