Juggling a masters while working

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I have a BSc Honors degree in Software Development. I graduated in 2006 and I've always wanted to do a masters. I'm working fairly extensively these days, between 40 - 60 hours. My employers are offering to pay 90% of a masters in CS. If I take 2 classes a semester it's 4 hours per week which I can fit in no problem. They're willing to cut back on my hours to allow me to do this too.

So my question is, have you successfully completed a masters while working, and if so did you find it difficult to juggle the two?

Tom Dunne

Yeah, it can be difficult.

But if you are committed and your employer is behind you, it can be done. I found that I actually enjoyed mine and ended up with a first class honours.

I did it in the evening and the fact that I had classes meant that I actually had to leave work on time, not hang on late (fully supported by my employer). A lot of Saturdays were pretty much a write-off, but it was all worth it in the end.

Páid

I did two degrees (computing and law) followed by an MSc in Computing while working in a non IT role. Got a 1.1 in the MSc. Three hours of lectures three times a week and a half day one Saturday a month. It was difficult at times but going to all of the lectures paid off. I got time off for study leave and exams so I didn't have to use holidays.

It was tough programming until three in the morning sometimes and having to get up the following day for work. This was probably because the chosen topic for the subject of my dissertation required a lot of programming.

If you're married/have family you should also take that into account. I had the support of my girlfriend who made sacrifices with her time in order for me to complete it.

COYW

I did my MSc in Computing but I took a year out to do it by research. At that time funding was available, so it was the best option in my mind. One girl I worked with was doing her Masters while working and it proved to be very difficult as the employer wasn't 100% behind her when exam time came and she actually parked it midway through the course. Moral of the story is that it can be done while working BUT your employer MUST be genuinely behind you.

Manach

Just to also add to the above posters, as in a positive note doing education outside of work at least gives one a change to mentally change gears and take a longer term view instead of being focused on immediate deadlines. It also is a great opportunity to network and get other points of view.

DublinWriter

Páid wrote: »

Got a 1.1 in the MSc.

I didn't think MSc degrees were graded?

I did my MSc part time. Roughest thing was rolling up to evening lectures after a hard day at the coalface.

I didn't have a family at the time, I think that I would have found it impossible to do with one.

It was great to do, but give serious consideration to how beneficial it will be to your career.

Páid

DublinWriter wrote: »

I didn't think MSc degrees were graded?

I should have said 1st Class Honours.

There are four classifications;

First Class Honours
Second Class Honours, Upper Division
Second Class Honours, Lower Division
Pass

[-0-]

Thanks for all of the advice guys/gals.

I'm going to give it a go next year. My employer is committed too which is great news. I'm a newly wed and my Wife is going to continue her education while I do this as well so she won't be moping around wishing I had more time to spend with her - she'll be busy too! Hopefully it won't be too taxing but it's only a couple of years. It's only gonna cost me 1800 USD in total so I would be mad to not give it a go.

I'll keep you folks updated via this thread next year. Hopefully I won't be pulling my hair out and whimpering in a corner.

COYW

DublinWriter wrote: »

I didn't think MSc degrees were graded

You get a standard grade, first class etc, for a taught masters because it is largely exam based. A research masters is graded according to the dissertation you submit. That dissertation is marked as a PASS or FAIL by an internal and external examiner. You have to be marked as PASS by both to get your Masters.

Best of luck with it [-0-]. It is tough going but worth it in the end.

huchin fell

hey, go for it if you can, then you will find out !!