Can a masters thesis be upgraded to a PhD?

Ghaneshree Moonsamy achieved a remarkable result when her Masters thesis in Biotechnology at Durban University of Technology (DUT), was converted into a PhD thesis due to its superior quality.

“Because of the content and quality of my Masters, my supervisors suggested that I try to apply for a conversion from Masters to Doctorate. I passed this application and was the first student to do so at DUT,” said hopeful Moonsamy who completed her PhD in Biotechnology on Tuesday evening at the Fred Crookes Sports Centre, Steve Biko Campus in Durban.

Integrated PhD

Some universities offer integrated doctoral programs (also called integrated masters). These are four-year programs with a one-year master’s followed immediately by three years of research .These can be a great option for graduate students who wish to pursue a doctorate without a master’s degree but find it difficult to meet the eligibility criteria. You can read more about the many benefits of integrated degrees here.

Finding a PhD has never been easier: search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic interest. (t ixagb_7)

Sometimes the timing is better

You can’t afford to turn down a great opportunity and wait to see if it’s still there after your Masters. If skipping a Masters gives you the opportunity to secure a place in the Ph.D. program of your choice or an opportunity to work on your dream research project, you should take it. The same goes for funding opportunities – you should take them even if it means skipping your masters.

Most PhD students. programs offer partial or full funding to students. Additional external funding opportunities are available for the Ph.D. students and masters students.

Taking the plunge into research

So you have completed your Masters. You enjoyed the postgraduate work experience. And you caught the virus. You are about to take the leap to the next phase of research: the doctorate. This article aims to provide ten useful tips for managing the transition from master’s (teaching and research) to doctorate. It is aimed at doctoral students in the Humanities and Social Sciences, although some advice may also be suitable for doctoral students in the Sciences. The principle remains the same: taking the next step in your academic journey is not always as difficult as it seems.

  1. Prepare to be overwhelmed

Leave a Replay