Currently, there are two routes toward a Ph.D. degree. One is the direct Ph.D. route which does not require the candidate to have a master’s research degree. Another more traditional route requires the Ph.D. applicant to complete a master’s research degree first.
From my experience, the direct Ph.D. route is more for highly capable students who are gifted in research. This gift for research can be partially discerned by their performance in the final year thesis project in their undergraduate education.
Personally, I did a master’s research degree prior to working on a Ph.D. programme. I think the research experience and experimental skills I learnt during masters research helped me to think better and arrive at more grounded solutions for my Ph.D. project. Overall, the masters research experience enhances the cognitive capabilities of the candidate; thereby, enabling him to better tackle the challenges of a Ph.D. programme. Essentially, having a masters research degree allows you to learn more and appreciate more in the Ph.D. journey.
Category: education,
Tags: masters research degree, Ph.D. programme, cognitive capabilities, experimental skills, research experience,
Looking at life with a scientific lens 