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i did a Master of Science in Electrical engineering. It didn't get me any extra over by bachelor degree. I was better off getting a part time MBA. I think that would have helped me a whole lot more.
To get a masters or not is really dependent on your field of study, it is an absolute must in some fields, others not so much.
Yes and yes. I have two masters degrees. The first was in journalism and the second in psychology. Over time I enjoyed working in both fields, finding journalism far more competitive and demanding. Currently I edit manuscripts for a major publishing house. Specifically they are directed to the social sciences. Of course I can't say with certainty how rare or common my background might be but I am glad to have the chance to combine the degrees and work in this field.
I'd say generally no for Chemistry. The MS is treated as either nice but worth no extra money or as a BS an 2 years experience. Generally the direction the profession is headed I am not sure the BS was worth it either.
Yes and yes. I have two masters degrees. The first was in journalism and the second in psychology. Over time I enjoyed working in both fields, finding journalism far more competitive and demanding. Currently I edit manuscripts for a major publishing house. Specifically they are directed to the social sciences. Of course I can't say with certainty how rare or common my background might be but I am glad to have the chance to combine the degrees and work in this field.
That sounds really cool, a dream actually. I have a BA in English but work in healthcare. I'd love to combine my love of words with the field I have knowledge in.
I'd say generally no for Chemistry. The MS is treated as either nice but worth no extra money or as a BS an 2 years experience. Generally the direction the profession is headed I am not sure the BS was worth it either.
My Dad is a Chemist...the general consensus is that of Physics...if you want to be at the top of your field then you need a Doctorate (Ph.D.);Masters is nice but many B.S. in Chemistry jump right to Ph.D. (after a few years of lab experience) if they already have their original Doctoral thesis prepared...
My Dad is a Chemist...the general consensus is that of Physics...if you want to be at the top of your field then you need a Doctorate (Ph.D.);Masters is nice but many B.S. in Chemistry jump right to Ph.D. (after a few years of lab experience) if they already have their original Doctoral thesis prepared...
No thanks. I was encouraged to do a PhD while doing the MSc. However, people were slaving away for 5-7 years on a $15k stipend only to have a worse time finding employment than an ex-con. So they jump from crappy post-doc to post-doc or adjunct professor until they turn 40 and their career dead ends. If I ever had to go back to college it would not be for a science degree.
There was a poster on the science careers forum last week who had a PhD and was asking about suicide because he could not get a job. Obviously the mod deleted the post but that was very alarming.
No thanks. I was encouraged to do a PhD while doing the MSc. However, people were slaving away for 5-7 years on a $15k stipend only to have a worse time finding employment than an ex-con. So they jump from crappy post-doc to post-doc or adjunct professor until they turn 40 and their career dead ends. If I ever had to go back to college it would not be for a science degree.
There was a poster on the science careers forum last week who had a PhD and was asking about suicide because he could not get a job. Obviously the mod deleted the post but that was very alarming.
Even if you did manage to get a tenure track position and you didn't have a passion for Chemistry (as slim as those chances are), you would surely hate your job.
With every other professor calling you an idiot and eventually getting denied tenure, etc. Sounds like a fun, don't it.
The reasons to get a pHd are ...
1) You have a geeky passion for the material.
2) You are a foreign student and need to stay in the country, both during and after schooling.
Yeah, after I got my BSME back in 1992 - graduating in the Gen - X terrible jobs market, I decided not to go further because I ascertained that there would be many jobs available for BSME vs MSME's. And I was right.
But if you get a Phd in some science, and can't find a job, why don't you write interesting books on what you studied? Like a Phd in Physics should write interesting books on particle physics or so...
A lot of the stuff studied in science PhD programs/labs is esoteric and has little relevance to industry or society in general. You publish your thesis and papers which may be of interest to maybe a dozen or so academics in the entire world. There are some labs that study import and high impact stuff but they are a small minority.
Last edited by MSchemist80; 04-19-2017 at 07:56 AM..
In a place right now where i am deciding if a masters degree is worth it. I am still unsure of what exactly i want to do in my future but i would like to have a masters. I am just afraid of never using it and i will have all of these loans to pay back.
Nope, absolutely not. Of course I'm a teacher, so I'll be paying for it until the day I die.
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