Hi,

OK, here's the thing. I've now got the honours degree and am giving some thought to getting, (actually that sounds a bit cocky, and probably should have said going for) a masters.

The advantage would be that it would open up quite a few doors for me, career wise, but it would take up to 3 years, and probably cost a bit.

It's about £3,600 this year but next year... god knows!

So, what do you guys and gals think?

If you vote pie, and explanation would be good.

Thanks.

Yes, go for it.
One thing that's becoming clear is that education is only going to get more expensive.
Strike while the iron's hot and all that.
Also, the longer you're away from academia, the harder it is to get the brain functioning in that way.
What's a few thousand now when, hopefully, you'll recover that in salary later?

You only live once J_V, and it's only money, [LIFTED] have it my son!

I thought a masters was only a one year course. Or are you doing it part time?

These days degrees are ten a penny, so a masters will really help you stand out in the job market. Assuming you do a useful (ie non-mickey mouse) one of course.

As long as you are prepared to do the work and not slack off (like I would ), I'd say go for it.

I would be going back to uni but there's no loans available to help me, so if you can afford it, go for it

Whilst I agree with everything that's been said so far, I just wanted to talk about the doors you say it will open for you. Is that definite?

Only because, my current roomy has a masters in "change management" with business or some such nonsense and is massively stupid and working as a holiday rep. Not implying that's you John, but just thinking that it's a worthy investment if it gets you what YOU want. If not, and you're doing it because you think other people will respond better to you in some way (either professional or personally), then I don't think it's the right thing.

I voted Pie.

If having a masters is a pre-requisite for simply getting through the door for an interview then naturally go for it. A masters may also give you an initial leg up money wise.
However, over time it's experience and ability not qualifications that actually count in the vast majority of jobs.

If you think it's going to take you three years then you need to assess whether or not you'd be better off with three years experience or the masters. If it's a part time course then you'll basically be able to get both so it's all good .

Without knowing what you do or what the degree is it is hard to recommend anything.
Don't do it only for the title and to have it on your CV.
Do it if the knowledge you will get will actually be used in your next job.

Also, if you've just finished uni I would suggest working in that field for few years, just to make you sure you know what you are going into...

+1 for that.

I never went to Uni, but ended up giving a project seminar at a Uni! It was only after I got the job and had been doing it a couple of months, that they bothered to check my background and found out I didn't even have a degree!

My first job, I was up against graduates of varying levels. I got the job, because I was cheap. Within 6 months, I'd proved myself, shown that I had the ability to quickly learn and adapt and bagged myself a 100% payrise. I went from junior programmer all the way up to senior consultant, before I left to move to Germany.

And I didn't have any debt, other than a mortgage, when I upped sticks and left.

Thanks for the replies so far. I think that a few answers / comments are in order, so here we go.

Prof: The first year back in Uni, having been away from academia for many years, (I'm not counting technical courses) was a real killer, but once I got back into that mindset it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.


l3v1ck: Yeah, it will be part time as I still have to work... wife and three kids to support, and all that! I'll be looking at something to do with computing. I've had a look at the MMU site, but that was last night and it was late, so I'll have to re-visit the site.

leeds: I'm not sure if I'd qualify for a loan, but I'll be looking at that. The thing is that, given the increased earnings, I'm sure I could find the money... somehow.

okenobi: I'm fairly certain that I'm not your roomy! Seriously though, it would look better on my CV, but it's also something which I can actually use to further my career.

davros, koli and big_D: The thing is that I already have the experience. Over 20 years of experience in the IT sector allowed me to APEL the first year of my Uni' course and it also got me my current job, teaching Functional Skills for the Manchester College.

Thanks again everyone, and if you haven't yet voted ot given an opinion what are you waiting for?!

Unless it will materially add to your earnings is it worth doing?

Regardless of how it will help you later on, if you have the hunger to do it, and can afford to do it, I'd say go and do it!

I think it should meet several criteria: it should be interesting or there should be a hunger to learn - dragging yourself through it will be counterproductive; it should provide some benefit - as others have said, experience is more valuable, and would it be better than three years' more experience; it shouldn't negatively impact on your life - if it means being away from family, is it worth the sacrifice?

There's probably more but my brain's a bit frazzled so I'll leave it at that for now.

An MSc would certainly put my earning potential up. Aside from Uni' with a Masters and my PGCE, which I'm half way through, I've been told that I could teach pretty much anywhere.

I'd do a part time course, which is one night a week, so I wouldn't be going anywhere, and as I have said in my earlier post I already have over 20 years experience in the IT sector.

As I no longer actually work in IT anymore I'd imagine that it would be more interesting as well, as it's not something I'd be doing 8 hours a day, then going to study at Uni'.