Getting into a PhD program with no bachelors degree?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Dan Cooper, Jan 6, 2005.

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  1. Dan Cooper

    Dan Cooper New Member

    I have a friend that graduated with an MBA from EBS HW a couple years ago. He had no prior bachelor's degree or even college credits before being accepted in. I know this practice is common with a few british universities.

    Assuming the requirements for admission were an MBA or MS Degree and that his MBA credits would be accepted into a U.S. RA PhD -Business Administration program. Would the University raise questions as to why he never recieved an undergrad degree? What problems if any would this cause?
     
  2. alarmingidea

    alarmingidea New Member

    As a friend of mine, a rather distinguished professor, once told me, all you need to do is get people interested in working with you now. I would think that the MBA would overcome the question about the bachelor's degree, and, coupled with good overall credentials, would make your friend an interesting candidate.

    If your friend has questions because of his unusual situation, he should call the universities he's interested in applying to and talk to them. The job of admissions committees is to find people to admit, not people to exclude.
     
  3. alarmingidea

    alarmingidea New Member

    About the specific question of the bachelor's being required: Whether that will serve as a technical impediment to admission will vary from school to school, but many schools have policies that allow them to admit qualified people who present credentials other than those that comprise their basic admission requirements.

    Again, the admissions staff at the university your friend wants to attend is the best resource.
     
  4. edowave

    edowave Active Member

    Alarmingidea's professor's friend is exactly right. If there is a faculty member in the program who is willing to work with you, that will go a long way to getting accepted.

    He will still probably spend a year having to take prereq's that weren't covered in the MBA. Mainly Calculus 1,2, and possibly physics or computer programing depending on the program.

    I would suggest taking the LSU Calculus I course before applying. Aim for a 1200 or better on the GRE, and then start visiting departments and talking to some professors.
     
  5. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    In regards to doctoral degree admissions, I think the main idea is that the applicant needs to demonstrate preparedness to undertake the selected course of study. Simply having a Masters degree is generally not enough. Many people with Masters degrees are turned away. In the areas of the Arts and Humanities, many people are accepted into PhD programs with only a Bachelors degree (although technically they may earn a Masters along the way). A person with a Masters degree and no Bachelors degree (IMO) is not necessarily at any disadvantage. The key is in a persons ability to present themselves as focused, motivated and in possession of a clear plan that includes their goals and the path to these goals. In some instances, as in the case of application to research PhD programs, this includes having already developed a fairly well defined concept of their dissertation topic.
    Jack
     
  6. PJFrench

    PJFrench member

    Or ...

    1. Write a book about 'something', and then go to Knightsbridge and you won't even need your masters - quack quack :rolleyes:

    2. Better [worse?] still go to James Monroe and you might not even need the book :D :D :D

    Sorry :( feeling sarcastic today :(
     
  7. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

    I coworker had a Masters degree - Specialist diploma from former Soviet university.
    ECE evaluated the degree as US RA equivalent to Masters degree in Engineering Technology.
    When applied to UC and other engineering post grad programs
    in US Oleg had a problem without the bachelors degree.
    ECE provided second - amendment to their initial report that his degree was combined Bachelors and Masters degree - a 5 + years FT program.
    Then some schools accepted Oleg conditionally - he had to take
    English composition classes, and other make up classes.
    Initially he was accepted to doctoral program at no name recognition university.
    as it was very important for him to study in more known university he ended up taking half of US masters degree classes
    at U of M.
    In Russia a person with Masters degree usually always some one who definitely has bachelors degree as well.
    My friend David with Cal State Long Beach BA and MA couldn't get in to decent Doctoral program in US for many years .
    He had very good GPA but post grad schools require more than
    that.
     
  8. zvavda

    zvavda New Member

    At Rushmore University, you can get into PhD programme even you don't have a bachelor.

    p.s. it's a worthless degree.
     
  9. Lerner

    Lerner Well-Known Member

    I'm sure EBS HWU MBA is better that that :)

    Why are you giving him hard time - this is insult.

    ;)
     

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