Expert: Carlo Segre - 7/31/2011

Question
Hi,

I recently came across this one year M.Sc. programme in theoretical physics being offered at the Imperial College London.

There might be many other such similar programs, though all of them may not be of one year duration.

Would it be a better choice to study such a short course before launching yourself into a Ph.D.?

Or is it just a waste of effort and time, since I'll then have to reapply for a Ph.D.?

Also, if I apply to US grad schools, after getting my M.Sc. from say some UK university, will I be able to skip those grad. courses as I would have already done all of that in my M.Sc. and instead jump straight into work towards my thesis? If yes, would this mean that it would take me less than 5 years to finish off my grad school unlike others coming into grad school straight out of undergrad.?

Basically which would be the better route to take?

Also, is Imperial College something like the Ivy's, in terms of acceptance rate and the chances of getting admitted?

Thanks

Answer
Hi again metalrose:

If I remember correctly, you have an engineering background.  A 1 year M.Sc. program in the U.K. probably assumes that you have completed a B.Sc. in physics.  It is possible to take a M.S. in the United states as well in one year by taking a heavy load of classes.  Most students take 2 years though even if they are not writing a thesis.  For someone who has not studied physics as an undergraduate, this may not be possible because you might, and probably are, be missing prerequisite courses for the graduate courses in the program.

At Illinois Tech, we often get students coming from an Engineering background and they are missing quantum mechanics or possible E&M depending on their major as an undergraduate.  This means that we ask them to take the undergraduate course sequence before taking the graduate courses.  Although the undergraduate courses can be used toward the degree, this extends the time to more than one year by necessity.

If you do get a M.Sc. and than apply for a Ph.D. program, it is usually the case that the U.S. university will count your degree for a significant portion, but not all, of your coursework.  Generally, Ph.S. students take more classes than a M.S. student and, in particular, they will take some advanced courses only relevant to the Ph.D.  however, you need to check in advance with the university to see what they will count and what you may expect to take in the way of additional classes.

Is it a good idea to go in this direction?  That is a difficult question to answer.  personally, if you are after a Ph.D., I think you should apply directly for that if your current credentials qualify you for such an application (I don't recall if you had a 3 or 4 year B.Sc....).  If you are not able to apply directly for the Ph.D. in the U.S. because of a 3 year degree, then i think that one additional year of study at the M.S. level is a must but I don't know if this will reduce your course load in the Ph.D. program by very much.  In the Ph.D. program, you should make sure that you are supported anyway.  While it is perfectly acceptable to self-finance a M.S., it is not a good idea to do so for a Ph.D.

Hope this helps,

Carlo