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One Year Master's programs?


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Anyone know if Ontario univesrities have one-year master's programs?

 

Lakehead has a Masters of Public Health program, which can be completed on campus, by distance education, or via a combinaiton of the above. When I looked into the program a few years ago, it could be completed in either one or two years.

 

http://mph.lakeheadu.ca/index.php

 

Elaine

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Lakehead has a Masters of Public Health program, which can be completed on campus, by distance education, or via a combinaiton of the above. When I looked into the program a few years ago, it could be completed in either one or two years.

 

http://mph.lakeheadu.ca/index.php

 

Elaine

 

I emailed them but havn't heard back.... I think they say 12 months if you do it in one year, meaning you wouldn't be done before the common June cut offs?

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Thanks for your replies guys.

 

I am now rethinking the whole plan... after having thought it was the best way to improve the undergrad marks.. It may be seen for what it is.. just an attempt to get better marks rather than a logical plan.. Could it reflect even negatively?

 

Has anyone done the one year master's and if so, did you find it helpful in terms of improving your chances of acceptance?

 

I looked at Masters programs a few years ago for a couple of reasons, including improving my GPA. When I looked at the different schools I was eligible to apply to (those looking at 2-3 years of marks), I decided that more undergraduate years would benefit me more than doing a Masters. I knew that with the right MCAT mark, 2 years of strong undergraduate marks would earn me guaranteed interviews at Queen's and Western, as well as make me eligible to apply at Dalhousie. I also decided that I could continue to work full time while doing a full time undergraduate course load, but that that would be impossible as a graduate student.

 

I eventually settled on doing a "special year" as defined by Western. I have enjoyed the courses I've taken (a combination of sciences and applied health sciences - my degree is in health administration), as well as the ability to pick my course schedule. Looking back, my decision was the right one for me. After this very long road (started university in 1995), I have an interview at Dalhousie, hopefully Queen's and likely Western.

 

Just one thought about your comment about going backwards by doing more undergraduate work after a Masters.... If doing so earns you an interview at a medical school, then was it really backwards? Or, was it just a non-conventional route to your goal?

 

Best wishes with your decision!

Elaine

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I emailed them but havn't heard back.... I think they say 12 months if you do it in one year, meaning you wouldn't be done before the common June cut offs?

 

I don't know. I looked into the program a few years ago, and went as far as talking about it with one of their students who was on the "one year plan". However, it has been a few years, and I don't remember.

 

Elaine

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My Masters program has a practicum option beginning in April-May to which the program director signed off on my Med applications that I will complete it by the end of June (to meet the general date cut-offs of all the Ontario universities)...

For me, a MHSc in Nutrition is a great back-up option that will open a lot of doors for future work (ie: PhD opportunities, or possibly my practicum internship turning out to be a potential career option) should med school not work out...

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I appreciate your comments.

 

Elaine,

 

I am looking into the ryerson programs.. I agree.. it is just different, not "backwards".

 

The ryerson program sounds like a good option.. I could continue research and take courses to improve the undergrad marks. Do you know if it is recognized as "full time" by ontario med schools? And is it possible to complete it in 1 or 2 years?

 

Hi Elmo,

 

Because of the format of the courses (modular, condensed, distance), you would still have the time to be involved in research while doing the program.

 

You would always be considered a part time student by Ryerson, since this program is defined as part time. However, you can still take a full course load. Medical schools define you as part or full time based on your course load, not based on your status at your home university. Western requires 5.0 courses while Queen's requires 3.0 courses to be considered part time. Other schools have different requirements.

 

It is possible to do this program in 2 years, provided you plan well. There are three terms a year. You are required to have all your courses done prior to your practicum, which is only offered in the fall and winter. That said, it is completely possible to take the 20 half courses between this summer term (or even the fall term) and the end of December next year. If you do that, you will likely find that your last term with just your practicum and practicum seminar (each worth 0.5 credits) is rather light.

 

Best wishes to you, and please let me know if you have any further questions.

 

Elaine

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Thanks for your replies guys.

 

I am now rethinking the whole plan... after having thought it was the best way to improve the undergrad marks.. It may be seen for what it is.. just an attempt to get better marks rather than a logical plan.. Could it reflect even negatively?

 

Has anyone done the one year master's and if so, did you find it helpful in terms of improving your chances of acceptance?

 

Hi Elmo,

I'm not sure if you are strictly looking at your Canadian options, but I completed a one-years M.Sc (in public health) at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine a year ago and couldn't recommend it more highly. If you choose a field that is both relevant to medicine (and also to your education) -- I can't see any negatives. Besides the tuition cost, of course.

 

I am not sure how sold I am on the idea that an M.Sc is the best way to boost your GPA or compensate for undergrad marks. I found that getting "A's" at the graduate level was very, very difficult. I would consider what Elaine said about taking a "special year" if you are most concerned with improving your undegrad GPA.

 

I think taking a one-years Masters improves your chances in other ways. I think it opens up huge opportunities to get involved in school groups, student gov't, research projects, ECs.... since you tend to have way more "self directed" (read: free!!!!!)learning time as a grad student. Also, this is kinda corny :o but I actually believe you develop as a person by meeting students/ professionals from outside the premed community.

 

So all in all.... biggest downside? COST (both tuition and perhaps in time) biggest upside? The experience. I wouldn't recommend a masters to boost GPA. Just my 2% of a dollar :)

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I doubt a Master's degree will do much to mitigate a lackluster undergrad GPA. You could do a second undergrad degree in another field and if you do well you can argue that you didn't do well in your first degree b/c you chose the wrong discipline (or other legit reasons). Unfortunately, you cannot do a 2nd undergrad in many preeminent US institutions. But you should be able to find a good university in Canada or the UK to pursue another undergrad subject. If you have an EU passport, studying in Britain should be affordable.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The Masters of Biotechnology program at UCalgary is a one year course-based program.

 

The great thing about this option is that you will become an Alberta resident when you apply to UAlberta and UCalgary for the next coming application cycle as long as you arrive in Alberta in August of this year. You also KEEP you Ontario resident status for Ontario schools because I assume your family is in Ontario.

 

I was able to apply to UCalgary, UAlberta, and UOttawa as an Alberta AND Ontario resident this past year. Being an Alberta resident for Alberta schools is a huge bonus in terms of pre-interview selection!

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University of Guelph has a one year program in the Nutrition department. You basically do a 12 month (3 semester program) and take a full course load. The courses you take I believe are much easier to do well in than undergrad courses. You would also have to partake in a mini research-supervised project with a prof.

 

Seems like with your M.Sc background, you would already have research experience.

 

But... how would doing another M.Sc. degree help you with your chances at med school? Is one MSc not enough... or did you do poorly in the coures that you took as a Msc student?

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I'm just about finishing my MPH at Lakehead. I did the thesis stream in health studies. I was on campus and the faculty are great. However, it takes two years. One year to do the courses, one year to do the thesis or project. I did not meet any students that did it in one year. I don't think it is possible. If people have questions, pm me about the program.

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I doubt a Master's degree will do much to mitigate a lackluster undergrad GPA. You could do a second undergrad degree in another field and if you do well you can argue that you didn't do well in your first degree b/c you chose the wrong discipline (or other legit reasons). Unfortunately, you cannot do a 2nd undergrad in many preeminent US institutions. But you should be able to find a good university in Canada or the UK to pursue another undergrad subject. If you have an EU passport, studying in Britain should be affordable.

 

As a person who has studied in the UK, an EU passport is NOT enough to get you EU fees. Most schools have stipulations to meet "Home Fees" criteria which include having lived in the UK for 3 years prior to application for NON-academic reasons (that means if you're a Canadian and you went and did your undergrad in England, you STILL wouldn't be eligible for Home Fees though you have lived there for the past 4 years.

 

Just wanted to clarify that piece.

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  • 4 months later...

The deadline for admission to Columbia's M.S. program in nutrition has been extended to July 15th, except this program will likely do little except add letters to the end of your name (i.e. not demonstrate research productivity or anything that medical schools are even looking for in graduate-level applicants) and it's 17 grand. I guess if you don't have anything lined up for this year it might not be the worst call, especially if you can get someone to pay for it.

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The deadline for admission to Columbia's M.S. program in nutrition has been extended to July 15th, except this program will likely do little except add letters to the end of your name (i.e. not demonstrate research productivity or anything that medical schools are even looking for in graduate-level applicants) and it's 17 grand. I guess if you don't have anything lined up for this year it might not be the worst call, especially if you can get someone to pay for it.

 

Hmm.. This sounds really promising - but the website states that "full-time students can expect to complete the masters program in two years". Where did you read that it was one year, lingrad?

 

actually, it's the GRE OR the MCAT, which I'm assuming all interested parties likely have already written.

 

I still can't find where it says that the MCAT is accepted! :'(

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