Are any of you doing a masters/postgrad in something different than your degree?

MonkeyBalls

If so did you do a "conversion" course, or anything like that?

Roro4Brit

Yep did Marketing masters with Arts degree......it was designed to cater for non business graduates BUT we did share many modules with the MSc in Strat Man which was a course for business graduates only and all I can say is wow....the marketing students we so much better than most of the strat man people even though they had 3/4 yr business degress under their belts...maybe they jaded with business or something but the marketing class was much more creative and motivated to do well!

Dont worry, if the uni does not think you are able for the masters you wont be accepted.

dazzday

Im doing a Masters in Electronic Engineering after a degree in Experimental Physics. One or two who graduated with me are doing Masters in Finance. I know many others doing different postgrads from degrees eg Mech Engineers doing software development, Chemistry grads doing Medicine... I was even told by one of the NUIG Physics faculty that he was considering taking on a photograpy garduate for a Research Masters in Plasma Physics for the sheer fact he was interested in high speed recording of laser ablation!

In my experience, when applying for a Masters if you can portray your interest in the subject, enuthsiasm and passion,a career goal and a willingness to give 100%, your degree subject and grades to a certain extent will be alot less scrutinized. So dont limit yourself to applying for postgrads strictly in your field, find something that you enjoy and chance your arm!

Remember lecturers/supervisors would much rather take some one who shows a genuine passion for the field.

El Siglo

I'm doing an MSc in Environmental Science after doing a BA in Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy. Literally I went from a social sciences background into a natural sciences stuff, I'm not the only one and it's not impossible to do. Just show your interest and skills and you'll be grand, chances are you offer something completely different that a graduate of such a course wouldn't have. One of the people on my course started off as a physicist 20 years ago, worked in software development in Microsoft so it's not impossible by any stretch of the word.

taram

Doing Crop Protection and Agronomy, didn't even know what agronomy was until I researched the course My undergrad was Plant Biotech, did only one module of agriculture, but so far not at any disadvantage as I love crops and spend my days field walking and reading about them, and am just such a huge plant fan I think that came across in my interview because they offered me the course that day.

MonkeyBalls

taram wrote: »

Doing Crop Protection and Agronomy, didn't even know what agronomy was until I researched the course My undergrad was Plant Biotech, did only one module of agriculture, but so far not at any disadvantage as I love crops and spend my days field walking and reading about them, and am just such a huge plant fan I think that came across in my interview because they offered me the course that day.

Fair play to you.

MonkeyBalls

dazzday wrote: »

In my experience, when applying for a Masters if you can portray your interest in the subject, enuthsiasm and passion,a career goal and a willingness to give 100%, your degree subject and grades to a certain extent will be alot less scrutinized.

Good post, that's definitely very important.

herrmes

Hi I'm doing a degree in philosophy and anthropology and would love to make a complete switch at masters level to study something in theoretical physics. I didn't study physics or maths at a-level.

What criteria would I need to fill to do this? Do you think that enthusiasm/ motivation/passion and self-taught knowledge will be enough in this case?

PeakOutput

im doing a degree in digital media design and hope to do either an mba or masters in entrepeneurship and innovation when i finish. started researching this last month and its gonna be tough but if your good enough you seem to be able to do whatever course you like regardless of your degree

jane86

I was wondering what my options would be for Postgrad. I have a 2.2 Arts (Media) degree. I had good grades up until the last year when I lost interest in it. I would feel more comfortable doing a H.Dip than going into a MA.

How limited would I be in applying for a H.Dip in a subject that I have never studied before? I was looking into Humanties (Psychology, Human Behaviour, English, History). Would I be way out of my depth in thinking of trying to study a subject at post grad that I have not studied at Undergrad?

pow wow

U/G History & Politics, MA Politics, MA Development (on and off). PhD maybe.

I don't know how anyone ever picks something to study and sticks to it, the more I read the more off tangent I go!

claire h

jane86 wrote: »

I was wondering what my options would be for Postgrad. I have a 2.2 Arts (Media) degree. I had good grades up until the last year when I lost interest in it. I would feel more comfortable doing a H.Dip than going into a MA.

How limited would I be in applying for a H.Dip in a subject that I have never studied before? I was looking into Humanties (Psychology, Human Behaviour, English, History). Would I be way out of my depth in thinking of trying to study a subject at post grad that I have not studied at Undergrad?

HDip in Psychology is specifically designed for people who haven't taken it at undergrad. With media, English or History should be fine - though doing a HDip isn't always an option, often the only postgrad option is a masters, with a PGradDip if you end up not doing a dissertation, but entry requirements are the same, to best of my knowledge.

Yve

pow wow wrote: »

U/G History & Politics, MA Politics, MA Development (on and off). PhD maybe.

I don't know how anyone ever picks something to study and sticks to it, the more I read the more off tangent I go!

Where did you do your MA in development?

Have you gotten a job from it?

I have a BA in Humanities (philosphy, theology and arts) and am currently doing a H-Dip in Psychoanalysis (which I aint overly keen on)......

MonkeyBalls

Some conversion courses are MSc level - shouldn't they be HDip?

So, you're not just converting to the level where you can do a master's - you're going beyond that and getting a master's qualification in itself. That strikes me as a bit weird.

rantyface

herrmes wrote: »

Hi I'm doing a degree in philosophy and anthropology and would love to make a complete switch at masters level to study something in theoretical physics. I didn't study physics or maths at a-level.

What criteria would I need to fill to do this? Do you think that enthusiasm/ motivation/passion and self-taught knowledge will be enough in this case?

I think it would be better to do a bachelor in physics. They are an extremely hard working class in UCD, and I don't know how anyone could catch up on their own. One of my best friends does it and he studies for approximately 12 hours a day, and is very smart to boot. He worked like this all through 3rd and 4th year, maybe a bit less in 1st and 2nd. You'd be really behind someone with a background in it and I can't imagine a supervisor taking you on tbh.

Generally speaking, theoretical physics involves some lab work and you would not have these skills.

The bachelor is very good.

joseywhales

Theoretical physics requires zero lab work, it's just applied maths but still who knows if you can do it, if you can walk into an interview discuss and derive some things, on a white board related to the area of your potential supervisor, then you'll get it no matter what qualification you have I imagine.
Knowing everything about calculus and algebra is more important than knowing anything about physics I think.

panda100

I studied medicine at Undergrad level and hope to get into a social work masters next year. I have do to a conversion course first, a Higher diploma in social policy,I applied last week so fingers crossed I'll get in
I reckon If you show an intrest in the course it won't matter that you've done an undergrad in something different!

MonkeyBalls

rantyface wrote: »

I think it would be better to do a bachelor in physics. They are an extremely hard working class in UCD, and I don't know how anyone could catch up on their own. One of my best friends does it and he studies for approximately 12 hours a day, and is very smart to boot. He worked like this all through 3rd and 4th year, maybe a bit less in 1st and 2nd. You'd be really behind someone with a background in it and I can't imagine a supervisor taking you on tbh.

Generally speaking, theoretical physics involves some lab work and you would not have these skills.

The bachelor is very good.

12 hours a day.

Mother of god.

WesternZulu

Yea i did my BSc is applied physics but then did a higher diploma in business studies and now doing a Masters in Environmental and Economic Modelling.

Dont regret changing from one area to another for one second!

dlofnep

Kind of - I did a degree in multimedia applications development, but I'm doing an MSc. in computer security.

El Siglo

WesternZulu wrote: »

Yea i did my BSc is applied physics but then did a higher diploma in business studies and now doing a Masters in Environmental and Economic Modelling.

Dont regret changing from one area to another for one second!

Where are you doing the Masters in Environmental and Economic Modelling? Sounds interesting!

WesternZulu

El Siglo wrote: »

Where are you doing the Masters in Environmental and Economic Modelling? Sounds interesting!

Yea it is very interesting now i have to say.
Doing the Masters in NUI, Galway...its a taught one, goes on for one year, september to september with a work placement thrown in for 3 months in the summer.

rantyface

MonkeyBalls wrote: »

12 hours a day.

Mother of god.

Having said that he came first in his class, but some of the people who aren't as smart had to work like that to do averagely well.

I wonder why anyone would want to do a physics PhD if they haven't done maths or physics since they were 15/16. A lot of people are attracted to theoretical physics because it "sounds all intellectual", but I think there are only about 8 people left in the degree.

I know a bright philosophy PhD student who was doing a study of blind sight took a neuroscience module with me. It was an elective. I hadn't done any neuroscience before either but just having a science background made it very easy for me, and he really struggled with it and had to spend a disproportionate amount of time on it. It was the easiest module I took in third year year. I think he failed.