What potential issues could you envision taking a PhD course as a MA student?

I envision no problem with it. PhD courses rarely are harder than Masters courses and if you are interested in the topic, you’ll do just fine!

I’m pretty sure the only difference between PhD students and Masters students is the PhD students are less practical and more insecure.

The class will be hard, but it’s hard for everyone. You’ll be fine. Good luck!

I agree with the others: usually classes are just divided into undergraduate and graduate classes, with the course numbers only sometimes marking out different levels of difficulty at the graduate level. In other words, you aren’t taking a PhD course, you’re taking a course with PhD students.

Do you mean that they are all advanced students, though, or just that they are in the PhD program? I’m in my second year of graduate school, but I am considered a PhD student because I’m not here for an MA. Still, you and I have exactly the same amount of experience in graduate school as I do if you’re in your second year. The difference in our labels is meaningless as far as ability to do coursework is concerned.

If they’re all advanced students, on the other hand, they may try to take the discussion to places that are a little beyond you. But if you think you can work hard enough to follow them, it won’t be beyond you anymore! I cut my teeth with a bunch of advanced students, and it wasn’t even on a topic I liked. I’m sure you can do at least as well—and quite likely better since I still have no idea how I pulled it off!

I can’t imagine that a PhD course is any different from a Masters course. When I was in grad school, we were all in the same classes. It’s just that PhD’s take three years of courses instead of 2.

Really, you are overthinking this and worrying too much. It’ll be as easy or as difficult as any other course you’ve taken. If you’ve been accepted in a Masters program, it means they think you can take any of these courses. Go for it. Enjoy it. It sounds pretty boring to me, but you sound totally excited. You’ll probably be the best student in the class.

Technically, the course is a PhD course, and the professor gave me permission to enter in. We are all in the same program, but mine is a terminal MA and they are 1st and 2nd year (and some beyond) phd students….so yes, it is specifically a phd course.

@wundayatta – thank you!

@JonnyCeltics Very interesting. I’ve never heard of things being done that way before. It’s not like I’ve been attending more than one grad school, though.

Still, it seems like you will be able to keep up. If you are interested in it, go for it! How will you know if you want to research this kind of thing without some exposure to what that would be like?

exactly. I mean, they aren’t robots. Some of the texts none of us have read. It’ll be a challenge for sure.

I think you will be fine Jonny. You know what the assessment is and you are a hard worker. Perhaps ask if any of your peers in the class want to form a study group? I really don’t see you having an issue, but more brains always help. Good luck with your course.

Many grad programs are a mix of MA and Ph.D. students, anyway. I never took a course in grad school that wasn’t both. I don’t see any potential issues and would encourage you to enroll. Good luck with your course!

I wouldn’t worry about it. I’m in a one-year MA program right now, and there are a lot of PhD students in my courses. The only thing that might sway me would be that the competition in that particular course may be stiffer.

Otherwise, because you’ve gotten permission to take the course, you should stick with it, in my opinion. Good luck!