Program Selection: MSc or PhD

If you have decided to pursue a research-based graduate program, this first question comes down to if you want to pursue a MSc or PhD program. Note: the availability of research-based MSc programs will vary across academic institutions, so please ensure you know what is offered at the universities you are applying to.

Research-based MSc

• Full-time, two-year program (with the possibility of extension up to three years)

• Apply directly after completing your BSc

• Well-defined project, hypothesis, and plan

• Publication requirement? Dependent on the project, supervisor and/or department

PhD Program

• Minimum of four years (often extended to 5+)

• Apply after completing your MSc or directly from your BSc

• Open-ended research questions, multiple hypotheses and sub-projects

• Publication requirement? Expected in most cases

• Timelines and project scope are dependent on a multitude of factors:

  • Funding availability

  • New or inherited project

  • Type and duration of experiments

  • Type of experimental models (e.g. animal models vs cell-based models)

  • Wet or dry/computational lab

Generally, you can apply to a PhD after completing only a BSc (direct-entry PhD), and some people might pursue a separate PhD after completing their MSc. With most programs, PhD students will need to complete a candidacy exam (usually within the first 1-2 years) to become a PhD candidate – this is to demonstrate the capability and feasibility of the research and researcher (you). It is also quite common for students to enter into a MSc program after their undergraduate degree, and then transfer into the PhD program, with all of their research outputs now put towards the PhD thesis. This normally happens within 18-24 months of your MSc program, and also has an exam associated with it, similar to what direct entry PhD students have with their candidacy.

Why Starting as a MSc Candidate is Best:

• You have the OPTION to transfer into a PhD program 18-24 months in, especially if you are making good progress and want to commit to your research for a more substantial outcome

• Not all projects with be fruitful and it may be better to wrap up at the two- year mark and begin your PhD elsewhere, if you still want to commit to a longer-term training program

• Poor working conditions and/or job satisfaction (i.e. toxic lab environment - difficult supervisor, unhelpful colleagues, unnecessarily competitive colleagues, high stress and pressure)

• You wish to pursue a different project and/or research discipline for your PhD based on your MSc experience and/or findings

• You realize that research is not something you want to pursue for a longer term and:

  • want to complete a more structured professional program (e.g. professional-based MSc, MD, etc.) OR

  • are ready enter the workforce, knowing that your MSc degree makes you a competitive candidate

Note: Many trainees may stay in a “toxic” lab environment and end up transferring from a MSc to a PhD to avoid “wasting time by starting over in a new lab”. Timelines are a major factor in research-based graduate programs, and everyone’s favourite question to ask is “so when are you finishing?” But realistically, ending a MSc and starting a new PhD elsewhere doesn’t necessarily need to add many more years of school to your education journey. PhD students who have already completed a MSc come into their program ready to research; they already know how to perform literature searches, conduct experiments, and analyze data, so the 'figuring-it-out' phase is often shorter. Moreover, candidates who already have a MSc finish their PhD in a similar timeframe versus a direct entry PhD or MSc-to-PhD transferred trainee.

In this scenario, transferring gives a slight advantage of completing one year sooner, but when you realize you will be working for 30+ years, it might not seem as long. Obviously, timelines and priorities will vary from person to person, but finishing sooner should not come at the cost of enduring a difficult graduate experience.

The (few) Exceptions to the Rule – When Should You Apply for Direct-Entry PhD

• You have already spent some time in the lab of question (i.e. a summer research project or thesis project) and feel comfortable with the lab environment and proposed project

• You have a positive relationship with your supervisor (e.g. from a course), knowing that that you will be supported throughout your program and can therefore invest in a PhD

• You are passionate about research and have already determined that your long-term goals are related to obtaining a PhD (i.e. becoming a professor or staff scientist)

The Value of Your MSc Degree

Achieving anything in life is a valued experience and completing your MSc degree is quite the accomplishment. Nothing about obtaining your MSc is lacklustre, even though some research environments will label it as 'just' a MSc degree to reduce its significant and impact. Many individuals with a research-based MSc degree, who choose to not pursue a PhD are highly employable, securing competitive jobs across STEM and non-STEM sectors. Your choices will not be “limited” by not pursuing a PhD. Moreover, entering the workforce earlier will give you additional time to progress your career forward within the same organization, or give you practical experience you can leverage as you change employers.

The PhD Advantage

Investing the time to complete a PhD can be worthwhile. Unlike professional programs where you are trained for a specific career, with a PhD you are equipped with a diverse skillset which can be applied to any field or domain. Of course you will develop strong research skills and niche expertise in your field of study, but along the way, the depth and breadth of your professional skills reach is what makes the PhD experience unparalleled. As a PhD candidate, everyday you are driving your own research forward, thinking of new experiments, problem solving failed experiments, analyzing data, and synthesizing your results. Yes, you also work through these as a MSc candidate, but the level of intensity and independence is not necessarily the same (due to the structural differences and timeframes). With a PhD, your mastery of critical thinking becomes evident as you spend years reframing the way you conceptualize ideas and formulate hypotheses. You are able to be critical of the literature, critique your own findings, and convince others of your conclusions. It is this mindset which makes you an attractive employer across sectors, ranging from communications and consulting to R&D and regulatory affairs. Finally, obtaining a PhD is a necessity if you wish to pursue a career in research, specifically as a tenure/teaching stream professor within an academic institution.

Whichever path forward your choose, be sure that you are choosing what's best for you.