Recently I got an offer to study an MSc which includes payment of my fees and a 13K stipend. This totally suprised me as my grades were not of 1st class standard (although my research project scored high) and having recently been rejected from another uni I thought I didn't even have a chance.

On the day of rejection from my first option I immediately called up another uni and arranged for immediate interview. The next day I was interviewed and verbally offered a place (despite a waiting list) which I verbally accepted. The course to do a research masters was ideal as this would mean full-time in the lab and no exams. Plus I was very grateful as I was desperate to start in October and they were very kind.

The problem is that two weeks after I now have this MSc offer (at the same university)with a generous stipend but not the ideal course as only six months rather than nine months will be spent in the lab. Plus I feel obliged to take up the MRes offer as I have commited verbally.

So confused as this seems to be an easy decision.....

Congrats on both places. If you have verbally commited yourself, you can still back out, so don't worry about that. There are certain things you need to consider such as: Can you easily afford to fund the Mres? Apart from the time spent in lab, which course has a better content? What are you planning on doing after (a Phd?)

Can you find out if there is any funding available for the MRes? Explain your dilema to the course coordinator and see if they have any advice.

I have to say, 13K for a Masters stipend is quite a lot! Is this a one or two year course?

Hi,

I can only go of my previous experience,i am currenlty undretaking a Mres in Marine Biology and would not swap it to do a Msc.It depends what you want to do after? I went for a Phd and got it, i spoke to my supervisor after and he told me a couple of people at a slightly higher level to me applied (they had distinctions) but they had Msc's, he said he viewed a Mres higher for this particular topic as i have spent 9 months in the lab, and feel very confident in numerous protocols and methods. so in my case i dont think would have got my PhD if i had done a Msc and to me that was worth paying for. Sorry if i have confused you more?

Thanks. The MRes would cost me around £4000 and I would have to get a loan or get my family to contribute - either way that is not a good choice. The MRes is purely research which I would have a better chance of completing to a very high standard but the MSc although I am interested in the topics I'm not sure I would get the better grade compared to the MRes.
Although my thoughts on this could be due to the pressure of having to perform with such funding behind me. Afterwards I want to ultimately be a genetic counsellor so a pHD would come in handy but learning to conduct clinical trials and the politics behind it as offered by the MSc would also be beneficial. Will six months of research as offered by the MSc be enough to secure a pHD role? (Previously I have done six months in the lab in my final year as a undergraduate student.)

This is a new one-year course so I will be among the first guinea pigs.

I will try your suggestion about ringing up the MRes co-ordinators about funding but this is unlikely considering they do have a waiting list of people so can replace me quickly.

I'm not sure being a guinea pig is worth the risk, especially if you have a place on another more research based course. I think if you are definitely thinking about a phd, go for the MRes, going for a brand new course just because they offer funding might not be such a good idea for your research career.