Masters programs - Advice/Recommendations

[DrKsomeday]

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I am looking into Master's programs to possibly start this summer. However, I want to find a good program that is offered online as I need to continue to work. I am trying to really expand my idea of what I could work towards after reading VAgirl's masters. So I am willing to go outside the box.

I did start a Master's in 2000 (another lifetime ago) at Johns Hopkins in Environmental Science I am considering finishing that but I don't feel it is close enough to Vet Med to have a real "wow" factor for ad comes next application cycle. Plus good grief the cost is so depressing to spend on masters for field I want to move out of. No-offense to other environmental folks out there, I just want to stay closer to Vet Med so as not to confuse Ad Coms (Does she really want to be a Vet? Questions like that come to mind).

Shelter medicine, shelter management, animal behavior are areas of interest to me but I am wondering what else am I missing? What else is out there. Google only goes so far and I figure who better to ask then folks on SDN. Thanks so much in advance for your thoughts and ideas etc...😀

 

[wi girl]

I have to admit, I've never heard of an online masters .... maybe someone else has?

The kind of rigorous program that VAgirl completed would require you to not work while getting your masters, I'm pretty sure (although she can correct me if I'm wrong).

I do think that moving away from environmental science is a good idea, unless you can tie it back to vet med: how have changes in environment affected animal ecosystems, etc.

Anyhow, good luck with your search! (and the plans, obviously)

 

[Truth74]

Hi There,
Some vet schools are a might touchy about online coursework. You might want to check with the schools you want to apply to to find out if they accept online credit. Also, do they have a limit on how much credit they will accept.

I haven't seen many fully online masters programs that are animal specific. You may have better luck with a biology masters program. If they have a biology masters program, they may have something similar. What I have seen in my searches has been mostly health care management, education related, or masters work related to specific jobs that have nothing to do with veterinary medicine. A masters in environmental science is not a foreign degree to have. It may be considered character or diversity. You may be able to direct some of your study to... I don't know... toxicology or something else that can lead to more of an animal emphasis.

If you narrow your search to .edu sites, you'll get less of the University of Pheonix type places, and more of the St. Joseph College type places. 😀

As I found out a bit earlier, unfortunately, there isn't much information on this forum for online courses other than nutrition, intro to animal science, and biochemistry.

I tried starting a thread a bit ago about courses other than nutrition and biochem, but I found more info by doing my own searches.

PM me if you'd like some places to start.
Good luck on your search.

 

[VAgirl]

The kind of rigorous program that VAgirl completed would require you to not work while getting your masters, I'm pretty sure (although she can correct me if I'm wrong).

Actually, I did do the masters PT while working. So that is possible (it took me 2 years to do a 1 year program this way). And while I liked my masters program, I don't think that it's as rigorous as some. For example, I did benchwork research as a part of my degree, but didn't have to, as it was a non-thesis masters.

I am looking into Master's programs to possibly start this summer. However, I want to find a good program that is offered online as I need to continue to work.

I know that the director of my masters program was looking into the option of establishing an online/distance learning certificate version of the program. I just emailed a woman within the department to check on any progress in this area. I'll let you know what I find out.

The university where I'm taking my last pre-req (online, at your own pace) offers Bachelors, Masters, and PhD degrees. It's Breyer State University. I don't know for certain, but these degrees seem to be predominantly if not entirely online. I have to agree with Truth74 in somewhat questioning the rigor of entirely online graduate degree programs. I know that people do them, but I'll admit to having a bias against them.

I can only tell you my first impressions about my course at Breyer State, but so far it's not very positive. For my purposes, I'm just checking a box to meet the UC Davis requirements, so it's fine. But there is no course work to the class. The course is structured such that I read chapters and then request the exams (which are multiple choice and open book) from my instructor. I then will have 24 hours in which to complete each exam. So basically I am just reading the book. And the book really isn't that great, either. It seems to me to be written at a fairly low level (only one author, very basic hand-holding through the material). Again, for my purposes this is fine. But I'd say a degree from courses like this would be basically a piece of paper to say someone has read certain books.

I'm sure there are better online courses and programs out there, though, so perhaps you'll be able to find one. I'm happy to discuss graduate programs stuff (from my limited experience) more, so feel free to PM me. 🙂

 

[wi girl]

Ah, thank you for the correction vagirl! I suppose I thought that since I knew you had done bench work, that it was a thesis-masters. I should have read the "accepted applicant stats" thread a bit more closely! 😀

 

[VAgirl]

I know that the director of my masters program was looking into the option of establishing an online/distance learning certificate version of the program. I just emailed a woman within the department to check on any progress in this area. I'll let you know what I find out.

I received a response and it turns out that an online certificate program is now available. I'm waiting for more details, but will post them when I receive them.

Not sure how a certificate stacks up against a formal grad degree (probably less desirable). BUT, if this is something that's more accessible to you, perhaps a certificate in a somewhat unique area along with more experience in other areas of vet med could help put you over the top? I don't know, just ideas. 🙂


EDIT: For some reason I didn't think of Googling it before, but that just occurred to me and I found the info. http://microbiology.georgetown.edu/education/onlinecertificate/index.html

So it's four courses, only 2 of which I actually took in my program. But the one piece of advice that I would give is (if you're interested in a harder science approach to things) to see if you could possible switch out Sociological Perspectives on Biodefense (which used to be called Biosurveillance I) with Integrated Biosurveillance (which used to be called Biosurveillance II). No idea if they'd be receptive to that, but the first course is much more about the psychology/sociology of terrorists, biodefense, etc. and is way less cool.

Anyway, feel free to PM me if you have any questions or whatever!

 

[aggiedonk]

I am looking into Master's programs to possibly start this summer. However, I want to find a good program that is offered online as I need to continue to work. I am trying to really expand my idea of what I could work towards after reading VAgirl's masters. So I am willing to go outside the box.

I did start a Master's in 2000 (another lifetime ago) at Johns Hopkins in Environmental Science I am considering finishing that but I don't feel it is close enough to Vet Med to have a real "wow" factor for ad comes next application cycle. Plus good grief the cost is so depressing to spend on masters for field I want to move out of. No-offense to other environmental folks out there, I just want to stay closer to Vet Med so as not to confuse Ad Coms (Does she really want to be a Vet? Questions like that come to mind).


Shelter medicine, shelter management, animal behavior are areas of interest to me but I am wondering what else am I missing? What else is out there. Google only goes so far and I figure who better to ask then folks on SDN. Thanks so much in advance for your thoughts and ideas etc...😀

Well, my Master's degree was in environmental toxicology and focused on ecological tox and it didn't confuse anybody because I worked it into the goal of wanting to be in conservation medicine. So Env. sci. actually can be close to vetmed. In fact, I think it worked to my advantage in the application process. It was a thesis based masters and I got three publications and various presentations out of it which I definitely think helped my application. So also, depending on what your stated goals are in vetmed and what subject matter your Masters is in (and how you can put them together), I think that a Master's with stuff to take home like publications will hold more weight than one online.

 

[InanOven]

As far as working goes I just finished a masters and was paid and or funded throughout the whole program. You should not pay to go to grad school in the sciences. If you are genuinely interested in research I would check out prospective schools and talk(email) to professors to see who is doing something that interests you and if they can take on new student. It's not an 'in' to school unless you want to continue research related to veterinary medecine though if grades are a problem it might allow you to take some relevent classes and pull up you GPA and then you can prove you're able and just say you realized research wasn't what you really wnated to do. No way No how the online thing though-you'll be spending most of your time in a lab-coursework for a masters is minimal.

 

[VAgirl]

As far as working goes I just finished a masters and was paid and or funded throughout the whole program. You should not pay to go to grad school in the sciences.

This is not true for all programs. It is generally considered quite hard to get funding for masters level programs, especially if they're not research based. I think generally the "harder" the science (not in level of difficulty but as in hard science vs life science) the more likely you can get funding for masters level work. But your blanket statement regarding funding for grad schooljust isn't true.

No way No how the online thing though-you'll be spending most of your time in a lab-coursework for a masters is minimal.

There are some masters programs that are all course work (or predominantly course work with optional lab work). So here again, the blanket statement doesn't work. Although I do agree that an online masters program should not be the first choice.

 

[DrKsomeday]

Thanks everyone for your comments/advice. I was unable to check the board for a few days because of some projects I needed to finish up for school and work.

The more I look at VAgirl's Master's the more I am intrigued by it. 🙄Hmmm... I will be calling and asking some more questions of their program soon as I am wondering if they would accept my three graduate courses from Johns Hopkins even though it's not required. The combo of both would make for an interesting mix of course work.

Oh... the JHU Masters program breakout can be viewed here:
http://catalog.epp.jhu.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=9&poid=200

The program is more geared towards gov workers and those wanting to stay in Environmental Science field i.e. regulatory or those wanting to work for some type of agency wanting to do environmental impact assessments, compliance, remediation work, etc. At least that is how I approached it when I was taking courses.

Any other programs out there that folks have liked? I know there is debate over how schools look at on-line programs but if it's from a real college (i.e. Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, State University of blah blah) your degree doesn't say "online" it just says Masters of XYZ.😀 Guess it would come up in an interview though...

 

[VAgirl]

The more I look at VAgirl's Master's the more I am intrigued by it. 🙄Hmmm... I will be calling and asking some more questions of their program soon as I am wondering if they would accept my three graduate courses from Johns Hopkins even though it's not required. The combo of both would make for an interesting mix of course work.

I think they do allow (or used to) for a transfer in of maybe 3-6 credits? Something like that? You should email the folks in charge if you can't find that info online and ask (if you're actually looking into the program).

Hey, so are you in the DC area? I live in Arlington but work in Frederick. Ugh.

And now to bed since I have to get to work at 7 tomorrow, which I think means leaving the house by 5:45 for my super awesome commute. Aren't you all jealous? 🙁

 

[DrKsomeday]

Hey, so are you in the DC area? I live in Arlington but work in Frederick. Ugh. And now to bed since I have to get to work at 7 tomorrow, which I think means leaving the house by 5:45 for my super awesome commute. Aren't you all jealous? 🙁

I used to live in Alexandria and worked very close to Georgetown. Foggy Bottom was my stop. Wow, I miss DC sometimes but not the commute or the cost of living. Now I have a house for what I paid to rent a small town home. Crazy! I had a friend who lived in Frederick who commuted to our office. She had a nice place out that way but it was like going on a trip each morning.

 

[PrimalMU]

The university where I'm taking my last pre-req (online, at your own pace) offers Bachelors, Masters, and PhD degrees. It's Breyer State University. I don't know for certain, but these degrees seem to be predominantly if not entirely online. I have to agree with Truth74 in somewhat questioning the rigor of entirely online graduate degree programs. I know that people do them, but I'll admit to having a bias against them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breyer_State_University

I sure hope pre-reqs don't have to be taken from an accredited university... 🙁

 

[VAgirl]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breyer_State_University

I sure hope pre-reqs don't have to be taken from an accredited university... 🙁

Hmm...it does, but UC Davis okayed the course from Breyer and I have that in writing (in an email). Also, Kim O'Bryan told me that they've had students fulfill the requirement with this course before. So, hey, I'm going with it. (Breyer already has my money, I don't really have any other options now, and UC Davis has to let me in because they referred me to this course in the first place!!)

Thanks for the warning, though! I totally don't recommend this place for anything other than fulfilling whatever dumb leftover requirement one may have (I already have physiology in anat & phys, but UC Davis wanted a more physiology oriented course, so this is what they get!)