Hello there.. I've recently submitted my master thesis in marketing. As a reseacher, I now know that the purpose of a master degree is to know academic research tools and how to do and write an academic research..
A thesis provides a minimal contribution to knowledge compared to PhD.
And I know that PhD should provide a completely new idea (construct) or research strategy.. however I dont really get what kind of a new idea..
can you please offer me real examples from your own experience on the difference between the two degrees?
I have attached a document regarding the Doctorate vs Master degree purpose statement, outcomes and level descriptors, which should give you an idea of the differences. However, my very laymen explanation is that you are becoming a "master" of the research process on your given discipline for a master degree, whereas for a doctorate degree you are making an original contribution (or the advancement) to knowledge.
To clarify the difference between the master's degree and the doctorate, we must not lose sight of the fact that master's degrees are studies that deepen specialization and have a very practical orientation because their purpose is for the student to be able to apply the knowledge acquired in the professional environment.
The doctorate, on the other hand, is clearly oriented towards scientific research. The objective is for the student to investigate a specific subject, not explored at that level until then, and to do so by familiarizing him/her with the most advanced and rigorous research techniques.
The final work of the doctorate is original and unique, the famous doctoral theses that are so popular in the media lately, and the level of depth of the work is outstanding, so that it requires extensive work in terms of time, both in hours and in extension.
The master's degree can last one or two years at most, but the doctorate generally implies a longer dedication, between three and four years. This does not mean that master's degrees are easy, far from it, but it is a reality that the duration of both courses are different and also the approach, the master's degree being much more practical than the doctorate, the development of which is largely theoretical.
Dear Student Mariam Abdel Fattah ,
First in a master's degree, your formal defense document is not a thesis, it is a dissertation. This is the first difference between doctorate and master's, in doctorate you defend a thesis on an unprecedented problem research, and in master you defend a dissertation on a relevant and not necessarily unpublished subject.
The beginning of scientific research is with process of Scientific Initiation (CI) carried out when you are in graduation. It is with CI that you learn about scientific methods, how to conduct a serious scientific investigation with ethics and professionalism. The goal is not to get results, but how to get results in scientific research. How to search for and find important papers for your research, read and write articles, in your native language and others. Learn to observe nature with a researcher.
In Master's degree, structured and absorbed knowledge in CI is applied to propose relevant scientific research on a given problem with help of your advisor. And with that evolve in your career as a researcher. Study problem deeply and propose one or more technical solutions that can help solve, alleviate or remedy a problem. Knowing what not to do in a known problem is also important for a master's research. Publish papers in scientific journals, scientific congresses, scientific meetings, participate in scientific community. A master's dissertation is defended in master's degree, a document that aborts in a structured way all the methods and methodologies applied in his research and that allows the scientific community to identify that he has reached the level of a master's degree.
In Doctorate, everything that was learned in CI and in master's degree is applied, and with the help of its advisors, to propose an unprecedented research for a problem that others have not yet explored or investigated successfully. Your participation in scientific community is essential, you need to expose your scientific research in scientific events and papers in scientific journals and absorb criticism to evolve and achieve a real thesis. This, as you must realize, is not easy and takes time. Scientific research with ethics takes time to complete. When you and your advisors understand that the research is complete, it is time to propose defense of your doctoral thesis.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Prof. Wiltgen
Difference also depends on major and specific school and I am way out of date PhD marketing, Northwestern U.1971. My dissertation was the application of an optimization technique to a marketing problem. In the engineering school it would have been a masters level project as an application of a known mathematical process. (As the committee member from engineering pointed out). In marketing, it was something totally new (at the time) as the doctoral committee chair and former dean of the business school also pointed out.. Good luck on moving forward.
Hi
I think there is a big difference between the two...masters degree is designed to deepen our knowledge...skills and can be career oriented...however...doctoral is pure research based....where we perform three important things..one is research...how to conduct data analysis and lastly we learn writing skills....to prepare oneself for cost long term.....
The difference is in the coverage of the subject matter. In PhD we go deeper than masters level as we try to find new knowledge. Master degree in a way is broader and helps you to prepare for PhD.
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