Is it necessary to have a masters degree in todays times to really get a job?
I am going to school for Theater Performance and due to the field of study and alumni connections it is smarter at this point to go to the " more prestigious institution". The majority of my big student loans will be from these 4 years. How necessary will be be to continue with my masters degree in order to get employment? #theatre #actor #director #musical-theatre #stage-management
3 answers
Nicole’s Answer
I hold a BFA in Acting and a MFA in Acting and those degrees will not, in and of themselves, get you a job. I value my education because it was time I dedicated to my craft. I learned a great deal, and I would not have learned it elsewhere. But that does not get me work. Some schools, very few, have great alumni programs for actors where just the name on your resume can get you seen where others will be ignored -- think Tisch, Juilliard, Yale. After that, there are plenty of great schools, but attending them won't get you seen on their reputation alone.
William’s Answer
Greetings Anthony,
I think the most important thing to assess is your return on investment. Have you discussed your desire to continue on with your masters with a career counselor or the alumni department at your school where you are receiving or have received your bachelor's degree? Do they have placement services for your particular program?
Keep in mind that education, at any level, affords us the ability to have opportunity rather than guarantee us that fancy job when we graduate. Regardless of your major, you should really consider the connection between what you want to do in correlation to more education? Having gone to graduate school and now finishing up my PhD has worked for me because of my long term goals of becoming a faculty member, mentor, consultant, ect...
I agree with Conrad that more skills could enhance your attractiveness, but assess the alignment of what you want to do and what you need in terms of skills and knowledge. I would recommend considering a few years of practical experience to apply to your master studies. Mainly, because master level education is oftentimes, built with practical experience in mind. Hope that you found this helpful, thanks.
Conrad’s Answer
It's not necessary, nothing is necessary. However, I would strongly encourage you to go ahead and finish the masters degree. It will give you the edge and experience when applying for jobs.