# If you could have a Masters and PhD in any subjects/areas, what would you want? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 17, 2016, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955 "2016-05-17T01:33:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2016, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/21 "2016-05-17T20:54:13Z")
I already have a J.D. - that’s a Doctorate… or so they say. Add to it a Masters in Divinity ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2016, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/22 "2016-05-17T21:00:09Z")
Er, “Doctor of Medicine” is not a Ph.D. There is such thing as an [MD-Ph.D](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MD%E2%80%93PhD) program, but most MDs are not Ph.D’s. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2016, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/23 "2016-05-17T21:23:35Z")
Masters in Heian-period Japanese literature , PhD in Geochemistry, specifically in paleoclimate analyses. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2016, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/24 "2016-05-17T21:23:41Z")
I’ve already got a Master’s in Information Science. But were I to get additional degrees, they’d be: **Master of Urban Planning** - there’s just something about how cities work, from the money side to the development side that’s fascinating to me. For a PhD, probably Anthropology. That’s another fascination of mine. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2016, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/25 "2016-05-17T21:33:08Z")
Seeing as I am too old to do much productive work with either one of the degrees, I’m just going to go for something a bit off. Give me a PhD in Ancient Languages (Etruscan a focus) and a Masters in International Affairs. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2016, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/26 "2016-05-17T22:10:27Z")
I’ve already got a PhD in Statistics (not so humble brag ;)) To assist me in my work it would probably best to get a PhD in molecular biology with an specialty in immunology. As for the masters, I was thinking either psychology or economics. I really enjoyed the psych courses I took as an undergrad, but I’m interested in economics (even though I know next to nothing about it) and it might make a useful compliment to my statistics. But I might go instead with philosophy. It’s another subject that I have some interest in, but while I might be willing to read up on psychology or economics on my own I doubt I would have the stamina to do all of the reading required to get a full knowledge of philosophy. So having it implanted in my brain is the only way that going to happen. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2016, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/27 "2016-05-17T23:24:31Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > I’ve already got a PhD in Statistics (not so humble brag ;)) > > To assist me in my work it would probably best to get a PhD in molecular biology with an specialty in immunology. > > As for the masters, I was thinking either psychology or economics. I really enjoyed the psych courses I took as an undergrad, but I’m interested in economics (even though I know next to nothing about it) and it might make a useful compliment to my statistics. > > But I might go instead with philosophy. It’s another subject that I have some interest in, but while I might be willing to read up on psychology or economics on my own I doubt I would have the stamina to do all of the reading required to get a full knowledge of philosophy. So having it implanted in my brain is the only way that going to happen. If you’re interested in reading up on economics I recommend Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2016, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/28 "2016-05-18T22:09:27Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Doctor in Medicine? As a PhD? I would love an MD without doing any of the work. > > Do I get to keep the degrees I already have? If I were to help current job prospects, I’d do statistics for sure, and the other one maybe physics? Either direction, though I think a physics PhD is much better than a MS, while stats MA/MS is pretty decent. I always never really liked the actual study part of physics, but if I could skip all that. Believe it or not there is a PhD in medicine. With thesis and all that. I have two PhD final exams in medicine. In both cases they were studying drug protocols in HIV positive people. For instance one of them showed that starting anti-retrovirals as soon as the person tested HIV positive, even before showing any symptoms of AIDS was an excellent idea for a number of reasons. Now for the OP. Well I don’t have an MSc in math, but that would waste since I would learn nothing there. A PhD in linguistics come to mind immediately. For a master’s, may anthropology would be very insteresting. ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2016, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/29 "2016-05-18T22:48:54Z")
I already have a PhD, so I would go with that. As for a new masters, I think I’d like something like math. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/30 "2016-05-19T01:26:13Z")
Masters in Library & Info, PhD in Museology. ---
**Author:** ![DeepLiquid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deepliquid/32/14893_2.png) [@DeepLiquid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeepLiquid)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/31 "2016-05-19T01:53:02Z")
Masters in Library Science, PhD in History. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/32 "2016-05-19T02:33:55Z")
M.D. for the doctorate. For the masters, probably neuroscience. [Affective neuroscience](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affective_neuroscience) I would guess. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/33 "2016-05-19T03:36:35Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > Let’s say a magical being comes to you and says "I tell you what…since you’re a person with a highly above average intelligence, I think giving you not only a PhD and a Masters degree in something, but also all of the knowledge that comes with getting them, is well deserved. I already have my master in psychology. I want the PhD in either music performance (trumpet) or writing. I am a fair writer and I was an OK horn but -------- I always wanted to be really good and well versed in at least the technical aspects of either. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/34 "2016-05-19T03:57:27Z")
Law would have been first choice, but as I age (and get to know more about medicine than I ever wanted to know), I lean toward medicine - specifically Hematology with a slant towards Oncology. Just Hemo would take a few lifetimes, and the interaction with “cancers” is slightly more interesting than with the brain. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/35 "2016-05-19T05:01:32Z")
A master’s degree in psychology and $5 will get you a Subway sandwich. Seriously though, for some people I know it does get them a pay raise, but I think any master’s will suffice. Normally it is either something you get on the way to a PhD, something given to someone who fails to get a PhD (for those programs where the first one doesn’t apply), or something ultra-clinical, but still requires additional internships and licensing. Mine doesn’t get me anything special. > [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > Believe it or not there is a PhD in medicine. With thesis and all that. I have two PhD final exams in medicine. In both cases they were studying drug protocols in HIV positive people. For instance one of them showed that starting anti-retrovirals as soon as the person tested HIV positive, even before showing any symptoms of AIDS was an excellent idea for a number of reasons. I knew of the MA/PhD programs described above, but this is a pure research program then? ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2016, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/36 "2016-05-20T01:04:57Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > A master’s degree in psychology and $5 will get you a Subway sandwich. My purpose was to be able to do things as a volunteer and through church that I wouldn’t have been able to do (or do as well) without the degree. Yeah - most folks go to school to become richer or get a better/easier job. I am not quite one of them. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2016, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/37 "2016-05-20T02:59:11Z")
Psychology or psychiatry, which I’m actually seriously considering getting. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/38 "2016-05-21T10:38:07Z")
A PhD based on an imaginary thesis entitled “The value of honorary and bought degrees in modern society”. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/39 "2016-05-21T15:18:57Z")
My biggest interests are Physics and Philosphy (in a broadly-defined way) so I first thought of those in some order. Then I remembered that I am a self-taught but active and passionate musician, so getting a download of theory might be a cool mindblower. But I am not sure. I haven’t picked up theory along the way and really value what I find by digging in myself. This would likely offend a deaf person, if so, sorry, but there’s a bit of Children of a Lesser God going on: I like being theory-deaf in some ways and see it as viable in its way. Something to ponder. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955/40 "2016-05-21T16:49:18Z")
Either [this degree (Interdisciplinary PhD in Cognitive Science)](http://www.cogsci.ucsd.edu/graduate-study/idp/), which I’ve wanted for a while, with a Masters in theoretical mathematics. Or masters in Architecture & doctorate in Urban Planning. But that’s today. Tomorrow, I’ll probably want a different combination. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-a-masters-and-phd-in-any-subjects-areas-what-would-you-want/754955.md?page=3)