Post-Graduate Degree

[tom slick]

I know we have some college educated folks around here. Do any of you have a Masters or PhD? Did it help with your career? Does your current position require it? Was it worth it?

I am in my junior year of a Bachelors degree with 12 years of work experience behind me in related fields. I already know this degree is going to open more doors but in the back of my mind I wonder if an MS is something to consider.

 

[Dave Hess]

What is your college major ??

 

[Stanley Rockafeller]

it all depends on what you want.

I came outta University thinking that it would open all doors for me. Little did I know that it wouldn't and that ppl with more experience were valued higher than I was/

After being outta school for 3 years now, I've been starting to consider going back to study something in the sciences like bio-chem, or something along those lines. Sure it would take me another 4-5 years of part-time studies, but with no kids and no mortgage, why not?

I'd be taking it more for personal fulfillment, as the field of accounting and business is a real BORE! I mean sure you can make some good $ at it, but I jsut don't feel that motivated to do so!

Basically it all boils down to what you want///

best of luck!

 

[tom slick]

My major is Industrial Technology, its a business/engineering degree. It is applicable to Operations, Project, Facilities, or Maintenance management along with various types of consulting. Basically its a management degree in industrial/technical settings. I plan to go back into Facilities/Maintenance, just at a higher level. I've been a wrench turner, head wrench turner, and supervisor of wrench turners for 12 years. I am going back to school to allow me to step into the door that requires a diploma. The jobs I am after require a minimum bachelors degree. (I can't abbreviate Bachelors of Science because the censor catches it)

I'm not some wide eyed kid that thinks college solves everything, for me it is career enhancement of a vocation I started 12 years ago. I know I am in the right course of study and I know exactly where it takes me.

I'm just curious if some of the others around here found that an advanced degree helped them in their careers. I know it has helped my wife, Father-in-Law and Sister-in-law (my in-laws are smart folks!)

 

[Turk]

Tom,

Or you could've been like me.....

Didn't finish an Engineering.Computer Technlogy degree, got in at a company, switched twice, been employed 26 years in the highest level "Technician" (Engineering Specialist) positions.

Big advantages:

1) Saved tons of cash not paying for school.

2) I am non-exempt, get paid overtime, while people with Degrees don't get paid for all of that extra time working.

3) I get paid far more than Engineers.

Engineers are highly jealous, I get paid more and we both do exactly the same thing!!

Now, I'm not telling you what to do, just what I did...

 

[TallPaul]

I have a Masters. I got it because I didn't like the job prospects after getting my Bachelors degree. I contacted the school and they offered to pay for my first year of grad school, so I jumped on it. Got the remaining years paid for by being a teaching assistant. So essentially, my Masters degree was free, other than all the work. Yes it did help me to get my job.

 

[wavinwayne]

tpitcher sounds a lot like me.

 

[VeeDubb]

What field?

 

[Kestas]

I have an MSE. It's helped in my circles since it's now considered by some as 'the professional degree'. In other companies it doesn't matter, and a BSE is a perfect starting point.

Don't bother with a PhD in Engineering. The payback doesn't cover the investment. PhD programs are more for foreign students who either want a good chance of staying in the US, or a top position in their home country. American students have already figured this out and don't bother with the program.

 

[rjundi]

Its well worth it if you met the right person where you achieve your Masters. However some people do this in their undergraduate level.

Occasionally its also where you got your degree from as either their a strong alumni factor in job seeking.

Basically once your foot is already in and you have proper contacts the degree is meaningless in my working experience in the engineering field and now IT related field.

 

[tom slick]

Originally Posted By: VeeDubb
What field?


I plan go back into the Facilities or Maintenance Management fields. I may end up in Operations.

This isn't an engineering degree per se. It is management degree with engineering classes mixed in so that it lends itself to managing projects and engineering departments. It has a strong emphasis on Operations management also. Graduates with little experience are paid well right out of school. Much more then I made as a tech.

I'm not interested in a PhD, The only reason for it is to become a professor.

 

[1sttruck]

Depends on the field, where you want to work, and the type of companies you want to work for. Monster searches are an easy way to check that out as a first cut.

In some fields an undergraduate degree only gets you a technician position. In engineering graduate degrees are useful for design and development in fields that have a lot of depth.

 

[VeeDubb]

Originally Posted By: tom slick
[Graduates with little experience are paid well right out of school. Much more then I made as a tech.

I'm not interested in a PhD, The only reason for it is to become a professor.


Graduates as an B.S. or M.S. graduates?

If you want to be a professor, it's not enough to just have a Ph.D. You need one from a top research university. And don't ever do it without either a scholarship or an assistantship. Going into debt for four to five years is hard to recover from. Besides, most top 20 programs regardless of the field usually will provide full support to promising grad students. If they don't offer full support to you, they've already signaled what they think of your potential.

 

[John_K]

My wife and I both have masters....from what we see, a bachelors really doesn't count for that much any more (amazing!)

John

 

[Turk]

Originally Posted By: rjundi
Its well worth it if you met the right person where you achieve your Masters. However some people do this in their undergraduate level.

Occasionally its also where you got your degree from as either their a strong alumni factor in job seeking.

Basically once your foot is already in and you have proper contacts the degree is meaningless in my working experience in the engineering field and now IT related field.


"...the degree is meaningless..."

Bingo!

I've trained Masters & PhD Engineers a lot and can run circles around them at work!!

 

[Dave Hess]

In some career fields, you MUST have to have a bachelors degree just to get your foot in the door.

 

[tom slick]

Originally Posted By: VeeDubb
Originally Posted By: tom slick
[Graduates with little experience are paid well right out of school. Much more then I made as a tech.

I'm not interested in a PhD, The only reason for it is to become a professor.


Graduates as an B.S. or M.S. graduates?

If you want to be a professor...


B.S. graduates, that I know personally, make more for starting salary then I ever did, even with overtime. As I mentioned before I am not interested in being a professor.

Many certifications in my field require a minimum B.S. degree.

For those claiming a degree isn't needed, how do you apply for a position that minimum requirements are "B.S. or M.S. degree in related field AND 7 years experience in related field" without working your way up from the bottom?

I wasn't looking for a "do I need a B.S. degree" or a "are M.S. grads idiots" discussion. I'm already 3/4 of the way to a B.S. that is a path of my own choosing. I just wanted to know if anyone here has a post-graduate degree and if they found it was useful.

 

[JHZR2]

I have my master'sin chemical engineering. Im working on my PhD while working full time (hard to get full sleep).

For me, it is worth it. Having a master's was more or less the requirement for my job (I am employed by the Government), and having a PhD will allow me to advance further. However, that is because I am involved in managing research programs, and even doing in-house R&D. If it weren't for that, having a PhD wouldnt do me much good. That said, most companies that I interface with have a few PhDs that run the research and development programs. So, even in the private sector, it is important as a consideration for someone who can have an advanced professional degree, run their own research, and do their own thing.

A Master's degree is almost a requirement these days if you want to stand out, as the [censored] of today is little better than the high school diploma of yesteryear. Unless you have some other source of clout or recognition, you need stuff like this to differentiate. It does not mean that there arent lots of really smart and excellent [censored] or high school graduates, but from the typical working world angle everyone is the same until they stand out. You have to get your foot in the door before you can stand out, and if you ever want to apply for a grant or other infusion of cash, your credentials are important too.

There is always a balance too... a lot of jobs these days are looking for folks with experience. Having a master's can help offset some of the experience requirement. Then again, it is also possible to be overqualified, having too high of qualifications and being too experienced.

For someone wanting to do facilities, maintenance or operations management, having an MS is something that IMO is smart. Given that you will have a large number of folks under you, it helps to have an additional qualification that sets you on a higher pedestal. That said, unless you are doing highly technical or R&D type work, I dont think that a PhD will help you in your field.

Engineering management or something along those lines might be good.

JMH

 

[CivicFan]

tom, I am almost done with my MBA and am about to start working on my MHA degree. From what I have seen, the opportunities that exist for people with masters degree are far more lucrative than people with bachelors degree.

A masters degree grooms for management. Without it, it is difficult to cross that divide between the employee and management worlds.

 

[Shannow]

Got me a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Hons), and a certificate IV in "Management and Team Based Leadership" (Can nearly complete a "wank word bingo" card with one certificate.

Work are pressuring me for an MBA, which I am resisting at present, suggesting that I'd rather dabble into metallurgy.

I must be doing OK, as the headhunters are constantly hunting, and when I attend conferences people come out with "Oh ...you're _______". Either I'm doing OK, or I'm a [censored]. (My GM got to where he is on a simple BE Mech.

Over the last 20 years, I've seen degrees that mean less than toilet paper (graduate engineers who can't even explain Hookes' Law).

My younger brother is a great example of name meaning more than paper.

At 16, he told my parents that he was leaving school. They stalled with the usual "not unless you've got something to go to", at which he pulled out his apprenticeship papers, and told them he was starting his electrical trade Monday (he did their signatures really well apparently).

Apprenticeship shortened from 4 years to 3 due to dilligence, going in trade skills Olympics and stuff like that.

Worked as an electrician for a few years. Took time off and ran his own electrical business "Amazing Electrics", with the slogan on his old van "If it works, it's Amazing". Tremendous following, as he had a catchy slogan, and people remembered the business name.

Enticed back into the industry that he trained in, and progressed quickly from leading hand to site manager to project manager to quoting, and now at 35 is GM of the company, with 150 people, and opening branches in three other states. 6 figure salary, $70k work vehicle for work and play.

At no stage has he gone to anything more than 3-5 day courses to pick up the skills that he finds himself deficient in.

I do agree that quals get you through the door, but progression requires effort.