This is another common question. The answer is an unequivocal and emphatic NO. The primary reason is that this would be completely unethical. You are defrauding the professor who will most probably fund your graduate studies out of his grant money while under the impression that you will be contributing to original research and publications with him. Another thing to think about would be that most universities do NOT provide the option to get a terminal Masters’ degree if you drop out of the PhD program, so if you do leave it would be with nothing.

However, if you do want to do a PhD in the future but you are not sure whether you want to do it from the same university where you are applying for an MS, feel free to mention this in your SOP.