Dennis:
        I agree entirely with what you say (repeated below).  I also think
that a student can make these decisions and evaluations at any point in
their career (be they in an MS or phD degree).  Being in a primarily MS
granting program, I can see many adnvantages of getting an MS degree.  My
comments were along the lines of Grossman's comments regarding strategies
to hit the fast track to a faculty position.


 A MS degree provides a point at which a number of
>things can happen and a number of decisions can be made.  First, the
>student can assess whether they want to continue with graduate school,
>period.  Second, a student can use a MS degree as a point at which to
>assess whether they want to continue with the program and/or advisor under
>which they are working (if that is an option).  Third, and perhaps most
>importantly (at least by the discussions that have been generated here), it
>provides a clear point at which a student can generate a publication or two
>early in their career.  For a variety of reasons (including these), I
>decided to pursue a MS degree before my PhD degree, and found that it
>provided a great number of benefits to me professionally.  I have felt
>strongly that it was the best decision that I could have made at the time.
>

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Matthew S. Grober
Assistant Professor of Physiology
Department of Life Sciences
Arizona State University West                Phone: (602) 543-6939
4701 W. Thunderbird Rd.                        FAX: (602) 543-6073
Phoenix, AZ  85069-7100                     E-mail:[log in to unmask]


http://lsvl.la.asu.edu/zoology/faculty/grober.html

"No human being was ever so free as a fish."
                            John Ruskin
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