what type of masters - vocational or academic?

Hi everyone :smile:

I'm in my 30s and on track for a first class BSc degree with Open University and I'm being encouraged to take a MSc in more of the same subject area (Environmental Studies). Great news! I've looked online for strong departments with interesting courses and feel very tempted, I'm just not sure where it can lead apart from staying in academia?
I've worked in libraries for years and originally thought of qualifying with a MA in Library and Information Studies by doing a distance-learning course from Aberystwyth. Now I'm confused about which to choose! Should I do the vocational one first and think about the academic one later as this would guarantee me a promotion in an area I love rather than starting again in a new career?
What should I think about doing next - open days? Any other suggestions of professional bodies/ events?

Many thanks in advance!

Reply 1

Klix88

To begin with you won't (or at least, shouldn't) find a non-academic Masters. All should be academically rigorous and the ones which appear to lead into a direct career path will be no less academic than those which seem to be purely theoretical.

Secondly, beware of apparently vocational qualifications. With respect to librarianship this is a professional job which is increasingly being handed over to a volunteer workforce. It's a specialism for which society is less inclined to pay. I have a similar situation in my field. There at far more unemployed but experienced and/or qualified people, than there are vacancies.

Before deciding on a 'vocational' Masters, make sure you first research the job market for which you're aiming.

Reply 2

jelly1000

Original post by pink fairy

Hi everyone :smile:

Don't do a masters just for the sake of it, you need to look at if the jobs you are considering and see if they ask for a masters. If environmental jobs do not want a masters then an MA will be a waste of time and money unless you want to go on to a Phd. Same with librarian jobs.

Reply 3

pink fairy

thanks for your advice so far - just to clarify, I'm not belittling MA Library as 'just' vocational, I'm describing how I'll use it. I know that a postgraduate would guarantee professional status and lots of jobs in the sector in Higher Education, for example, often insist on it for higher grade positions. This is my main motivation for considering it...
However - doing well in a completely different subject and loving it makes me question what opportunities would be available if I continued studying for the love of the subject. At the moment I work in the library of a university which is offering me a huge discount if I chose to take a MSc Environmental Management with them and my Manager has surprisingly suggested staying with them for the next few years and taking both to give myself options for the future if I ever wanted to change career in the future... this just leaves me confused as to what to do first! any thoughts? x

what type of masters - vocational or academic?

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