Masters Degree That Is Worth Time/Money?

sliHSK
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2016 2:38 pm

Re: Masters Degree That Is Worth Time/Money?

Post by sliHSK »

> Attending a residence program need not result in a loss of utility. 1) You can still
> work in a local DS while in the program, allowing you to maintain a continuum of
> experience

@PsyGuy

@joe30

I agree with Joe. The main issue with this Msc is that it is full time. You can't do it part time. So actually, doing a full time master would probably prevent you from getting a full time position in a DS at the same time. You could probably do some supply teaching but that will not be enough to pay the bills (and I don't even mention the hardship of the experience). You may be right about the marketability to elite tier ISs, it might help, but as Joe said, it's difficult to quantify anyway. For anyone interested in elearning, the Msc in Digital Education from the University of Edinburgh might be something to look at though. It's quite expensive to do it at a distance (£10800) but you can spread it between 2-6 years if need be.
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Reply

Post by PsyGuy »

@Joe30

First I dont see USD$45K as average, its obtainable, and its not uncommon, but you could just as easily be in some lower tier USD$30K comp IS with minimal experience and a mediocre degree. That aside, using USD$45K I the ROI is there:

1) Your going to be more competitive at better ISs and with higher appointments. The difference between an ICT IT coin and an ICT coordinator on the admin or special comp scale over a two year contract can easily be worth USD$45K and if its not, even if its half or more of that your going to make that up within some reasonable period of time over a typical ITs transnational career (5-6 years).

2) Your reduction in pain is worth something. Its not unreasonable to go into a support or admin role even with minimal IT/DT classroom experience. We see it all the time where some admin gets an Ivy degree and never having stepped into a classroom moves into some form of leadership role. There are a variety of factors that contribute to this outcome but choice of Uni is one you have a lot more control over.

3) You accelerate your career, the most difficult aspect of leadership is getting in, once your inside bad or good leadership doesnt have nearly as much difficulty moving around on the inside of leadership as it is getting into it to begin with. Your shortening your pathway if your goal is executive leadership by having a utility factor thats attractive to ownership. Its not just the network, but the perceived value of that name on your degree and resume. Lots of wealthy business DBs no nothing about education, but they Oxford has name recognition.

Not everyone shares your view of lifestyle and quality of life in the UK.

@sliHSK

Yes it is a full time program but full time masters work is is maybe a few hours a day, and most graduate courses are offered later in the day with undergraduate courses offered during the day. You could work and study, and even better if you could any type of position in the admissions or enrollment division, then you could pull a career/Uni counselor out of it as well.

Oxfordshire is a very nice area, i wouldnt consider it a hardship. Neither are the DSs in the region, you could do far worse in the UK DE market.

I would recommend the education department at UED, its not Oxford.
Chadekni
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2015 3:28 pm

Re: Masters Degree That Is Worth Time/Money?

Post by Chadekni »

SinaloaPaisa wrote:
> Any cheap online MA Ed. Leadership programs?

Well, I have found this one from the University of Portsmouth, which is the cheapest I could find in the UK: http://www.port.ac.uk/courses/education ... anagement/

2100 pounds/year (2 year course) 100% distance. I have applied for the Sep 2017 entrance... not sure I will definitely accept, but I am leaning towards yes.
joe30
Posts: 230
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2016 4:10 am

Re: Masters Degree That Is Worth Time/Money?

Post by joe30 »

@PsyGuy

$45k including all benefits (which you wouldn't get if you sat in the UK doing an MA) seems about right. Figure $35k plus your accomodation and a couple of thousand for flights, it'd come to about $45k.

I'm unsure of Oxbridge making you a shoe-in for a leadership role with minimal experience. You're telling me a school is going to appoint a 23 year old to an executive position after they've got their degree, teaching licence, and an MA from Oxford? Likely these guys who get into leadership with minimal teaching experience had LEADERSHIP experience in other careers prior to getting into education.

I do believe the name is worth 'something', but I'm not sure I'd quantify that 'something' as being above $45k. It's difficult to quantify though - if you get into leadership with a Cambridge MA, you may also have got in with an MA from a more standard uni. What the numbers of Oxbridge/Ivy leadership compared to other leadership? Do those unis make up a disproportionate amount of leadership positions? Maybe they do, I'm not sure.

I don't really think it's debatable that having to live in Oxford on a part-time salary is going to be hardship. It's bad enough on a full time wage, that place is one of the most expensive in the UK.

Finally - getting into Oxbridge to study isn't going to be easy, even at postgrad level. You'd better know your stuff and wow them at interview.
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Discussion

Post by PsyGuy »

I would agree Portsmouth distance Ed.Ld is the least expensive Masters program Ive seen in the UK.
Post Reply