UK MA query

[wisetongue]

I'm goin to graduate with a major in Economics (BA) from the Unversity of Mumbai sometime this July.

I'm planning on applying to the University of Nottingham and Warwick, mainly because they offer 1 year Masters in Behavioral economics which seems really interesting.

I have one question peratining to this : is it a good idea to get into these 1 year programs? Consider this :

1) Most reputed Ph.D programs have Late Dec-Early January deadlines for 2013 Fall entry.

2) I'll graduate from the UK in July the following year (2013).

3) In the 3 months that I'll be in the UK till December this year (deadline for Fall '13), is it possible to make such an impact on the advisor or professor such that I'll get an awesome letter of recommendation?

This is especially crucial to me since Simon Gachter is at Nottingham and a good letter of recommendation from him will ideally see me through into Harvard or Duke or Chicago.

If that's not possible, should I go for it anyway even though I'll waste a whole year before I can begin my Ph.D in Fall 2014?

This question is really bothering me and I'd totally love some assistance on this.
Thanks.

And if I'm wrong or mistaken anywhere feel free to correct me.

[jrdonsimoni]

Im going to Nottingham this september and last I checked their MSc programmes lasted 12 months: from late September to late September. The thesis is to be handed in by the end of that month. So you'd need to apply for PhDs AFTER graduating from Nottingham. Also Im not sure Warwick still accepted applications when you posted this, right now it's obviously no, but I know nottingham is still open.

Also, not sure you're right on your dates. To make it simple:

If like me you will be studying there between September 2012 and September 2013, thus applying to PhDs by the Dec 2013 deadlines. Then it means you'll have a whole year to impress your profs and even get your thesis adviser for a Fall 2014 entry. Also we won't have a choice, I already asked a couple of grad schools about it and they told me to apply for Fall 2014.

[ttcoaching]

So you'd need to apply for PhDs AFTER graduating from Nottingham.

I am not sure how things work in the UK, but in the US it's not only acceptable but very common to apply to PhD programs in the last year of your Master's or Bachelor's degree.

[jrdonsimoni]

I am not sure how things work in the UK, but in the US it's not only acceptable but very common to apply to PhD programs in the last year of your Master's or Bachelor's degree.

Im not saying it's not customary. Only that at Nottingham, because the programme ends at the end of September, you cannot enroll in a PhD that starts in August. I emailed a few econ departments in the US, I explained them the situation and they told me to apply for the next cycle. If your program ends before September then you're fine, however Nottingham's end too late to be admitted into a US PhD straight from it. Unless you can work it out with the departments you're interested in and, say, you hand in your dissertation early and move to the US before the official end of your master's degree.

I suppose in the end, all is possible and you just need to discuss it with the admissions tutors.

[Till U prosper]

hey wisetongue,
Do you qualify the mathematical prerequisites for an econ grad program in the US? I ask this because am familiar with the B.A economics course at Univ of Mumbai which lacks mathematical rigour. If you don't, have you had any positive feedback from any of the US grad programs saying to the effect that it wont be a major hindarance.
Would a recommendation letter testifying your analytical abilities suffice