Astro2020 APC White Paper: Enabling Terminal Master's Degrees as a Step Towards a Ph.D

TL;DR

This paper advocates for the recognition and support of terminal master's degrees in physics and astronomy as a valuable step towards Ph.D. completion, highlighting pathways, challenges, and potential improvements.

Contribution

It identifies the need for better data on pathways to Ph.D. and proposes steps to improve the transition from master's to Ph.D. programs in physical sciences.

Findings

Students with master's and Ph.D. from different schools take over 2 years longer to complete their Ph.D.

Many master's credits do not transfer to Ph.D. programs, causing delays.

Supporting terminal master's degrees can streamline Ph.D. pathways.

Abstract

Earning any advanced degree in physics or astronomy is an arduous process and major accomplishment. However, not every journey to the Ph.D. is paved equally. Every year, there are hundreds of students who earn terminal master's degrees in physics and astronomy in the United States. A master's degree on its own is sufficient qualification for many good careers, but for a portion of these students, the master's degree is not the final step in graduate education. When students with master's degrees decide to continue their education and are accepted to Ph.D. programs, they often find that their credits do not transfer and that they will be required to re-do large portions of their master's degree at their new Ph.D.-granting institution. Here we discuss the need for gathering more data to understand both the different pathways to a Ph.D. and the students that choose each route. We also discuss some of the challenges faced by students that earn a master's degree before beginning a Ph.D. program. As students in the physical sciences that complete a master's and a Ph.D. at different schools take over 2 years longer to reach a Ph.D. than students that get both degrees from the same school, we suggest steps that can be taken to help these students succeed in a timely manner.