What is the shortest Masters degree or PhD course available?

Question

How long does it take to gain a Masters degree or a PhD degree?

I am considering Higher education for the future...

I am looking for the shortest course possible, in any academic subject... Please help thanks :-)

Answer 1

All master's degrees will be about the same, 30-60 semester hours required with 36-45 range most common. The typical MA is just over 30 hours and a thesis.

Most master's students who are full-time take between 9-12 hours per semester. That means you're looking at a minimum of 3 semesters for most programs. Some schools offer more than two semesters per year so we're looking at 1 year as the absolute minimum. I did mine (MA in Human Resources Development) in 14 months.

More typically, we say that the master's requires 1-2 years of full-time study.

Time to completion of the PhD is much more variable because of the research and dissertation. Some people are able to get it done in a few years - some people take 3-4 years just writing the dissertation. It depends as much on the person as it does the program.

An EdD or DBA (or other professional doctorate) might be faster since they tend to be more course based than research based.

Now, if you want to work in higher education, the master's is the basic essential credential. If you want to teach then it will need to be in the academic area you want to teach in. A Master of Science in Human Resources isn't going to qualify you to teach math for example. It could put you in the HR dept. of the college though.

The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT and variations) though generally considered an "easy master's", won't qualify you to teach in college either but could get you into an EdD (which would only qualify you to teach in an education department, not in academic subjects). For most academic jobs in higher education, the PhD is going to be essential for advancement while a master's will usually be sufficient to get you into the administrative side of the school.

Saying "I am considering Higher education for the future.." is about like saying "I am considering Hospital for the future..."; you've picked the place to work, but which job?

Usually, we pick our graduate field of study for a love of the field and interest in the content. Picking for occupational reasons really only works for the professional master's (MEd, MBA, MPH). One doesn't devote 3+ graduate study years to anthropology of mesoamerica "for a job" -- it'd be a miserable three-plus years.

The value of the master's and doctorate rests in the fact that they are not easy or fast to get. Even an "easy" master's is a significant endeavor. Fact is, the overwhelming majority of the population does not have a master's degree or higher. The reason is because they're hard to get.

"Thefinal" is actually wrong about time to complete a PhD - since we're in generalities here. There are some subjects that can indeed be done in three years post bachelor's. Musicology is one example. That said, most (almost all) people do take longer than three, but three is the recognized minimum in some programs.

Answer 2

There is no possible way to answer that because it all depends on how long it takes you, you have the choice in college to go all year round or just two semesters a year. Some classes may be offered, that you need, in the spring while others are only offered in the fall. A masters is suppose to take 6 years while a PhD will take you atleast 8. The first thing you need to do is find a school that you like start there. I am in college now working toward a BS degree, than maybe a masters. I only take 12 credit hours a semester and I do not attend minimesters. It is taking me longer but it is at my pace. Do what you think you will like and go from there.

Answer 3

M.T.A Master of Teaching Arts or M.A. in Teaching Arts both the same study just different names for the degree is a "cake" grad degree taking only two semesters each being minimal credit load. But you get what you earn and an M.T.A. is not very marketable or well thought of due to it being such an easy grad study.

M.A. in Liberal Studies, easy, but same as the M.T.A. in the real world.

Don't listen to the fourth poster..... there is not any PhD program which takes a mere 3 years minimum beyond a bachelor's degree in any area of study. You have research, student teaching, dissertation, defending your dissertation and so much more. Try a minimum of 5 years to earn a PhD beyond a bachelor's degree in any area of study.

Answer 4

This sounds like a REALLY bad idea. You get a masters degree or Ph.D. because you want to become a "master" of the subject matter and study it in depth, not because you are collecting meaningless pieces of paper as quickly as possible. You would be miserable in graduate school, and they would be miserable with you. Masters degrees generally take between 1 and 2 years beyond the bachelors degree to achieve, depending primarily upon your prior level of education in the field. Ph.D.s take an absolute minimum of 3 years beyond the bachelors, and often closer to 6 or 7.

Answer 5

The internet is expanding at an exponential charge and hundreds or individuals and companies launch even thousands of new internet sites each and every single day so this indicates there is an rising demand for freelance writers to create content for these internet sites.

Answer 6

in our days there is advance programs that can earn you a maters in 9 month for example social work the phd programs takes two years

Answer 7

1

Answer 8

That no funny.