Should you apply for a master’s first, or go straight to a PhD? The answer depends on the country, your field and what you want to do afterwards. This guide sets out the differences and helps you choose.
The basic difference
- A master’s (MSc, MA, MEng, MBA) is usually one or two years of taught courses plus a project or dissertation. It deepens your subject knowledge and is often a professional qualification.
- A PhD is three to six years of original research leading to a thesis that makes a new contribution to knowledge. It trains you to be an independent researcher.
- A research master’s (MRes, MPhil, MSc by research) sits in between: mostly research, one or two years, and often a route into a PhD.
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