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If one has a PhD in a similar field and goes apply for a Master's, will that hurt his/her chance of getting accepted? In the Statement of objectives, one can argue for some slight nuances between the PhD obtained and the desired Master's. Other reasons could be that the Master's school is a top school or wanting to move to the area the Master's is located in.

feynman
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    I think the expectation is that if you already hold a phd, then you already know how to research the "similar field" on your own and do not need the second masters. – scrappedcola Jan 02 '19 at 14:58
  • @ Buffy not really. this posts emphasizes on 'similar field' – feynman Jan 03 '19 at 08:08
  • If I were looking at that CV I would wonder why you had bothered, and worry that you just wanted to be a student for longer. – Flyto Jan 03 '19 at 13:05

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MS programs can be money-makers for the university, and already having a PhD in any other field would not likely be a problem for you in getting accepted to a program. On the other hand, were you hoping to apply to a similar PhD program, that would be prohibited by many top schools.

Rafael_Espericueta
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  • @ Rafael_Espericueta so for top schools, do they also need to make money from MSs, then accepting a phd holder? – feynman Jan 03 '19 at 08:10
  • For example, UC Berkeley has an MS program in Data Science. Having a PhD would not be a problem; that shows you have the ability to complete their program, so should improve your odds of being accepted. But you'll need lots of $$$! – Rafael_Espericueta Jan 04 '19 at 14:31
  • @ Rafael_Espericueta Yes, lots of $. Is it hard for current masters to apply for funding in the middle? – feynman Jan 04 '19 at 14:33
  • Often such MS programs offer no funding for their students. But many students enrolled in such programs are working full-time, and their employer often will pay at least some of the fees. – Rafael_Espericueta Jan 04 '19 at 15:23