POMONA COLLEGE
Common Questions
Common grad school questions
What are my educational options after college?
Besides getting a Ph.D., there are other options that will allow you to pursue your interest in science.
- You can get a master’s degree (1-3 years) in some fields of science, (bioinformatics, computer science, engineering). In biosciences however, there are no master’s programs. Students are granted a master’s in their respective programs if they fail to complete their Ph.D. but have enough course credits.
- Master’s programs are easier to get into than Ph.D. programs. They require you to take courses, complete a research project or thesis, and pass a final exam.
- If you are interested in medicine as well as research, you can apply to a joint M.D./Ph.D. program. These programs are highly competitive and allow students to earn both degrees in a shorter period of time.
- M.D./Ph.D. programs require you to take both graduate and medical classes, complete thesis research, defend a dissertation, and do clinical rotations.
- For a detailed explanation of the MD/PhD degree from a student in such a program, visit the Pomona Alumni Profiles located on the Useful Resources page.
- If you aren’t quite ready to go back to school, you can get a research job at a company, university, or government research lab. All three are very eager to hire students out of college as lab technicians. However without a higher degree (masters or Ph.D.) it will be harder for you to be promoted to higher positions of authority later in your career. Thus, if you aspire to be a PI, you will need a Ph.D. to qualify you for that position.
Navigation
In this section:
What educational options are available after college?
What is the typical timeline of a Ph.D.?
How do I make myself a competitive and attractive candidate?
When should I go to graduate school?
Do I really get paid to go to graduate school?
Should I contact faculty from programs I am interested in?