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- If you plan on going straight through to a terminal degree (PhD, JD)
- If you are accepted into an elite (top 10) program for law or business school. I think even going straight into an elite grad program for many majors is a bad idea.
Otherwise, I think it's always better to get some experience first and then decide on grad school. This board is littered with posts from people in grad school panicking because they have no experience.
I agree with this.
I've seen too many people change their career path and wished they wouldn't have got that Finance Masters because they are now in IT.
Personally, I am glad I waited 6 years to get into the field of choice because I changed from Aerospace Engineering B.S. to Computer Science for my Masters.
Also just because you have a Masters doesn't mean you will get hired out of college. I think it marginally improves your position without experience.
- With MBA's, you should first gain a couple of years experience and then go for it. Plus, you should be exposed to all of the business fields so you can 100% be confident in your MBA specialization (MBA's are pricey!).
- If it's a liberal arts field like Psychology, Education, Law, etc; then you should enter a graduate program immediately, since they are not very marketable w/o one.
- With the sciences/engineering/medical (not including pre-med), it really depends. Some sciences are very marketable w/just a bachelors degree. However, a master degree is always helpful.
No, no, no. Did I mention the word NO?
Getting a Master's in Ed and then trying to get a teaching job is almost impossible right now (and really always has been). The reason is that you're more expensive. With multiple applicants for a teaching position, and all other things being equal, a Master's will knock you right out of the box immediately.
If you're a teacher get the job first then get the Master's. Many systems will at least partially pay for it. Some will pay for the entire program if it's a high need area.
My system in MD did that with Media Specialists (Librarians) a few years ago. Then they laid 1/2 of them off, which is a different story. After 1 year they realized that the schools needed them. Most refused the call back because they'd been hired elsewhere. Now the system is paying for MLS degrees again.
So... what do you think? Does it depend on the major or is it across the board?
1. What if is an Accelerated Master's Program and it's only one extra year? Let's say you could get the extra year for free if you work as a TA. If you pay, is it worth it? What if its free?
2. What if it's common for people in the field to have a Master's and not just a Bachelor's? What if a lot of job postings for the field say "Master's preferred"?
3. What if it's the opposite of #2? And people usually just have Bachelor's?
I'm assuming that it varies based on major. What if it is a science, like Biology or Physics? Or Business? What if it's a liberal arts, like English or Film? Engineering?
What NJBest said, below, plus:
Quote:
Originally Posted by NJBest
1. Yes.
2. Yes.
3. Yes.
Especially in academic areas.
The answers vary in some professional terminal degrees. An MBA, for example.
Combined Bachelor's/Master's programs are frequently offered in fields that the answer to #2 is "yes" such as finance and/or in fields that count a master's as experience such as engineering.
There may be good reasons not to pursue a master's in some fields right out of college, but no matter what the field, there will never be a better time to do it.
If you're absolutely sure that you want to do that field, then get the Masters.
If you're not sure and it's possible to enter the field with just a bachelors, I'd do that.
That way, you could test it out to see if you like it.
Masters degrees can also be used to change careers and if you get one right after your undergrad, it might be a little superfluous to get a 2nd. Though people do that.
In other words, getting a Masters to just have a Masters is a bad idea.
Anyway, if you tell me what Masters you are thinking of going for, I may have an idea, because I have considered many careers over the years.
In my own boat, my major is Public Health and nearly everyone and their mother has a Master's. Public Health is really broad and can go a more STEM route (biostatistics or epidemiology) or a liberal arts route like policy, so liberal arts essentially. I don't really know which one of these fields I want to pick out of my major yet. I have the opportunity to stay one extra semester (graduate on-time instead of early) and take roughly a semester's worth of graduate classes, take away about eight credits worth. My advisor claimed this was "free graduate classes" since I'd still be paying my undergrad tuition for that semester.
I do have a friend in my field who has only a bachelor's and last time I talked to her she said she was planning on getting an MBA. So it's not completely impossible...
One of my friends is considering doing an Accelerated Master's Program in Biology which would only allow her to stay for one extra year. Her reasoning why she might consider this is because it would giver her an advantage to medical school admissions, which is her ultimate goal. I told her that a Master's should be a last resort because since medical school + residency is so long, that she should try to go there straight out of the Bachelor's. But she has to apply for the AMP next year.
I was posting this thread as a general, not just specific to me though.
In my own boat, my major is Public Health and nearly everyone and their mother has a Master's. Public Health is really broad and can go a more STEM route (biostatistics or epidemiology) or a liberal arts route like policy, so liberal arts essentially. I don't really know which one of these fields I want to pick out of my major yet. I have the opportunity to stay one extra semester (graduate on-time instead of early) and take roughly a semester's worth of graduate classes, take away about eight credits worth. My advisor claimed this was "free graduate classes" since I'd still be paying my undergrad tuition for that semester.
I do have a friend in my field who has only a bachelor's and last time I talked to her she said she was planning on getting an MBA. So it's not completely impossible...
One of my friends is considering doing an Accelerated Master's Program in Biology which would only allow her to stay for one extra year. Her reasoning why she might consider this is because it would giver her an advantage to medical school admissions, which is her ultimate goal. I told her that a Master's should be a last resort because since medical school + residency is so long, that she should try to go there straight out of the Bachelor's. But she has to apply for the AMP next year.
I was posting this thread as a general, not just specific to me though.
I would intern in the field, and if you like it, go for the MPH.
Don't worry about the time and $ if you are a traditional student.
Whether you get your masters at 23, 25, or 28, makes no difference. If you were 40, it'd be a different story.
So... what do you think? Does it depend on the major or is it across the board?
1. What if is an Accelerated Master's Program and it's only one extra year? Let's say you could get the extra year for free if you work as a TA. If you pay, is it worth it? What if its free?
2. What if it's common for people in the field to have a Master's and not just a Bachelor's? What if a lot of job postings for the field say "Master's preferred"?
3. What if it's the opposite of #2? And people usually just have Bachelor's?
I'm assuming that it varies based on major. What if it is a science, like Biology or Physics? Or Business? What if it's a liberal arts, like English or Film? Engineering?
Yes it is wise. The longer one waits between baccalaureate graduation and the attainment of an advanced degree, the less likely that it will ever take place.
Ask yourself this - how many years does the typical physician wait between college graduation and medical school?
Graduate and professional school are a must today.
I would intern in the field, and if you like it, go for the MPH.
Don't worry about the time and $ if you are a traditional student.
Whether you get your masters at 23, 25, or 28, makes no difference. If you were 40, it'd be a different story.
I am hoping to get an internship this summer. I've been looking around but I think I will have to wait a month or so to see a lot of the postings. Some summer internships are already up online.
What about a combined Master's? Two Master's programs in three years? I forgot to ask about this one.
Yes it is wise. The longer one waits between baccalaureate graduation and the attainment of an advanced degree, the less likely that it will ever take place.
Ask yourself this - how many years does the typical physician wait between college graduation and medical school?
Graduate and professional school are a must today.
Well, medical school is around four years long, and PhDs are about five years long. Since those are longer and usually have to be done in person, I agree those should be started right away. Some other professional schools, like the PharmD or the JD, should as well.
The reason I asked is because I heard that for MBAs it was dangerous to one's career if they didn't have some x amount of experience, I heard the rule of thumb was five years, give or take. I wanted to ask for other Master's programs if they had a similar "rule" and even the MBA to see if that was even true. Obviously, one doesn't want to have a ton of debt and then be "overqualified" or too "expensive" for entry-level jobs.
^^If you are looking at a career in public health and you're not a nurse, I'd say definitely go for the master's ASAP.
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