Overview of MSc

[globy321]

Can someone give me a general timeline overview of the MSc?

 

For example is this a good timeline of MSc; start the program with working on the lab, followed by literature reviews, followed by seminars and courses, followed by defend thesis, end of MSc? Is this a correct order? Did I miss anything?

[rmorelan]

Can someone give me a general timeline overview of the MSc?

 

For example is this a good timeline of MSc; start the program with working on the lab, followed by literature reviews, followed by seminars and courses, followed by defend thesis, end of MSc? Is this a correct order? Did I miss anything?

 

The course work comes first normally, so you can learn some of the advanced material you need in order to decide on a topic/complete the thesis. Similarly the literature review normally becomes before/at the same time as the lab work. Again you have to figure out what to do before you can do it in the lab

 

Seminars you normally attend the entire degree, and have to make presentations later on.

 

Details vary of course

[Jochi1543]

Some programs will also include TA-ships, so you have to set aside time for that.

 

Based on your recent posts, it sounds like you're seriously considering an MSc, so I would encourage you to figure out a few interest areas and schools you wouldn't mind attending and start researching specific programs. Every program is different. A few programs I've considered are actually 3-3.5 years long, for example, as opposed to the more common 2.

[Len]

It is TOTALLY different by school by program and by supervisor. TOTALLY different. My experience has been night and day to other people working in the same lab under a different professor.

 

I started working for my professor in May of 2007 and then started my Masters officially in September 2007. I took all three courses in my first year (you only have to take 3 here), but I was continuing some of the lab work for the research I did in the summer and got that paper accepted for publication by Spring 2008. Concurrently, I was working on my thesis research starting right away in September... and running the animal experiments for yet a whole other set of experiments for a 3rd paper (unrelated to my thesis). I finished up my thesis research by December 2008 and my thesis paper was accepted for publication by Februrary 2009. I defend this Wednesday.

This past year I took organic chemistry (undergrad) both semesters for med school pre-req.

 

I also started presenting at conferences (International/National) and department seminars in the fall of 2007 as I had already been doing the other non-thesis research for a while. Then, once I had enough done on my thesis stuff, I would start presenting it instead of the other non-thesis work.

 

I was a marker for a 1st year class during my first semester and then got a part time job as an RA with a different department from May 2008-now.

 

I never did my literature review until this semester when I started writing my thesis as my project kept changing and developing, it would have been a waste of time.

 

Compared to other people in my lab that only did course work and literature review stuff during their first year, they are lightyears behind me with respect to their projects.

 

My supervisor was brand-new and so he was great for guidance. Others are never around... pick your supervisor WISELY.

[Jochi1543]

Len, how did you find taking undergrad courses during your master's? Was it a major burden or pretty feasible? Again, I'm sure it depends on the program, but I wanted to know your opinion.