Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I got my bachelor's degree in December 2007, so it's been nearly ten years since I left the ivory tower.
As someone who loves learning and was always a dedicated student, I've sorely missed being academically challenged.
I do things on the side to indulge my academic tendencies, from managing a psych/history blog to reading articles and books on both subjects.
But I feel it just isn't enough. Learning for fun won't earn you a piece of paper you can proudly display on your wall, which is something I crave.
Perhaps I seek the validation and challenges that come with being enrolled in an actual degree program. I miss acing papers and tests and learning new theoretical concepts.
I ended up with a degree in marketing by accident. My dad, an accountant, coaxed me into taking accounting classes in high school as electives. Because I excelled in them, it seemed logical that I continue on that path.
I went on to earn an associate's degree in accounting. Once I transferred to the university, however, I realized accounting wasn't my true passion, so I switched majors. Because I didn't want to let all my business prerequisites/core classes go to waste, I settled on another major within the school of business -- marketing. After seeing that many jobs in marketing communications entail writing a great deal, I knew it'd likely be a better fit than, say, finance or I.T.
Writing, not crunching numbers, has always been my real passion. I look up words I don't know the meaning of in my spare time, devour books, and can't bear the sight of typos. Time flies when I write for my blog. Not only is writing my favorite hobby, but it's what I'm convinced I want to do for the rest of my professional life.
Note: I currently work as a copywriter for a large corporation. Unfortunately, red tape and resistance to change on the part of higher-ups prevent me from doing much writing in this position (it's more of a copy editing and proofreading job), which is why I'm currently keeping an eye out for other job opportunities.
In the meantime, my interest in doing more writing than my job allows -- coupled with the fact that I have no English/writing degree to speak of -- has made me put some serious thought into going to grad school and getting an M.A. in English.
One of the universities in my state offers such a degree fully online. I would be selecting the Technical Communication track, which would require me to take classes like technical writing/editing, proposal writing, etc. The website says it's a great choice for those who want to venture into copywriting, which I already do. Better yet, the program is affordable -- I wouldn't even have to take out a loan, and it's far cheaper than programs of interest being offered by my alma mater.
Because my background is in business, I never quite built a solid theoretical foundation in writing. I also felt my business program was lean on writing; I don't recall having to write more than a couple of papers at the university. This program would evaluate and bolster my writing skills as opposed to my ability to crunch numbers and solve financial/marketing problems. (I would be subject to the latter with a master's in marketing.)
I don't know if I'll get any return on my investment, but I think it'd be a shame for someone as intellectually curious as me to forego getting a master's degree. I can always use it to adjunct on the side or work for education companies/universities in the future.
It may sound self-aggrandizing, but I envy those who have master's degrees and are not nearly as intellectually inclined as I am. There's no question I would take immense pride in putting "MA" on my resume and hanging that diploma on my wall.
I got my bachelor's degree in December 2007, so it's been nearly ten years since I left the ivory tower.
As someone who loves learning and was always a dedicated student, I've sorely missed being academically challenged.
I do things on the side to indulge my academic tendencies, from managing a psych/history blog to reading articles and books on both subjects.
But I feel it just isn't enough. Learning for fun won't earn you a piece of paper you can proudly display on your wall, which is something I crave.
Perhaps I seek the validation and challenges that come with being enrolled in an actual degree program. I miss acing papers and tests and learning new theoretical concepts.
I ended up with a degree in marketing by accident. My dad, an accountant, coaxed me into taking accounting classes in high school as electives. Because I excelled in them, it seemed logical that I continue on that path.
I went on to earn an associate's degree in accounting. Once I transferred to the university, however, I realized accounting wasn't my true passion, so I switched majors. Because I didn't want to let all my business prerequisites/core classes go to waste, I settled on another major within the school of business -- marketing. After seeing that many jobs in marketing communications entail writing a great deal, I knew it'd likely be a better fit than, say, finance or I.T.
Writing, not crunching numbers, has always been my real passion. I look up words I don't know the meaning of in my spare time, devour books, and can't bear the sight of typos. Time flies when I write for my blog. Not only is writing my favorite hobby, but it's what I'm convinced I want to do for the rest of my professional life.
Note: I currently work as a copywriter for a large corporation. Unfortunately, red tape and resistance to change on the part of higher-ups prevent me from doing much writing in this position (it's more of a copy editing and proofreading job), which is why I'm currently keeping an eye out for other job opportunities.
In the meantime, my interest in doing more writing than my job allows -- coupled with the fact that I have no English/writing degree to speak of -- has made me put some serious thought into going to grad school and getting an M.A. in English.
One of the universities in my state offers such a degree fully online. I would be selecting the Technical Communication track, which would require me to take classes like technical writing/editing, proposal writing, etc. The website says it's a great choice for those who want to venture into copywriting, which I already do. Better yet, the program is affordable -- I wouldn't even have to take out a loan, and it's far cheaper than programs of interest being offered by my alma mater.
Because my background is in business, I never quite built a solid theoretical foundation in writing. I also felt my business program was lean on writing; I don't recall having to write more than a couple of papers at the university. This program would evaluate and bolster my writing skills as opposed to my ability to crunch numbers and solve financial/marketing problems. (I would be subject to the latter with a master's in marketing.)
I don't know if I'll get any return on my investment, but I think it'd be a shame for someone as intellectually curious as me to forego getting a master's degree. I can always use it to adjunct on the side or work for education companies/universities in the future.
It may sound self-aggrandizing, but I envy those who have master's degrees and are not nearly as intellectually inclined as I am. There's no question I would take immense pride in putting "MA" on my resume and hanging that diploma on my wall.
Any thoughts?
I think that you want to return to the subject that you enjoy. You like words, not numbers.
This is very typical of people who have been coaxed into studying something that they detest - or dislike. Eventually, they leave the field.
An MFA is the terminal degree in writing. With that you can teach at the university level. You can also get an MA/PhD in English Literature. Obviously, you can teach with that eventually.
I support your plan, and I understand your desire for an advanced degree.
Location: IN>Germany>ND>OH>TX>CA>Currently NoVa and a Vacation Lake House in PA
3,259 posts, read 4,334,327 times
Reputation: 13476
I have an undergraduate degree in English Literature, and I have worked for 25 years in an IT field. I retire from the Federal Government in 6 years, and I could definitely see myself going for an MFA in Creative Writing after I retire. I loved my classes and going to school, but I knew it would not be a good way to make a living. Luckily when I entered the workforce computers were a hobby for me, and they were throwing an IT job at anyone that knew their way around them.
I say go for it. You'll enjoy the experience, and a graduate degree is never a bad thing on a resume. If nothing else, it will fortify the communication skills portion of it.
Yes, but . . . you probably need to be a known, published author to do so.
Yes, but . . . good luck finding a tenure-track job.
Edit: Have you seen The Independent Scholar's Handbook by Ronald Gross? It's a bit dated, but I think you might find it to be of great interest.
If I were to go through with this, I'd get the aforementioned M.A. in English. It's one of only a few such programs in the country that's offered in a fully online format, which is super convenient. I think it suits be better than an MFA in that it delves into a wide array of writing styles/forms -- persuasive, technical, proposal -- not just creative.
And I don't know for sure whether I would ever use the degree to pursue teaching on the side. I'm more likely to work as a content writer for educational/publishing companies, most of which favor candidates with an advanced degree.
Your plan sounds good to me, provided that you have realistic expectations about the potential for teaching, and provided that you can afford the tuition without disrupting your life. Other than that, I don't see any down side. Learning is good. Advanced degrees can be fun.
In the meantime, don't forget to look at the book by Ronald Gross that I mentioned above.
Your plan sounds good to me, provided that you have realistic expectations about the potential for teaching, and provided that you can afford the tuition without disrupting your life. Other than that, I don't see any down side. Learning is good. Advanced degrees can be fun.
In the meantime, don't forget to look at the book by Ronald Gross that I mentioned above.
Will do. Thanks!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
