masters or Travel

LegacyUser

I have to make a decision in the next few days between taking a masters or going travelling for a while.I was let go from job a few months back.I could get a job here but it would only be a dead end job and i want to progress my career.Should i do a masters or go travelling and pick up life experience abroad?

LegacyUser

What career area are you considering? Where would you travel to?

The Agogo

I had this dilemma also.

Travel, Travel, Travel.

A Masters is a needless self0indulgence to boost your academic ego.

Travel offers to many irresistible life experiences (by travel I mean, working in different countries- not just travelling like a stupid rich hippy)

The Agogo

The Agogo wrote: »

I had this dilemma also.

Travel, Travel, Travel.

A Masters is a needless self0indulgence to boost your academic ego.

Travel offers to many irresistible life experiences (by travel I mean, working in different countries- not just travelling like a stupid rich hippy)

That's absolute rubbish. A Masters is often useful and sometimes essential to progress in your career. If either of the two options is self indulgent, it's definitely not the Masters! I love travelling, but fail to see how it's useful career wise unless you set yourself up abroad. It sounds like the OP just wants a time out from his life here.

The Agogo

True, sometimes a Masters is useful (depending on what subject you study). But more often than not, it's unnecessary.

tenchi-fan

TRAVEL!

If you can afford to, you should travel. soak up some of life's experience and then go back to study that bit more mature! Even better if you do something relevant to your career while you're abroad.

As for doing a masters... it depends. For example, if you did a degree in cultural studies I would think twice about doing a masters in it. Whereas if you did medicine or teaching it may be more worthwhile.

I did a BA in the Humanities and an MA in a similar field and plenty of people on my course have been offered really good jobs and prestigious internships.

I'm just not a big fan of the idea that travelling makes you so much more mature and all that. I know scores of people who went travelling and came back exactly the same as when they went, except going on about how amazing X, Y or Z country is. Living and working abroad is one thing, but I don't personally see the point in what's essentially an extended holiday.

deadpoet

Travel. Unless you're going to pursue a career abroad, what good is a masters going to do you here and now in this climate of career (or even job) prospects?

Travel will afford you many oppertunities for self development which in turn will vastly enhance your chances of entering into the career of your dreams.

I'd especially advise travel if you've just graduated from a BA - diving directly into another degree without some time off for your brain to relax and recoperate could cause a burn out - and that's a lot of money gone to waste that could have been used to relax while traveling.

deadpoet

Kamari Fat Textbook wrote: »

I'm just not a big fan of the idea that travelling makes you so much more mature and all that.

And who'd blame you, as its utter rubbish. Travelling doesn't make you "so much more mature", it provides oppertunities with the potential of you maturing your mind; your attitude and your outlook through experiences you create for yourself. This is about choice.

Wagon

Travel. sitting and aquiring fancy qualifications means **** all if you dont decide to live your life.

see the world. who cares if it doesnt "make you more mature"? its life. enjoy it when you can.

deadpoet

deadpoet wrote: »

And who'd blame you, as its utter rubbish. Travelling doesn't make you "so much more mature", it provides oppertunities with the potential of you maturing your mind; your attitude and your outlook through experiences you create for yourself. This is about choice.

Exactly. Just like anything you do in life has the potential to make you a more mature person with a different outlook on life. So I don't know why people always suggest travelling as if it's some sort of magic wand which suddenly transforms you.

piby

Well I think this really comes down to a question of finance and can you afford to do both? If you can then I'd say go travelling now while you're young and you can always do the masters when you return or even maybe down the line in a few years.

If, however, you cannot fund both and it's a question of either or, then I would most stick with the postgraduate qualification. I agree with most people about living life but these days degrees are two a penny and a masters is almost obligatory to even get you started on the career ladder.

The Agogo wrote: »

A Masters Travel is a needless self0indulgence to boost your academic ego 'life experience'.

You see I think that the maturity and character development you get from seeing the world is considerably exagerrated. It's fun don't get me wrong but even for those who work I often struggle to see how working in a bar in Thailand or on a range in Australia will help you get a job in say IT when the guy beside you has the same degree as you and a masters in it. The year out is a great experience in its own right but I wouldn't pursue it at the expense of furthering my education.

OP there's multiple ways of doing things. You could get the masters now and then try use it to go abroad later on or even after a few years with money saved up, and experience to boot, take a year out then. Though like I said if money ain't too tight to mention then as I see it there's no problem and if you want to go travelling now do it!! Just make sure you weigh up the options yourself rather than getting some strangers on the internet to do it for you!!!