Hello!
Right now, I am finishing up my bachelors degree in Computer Science and have begun a combined program to get my Masters in Statistics. I was admitted into the Non-Thesis program, but have since spoken to course coordinators/advisors about switching to a Thesis program. It requires a little work but nothing unmanageable to switch. My issue with pursuing a thesis (besides finalizing a topic/committee) is the timeline. I have spent most of my undergrad taking 18+ credits so that I can graduate with my bachelors in Dec 2025 and my masters in May 2026. If I switched to a thesis my proposal would have to be done in Dec and I’d have to be prepared by May to defend my thesis. I perform very well in classes and have never once been worried I would be unable to complete my degree in time, until I considered switching to my thesis program.
I would absolutely love to pursue a thesis. I have research areas I am extremely passionate about, I love math and have made okay relationships with many of my math professors. Additionally, I really would like to see if a PhD is for me and I think the thesis route would be a fantastic tell.
My main concern is the chance that I will be unable to finish by May, or that I will finish and then fail. Any insight on my timeline, how easy it is to “fail” a thesis, or advice for my degree path is greatly appreciated ❤️.
Comments
Why are you so hung up on graduating in May 26…? 1 year more to your plan is nothing in comparison to missing out on potentially discovering your field of interest in, which you will spend the next 30+ years. If you think you might be interested by a PhD or would like to discover if that is the case, take the master route. Otherwise you could also apply to PhDs directly and if it doesn’t work out you could master out but this strategy is a bit frowned upon