3 answers
Y
Student
Lake Oswego, Oregon
1
Question
Asked
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The best fit career path
I am working on my third master's degree in Education. I have MBA.
I am a mentor now. I would like to work at college. I am looking for a life long career at the same time.
#career
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3 answers
Jennifer Haden
Higher Education Consultant
123
Answers
Dallas, Texas
Updated
Jennifer’s Answer
Hi, Y K.!
I'd be curious to know more about your degrees and what you are interested in. Why three master's in Education? In addition to an MBA?!
Higher Education is a wonderful and rich (although not always lucrative) career path. There are many different areas within a university that could be of interest to you, depending on your area(s) of expertise. As my parents liked to say, I enjoyed my collegiate experience so much I never left! One of the wonderful things about education is that it's always an option, welcoming a variety of people in a wide range of opportunities.
Based on your mentor experience, there are academic advising positions ranging from athletics, to international student programs, to academic departments. Financial services are also prevalent in departments such as the bursar's office, within the colleges, and central administration. With your advanced degrees, you can tailor your experiences.
Take a look at the employment opportunities at your local higher educational institution. You can get some good ideas there about the requirements and responsibilities of different positions. I'll also continue to monitor this thread and would be happy to offer additional information if you'd like.
Good luck to you in this endeavor! There are many wonderful opportunities waiting for you!
I'd be curious to know more about your degrees and what you are interested in. Why three master's in Education? In addition to an MBA?!
Higher Education is a wonderful and rich (although not always lucrative) career path. There are many different areas within a university that could be of interest to you, depending on your area(s) of expertise. As my parents liked to say, I enjoyed my collegiate experience so much I never left! One of the wonderful things about education is that it's always an option, welcoming a variety of people in a wide range of opportunities.
Based on your mentor experience, there are academic advising positions ranging from athletics, to international student programs, to academic departments. Financial services are also prevalent in departments such as the bursar's office, within the colleges, and central administration. With your advanced degrees, you can tailor your experiences.
Take a look at the employment opportunities at your local higher educational institution. You can get some good ideas there about the requirements and responsibilities of different positions. I'll also continue to monitor this thread and would be happy to offer additional information if you'd like.
Good luck to you in this endeavor! There are many wonderful opportunities waiting for you!
Elizabeth Sinclair-Colando
University Administrator and Instructor
5
Answers
Cleveland, Ohio
Updated
Elizabeth’s Answer
You clearly love education, so working at a university would be a great choice for you.
It's great that you have earned a variety of masters degrees; it provides you with advanced knowledge in a variety of subjects that will make you that much more marketable to prospective employers.
I have worked in higher education administration for many years. It has been very rewarding to be involved in student development whether through career advising, academic advising, teaching, and mentoring. It is also satisfying to take part in curriculum development, writing policy and procedures, creating best practices in program design and educational programs, etc.
I had another career in mind for myself when I was younger and never thought I would end up in education. It is the best decision I could have made for myself. I started as an academic advisor and moved through the ranks to assistant dean. Starting out in academic advising is rewarding and introduces you to other opportunities for advancement depending on the institution. There is academic affairs, student affairs, finance and administration, institutional advancement, university relations, research, computer services, enrollment management, to name a few at my university. The divisions will vary by institution.
Being a part of a university also gives you the chance to work on a PhD and go further with your career whether as a dean, a department chair, or a position in central administration. I suggest looking at the masters degrees you have earned and considering one of those for a PhD and making that part of your decision on the universities you pursue for your career. For example, if you wanted to consider a PhD in Business Administration, not all universities offer this degree. Then again, a PhD may not be on you radar. Advancement is still possible with a masters, depending on your area of interest.
Please feel free to write back to me if you have more questions. I hope this helps you.
It's great that you have earned a variety of masters degrees; it provides you with advanced knowledge in a variety of subjects that will make you that much more marketable to prospective employers.
I have worked in higher education administration for many years. It has been very rewarding to be involved in student development whether through career advising, academic advising, teaching, and mentoring. It is also satisfying to take part in curriculum development, writing policy and procedures, creating best practices in program design and educational programs, etc.
I had another career in mind for myself when I was younger and never thought I would end up in education. It is the best decision I could have made for myself. I started as an academic advisor and moved through the ranks to assistant dean. Starting out in academic advising is rewarding and introduces you to other opportunities for advancement depending on the institution. There is academic affairs, student affairs, finance and administration, institutional advancement, university relations, research, computer services, enrollment management, to name a few at my university. The divisions will vary by institution.
Being a part of a university also gives you the chance to work on a PhD and go further with your career whether as a dean, a department chair, or a position in central administration. I suggest looking at the masters degrees you have earned and considering one of those for a PhD and making that part of your decision on the universities you pursue for your career. For example, if you wanted to consider a PhD in Business Administration, not all universities offer this degree. Then again, a PhD may not be on you radar. Advancement is still possible with a masters, depending on your area of interest.
Please feel free to write back to me if you have more questions. I hope this helps you.
Lina Wang, CHRP
Human Resources
1
Answer
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Updated
Lina’s Answer
Hi Y K.,
You sound like you would have a wealth of knowledge in a variety of areas! I would like to invite you to consider a couple of things:
- What do you really want in life?
- What are some things you really enjoy doing?
- What are you good at?
- What support/resources do you need?
- In addition to a college, what other avenues can you consider that will fulfill your potential?
There is a concept that is quite powerful and you can look this up, it's called Ikigai.
It'll help you think about some of the questions and hone in on an answer. I would be happy to answer questions if you have any.
You sound like you would have a wealth of knowledge in a variety of areas! I would like to invite you to consider a couple of things:
- What do you really want in life?
- What are some things you really enjoy doing?
- What are you good at?
- What support/resources do you need?
- In addition to a college, what other avenues can you consider that will fulfill your potential?
There is a concept that is quite powerful and you can look this up, it's called Ikigai.
It'll help you think about some of the questions and hone in on an answer. I would be happy to answer questions if you have any.