Master's or PhD?
By Ziad Maltiti · Updated 5 October 2026
A Masters and a PhD are often grouped together as postgraduate study, but they serve different purposes and ask very different things of you. Which one to choose, or whether you need either, depends on where you want to end up.
What each degree is for
A Masters usually takes one or two years of taught or research study. It deepens your knowledge, builds specific skills or lets you move into a new field. It is a common step into a professional career, and sometimes a bridge towards further research.
A PhD is a much longer commitment, typically three to four years or more, spent on original research that adds something new to your field. It trains you to work as an independent researcher and is required for most academic careers and many research-focused ones.
Set side by side, the differences look like this. Details vary by country and university, so treat it as a general picture and check the specific programmes you are considering.
| Masters | PhD | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical length | One to two years | Three to four years or more |
| What you do | Taught modules, often with a dissertation or project; some are research-only | Original research on one question, written up as a thesis |
| What you come out with | Deeper knowledge and specific skills | Training as an independent researcher, and a contribution to your field |
| Usually needed for | Some professional roles, changing field, a step towards research | Most academic careers and many research-focused ones |
| How it is often funded | Self-funded or partly funded, with some full scholarships | More often with a stipend that covers living costs |
| How you are taught | Mostly structured, with set deadlines | Largely self-directed, guided by a supervisor |
Working back from your goal
The clearest way to decide is to start from the career you want and work backwards.
- A research or academic career. A PhD is usually the route, since it is the standard entry requirement.
- A specific professional career. A Masters is often enough, and sometimes not needed at all. Check what the roles you are aiming for require before you commit.
- A change of field. A Masters is often the more efficient way to do it.
- Undecided. A Masters carries less risk and can lead on to a PhD later if you find you want one.
A practical way to check what a professional role requires is to find ten job advertisements for the role you want in five years and note what qualification each asks for. If most ask for a degree and experience, a Masters may add less than two years of work would. If several list a Masters as essential, that settles it.
The costs
The two cost you in different ways. A Masters is shorter and often self-funded or only partly funded. A PhD takes longer but is more likely to come with a stipend that covers living costs. Against that stands the time: a PhD takes several years in which people you studied with may be building careers and earning more. Neither cost rules an option out, but both belong in the decision.
If you are weighing funding in particular, our guides to finding a funded PhD and to where PhD funding comes from explain the main sources.
What a PhD is like
A PhD involves years of largely self-directed research, with long periods of slow progress and a fair number of setbacks. The people who do well tend to be deeply curious about a particular question and able to work on their own for a long time. If you are drawn to a PhD mainly for the title, or because you are unsure what else to do, it is worth thinking again.
Before committing, a few questions are worth answering frankly to yourself:
Is there a question in my field that I would still want to work on after three years of slow progress? Have I done any research yet, such as an undergraduate or Masters dissertation, and did I enjoy the independent part of it? Can I name the kind of job I want afterwards, and does it require a doctorate?
If the answers are mostly yes, a PhD may well suit you. If you have not done any research yet, a research-based Masters is a lower-risk way to find out. Talking to current doctoral students helps too; our guide on surviving and finishing a PhD describes what the middle years tend to feel like.
Choosing more than you need
A common mistake is taking the longer, harder route when a shorter one would get you to the same place. If your intended career does not require a PhD, doing one anyway can cost you years for a qualification you will not use. Find out what your chosen path requires and pick the qualification that meets it, which is sometimes a PhD, more often a Masters, and occasionally neither.
Once you have decided, the next steps are in how to choose the right Masters programme or how to choose where to do a PhD.