What's stopping you from doing a masters?
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Original post by Puddles the Monkey
Awesome 
What are you studying?
What are you studying?Mathematics! I have to get an upper second overall, and an upper second in my second year to progress to my masters.
Original post by shadowdweller
Starting one this week, so also nothing! 
where are all the grad software developer jobs shadowdweller
Original post by CoolCavy
I do want to do a masters (in illustration), I'm just fed up of being in an education environment and living on a shoe string so would like to get a job and then do the masters in the next few years or so.
Yes that's what I did and my school supported me to do it - your job might let you study part-time when you are ready?
Nothing.
I love adding to my collection of postgrads.
I love adding to my collection of postgrads.
Between work, real life responsibilities, debt and my actually ability to pass a masters, I just cant do it.
I'm currently doing one, I couldn't go into the career I want without one and I'm supported financially so easy decision
Original post by sinfonietta
Definitely considering it.
Things putting me off:
- I'll be 29 when I finish my undergrad
- I've been in education almost continuously since 1997 (this is my second undergrad degree, and it's 5yrs long) and kind of sick of it now
- I prefer working full-time to studying
Things putting me off:
- I'll be 29 when I finish my undergrad
- I've been in education almost continuously since 1997 (this is my second undergrad degree, and it's 5yrs long) and kind of sick of it now
- I prefer working full-time to studying
Very similar for me. I'll be 27 when I finish my undergrad. I've been in education almost continuously since I left high school, apart from one or two years. When I'm not studying though, a part of me feels like I should be working towards something all the time, but when I am studying, I can't wait to not be studying for I have free time to focus on other things, like creative hobbies!
____
I don't know enough about Masters degrees, I think they're expensive, I'm sick of studying, don't know what career I want to do and feel like they're kind of pointless unless your job requires it or you want to do a doctorate. I wish to find a job that I can at least tolerate, preferably enjoy/like and get on the property ladder!
Currently doing one, but had a gap of a couple of years between finishing my undergrad and starting my masters. Really glad I did in hindsight as I now work in a totally different sector - if I'd gone straight into one it would have been a total waste of time and money.
I do it part time via distance learning so can still work full time to self-fund. I also shopped around a lot to get the most cost-effective masters. It's a lot of hard work to do it while working but was realistically the only option for me - a loan isn't enough to pay my mortgage and other bills, and I didn't want to be out of the workplace for a full year.
I do it part time via distance learning so can still work full time to self-fund. I also shopped around a lot to get the most cost-effective masters. It's a lot of hard work to do it while working but was realistically the only option for me - a loan isn't enough to pay my mortgage and other bills, and I didn't want to be out of the workplace for a full year.
I did my master's in 2017-18, and I'm now starting my PhD. Both were/are self-funded. The biggest barrier for me would have been financial: I wouldn't have been able to do either of these postgrads without having my own savings from working to top up the loans. I'm also doing my PhD mainly from home due to the expense of living close to my uni (which I may not have done if I had funding/more money to play with).
It's also a weird feeling to see my peers/friends with full-time jobs, buying houses, going on holidays abroad etc. - not only is the money obviously better for them, but my path does feel like 'the slow lane' at times - I also miss being in work, although I know I couldn't balance it with a full-time PhD.
It's also a weird feeling to see my peers/friends with full-time jobs, buying houses, going on holidays abroad etc. - not only is the money obviously better for them, but my path does feel like 'the slow lane' at times - I also miss being in work, although I know I couldn't balance it with a full-time PhD.
I'm not doing one yet because I'm really tired of studying. For 6 years I've had exams after exams, deadlines, pressure etc and I just need a good rest. I want to be able to go to work and then come home without having to do more work. Maybe in a few years I'll want to do one but for now, once I've graduated, I just want to live.
My current undergrad degree doesn't qualify in anything and is pretty much irrelevant so I'm definitely considering doing a masters/postgraduate degree.
What's putting me off:
- I have no clue what I want to go into (future career, and degree) I have so many options of things that interest me but don't know how to limit it.
- I don't want to spend another 3 years in uni. Each course varies so I am hoping that the course I want todo is for at least 1 year and 2 year(s).
- I'll be 22 when I graduate for my undergrad, feel like I'll be missing a lot of the fun in the 20's when I go off to start my masters.
- More debt; I'll be a broke ass b i t c h
- Fear I won't progress into having and making friends (currently in second year of uni and I'm friendless, I am hoping that when I do my masters people will be a lot more open, accepting and friendly etc)
What is keeping me going:
- can't wait to graduate next year for my undergrad and finish living and being in this city that I hate so much which has brought nothing bad memory and experiences.
- can't wait to move to my new city which I love spending time there.
- can't wait to be successful, Wealthy and happy.
What's putting me off:
- I have no clue what I want to go into (future career, and degree) I have so many options of things that interest me but don't know how to limit it.
- I don't want to spend another 3 years in uni. Each course varies so I am hoping that the course I want todo is for at least 1 year and 2 year(s).
- I'll be 22 when I graduate for my undergrad, feel like I'll be missing a lot of the fun in the 20's when I go off to start my masters.
- More debt; I'll be a broke ass b i t c h
- Fear I won't progress into having and making friends (currently in second year of uni and I'm friendless, I am hoping that when I do my masters people will be a lot more open, accepting and friendly etc)
What is keeping me going:
- can't wait to graduate next year for my undergrad and finish living and being in this city that I hate so much which has brought nothing bad memory and experiences.
- can't wait to move to my new city which I love spending time there.
- can't wait to be successful, Wealthy and happy.
Too expensive for the course I want to do, it's much better to do it at the top uni as they have far better career prospect, but the cost is just too much (£20-30k).
It is much cheaper to do it abroad at other very well known European unis, but with brexit coming I would be paying the international fee.
It is much cheaper to do it abroad at other very well known European unis, but with brexit coming I would be paying the international fee.
Original post by steamed-hams
where are all the grad software developer jobs shadowdweller
I'd suggest starting looking on Gradcracker and Prospects, I found some through those - if your uni has a job board I'd also check there, as mine used to pull together a list of grad roles from different places and list them
Another year of education may just be too much for me to handle, and I am not sure I necessarily need a masters anyway.
Original post by Puddles the Monkey
Have you every thought about doing a masters?
What's holding you back from doing one? Or are you definitely thinking about it?
What's holding you back from doing one?
Or are you definitely thinking about it?What's holding me back?
The fact that I'm only a first year undergraduate?
Original post by kkboyk
t with brexit coming I would be paying the international fee.
The international fee is significantly smaller in most european countries vs the UK.
Look at Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands. They all have different systems but as an example public unis in Germany are either free (Even for international status students!) or approx 1000euro a semester. Their private unis are at that higher end you mentioned for UK places - 40,000euro ish for a masters.
I desperately want to go on to an MSc (or multiple ones) in Software Engineering/Machine Learning. For me I have been held back by a mix of low self-confidence and not sure whether it would change anything.
For the low self-confidence aspects I finished my undergrad over 9 years ago, my major was not computational, and I have no idea how I stack up against Western programmers (the image over here is that Western-educated programmers are of a much higher level), and I am a female from an Asian country (not sure if it is so in the UK, but again in my country there is an overwhelming perception that females cannot/should not do computer stuff).
For the not sure whether it would change anything part, I have already been working 5 years as a software engineer and have two years of ML experience and submission to a major conference, so I am not sure if getting a formal education would add to my opportunities at least in my home country, especially since most employers have not even heard about Western universities except the most famous ones - Oxbridge, Harvard, MIT etc.
For the low self-confidence aspects I finished my undergrad over 9 years ago, my major was not computational, and I have no idea how I stack up against Western programmers (the image over here is that Western-educated programmers are of a much higher level), and I am a female from an Asian country (not sure if it is so in the UK, but again in my country there is an overwhelming perception that females cannot/should not do computer stuff).
For the not sure whether it would change anything part, I have already been working 5 years as a software engineer and have two years of ML experience and submission to a major conference, so I am not sure if getting a formal education would add to my opportunities at least in my home country, especially since most employers have not even heard about Western universities except the most famous ones - Oxbridge, Harvard, MIT etc.
Original post by Anonymous
The international fee is significantly smaller in most european countries vs the UK.
Look at Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands. They all have different systems but as an example public unis in Germany are either free (Even for international status students!) or approx 1000euro a semester. Their private unis are at that higher end you mentioned for UK places - 40,000euro ish for a masters.
Look at Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands. They all have different systems but as an example public unis in Germany are either free (Even for international status students!) or approx 1000euro a semester. Their private unis are at that higher end you mentioned for UK places - 40,000euro ish for a masters.
Already had a look, it costs pretty much the same as here (inc living fees and other necessary fees) for the course I want to do (MSc Finance with something). The problem is mostly industry bias towards certain uni. The top business schools will be looked much more favourably, have a far better course and networking opportunities due to huge brand name. The huge downside is that it still costs up to £20-30k along with
Sure enough I can go to a free public university in Germany or elsewhere that offers my course, but it won't give me much advantage career wise if I am to work in the UK; as opposed to doing a masters here to a lower ranking uni (accredited course plus £9k tuition fees)
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