Lauren
In what fields is a master's degree necessary?
Hi. My name is Lauren and I am about to enter my freshman year of college. I am going in #undecided on my major during my first year in order to gain a liberal arts knowledge with a variety of classes. Someone told me that back a couple of decades, a college degree almost guaranteed you a job. Now that more people are going to college (which is great), the market is saturated in a way. Some people are going ahead and getting more than a bachelor's degree. I wish I could ask when it is required towards a special field but I simply do not have a field picked out yet. My question is would you hire a college graduate in around four years without a master's degree? Thank you! #business #admissions-counseling
4 answers
Milly Pellizzari
Milly’s Answer
From my own personal experience and as a hiring manager, I would say it completely depends on the field you are interested in. Some simply require it as a ticket to entry. However, I've found that most professions and hiring managers value experience over the advanced degree. Someone who has executed 100 events is infinitely more valuable as an event manager than someone with a Masters degree who has never done an event. I spent my time in college interning (even for free) with companies that would allow me to do the actual work vs clerical activities. I had a great portfolio and it helped me stand out in the workplace. I have also looked for opportunities to continuously expand my knowledge base in my field by taking on projects and assignments that are outside of my comfort zone. After 20 years in my field, there are very few areas that I don't have a good working knowledge of. I feel that this makes me extremely versatile and my company can use me anywhere that is needed. Or, if my role is eliminated, I can easily do any number of other roles. I have thought about getting my Masters, but I'm so busy doing interesting, relevant work I haven't had time. :)
Hope this helps!
Thank you so much for replying,
Lauren
Derek Lowkewicz
Derek’s Answer
This is a great question. There is a difference between having an additional degree versus having work experience. Most of my peers and friends that have been most successful in business careers have gone into the workforce after getting their bachelors and gone back to get their masters after several years. Doing so, may help advance a career or distinguish yourself among peers when looking at a promotion. Many distinguished executive masters programs have professional degree programs for people who are already in the workforce. These programs often become amazing networking opportunities.
Thank you, that seems like a good step to take.
Lauren
Kelly Rohm
Kelly’s Answer
Hi Lauren,
I work as a marketing and brand manager at Dell Financial Services. My perspective on education is that while it's a good thing to have, it's not completely necessary unless it becomes career-limiting. While you're in college, I'd recommend internships as ways of exploring what career options are available based on your degree. You may know then if getting a masters degree is required. Personally, I liked college a LOT and spent 6 years in undergrad classes, but I preferred on-the-job learning. After the internships, if you're still unsure about your profession, my advice would be to start working for a few years before getting your masters. You will bring so much real-life perspective to your academic work if you return to school. I currently have a decade of experience in my role and will most likely not go back to school because my work experience is valued as much as education. That said, I may not be eligible for all roles someday because I don't have my masters.
Best of luck to you!
-Kelly
Thank you so much!
Lauren
Gloria Ortiz
Gloria’s Answer
A masters degree may benefit you in a wide variety of fields. I would offer that you should consider a masters degree if your chosen field has a wide variety of levels of expertise to it. For example, I have a masters degree in Instructional Design. Let's start with the people who don't have a degree of any kind in Instructional Design. I know several designers who do not have any degrees. And the work can be done and learned without having a degree. You can be taught. It is just means that the learning may and is often a bit haphazard. They can know some areas really well and be blind to others entirely because they never learned about it. In my college career which started in the 1990's, there were not degrees that specialized in Instructional Design. So I took the equivalent of an Education major classes. This laid the foundation of my knowledge of how people learn, from small children to adults. And there is a difference between children and adults. So why did I get a masters degree? My job is guided by some basic principles that can be described in a process simply termed ADDIE. My masters gave me a deep dive into the theory and history of the work done in my field. It taught me best practices and how to avoid mistakes in my field. It strengthened me in my areas of weakness, which included proving the value of training (evaluation).
So do I have a competitive advantage in my workplace because of my degree? Maybe sometimes. I am able to do creative and complex work that my peers cannot. I am able to handle projects that have a large scope with a big picture view of what can and should happen in training. I am a popular person in my job role and business clients ask for me over others a lot. The real benefit of my masters degree outside of my skills is when I apply for a job. I am considered a great candidate. And I admit that having a masters degree in my subject makes all of my tasks easier.
A masters degree is like being fluent in another language. I understand what I do more quickly and easily. I understand the ramifications of what can go wrong and how to avoid making mistakes. So I would challenge you to ask you - is it to your advantage to have this fluency in whatever job that you want?
Gloria