Hi, I recently enrolled in a 2-year MS in HCI program at Georgia Tech. Now, looking at my career goals and opportunities, I am wondering if it would be possible at all to email my director and ask if I could get into the PhD program. Would it be something that I would have to completely re-apply to? Or can I do 1-year of the MS and transfer into the PhD program? Or is that something that is frowned upon?
Thank you for your advice.
You would probably have to do at least one year of the MS before transferring into the PhD program. At this point, offers have probably already been made to potential PhD students and the decision deadline is nearing (April 15). They’ve probably allotted most if not all of their funding already. It wouldn’t hurt to ask if you wanted to, but the likely answer will be that you can’t change before you start but that after a year in the MS, you could apply to the PhD program and potentially apply your coursework to that program instead. Applying to Georgia Tech’s HCI PhD program - it depends on the school. Some let you transition more easily than if you were an external applicant whereas others make you go through nearly the same process.
Your best bet is to e-mail the director. If you’re concerned that even asking directly would somehow affect your chances of transitioning in, I don’t think it would pose a problem – so long as you’re in good standing in your respective program.
Re: above, it is the incorrect time to be applying for the upcoming graduate admissions cycle. Deadlines for PhD programs are usually set for around the first of the year. If you happen to have developed a good relationship with the director, or certain faculty, and / or you have shown promise thus far, maybe there could be some way for you to transition more smoothly than waiting for a complete PhD re-application. It doesn’t hurt to inquire with the department.
^ I know - I have a PhD 
What I meant was that the OP could begin preparing an application this fall (deadlines usually range from early December to early February) to begin Fall 2016. I also said that it wouldn’t hurt to ask the director to see if you could transition, but I think that you would be very unlikely to be able to transition before you begin in Fall 2015 and unlikely to be able to transition before the fall of 2016.
However, the upside is that MA students and PhD students in the same department very often take at least some of the same coursework. So even if you did have to wait until Fall 2016 to formally be in the PhD program, your coursework could still count.
Basically - you should ask the HCI department!