Anyone Here Have Their Masters?

CA2PABride2Be

Does anyone here have their Master's degree?  I'm hoping someone can help alleviate some stress that was just put on me.  I worked it out with my school so that I'll be done my classes by Dec. and can have the whole spring to work on my thesis.  Now, our adviser has just informed us that since our Master's is a new program at the school, she's not allowing anyone to do a thesis unless we're going to get a PhD.  Instead, we'll have to do a comp exam at the end of June 2010.  My wedding is scheduled for July 2, 2010.  What the hell did I just get myself into??  All I know, right now, is that a comp exam lasts for one week and you have to write anywhere between 3-5 papers.Has anyone ever done a comp exam?  How am I going to manage this 1-2 weeks before my wedding?

c&d4eva

I have my masters, in elementary education, and did not have to complete either a thesis or a comp exam.  I did, however, have to take comps at the end of my senior year for undergrad.  Each major had a different format.  Mine, as an engligh lit major, was a series of essay questions.   We were given a list  of about 25 possible questions well in advance and then we were able to research and prepare all our answers before hand.  However, the actual comp only had about 15 (?  maybe) and we had to choose so many out of each category-- so we maybe had  to really write 5 or 7.  I don't remember that exact, sorry.  If you really knew your material and really prepared beforehand, it wasn't that bad.  What format would your comps follow? Essay, multiple choice?  I'm assuming you will have some sort of a study guide in preparation?  And what subject is your masters?

matthew24

I also didn't have to do a comp exam either and a thesis was not required unless I was planning on going directly for my PHD. So I guess I'm not much of a help but see if you can take the exam early in the month in order to elevate some of the pressure off of you. GL!

Mrs.Simpson2010

Same here, I haven't had to do either a comp exam or thesis. I would make sure you get as much info as possible (far in advance) and also question the process. If this is a new program, they may be more willing to do alternate assessments. What school are you attending?

larrysdarling

Sorry to scare you but I took comps and it consumed my life for months. There is so much studying. They're exams based on your entire master's program.Do you want to do a thesis? Is there a possibility you'll go for your PhD down the road?If so, tell your advisor that you want the thesis option. Not based on when your wedding is, but on the idea that if you want a PhD in the future you will have to show a thesis. B/c with most PhD programs, if you didn't write a Master's thesis you will have to write one before you get admitted to a PhD program.

CA2PABride2Be

I'm attending Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.  That's another part of the stress-filled puzzle - finishing my masters and then immediately flying back to Philly for the wedding haha!

kagkiki11

I have my masters in Computer Science/Business Intelligence and did NOT have to do the comp exam. We had to do a semester long Thesis - it was painful but in the end worth it. Mine ended up being over 70 pages and received a 100 on it. Some kids failed because they only handed in a 7 page paper - served them right. Good luck and I would talk to the adviser about it and findabout the rules.  They prob don't want to take up the advisors time to follow you through your thesis (although this is does not take up a lot of time).  Also this may be a very hard thing to wait to do, if youdecide not to do it Spring of 2010.

samanthas8882

I don't have my masters but for my bachelors, we had to do a thesis and as a business major, we had to run a company in a software against other teams for 12 quarters (in the game) and did a business plan and annual report. Our team actually was picked to compete to against other teams across the country and met up in San Diego for a final competition.We did our business plan and annual report with the normal thesis group at school and it was so much work and it was hard working in a group and relying on people for such big decisions, but what I got out of it was a great experience, a great resume booster being hand picked out of our senior class to be on this team and a life long friend as one of my teammates was a bridesmaid in my wedding.So not thesis' are bad!

larrysdarling

Thesis options are not all bad as you can usually take more then one semester to finish them.

tracyd21

I have my M.S. in Education, but didn't have to take any exams or do a thesis.  Just wanted to wish you luck!!