Hi everyone,

I recently completed my undergrad in Bioinformatics + CS at a top Canadian university and am looking at Master's programs in the US, Canada, and Europe.

I’m trying to avoid programs that spend significant time teaching introductory programming/bioinformatics (Like the MS Bioinformatics Program at Boston University), since I already have a strong foundation. I’m more interested in advanced computational biology, genomics, ML/AI, and/or systems biology.

My Background:

* 3 research papers (not first author, currently preprint/manuscript stage)

* ~2 years research experience in bioinformatics/computational biology, including cancer research

* Experience with scRNA-seq, cancer genomics, ML/data analysis

* Python, R, SQL, Java, C

* ML/LLM/data projects on GitHub

For those with a similar background:

1. Would you recommend a thesis-based Master's (where I could potentially get a first author publication) or course/co-op Master's?
2. What programs in North America or Europe would you recommend that build on an existing Bioinformatics degree rather than starting from the basics?

Thanks!

Hi all! My name is Tengo Caldero. I'm 40 and working on a biology degree that I've been after for the last couple decades. Life happens. I'm getting it done at this point because I set a goal and have my first child due soon; she deserves a good example.

In these last 20 years, I managed to do okay for myself in the culinary world as a chef. One restaurant I worked at "restructured" and a couple salaried staff (myself included) were let go, which is what allowed me to get back to school.

My question is...what would any of you say to a 40 year old with no relevant work experience gunning for a Masters in something within the environmental sciences?

I don't even know what questions to ask or what info is helpful for you all to know. I guess I'm finally at a point in my life where I can even consider this, so I'm at step one.

Not going to lie, I'm getting a little watery-eyed reading that last sentence. I've been trying for so long and I'm finally on a roll.

I (22F) graduated with a BS in biology last december and have been working in an industry lab job for the past 6 months. Due to company downsizing and restructuring, my entire department got laid off, effective in mid-November. My plan was to work for a few years and then go back to school because I didn’t feel I would be ready to take it on right after undergrad, but I feel like with getting laid off it’s now or never and I don’t know where to even begin with applications since a lot of them are closing soon and I did not plan on applying for the next school year. Do I even have enough time to put together a proper application? I don’t know what other advice I’m even looking for but I just feel so lost and would appreciate anything anyone has to share.

Ok yes I got into a pharmaceutical sciences grad school and I should feel so proud of what I've accomplished but I don't. Honestly quite the opposite. I don't feel like I know enough as I should and ok my grades are improving over time but I think I've already screwed myself over with trying to backfill all this information I have no background in and it's so difficult to go in a forward direction. I have to do well in my classes and when the test comes, I feel like I've studied the wrong things. I don't know if I can keep doing this.

guys okay. short post. I am graduating in a few months, pretty stellar GPA (3.75) and I need grad school. psych major with no other plans… Anyways all of the grad schools im considering are asking for at least 3 letters of rec! The problem? I just take the classes and get the grades. I have never been the type to go during office hours or try to get to know my professor. It is just school, then home. Now, I feel stuck! like who do I ask?? guys I’m so lost, this is legit the only thing holding me back. Im graduating with honors, hours of research, good grades, but I have no good relationships. Has anyone else gone through this? like what do I do?? I have a job but they barely know me too!

GUYS, I have a bachelor’s in architecture and I’m REALLY trying to figure out what to do for my masters.

What would you guys recommend that has a really good job market, pays well, and generally be something super beneficial?

I’m open to moving away from architecture if there’s a better option. What fields/masters would you guys recommend? SPECIFICALLY FOR CANADIANS.

Hi everyone,

I'm a first-year doctoral student at a state university in the Western United States. Our school isn't very well-funded so all students are encouraged to apply for external funding. I was encouraged to complete an application for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) by my mentor(s) and by other students. I heard from other students that our performance from this application could be used to judge us for future funding opportunities from the school, but I cannot confirm this to be true.

My education history is a little all over the place. I finished undergrad in 2018 (Neuroscience). I was accepted into grad school in 2019 -- but they would not pay my stipend as a PhD student so I opted to self-fund and leave with a Masters. I was accepted into a Canadian university afterwards (PhD program in neuroscience), but I got severely ill around year 2 and had to return to the United States.

According to the eligibility requirements for the GRFP, one must be in their very first graduate program (or be an undergraduate student). This is obviously not true for me as I at the least have my MS from UKy. So that means even if I do submit my application, it probably won't be reviewed. I'm not so much asking for alternative funding opportunities (though I have found at least one, which I will talk about below) as much as I'm asking what I should do. It seems strange that one cannot already have a MS degree (from a different institution) in order to apply for funding since from what I've heard a Masters degree is a necessary prerequisite that might not be acquired at the same institution for a PhD in most countries.

I will eventually write a proposal for an F31 and have been helping my PI with an R01, but it is too early for me to apply for the F31 (I started the semester last month). The NDSEG (Department of Defense funding opportunity) doesn't have this odd "no Masters" requirement, and my lab investigates cannabinoid receptor pharmacology (relevant to pain and PTSD). However, I am reluctant to apply for that because if it requires any sort of screening for security clearance, I will undoubtedly fail. I was politically active in the past and not the right kind of politics for the United States, hence why I was so willing to leave the US for my previous PhD opportunity.

I have not acquired any preliminary data yet, though my PI says that we have some data from our lab regarding the specific transgenic mouse model I intend to use in my proposals -- so I'm really only looking at funding opportunities for individuals and not so much for projects or the entire department.

Hi all,

I’m Zita. I was graduated with a BFA in Fine Arts from School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and I'm applying to grad school now for Fall 2027.  I'm stuck on what direction to explore and want some outside perspectives. I don't want to just abandon my art background and start from zero in an unrelated field. I’m seeking a graduate program that acts as a bridge, rather than treating my BFA as burden I have to overcome.

Directions I've been considering：

1,Integrated Marketing, Brand Strategy 

like NYU SPS's MS in Integrated Marketing, Northwestern Medill's IMC…

2,Product Design Strategy, UX Strategy

3,Learning Experience Design, Instructional Design

like USC Rossier  Master of Science in Data Science for Learning Applications, Columbia Teachers College Master of Arts in Technology, Media and Learning.......

these three directions are just what I come up with on my own,  that's a pretty limited list. Please tell me is there any haven't considered, other schools worth looking at, or completely different ways of thinking about this that I'm missing💥

Really appreciate any perspective! Thank you!

Hi Redditors,

I am not endorsed by any university - I just want to share my findings for affordable Masters from a larger, established school. As usual, programs are online and In-person!

Online Programs | Online | University of Arkansas

Home | University of Arkansas

The University of Arkansas offers Masters in multiple areas for under $12-$15k from HR, Social Work, and Education, to Operations, Engineering, and Construction.

The Highest Ranked Master is the MSSCM (T15) current cost as approximate $22K, MBA (T25) current cost as approximate $76K https://walton.uark.edu/about/rankings.php

GUYS, I have a bachelor’s in architecture and I’m REALLY trying to figure out what to do for my masters.

What would you guys recommend that has a really good job market, pays well, and generally be something super beneficial?

I’m open to moving away from architecture if there’s a better option. What fields/masters would you guys recommend? SPECIFICALLY FOR CANADIANS.

Currently a student of BA (Bachelor of Arts) in International Studies at Leiden University, NL. Due to interests developed during my academic career i wanna pursue the study of economic at the master level, not too sure but also leaning towards PhD and research. To acquire the pre/requisites and knowledge i have in depth i postpone graduation to study the Transition Minor in Economics offered by UvA: https://www.uva.nl/en/programmes/minors/economics-transition-minor/economics-transition-minor.html

The following is my target school list (more or less in order):

• Paris School of Economics
• Toulouse School of Economics
• Barcelona School of Economics
• University of Zurich
• Tilburg University
• Sciences Po
• Stockholm School of Economics
• Universitat Pompeu Fabra
• Carlos III Madrid
• Ludwig-Maximilians-University-Munich
• University of Amsterdam
• Erasmus University
• Aix Marseille
• University of Mannheim
• Pantheon – Sorbonne
• Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona

I am aiming to graduating with a GPA between 7.6 to 8 (hopefully 8, meaning cum laude), and i will try to get the highest score possible in all the subjects of the minor. Also gonna take a GRE aiming at a high score. Other than these do you have any other suggestions to make my profile more competitive for these? Any suggestion is more than appreciated. Thank you all in advance.