What is more preferred: 2 masters or a PhD

[glocke12]

Ive spent the past 12 years working in industry, and have interviewed and taken part in more hiring decisions than I care to think about. Everything discussed below is based on my experience in the pharmaceutical industry.

These days ( at least in Pharma) a Masters degree is equivalent to what B.S. degree was 10-20 years ago. It basically gets you what is more or less an entry level position reporting to a phd level person. All the M.S. people where I work are basically lab rats with little or no managerial duties.

A phd will not only get you ~ twice the salary that an entry level M.S. person gets you, it also gives you greater responsibility, and in some cases (especially if you are very good), more oppurtunities.

As far as the 2 M.S. vs single phd question goes, I dont think having two M.S. degrees will make you more marketable, if anything, its like someone else said it will make you look unfocused. Id concentrate on exceling on either doing a single, very good M.S. or a phd.

Also, FWIW after spending 12 years in pharma I am glad I dont have a phd.
The people that have one are working pretty much 24/7.

 

[Abstract]

1. I'm not sure if you even need a Masters if you're in engineering (except chemical engineering, or if you work in the energy industry). If you were in practically any other field, then it would probably be useful.

2. If you get a Masters, the MBA is the degree to get for engineers. Having said that, I don't think of an MBA as a 'real' Masters degree. Someone else mentioned this earlier, and I agree. I'm not saying it's easy to earn, or that you don't learn anything. I just don't think people get an MBA for the same reasons they get other Masters degrees. It would help you get a higher salary, though!

3. Like someone else said, having 2 Masters degrees makes you look unfocused. I'm excluding an MBA. Unless there's a good reason to have those two particular Masters degrees, and the positions you'd apply to would clearly benefit from the knowledge you've gained, I think it may not help you at all, and would only lead to more questions during an interview.

4. I have a PhD, and look at me now.

*covers up post count*

 

[alust2013]

1. I'm not sure if you even need a Masters if you're in engineering (except chemical engineering, or if you work in the energy industry). If you were in practically any other field, then it would probably be useful.

2. If you get a Masters, the MBA is the degree to get for engineers. Having said that, I don't think of an MBA as a 'real' Masters degree. Someone else mentioned this earlier, and I agree. I'm not saying it's easy to earn, or that you don't learn anything. I just don't think people get an MBA for the same reasons they get other Masters degrees. It would help you get a higher salary, though!

3. Like someone else said, having 2 Masters degrees makes you look unfocused. I'm excluding an MBA. Unless there's a good reason to have those two particular Masters degrees, and the positions you'd apply to would clearly benefit from the knowledge you've gained, I think it may not help you at all, and would only lead to more questions during an interview.

4. I have a PhD, and look at me now.

*covers up post count*

Chemical engineering actually doesn't benefit much from a Masters either. That's what I am doing

 

[Tomorrow]

I would not call an MBA a true 2nd masters degree.

I don't think of an MBA as a 'real' Masters degree.

I'm not sure I agree with this.

Certainly, an MBA is a much stronger complement to a non-management undergraduate or graduate degree than it is as a stand-alone degree, but to call it not a "real" or "true" Master's degree? I don't see it.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

I'm not sure I agree with this.

Certainly, an MBA is a much stronger complement to a non-management undergraduate or graduate degree than it is as a stand-alone degree, but to call it not a "real" or "true" Master's degree? I don't see it.

I think you have the answer to my reasoning in your own statement.

MBA is a strong complement degree to a non-management undergraduate. Add in the fact that it has become a dime a dozen master degree. On its own I do not even think it is worth the paper it is printed on but as soon as it is combined with something else it worth its weight in gold.

MIS degree is good one and you combined it with an MBA with is very good.
MBA can combined with just about anything. That is it strength and its weakness. It has to be combined with something to be worth anything in my book.

 

[miles01110]

You don't know that without any certainty; you are not every employer in the world.

The same logic applies to your original statement:

2 masters degrees makes you look unfocused and less passionate about one subject, and more concerned with your pedigree of collecting degrees.

[quote[The questions I ask, and that many potential employers may ask, would be "What for? Why? At the very least, why hasn't this guy woven his first masters degree into a more in depth PhD in another field, using the masters as a foundation for the PhD and really built on and expanded his knowledge? Why did this guy just move sideways?"[/quote]

Interesting line of thinking. Neither I nor anyone else I know who has had to hire someone with multiple degrees has ever really had an issue with multiple degrees. Obtaining multiple degrees before employment costs the hiring party zero dollars, so it really doesn't matter.

Oh, and graduate degree(s) is/are usually not seen as evidence for "lack of commitment." Perhaps you've never studied for one.

I've seen many, many jobs saying they want this degree OR that degree (for example an engineering degree of any type) but yet to this day have not seen one saying this degree AND this one.

So what? A hiring manager is not going to say "Wow, this electrical engineer has another degree in mechanical engineering, so obviously they aren't qualified!" Your example is a bad one in terms of supporting your argument.

... it doesn't go that far when they are only asking for one degree and will take the best candidate regardless of 1 or 4 masters degrees.

In any regards, don't get a PhD just to be more marketable, as that's not the purpose of a PhD.

Both very true.

1. I'm not sure if you even need a Masters if you're in engineering (except chemical engineering, or if you work in the energy industry). If you were in practically any other field, then it would probably be useful.

For a lot of the engineering disciplines licensure is the most important thing to have. If you are not licensed and your field requires it... you're not getting hired.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

1. I'm not sure if you even need a Masters if you're in engineering (except chemical engineering, or if you work in the energy industry). If you were in practically any other field, then it would probably be useful.

Depends on the field. A masters in Civil Engineering is among the top 5 to go after right now. I know their has been some debate I know for at least getting a PE in CE to upping the requirement to having at least a Master degree. Now I do not expect it to go any were soon but the fact that it is starting to become more heavily debated should tell you something. It gives you a HUGE and I repeat HUGE edge when it comes to Civil Engineering work or anything that is consulting work.

3. Like someone else said, having 2 Masters degrees makes you look unfocused. I'm excluding an MBA. Unless there's a good reason to have those two particular Masters degrees, and the positions you'd apply to would clearly benefit from the knowledge you've gained, I think it may not help you at all, and would only lead to more questions during an interview.

Well like I said it depends (not counting MBA here). I can see myself in the future having 2 Masters degrees. One in Computer Science and the other in Computer Engineering but they tend to complement each other really well it instead would make me look oddly enough more focussed.

It really depends on what you want to do. If what you want would need both masters or having both would complement each other in that field really well then yeah it can work.

I already have gotten a plain in place to explain my 2 unrelated bachelors degrees to a future employer. It is a year before I graduated with my first degree I knew it was not what I really wanted to do but I was to far invested to turn back. Got laid off and I took it as an opertunity to go back to school and do what I really wanted to do. Turn it from a negative to a positive and instead gives me an edge. That and the experience I got in construction taught me things that very few new grads will have. Heck several of my class mates have worked or work in construction and are going to get a degree in Computers field.

 

[puma1552]

Oh, how short-sighted of you.

I have two Master's degrees, and I got them at the same time - there wasn't any changing my mind, no "moving sideways." My undergraduate degree is in mechanical engineering; I also have an MBA and an MS in information systems. Today I manage projects in data center design.

My educational background looks stellar to someone who wants to employ someone to do what I do.

Perhaps the person lacking focus is the one who can't see the value in a diverse education?

Yeah, as pointed out, an MBA is a bit different scenario. A "supplemental" degree.

MBAs are a dime a dozen now anyway though too, unfortunately. 20 years ago an MBA was a great thing, now it's something everyone has.

 

[puma1552]

1. I'm not sure if you even need a Masters if you're in engineering (except chemical engineering, or if you work in the energy industry). If you were in practically any other field, then it would probably be useful.

Errm, not really sure why you think you need a masters in chemE? It's one of if not the most lucrative engineering degree as it is (compE *may* edge it out by a slight margin, I can't remember), and is thus also one of the top three most lucrative undergraduate degrees of all. Many people coming out of my program were starting in the mid $70ks plus sign on and relocation bonuses. The lowest I heard was $63k starting. True, if you want to go into renewable energy, then a masters or PhD will help since it's basically research, but if you just want to work in industry a 4 year degree is plenty fine to live a really nice life.

Interesting line of thinking. Neither I nor anyone else I know who has had to hire someone with multiple degrees has ever really had an issue with multiple degrees. Obtaining multiple degrees before employment costs the hiring party zero dollars, so it really doesn't matter.

Like I said, it's one line of thinking, and several other people in this thread, in the positions of HR, have echoed it so it does hold in some/many situations.

Oh, and graduate degree(s) is/are usually not seen as evidence for "lack of commitment." Perhaps you've never studied for one.

Is the holier-than-thouism necessary? I've done the apps for top programs and know that it wasn't worth spending $70k-$140k for one when I've got chemE/chem degrees in my back pocket and industrial connections. Nobody said graduate degrees showed a "lack of commitment", the topic is about getting two masters degrees in unrelated fields, you know that.

So what? A hiring manager is not going to say "Wow, this electrical engineer has another degree in mechanical engineering, so obviously they aren't qualified!" Your example is a bad one in terms of supporting your argument.

Again, nobody said anything about being unqualified. Not at all.

 

[Liquorpuki]

PHD all the way

And if you're an ME, go get your PE license as well

 

[ericgoh88]

How about one technical master and a MBA. See, one day you still may progress up the corporate ladder and become a manager and etc, MBA will come handy. Technical master degree will make you have the skills in that field.

If you plan for reearch/academic or for passion, can consider doing PhD. Usually you will be very focus in that area of the field.

To deem whether you are around doctorate level, there are credit transfer or evaluation. For professional doctorate like DBA, its ~60 grad credits after your master degree's 30 to 36 grad credits. If you study various masters degrees or postgrad education and accumulated to the same amount of grad credits, i think you are roughly at the level of professional doctorate in multidisciplinaries

 

[Mac'nCheese]

Its been 7 years, hope the OP made his decision by now.

 

[Zombie Acorn]

Get a job.

 

[D.T.]

Its been 7 years, hope the OP made his decision by now.

He's still in school working on his 4th Masters degree ...

 

[Nicnox]

I don't know about unfocused as I really enjoy both fields. But you make an interesting point. Perhaps instead of a second masters, just go straight into a Phd program in the other field


I disagree about one topic. I would like to deal with emissions and that has substantial overlap in both atmospheric science and engineering. At least that is my thinking lol. My issue with a Phd potentially is that it may pigeon hole one into a specific industry. I would like to be as diverse as possible so I can more of a safety net career-wise yet still be able to pursue my interests.

Regarding money, as long as I can have a modest home, food and a reliable form of transportation, that is all I desire. I am not aiming to be wealthy by getting multiple degrees but rather be as attractive to as many potential companies in these two fields that I can be


That is my understanding as well and I do agree about the Phd being more impressive but I am just trying to look at it from a career point of view and what option may be the most "safe" in the long run

[doublepost=1498782352][/doublepost]I currently have 1 masters in IT. but i am considering to take 2nd masters on mgmt. I feel it would assist up climbing up the ladder - knowledge in my area and knowledge on the business/organization needs. Make sense?