What exactly is the point of a masters if you don't want to do a PHD?

gheyboyo

I'm at a loss as to why it's popular.

talking about the 1 year masters btw.

Reply 1

Kevin De Bruyne

21

Original post by gheyboyo

I'm at a loss as to why it's popular.

talking about the 1 year masters btw.

I've seen some roles (well, internal promotions) which have stated that you require a masters, but that could be anecdotal rubbish rather than evidence 😂😂😂

A Masters could be useful for taking you in a different direction compared to your undergrad. For example, I'm interested in a Masters in CompSci because of the kind of work I want to go into, it'll be useful for demonstrating motivation for working in a particular area as well as the technical ability gained from studying it.

Others I guess could do one for the sake of it to stay in education for a year longer.

Reply 2

username2752874

22

Original post by gheyboyo

I'm at a loss as to why it's popular.

talking about the 1 year masters btw.

More qualified = £££

Reply 3

username738914

21

Original post by GradeA*UnderA

More qualified = £££

Except that's mostly not the case

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 4

tomtjl

18

I'm not sure tbh. Which is a major issue considering I'm currently doing a Master's and I am due to finish in May :colondollar:

Career progression.

The profession that I'll be going into requires masters standard education to get to a certain position.

Reply 7

username2110825

6

Original post by Vikingninja

The profession that I'll be going into requires masters standard education to get to a certain position.

What would that be?

Also I'm not sure, I mean...a postgrad in History doesn't seem worth much except Law or teaching, and I guess I'm alright with either...

Reply 8

username1111043

3

For me I wanted to do my studying and specialise in a subject I love whilst gaining new skills. In addition, many undergrad courses are now 4 years and I believe that you will soon be less a competitive if you have only do 3 year undergraduate course. I feel the master's tops up your education to that of a 4 year undergrad and is an asset on your CV.

Reply 9

RogerOxon

21

Original post by gheyboyo

I'm at a loss as to why it's popular.

talking about the 1 year masters btw.

My (US) employer requires decreasing years of experience for its grades as the level of education increases. Exceptions are difficult to secure. I disagree with this, as I always hire / promote based on ability and results.

A DPhil or PhD is at least 3 years of further low-income, so a Masters is a way to specialise a bit more without such a big time / money commitment. Many start a degree knowing what they enjoy, but not necessarily what they want to do as a career. After 3 years, they may have a better idea and want to do a further qualification to better match that.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 10

Vikingninja

21

Original post by SkyRees

What would that be?

Also I'm not sure, I mean...a postgrad in History doesn't seem worth much except Law or teaching, and I guess I'm alright with either...

Civil engineering, one of the requirements to become a chartered engineer is to have masters standard education.

Reply 11

username2752874

22

Original post by Princepieman

Except that's mostly not the case

Posted from TSR Mobile

It is for the people who are deciding to undertake them, for people who don't, then it's "mostly not the case". I doubt it's for a knowledge boost, or to enter academics, otherwise they'd have done a 4 year masters and be on their PhD.

Do you think a BEng engineer is going to make more off graduation that a MEng/MSc one? No, because the post graduate has knowledge that the other lacks. Theres a lot of science/maths jobs in industry that even REQUIRE a PhD/Masters to even be considered, and these tend to be the higher paying jobs. I know you have a banking background, and it's not so significant, but in many other areas in industry, it is.

Reply 12

username2110825

6

Original post by Vikingninja

Civil engineering, one of the requirements to become a chartered engineer is to have masters standard education.

Ah yes of course, I almost did Biomedical Engineering before I realised that was a requirement. Best of luck to you.

Reply 13

Kravence

18

Original post by SeanFM

I've seen some roles (well, internal promotions) which have stated that you require a masters, but that could be anecdotal rubbish rather than evidence 😂😂😂

A Masters could be useful for taking you in a different direction compared to your undergrad. For example, I'm interested in a Masters in CompSci because of the kind of work I want to go into, it'll be useful for demonstrating motivation for working in a particular area as well as the technical ability gained from studying it.

Others I guess could do one for the sake of it to stay in education for a year longer.

Same, Companies like google, Facebook etc want people with masters/PHDs

Reply 14

markova21

21

I think it gives some people a second chance at a chosen career in a different path. Someone I danced with in Japan who trained at Laban, which is a leading Contemporary Dance school, left there with a degree in dance. She worked all over the world for a few years as a professional dancer, then because of her dance degree was admitted on to a PGCE and has been a qualified primary school teacher for the last 25 years. One of my son's college lecturers did an engineering degree and worked in this area for years. He married a Social Worker, who also lectures at the college. He decided to do a post graduate in Social Work and has been working as a Social Worker ever since. My son's cousin, on his dad's side, did an engineering degree in Dublin, and landed a fantastic job at Jaguar Land Rover in management straight out of uni; travelling all over Europe testing cars in wind tunnels, among other things. However he married really young, and his wife wanted to move back to Ireland. He enrolled on a post grad course at a graduate business school and because of his Masters now works as a trader on the Dublin Stock Exchange.

Reply 15

LifeIsFine

20

Original post by SeanFM

I've seen some roles (well, internal promotions) which have stated that you require a masters, but that could be anecdotal rubbish rather than evidence 😂😂😂

A Masters could be useful for taking you in a different direction compared to your undergrad. For example, I'm interested in a Masters in CompSci because of the kind of work I want to go into, it'll be useful for demonstrating motivation for working in a particular area as well as the technical ability gained from studying it.

Others I guess could do one for the sake of it to stay in education for a year longer.

Do you no longer want to be an actuary?

Reply 16

username738914

21

Original post by GradeA*UnderA

It is for the people who are deciding to undertake them, for people who don't, then it's "mostly not the case". I doubt it's for a knowledge boost, or to enter academics, otherwise they'd have done a 4 year masters and be on their PhD.

Do you think a BEng engineer is going to make more off graduation that a MEng/MSc one? No, because the post graduate has knowledge that the other lacks. Theres a lot of science/maths jobs in industry that even REQUIRE a PhD/Masters to even be considered, and these tend to be the higher paying jobs. I know you have a banking background, and it's not so significant, but in many other areas in industry, it is.

I said it's mostly not the case in that outside of say, the odd specialised gig, there isn't really a pay boost.

And yes, some companies do indeed pay BEng and MEng graduates the same amount.

I feel like Masters programmes sell the the 'higher qualification, higher salary' angle a lot and people fall for it rather than choosing to do a master's for the right reasons (academia, interest, requirement for your field, prestige bump/access to better recruiting etc).

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 17

Voi

12

for fun

route to choose if you're too lazy to get a job / or are unemployable for x reason

also for the swag

'hey man, i have a masters, im better than you'. etc...

and its for ppl who dont wanna leave uni and go into the real world due to some exaggerated mental health problem...

and its free, in most cases... and who doesn't like free stuff?

Reply 18

username738914

21

Original post by Voi

for fun

route to choose if you're too lazy to get a job / or are unemployable for x reason

also for the swag

'hey man, i have a masters, im better than you'. etc...

and its for ppl who dont wanna leave uni and go into the real world due to some exaggerated mental health problem...

and its free, in most cases... and who doesn't like free stuff?

U wot

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 19

donutaud15

22

My husband's Masters got him promoted ahead of grads who started with him plus it's one of the requirements to be chartered I think.

Apart from maybe doing PhD I'm doing my Masters because some jobs in the US that I'm looking into are asking for postgrad qualification(s) plus it serves as a sort of conversion course as I didn't like my BA and it was not something I'd like to make a career off.

Posted from TSR Mobile

What exactly is the point of a masters if you don't want to do a PHD?

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you