globy321 Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 I was wondering has anyone done or know someone who has gone through Master of Science in Physiology or Health Sciences at UWO? I have some questions. In general, what do you do in Master of Science program? Do you go to lectures like in undergrad or do you just work on labs and go to seminars? Do you have a schedule or do you go to labs whenever you like? How are you tested in the program (tests, presentations etc)? Is Master of science more difficult than Undergrad in Science (Physiology or any other program)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneDay Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 I'm not from UWO but for a general MSc: thesis based - you carry out a research project, write up a thesis, do 1-2 grad level courses, then defend course based - you do full time courses, similar to undergrad. In thesis based your "evaluation" is your committee meetings, grad course marks, and how you do when you defend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globy321 Posted January 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 I know at UWO master of science is thesis based. What does defending a thesis involves? Standing in front of professors and making a presentations on your research project? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globy321 Posted January 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 Is grad school more difficult than undergrad? I know you have to do alot of independent work in grad school but is the lab work, presnetaions, seminars more difficult than in undergrad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Someday Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 In my experience defending a thesis involved giving a short presentation summarizing my research findings (20-30 mins) followed by an oral examination by my committee members (I had 5 members). Each committee member asks you questions about your work, about your field, science knowledge, etc. The whole process lasts about 2-4 hours. Undergrad and grad school (if thesis based) are completely different forms of learning. The whole point of grad school is to train you to become an independant scientist. You spend coutless hours in the lab conducting experiments and are expected to be able to work independantly and figure things out on your own (again my experience). Depending on the lab, you may have to give weekly/monthly presentations on your work, prepare posters and oral presentations for conferences and write papers. Grad school is great if you like figuring things out and working largely self-guided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globy321 Posted January 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 In my experience defending a thesis involved giving a short presentation summarizing my research findings (20-30 mins) followed by an oral examination by my committee members (I had 5 members). Each committee member asks you questions about your work, about your field, science knowledge, etc. The whole process lasts about 2-4 hours. Undergrad and grad school (if thesis based) are completely different forms of learning. The whole point of grad school is to train you to become an independant scientist. You spend coutless hours in the lab conducting experiments and are expected to be able to work independantly and figure things out on your own (again my experience). Depending on the lab, you may have to give weekly/monthly presentations on your work, prepare posters and oral presentations for conferences and write papers. Grad school is great if you like figuring things out and working largely self-guided. I have several other questions.Hopefully you can help me. 1.Do you defend thesis at the end of the program (at the end of 2 years in master of science)? 2.During the two years in the program, what does a normal week involves doing (going to labs, seminars etc)? 3.Do you have a schedule on when you go to labs or you can do your research anyday of the week? 4.Is it hard to keep a job while in grad school? 5. How do they grade you in grad school? Is it the same as in undergrad grading with GPA and Percentage grad in each course? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneDay Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 I have several other questions.Hopefully you can help me. 1.Do you defend thesis at the end of the program (at the end of 2 years in master of science)? 2.During the two years in the program, what does a normal week involves doing (going to labs, seminars etc)? 3.Do you have a schedule on when you go to labs or you can do your research anyday of the week? 4.Is it hard to keep a job while in grad school? 5. How do they grade you in grad school? Is it the same as in undergrad grading with GPA and Percentage grad in each course? 1. defend at the end of your 2 years 2. my normal work week was spent mostly at the lab usually 9-5ish, but very flexible, then I had to TA once a week. I did work from home quite a bit, when writing up/studying/preparing for presentations 3. no schedule, except when I had to run subjects...really was based on my own schedule 4. i had a part time job...no real problems 5. i had to take two grad courses over the 2 years of my program. the courses were more difficult than undergrad courses I took, but you only take one course at a time, so you have a lot of time to put into it. Grades are the same as what you would get in undergrad, but for med admission, keep in mind that you need to get A/A+ for Ottawa and I think also for Toronto Overall I found a different kind of work in grad school compared to undergrad. you are very busy at certain times, then at other times not so busy, so you can do some volunteering/write the mcat etc. There is not a lot of sitting down cramming for tests like in undergrad. But there is a lot of presentations, and you need to know your research and the background literature. It is a lot of work, the best advice I can give if you are pursuing grad school is to find an area that you really enjoy learning about, and to find a good professor that you get along with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globy321 Posted January 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 Do you need a laptop while doing a Master of Science? Is it a good idea or a must to have a laptop while doing a Master of Science? I have been going though undergrad with a desktop and have not bought a laptop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneDay Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 i have a laptop at home and it stayed at home during my MSc. I don't like carrying my comp around. but it depends on your research and your lab. At my lab I had my own computer and did all my work while I was there and used a USB to move stuff around. Really, grad school is very different from undergrad. It is almost like you are a Research Assistant and you work 9-5 to do your experiments while in-between you work on your lit review. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lost__in__space Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 About the masters at UWO in health sciences... I just want you to know that, that faculty has one of the LOWEST stipends out of any faculty on campus, even LOWER than students doing their masters in classics!!!!!! It's something to think of, I got in but I declined because I needed more money than what they offered me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDakota Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 About the masters at UWO in health sciences... I just want you to know that, that faculty has one of the LOWEST stipends out of any faculty on campus, even LOWER than students doing their masters in classics!!!!!! It's something to think of, I got in but I declined because I needed more money than what they offered me. Stipends/Fellowships from the graduate faculty are a drop in the bucket. If you dont have OGS or NSERC, then the majority of your money will be coming from TAing. Unfortunately if your'e in that situation then most of your money will be taxable. If you get fellowships/scholarships then they're non-taxed. That's one thing you can thank Harps for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Stipends/Fellowships from the graduate faculty are a drop in the bucket. If you dont have OGS or NSERC, then the majority of your money will be coming from TAing. Unfortunately if your'e in that situation then most of your money will be taxable. If you get fellowships/scholarships then they're non-taxed. That's one thing you can thank Harps for. But then again, even though TA money is taxed, you have to remember how much you're getting in tax credits for being a FT student. I was a FT student in Alberta for a total of 6 months last year, and I would've had to make over $28,000/year to actually have to pay any provincial taxes. My federal limit was something like $21,000. You can be assured that you will NOT make that much $ TAing, so taxes aren't really a concern - unless you have other significant sources of income. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lost__in__space Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Stipends/Fellowships from the graduate faculty are a drop in the bucket. If you dont have OGS or NSERC, then the majority of your money will be coming from TAing. Unfortunately if your'e in that situation then most of your money will be taxable. If you get fellowships/scholarships then they're non-taxed. That's one thing you can thank Harps for. Regarding stipends here at UWO I know that a health sci student WITH TAing AFTER tuition payment makes around $5000, whereas a grad student at Schulich at UWO with NO TAing can make around $10000-13000 after recieving free tuition if their average is over 80% for the last 10 credits.... that's a big difference, not a drop in the bucket at all, especially if you're a starving student such as myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globy321 Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Does Physiology or Pathology in Master of Science program pay good stipeneds? How much do they roughly pay each? Also, do you lose the stipeneds if you don't maintain the 80% mark during the two years in master of science program? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDakota Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Regarding stipends here at UWO I know that a health sci student WITH TAing AFTER tuition payment makes around $5000, whereas a grad student at Schulich at UWO with NO TAing can make around $10000-13000 after recieving free tuition if their average is over 80% for the last 10 credits.... that's a big difference, not a drop in the bucket at all, especially if you're a starving student such as myself. are you talking about per semester? If so then you're around what everyone else makes. remember.. you're going to school and getting paid to do it at this point. Nobody makes enough to really put money away for the kids. Hell NSERC PDFs only make slightly more than 30k/yr. Those are people with Phds and have established themselves as independent researchers. I'm sure someone has told you this already, but I think it's important to repeat it. Academic research is the most skilled, and underpaid profession. If you went into graduate school to buff up your CV for medschool, dont' be surprised your'e also making poverty. The professor is investing in YOU, trying to develop you into an independent researcher. Obviously you're not going to get paid big bucks if you're being trained. Something else to keep in mind, as a Masters student you're not really doing anything that a post doc couldn't do in a month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkles3288 Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 I don't see why people are complaining about the money... Be happy you get anything at all! Until a few months ago, I had no idea grad students got paid at all. I just assumed it was like all undergrads and YOU pay to learn. Outside of science, many graduate degrees don't get paid at all. Does it suck? Yes. But that's the life one chooses. If you don't want to be struggling for $$$, go work with your Bsc. Just think of it as an expierence in your life that one day you can look back on and (hopefully) laugh at the days of being super poor, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkles3288 Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Something else to keep in mind, as a Masters student you're not really doing anything that a post doc couldn't do in a month. Totally true. Much of the time when a lab wants to build up their reputation; they hire postdocs and research associates..grad students usually do the opposite of building up, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Stark Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 The only thing I really miss about my masters is the income. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDakota Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 I don't see why people are complaining about the money... They complain about the money because people still believe what their parents have been telling them for their entire lives. That a university degree (BSc.) equals a job that pays well. It doesn't anymore. It hardly even gets you a job, let alone one that pays well. If you want an idea of where people go with their degrees and you're working in a lab, just interact with the sales reps that come by. Take their cards and check out their qualifications. Most will be MSc. recipients, followed by BSc. holders, and a few Phds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 They complain about the money because people still believe what their parents have been telling them for their entire lives. That a university degree (BSc.) equals a job that pays well. It doesn't anymore. It hardly even gets you a job, let alone one that pays well. It probably also has something to do with the age of grad students. Many begin to consider starting a family (if they don't already have one), and money becomes more of an issue. And if you lived with your parents before, you are more likely to move away from home for a grad degree - you can get a basic BSc in bio pretty much anywhere, but your home university may not always have the grad program/projects you're looking for. Not a single grad student in my lab was actually from that city - they all moved from other places to do this degree, so saving $ by living with parents is a less viable option. And, of course, the workload can often prevent one from taking on a part-time job. I remember my prof had told me that she's got a big problem with her students working, because their productivity is not up to her standards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDakota Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 ^ My proff would fire any grad student who worked outside of the lab. A grad student's productivity goes down enough with TAing, but to add a part time job on top of that makes them useless in the lab. I know of one student that worked a part time job in the lab I am working in, and the only reason she didn't get the boot was becasue she was almost done, and my proff had already given up on her as a prospective academic. The fact that he didn't know for sure also helped her out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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