Is a MSc worth it?

Peace

Folks,

I'm just about to wrap up a degree in computer science and it looks very like my result is going to be a 2.1 with a Hail Mary chance of a 1.1.

I got a mail shot from my college informing me about the Msc course and yeah ok its looks reasonably interesting... actually it doesn't contain an of the business course type sheeeeeite we were subjected to every year through our degree. It looks proper technical!

Anyway, its about about the € at the end of the day and basically my employment prospects ... how much of an advantage would a Msc be? What sort of salary boost should i expect after recieving an Msc? Do the benefits outweight the cost... i'm not sure how much i'd have to pay for the course... probably about 3k i think.

Opinions welcome....

PhilH

This is just an uninformed suggestion, but I would suggest that if, as you say, its about the money, then don't do the MSc. It will cost you, vs you being earning if you have a job. When you get the masters you will have a higher qualification but you'll have missed a year's employment (salary and experience).

Don't get me wrong. I did a masters and I don't suggest for a moment that they are worthless. But if you aren't thinking of doing one because you are interested in the subject matter, then its a lot of work (which you might not be interested in) for a not-particularly-clear benefit.

That said, as I think about it, the benefit would probably depend wildly on what branch of science you're talking about. If its not computers, then I'm completely uninformed, maybe the difference in salary/employment opportunities is worth it.

PHiL

KlodaX

the only reason I'd think of doing a masters would be if the degree you got wasn't what you wanted to work in ... or you had an interest in lecturing

then again what do I know... I'm in the same boat as you ... without the hail mary chance of a 1.1 !

Peace

Lecturing would appeal to me... hours are ok and the holidays kinda rule.

However for an extra year what are the tangible beneifts over heading out into industry now..

Just to clarify i'm doing a degree in Computer Science and considering a Msc in the same.

voxpop

Get a job and then do a MSc part time - best of both worlds

Manach

It depends on the type of MSc - taught or research, with more gravitas going towards the latter.
I did do a taught MSc myself; it helped in my getting a job, but this was back when IT jobs were plentiful.
Finally, I know someone who is doing a part-time MSc, and he is finding it difficult to balance work/study, as the MSc required more time than he reckoned it would.

Gurgle

Angry_Penguin

Get a job and then do a MSc part time - best of both worlds

What he said.

I'm doing a taught M.Eng at the moment.
It does seriously cut into your free time but the benefits are the salary while you're doing it and AFAIK most companies will pay the fees for you.

Don't leave it for too long though or you'll find you've forgotten everything.

Borzoi

I'm doing my MSc (Eng) at the moment. Part time distance leaning, because I'm working. I started six yars after I left college - so you've plenty of time:D

Do the masters if it's what you WANT to do. TBH it wont have that much bearing on your starting salary, but then you'll have missed a year of earnings. Again it probably will help you get a job, but you'll not have been looking for a year.

Swings and roundabouts really

Tom Dunne

Originally posted by Angry_Penguin
Get a job and then do a MSc part time - best of both worlds

Ditto again.

The way I look at it is that most people I work with/compete with for jobs have a degree. An MSc will give you that extra competitive advantage. If it comes down to two people for a job, one with a BSc, one with an MSc, the odds would be in favour of the MSc candidate. In these lean times, I don't really think it will mean a lot more in your wage packet (it hasn't for me).

Take a look at the MSc in Computing in Griffith College. They are extremely flexible when it comes to work/college/life balance. It is a taught MSc, with none of that business rubbish us techies all hate so much.

Peace

Originally posted by tom dunne
Take a look at the MSc in Computing in Griffith College. They are extremely flexible when it comes to work/college/life balance. It is a taught MSc, with none of that business rubbish us techies all hate so much.

Griffith college is where i'm just finishing up in. And yeah thats where i'm considering my MSc.

I think the Msc may be helpful further down the line for getting ahead of candidates who don't have one. I still dunno about doing it part time - i'm thinking it would be life but not as i know it balancing a job & MSc at night..... but i suppose lots of people do it so why not..

Still plenty of thought to go into this!

daveg

Kevin imo your emplyment prospects would improve with an MSC. If you want to go into management further down the line it'll def stand to you. Most of our management are doing Msc's at the moment.

brainstorm

If you dont think u will be able to get a job and u dont fancy just doing any old job, then money aside. go for it...... grad recruitment is starting to slowly pick up here, so if you did it u'll have an advantage over next years crowd and some others too!......
perhaps might be worth another k or 2 on ur salary... just guessing

Kobie

I'd say get a job! If an employer gets 2 CV's - one with two extra years in college & one with two years in real employment, then the guy with the real experience will get the job every time. People in the industry are really only interested in how many years of commercial experience you have. After your first job, what you did in college means about as much as primary school.

I got myself a masters & it was a total waste of time. I would have been better off professionally & finacially just getting straight into the jobs market. Then again it was around the start of the house price boom & the dot-com bubble, so I really missed out, but I still think it applies today. You'll be leaving college at about the time your friends are putting deposits on houses.

The only reason I can see for doing the masters is if you just can't get a job right now.

Kobie

I meant to add - I wouldn't advise trying to do both together. Unfortunately IT is the sort of industry where late nights tend to go with the job, so you'll be making a lot of sacrifices either to your career or your masters.

If you want to go into mangement (God know's why), then an MBA is really what you want to go after, but get a few years of work under your belt first.

Good Luck.

Peace

I think i'll go with the part time option on the MSc.

Sure the missus is gett a Phd and i'd never hear the end of it if i was just a degree....

skywalker_208

I'd say get a job! If an employer gets 2 CV's - one with two extra years in college & one with two years in real employment, then the guy with the real experience will get the job every time.

very well said...

A degree in Comp Science is worth Jack ****t these days if you dont have the work experience to back it up... (believe me i know)id suggest trying to get in to the industry and get some experience and then if you really want to do a masters do it part time later.. maybe after a couple of years....

Kobie

Hey Peace,

I'd be careful with that decision - especially since you made it using your most evil post - 666 .



K.

jank

getting relevant work experience is all well and good but its very hard to break into the IT jobs market at the mo

i think ill do another year of college and wait to next year to go job hunting seeign as the market should be much better than.

At the mo the best i could hope for is a job as tech support answering phones which imo is not why is spent 4+ years in college.

skywalker_208

At the mo the best i could hope for is a job as tech support answering phones which imo is not why is spent 4+ years in college.

you have to look at the bigger picture though.. alot of companies stream their IT depts through their other ****ty entry level depts... ie u get a foot in the door.. prove u can do a **** job and then youll get a proper job...

jank

yea i know i would just hate that kind of job....i have a bit of work experience and a CCNA under my belt already so id hope for something a little bit better than answering phones

skywalker_208

i also have a CCNA (no work experience though - coz no one will give me any ) so this kinda job is all that i can get at the mo...

jank

what are you working at at the mo??
telesales?;)

skywalker_208

nah - cust services....

Tom Dunne

Originally posted by skywalker_208
you have to look at the bigger picture though.. alot of companies stream their IT depts through their other ****ty entry level depts

I agree with skywalker_208 on this one. I started off on the phones and eventually managed to land myself a job as an Oracle DBA. If you are willing to put up with the crap for a while, and think of it as a step in the right direction, it can be worth it in the end.

jank

I fully aggree just i may have to bite the bullet sometime and just get on with it!, or else just go abroad to USA or Oz

Kobie

Things are picking up here, but still nowhere near what it was, so if you want to go abroad for a year then I'd do it now. You never know what's around the corner so if you're just out of college now is the perfect time to explore.