The duration of MS and PhD programs at US Universities
July 22, 2007 by app2usadvisor
Filed under US Education
MS and PhD programs are among the most flexible programs at US Universities. The students get to select what courses they will study, what will be the topic of research, who will be the advisor and when will they graduate. The duration of the program depends on how many courses the student takes every semester and on the research productivity. Most MS and PhD programs have no official time frame, but there me be an upper time limit. In many cases it takes 2 years to complete a MS degree and 5 years for a PhD degree. For PhD programs, it matters if you joined the program after completing a Masters program or directly after a bachelor’s degree. Most PhD programs admit students directly after a Bachelors degree but the students may need to complete the coursework equivalent to a Masters degree and then concentrate on the doctoral research. In such cases it is likely that the PhD will take six years. The fastest way to complete a MS degree is to take as many courses as possible per semester, take courses in summer and opt for a non-thesis option if available. You should plan for a minimum of two years for MS and five years for a PhD degree.
