if you stick with a science major, then you will probably spend more time working directly with the professor in the lab and doing research on your own and writing papers to back up your research. you will also go to class and be tested most masters programs are approximately 2 years, but again the same program at one school might be 18 months but at another school be 26 months. so talk to the school directly, or just check out their website. most schools are good at putting this info online for prospective students.

When a Thesis is required it usually takes longer than 2 years to get an MS and you usually end up doing more project research and teaching while waiting for them to get around to reading your Thesis.

That work might be able to count a little towards credits for a PHD, ask when it happens if they will let yoiu have some work experience credit.

It’s not unusual for people to take 12 or more years to get their PH D because of the complexity of the dissertation process. Some just don’t do it and they have lots of credits past a MAsters but no Doctorate.

The Thesis usually involves posing a simple question that reserach can provide the answer for.

The Dissertation breaks new ground. It would be, for example, getting a grant to study something that is unknown and teaching as well and then your long draft of the final results becomes your dissertation and a short version gets published in a journal and maybe a book publisher will ask to do the full Dissertation as a reference book.

Doctorial work is the kind of thing you either get a staff teaching job for or teach at several colleges or get a grant or a fellowship or a “in residence” program to finance your work.

The grad school experience depends much on the “culture” of the school, the department, and your advising professor. Typically an MA is a 2-year program…though some can do it in 1 year and some have taken longer.

The mechanics of classes and daily school routine is similar to undergrad work…but with some notable differences….especially if you are in a “thesis” program (one where you write a high level research paper to complete the MA). In a thesis program you can cross a threshold where you may be more up on the subject of your MA topic than your advising professor. So effective people and communication skills are necessary—probably more so than as an undergrad because there are fewer grad students, thus more faculty contact time.

I suggest that you do your homework relative to your job….look carefully at your present job description and future job descriptions of the positions to which you might advance. Try to match up the courses to gain knowledge and skills that match the work you do and will do. This will benefit both you and your company….they’ll really see an improvement in your job performance, thus know it was worthwhile funding your education. A real win-win situation.

Check out the tax situation. (see http://www.irs.gov/publications/p970/ and talk with an accountant)…as you may be able to deduct other school expenses not covered by your employer.

Make good use of SCANS (US Dept of Labor study on job skills employers expect of workers). You can get the list by visiting http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/public/clubextra.html?nclubid=893282700&nid=268367529

Use the checklists to:

1) inventory your present knowledge/skills

2) inventory your present job description (and future job descriptions)

3) inventory each course you take to know what knowledge and skills you gain A) that you didn’t have before, B) that improve you ability to do your existing job, C) that enable you to do a future job…one to which you could be promoted if they knew you qualified for it. Another use for these SCANS self-inventories is during performance evaluations…to help point out things about you the evaluator may not know…or that you might not remember to point out.

As with any job…preparation is a bigger part than actually doing the work. Do your homework and prepare the way to success by having good information to enable you to make effective decisions for yourself…and your company. Your success will also shed light on the college/university and the department…so strive for a win-win-win all the way around and you will be surprised how many folks can crawl out of the woodwork to lend a hand.

Good luck and best wishes in you efforts and your life.

Good luck!