June 2, 2012 at 12:46 pm
Hi everyone,
By this time next year I would have completed a BSc(Hons) in Applied Computing. My main interests are programming and database development and my IT experience outside of University is not extensive (I have developed some websites for people and provided technical support).
My University offer a Masters in Computer Science, so from an employability perspective, do you think completing this would give me an edge over other BSc graduates? I hope/expect to leave with a high 2:1 or 1st class bachelor's.
I'm 28 now and would be 30 if I completed the Masters degree so I don't want to waste time and fund the extra studies if it won't be beneficial. I know there are many variables involved, just wanted a few opinions from people in the know!
Many thanks,
Mike
June 4, 2012 at 1:42 am
I'm don't know how it is in your country, but in Belgium a Masters degree can give you an advantage.
However, this advantage is mostly at the beginning of your career. When you have no work experience, employers have no other choice than to look at your degree, so a Master would help here.
You would earn (normally) a little better, but that's just compensation for the 2 years of pay you lost because you studied instead of working 🙂
There are some jobs that have a Masters degree as a requirement, but usually I see job postings asking for Bachelor or Master. Sometimes "Master or equivalent through experience".
Later on in your career, the degree will play less a vital role, but it can give you and edge sometimes.
If you find the degree itself (and its courses) mighty interesting, I would say go for it.
Need an answer? No, you need a question
My blog at https://sqlkover.com.
MCSE Business Intelligence - Microsoft Data Platform MVP
June 4, 2012 at 4:37 am
Hi Koen,
I'm in Britain, I'll talk it through with some of the lecturers and try to attend some careers fairs, hopefully then I can gauge whether the Masters is worthwhile or not
Thanks
Koen Verbeeck (6/4/2012)
I'm don't know how it is in your country, but in Belgium a Masters degree can give you an advantage.However, this advantage is mostly at the beginning of your career. When you have no work experience, employers have no other choice than to look at your degree, so a Master would help here.
You would earn (normally) a little better, but that's just compensation for the 2 years of pay you lost because you studied instead of working 🙂
There are some jobs that have a Masters degree as a requirement, but usually I see job postings asking for Bachelor or Master. Sometimes "Master or equivalent through experience".
Later on in your career, the degree will play less a vital role, but it can give you and edge sometimes.
If you find the degree itself (and its courses) mighty interesting, I would say go for it.
June 4, 2012 at 5:27 am
In the US, in certain fields, it will absolutely help. But overall, no, it won't help your technology career that much. If you were just getting started and I were the one reviewing your resume, I'd be more impressed with two years working in the real world rather than an additional two years of schooling.
Also, word of advice, asking instructors at a school, who are absolutely dependent on you attending that school for their livelihood, if you maybe ought to spend another two years helping to pay their salary might result in a slightly skewed point of view.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
June 4, 2012 at 5:36 am
Also, word of advice, asking instructors at a school, who are absolutely dependent on you attending that school for their livelihood, if you maybe ought to spend another two years helping to pay their salary might result in a slightly skewed point of view.
lol That is a fair point, though I do know one tutor who was advising us to go to other Universities to do a Masters 😀
I guess all I can do is keep trying to get some experience alongside the BSc
June 4, 2012 at 5:52 am
One thing that was part of my introductory course for my M.Sc was 'why are you doing this?' and it made it very clear that if you're just doing an M.Sc for better salary or better jobs, you're likely to be very disappointed and possibly drop out before finishing.
And that's from a university that offers part-time degrees where it's assumed you'll be working while studying.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
June 4, 2012 at 6:00 am
michaeljharper (6/4/2012)
Also, word of advice, asking instructors at a school, who are absolutely dependent on you attending that school for their livelihood, if you maybe ought to spend another two years helping to pay their salary might result in a slightly skewed point of view.
lol That is a fair point, though I do know one tutor who was advising us to go to other Universities to do a Masters 😀
I guess all I can do is keep trying to get some experience alongside the BSc
In the US, I won't try to speak to other markets, you really only want, or need, the additional schooling if you're looking to eventually move out of technology and into management. It matters a lot more there. At age 28, I couldn't have told you that I'd want to stay a geek forever. At age 49, I know that I never, ever, want to move into management and that I'm perfectly happy going from technology to technology. I worked with a man who had a full doctorate in computer science. I was paid more than him, a lot more.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
June 4, 2012 at 8:10 am
I tend to agree with Grant, overall. Experience matters more.
If you want to learn more, as Gail mentioned, get the Masters. Otherwise, go to work.
June 4, 2012 at 11:59 am
GilaMonster (6/4/2012)
One thing that was part of my introductory course for my M.Sc was 'why are you doing this?' and it made it very clear that if you're just doing an M.Sc for better salary or better jobs, you're likely to be very disappointed and possibly drop out before finishing.And that's from a university that offers part-time degrees where it's assumed you'll be working while studying.
It wouldn't be for a better salary or jobs, I was thinking more to get 'ahead of the pack' or stand out more to an employer - I just want a job! 😀
June 4, 2012 at 12:05 pm
You run the risk of being considered over-qualified. A masters degree isn't going to magically get you a job.
I'd say, if you want to study further for the sake of learning more, do the M. If you just want to have a better-looking resume, consider volunteering for a charity for a couple months to get some experience.
p.s. I'm busy finishing off an M.Sc at the moment, so this is not a sour-grapes opinion.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
June 4, 2012 at 12:06 pm
michaeljharper (6/4/2012)
GilaMonster (6/4/2012)
One thing that was part of my introductory course for my M.Sc was 'why are you doing this?' and it made it very clear that if you're just doing an M.Sc for better salary or better jobs, you're likely to be very disappointed and possibly drop out before finishing.And that's from a university that offers part-time degrees where it's assumed you'll be working while studying.
It wouldn't be for a better salary or jobs, I was thinking more to get 'ahead of the pack' or stand out more to an employer - I just want a job! 😀
Honestly, if the choice was between someone who just finished their Masters & someone who had been working as a DBA for two years, the person with the experience is much more attractive to me. I don't hire people any more, but when I did, I looked for experience, not education.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
June 4, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Thanks for the advice guys, appreciate it
June 4, 2012 at 2:23 pm
Grant Fritchey (6/4/2012)
michaeljharper (6/4/2012)
GilaMonster (6/4/2012)
One thing that was part of my introductory course for my M.Sc was 'why are you doing this?' and it made it very clear that if you're just doing an M.Sc for better salary or better jobs, you're likely to be very disappointed and possibly drop out before finishing.And that's from a university that offers part-time degrees where it's assumed you'll be working while studying.
It wouldn't be for a better salary or jobs, I was thinking more to get 'ahead of the pack' or stand out more to an employer - I just want a job! 😀
Honestly, if the choice was between someone who just finished their Masters & someone who had been working as a DBA for two years, the person with the experience is much more attractive to me. I don't hire people any more, but when I did, I looked for experience, not education.
Yes. But what if you have two candidates who come fresh out of university. One's a bachelor, one's a master. You sure won't look at education?
When I was job hunting right before graduation, my education was an asset that I had and it gave me a competitive advantage against others (but to be honest, I also did a fair amount of volunteering during my college years. That might have helped a bit as well). When you look at new people at my first company I worked, masters earned a bit more than bachelors.
I'm not saying education is everything, it just forms the foundation. Experience is way more important. However, at the start of your career, education is about the only thing you have. And I did get a project once solely because of my eduction. The project manager had studied the same thing, so he choose me over other people, just because of that. I also know that for some projects at governement instutions, the degree is really important (although it shouldn't matter). But as Grant already mentioned, those are more for management positions.
Need an answer? No, you need a question
My blog at https://sqlkover.com.
MCSE Business Intelligence - Microsoft Data Platform MVP
June 4, 2012 at 3:24 pm
Koen Verbeeck (6/4/2012)
Grant Fritchey (6/4/2012)
michaeljharper (6/4/2012)
GilaMonster (6/4/2012)
One thing that was part of my introductory course for my M.Sc was 'why are you doing this?' and it made it very clear that if you're just doing an M.Sc for better salary or better jobs, you're likely to be very disappointed and possibly drop out before finishing.And that's from a university that offers part-time degrees where it's assumed you'll be working while studying.
It wouldn't be for a better salary or jobs, I was thinking more to get 'ahead of the pack' or stand out more to an employer - I just want a job! 😀
Honestly, if the choice was between someone who just finished their Masters & someone who had been working as a DBA for two years, the person with the experience is much more attractive to me. I don't hire people any more, but when I did, I looked for experience, not education.
Yes. But what if you have two candidates who come fresh out of university. One's a bachelor, one's a master. You sure won't look at education?
When I was job hunting right before graduation, my education was an asset that I had and it gave me a competitive advantage against others (but to be honest, I also did a fair amount of volunteering during my college years. That might have helped a bit as well). When you look at new people at my first company I worked, masters earned a bit more than bachelors.
I'm not saying education is everything, it just forms the foundation. Experience is way more important. However, at the start of your career, education is about the only thing you have. And I did get a project once solely because of my eduction. The project manager had studied the same thing, so he choose me over other people, just because of that. I also know that for some projects at governement instutions, the degree is really important (although it shouldn't matter). But as Grant already mentioned, those are more for management positions.
I guess I will see how things go, I'll have a few months between BSc graduation and the Masters start date (it is a one year full time course) to try and get a job - I'm hoping to achieve a first class degree so hopefully that will get me some interviews at least!
June 5, 2012 at 6:31 am
I'm in US. I went right from my Bachelor's degree to the working environment. To be honest, I wasn't entirely sure what kind of Master's degree I wanted. I was toying with Computer Science, Math, an MBA... I went to an open house at one college and the head of their computer science department told me I should get a Ph.D. (which that school doesn't offer)
I've been in the business world for a couple years and I just started going for my master's a year ago (decided on the MBA). Yes it will take longer to get the degree then if I wasn't working, but on the other had, my company will reimburse me for tuition.
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