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Masters or not?

  • 13-10-2014 8:04pm
    #1
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,690 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Hi I've been doing an online postgrad the past two years, and have now gotten a level eight Postgrad cert in IT.

    I can continue on for another year and write a thesis and get a Masters in IT, but am seriously questioning the level of effort required.

    I've two problems, firstly I can't think of a subject for a thesis (which is about 60% of the total marks for the overall grade, and I've a 2:1 in the postgrad) and secondly, I took on the course to tick a box on my c.v. and cover off not having a third level qualification.

    Any thoughts on this? Is that final year of hard slog worth it to have a masters as opposed to a Postgrad cert?


Comments

  • #2
    Tom Dunne
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    Stheno wrote: »
    Any thoughts on this? Is that final year of hard slog worth it to have a masters as opposed to a Postgrad cert?

    I'm totally, unashamedly and utterly biased, but I would say yes, it is worth it.

    As Johnny Logan once said, what's another year?


  • #3
    djpbarry
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,104 ✭✭✭✭djpbarry


    Stheno wrote: »
    Masters in IT
    That sounds extremely vague?
    Stheno wrote: »
    Is that final year of hard slog worth it to have a masters as opposed to a Postgrad cert?
    I'd be inclined to say yes, but for me it depends on the nature of the course. I mean, on a CV, a masters definitely carries more weight than a postgrad cert, but "online Masters in IT"? I'm not sure about that. I think a lot would come down to what you choose to do your thesis on.


  • #4
    todonova
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1 ✭todonova


    Hi,

    I would say it depends on the amount of effort you can put in. Given you've gotten this far you know how to apply yourself, but a Masters thesis is considerably bigger chunk of work than a Degree thesis. You will be required to to do a lit review, research and also justify your research methodology.

    It will consume months and months of your life.

    That said, if you choose your question based on something you are interested in and want to move into, it can look really good on a CV that your thesis was done on Topic X and you are applying for a job that requires knowledge of Topic X.


  • #5
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,690 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    Tom Dunne wrote: »
    I'm totally, unashamedly and utterly biased, but I would say yes, it is worth it.

    As Johnny Logan once said, what's another year?

    I'm veering that way :)
    djpbarry wrote: »
    That sounds extremely vague?
    I'd be inclined to say yes, but for me it depends on the nature of the course. I mean, on a CV, a masters definitely carries more weight than a postgrad cert, but "online Masters in IT"? I'm not sure about that. I think a lot would come down to what you choose to do your thesis on.

    It's in the area I work in with a large UK university who offer it as both an online part time option and a full time course, and my thesis would be required to demonstrate both experience, and add to the overall knowledge in the industry.

    I'm not willing to post what degree it is as it's very specialised
    todonova wrote: »
    Hi,

    I would say it depends on the amount of effort you can put in. Given you've gotten this far you know how to apply yourself, but a Masters thesis is considerably bigger chunk of work than a Degree thesis. You will be required to to do a lit review, research and also justify your research methodology.

    It will consume months and months of your life.

    That said, if you choose your question based on something you are interested in and want to move into, it can look really good on a CV that your thesis was done on Topic X and you are applying for a job that requires knowledge of Topic X.

    I kinda have a thesis topic, and it's something I'm interested in, have worked at, can apply practical knowledge to, and research


  • #6
    Larianne
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,954 ✭✭✭✭Larianne


    Stheno wrote: »
    I kinda have a thesis topic, and it's something I'm interested in, have worked at, can apply practical knowledge to, and research


    I think what you have posted above here is a very good reason to continue on with a Masters.


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  • #7
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,690 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    Larianne wrote: »
    I think what you have posted above here is a very good reason to continue on with a Masters.

    I think I'm just a lazy cow :)

    Professional qualifications got me exempted from 1/3 of the modules in the first two years as it was complete duplication, and my familiarity with a huge amount of the subject matter in the modules I did have to do meant I had to do very little and ended up with a 2.1 average over the two years.

    I'm estimating again due to my familiarity in the area that it will take me six months to do the thesis at about twenty hours a week, so I guess it's worth it

    I did talk to one of my tutors about my topic, and they considered it a challenging one that most students wouldn't consider, but one with potential to end up with a first if done well.


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