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.
[SIZE=2]I work for a big private high school. I started as a computer teacher and got promoted to a semi-administrative level as a assistant director of technology. I still teach, but only 4 classes. In May of 2010, I finished my Masters in Educational Technology. One of the perks in working for the school is that they pay for 50% of any graduate tuition.
browsing through geteducated.com , i have found masters degrees in technology management for about $9k total. I wonder if it would be worth getting another masters, especially since in the end it will only cost me $4.5k...one of the perks would be that I'd get an automatic raise at work, but another thing that I always wonder about is the opportunities available else where (in public schools or in universities) and if another degree would give me a better chance in getting them (not as a teacher, but in administrative level)
...there is no such thing as too many degrees! I think the average sys admin at a college usually has a couple of masters degrees.
Out in the business world it is rare for a anyone to really try and earn more than maybe a Masters, but there are totally different incentives.
If you can get it cheap and then get paid more, go for it...
If you decide to try and switch to business world be prepared to downplay, heavily.
My comment is not intended to discourage the OP. However, as a former sysadmin and IT Consultant, I find your claim impossible to believe. The typical sysadmin usually has a couple of master's degrees??? Could you please share at least one example of someone you know personally who is in this situation?
I don't know enough about the school/university world to advise the OP. Maybe I'm wrong but it sounds like they just want to have that automatic salary increase, not necessarily learn anything new and exciting. I do think that by getting degrees specific to Educational Technology, they will limit themselves to that environment. I don't think any of those degrees would be well respected in a business IT environment, unless they could show how their skills and experience translate to a corporate IT environment. That's not impossible.
i never plan on working in the private business world sector. With my teaching and IT background, I feel that I'll always be better suited in working in education. Many universities , for example, have academic IT departments that work more directly with the faculty and the school in implementing various form of technologies or assisting them in the installation or repairs of them. I figured that maybe an extra degree, which doesn't cost much, might give me an edge in the future when it comes to a management level position
Yes. At just about every university in the Chicago area!
As I said it is VERY different in academic institutions! My wife has worked for several Chicago area universities in specialized administrative roles. I have a background that includes some IT. I have often had her investigate the possibility of me joining the IT staff. These folks generally one or more Masters degrees even for basic SysAdmin roles. It seems hard to believe, but apparently a large number of them got the degree and then hired with the school. A perk of working for the school is usually free / reduced cost degree, so they can stack 'em up with just a time commitment.
This is very different than business world, where having even an undergrad in CS is not all that common for much IT staff.
Hard for me to believe sometimes, but check out the hiring requirements of universities and you will see lots of "Masters preferred" because so much staff comes in with 'em. It is almost a way to limit the "free tuition" spending more than any special requirement, running the administrative side of computers really does not need Masters, but since the degree is free for employees...
Quote:
Originally Posted by zitsky
My comment is not intended to discourage the OP. However, as a former sysadmin and IT Consultant, I find your claim impossible to believe. The typical sysadmin usually has a couple of master's degrees??? Could you please share at least one example of someone you know personally who is in this situation?
I don't know enough about the school/university world to advise the OP. Maybe I'm wrong but it sounds like they just want to have that automatic salary increase, not necessarily learn anything new and exciting. I do think that by getting degrees specific to Educational Technology, they will limit themselves to that environment. I don't think any of those degrees would be well respected in a business IT environment, unless they could show how their skills and experience translate to a corporate IT environment. That's not impossible.
I think it depends on the person. But yes having too much education can be a bad thing.
When I started in IT I had a cursory knowledge of technical issues. I also had the ability to guide people in the right direction, helping them be more productive.
As I increased my knowledge of in-depth technical issues I became an "I'll do it myself" person. Slowly but surely I ended up labor, as opposed to the leader I had been.
Now I'm working hard to move back into leadership but still have a propensity to view everything in low-level technical terms instead of having a big picture leadership view.
I think it is imperative to know where you want to go and be sure anything you do, even increasing your knowledge, moves you closer to your goals.
As I said it is VERY different in academic institutions! My wife has worked for several Chicago area universities in specialized administrative roles. I have a background that includes some IT. I have often had her investigate the possibility of me joining the IT staff. These folks generally one or more Masters degrees even for basic SysAdmin roles. It seems hard to believe, but apparently a large number of them got the degree and then hired with the school. A perk of working for the school is usually free / reduced cost degree, so they can stack 'em up with just a time commitment.
This is very different than business world, where having even an undergrad in CS is not all that common for much IT staff.
Hard for me to believe sometimes, but check out the hiring requirements of universities and you will see lots of "Masters preferred" because so much staff comes in with 'em. It is almost a way to limit the "free tuition" spending more than any special requirement, running the administrative side of computers really does not need Masters, but since the degree is free for employees...
so basically it would be a good idea. what do you think of this program MSU - College of Business (http://www.minotstateu.edu/business/msis_000.shtml - broken link) ? in the end it would cost me about $4k and it's only 30 credits
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.
In the world of education...
