Do you recommend getting a master's?
Do you recommend getting a master's?
(OP)
Hi guys,
I am just curious what a lot of you guys think about the value of a master's degree in structures. Obviously, with companies starving for engineers, it isn't necessary to get a well-paying job, but will having an advanced degree reap long-term benefits? I'd like to hear what you think...
I am just curious what a lot of you guys think about the value of a master's degree in structures. Obviously, with companies starving for engineers, it isn't necessary to get a well-paying job, but will having an advanced degree reap long-term benefits? I'd like to hear what you think...






RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
But of course, that was the salary one year of experience would have got me.
But in the big picture, the masters gave me a lot of confidence. My employer liked it on my resume and in further job hunting, it set me apart from other candidstes.
There's also a lot of noise that a masters is going to be considered the minimum level for engineering graduates, like for architects.
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
I agree with Jed it does give one a sense of accomplishment; whether it brought me more money is hard to say. If you decide to pursue it, I hope your employer foots the bill.
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
Grad school is A LOT more fun than undergrad and you should be able to get it paid for, plus a small salary, if your grades are good. Unless it's financially crippling for some reason, I wouldn't consider NOT going ahead and getting it.
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
My idea is if you like it do it, in my case I just needed a real break, maybe in hindsight I would do it now, but I didn't, so be it, Im still here and still designing and building structures.
Interested to know what others in my vintage think about this topic !
Merry Christmas to all !
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
All that said, I still would recommend a Master's. I'm just not convinced that it equips one better for the consulting world than one year's experience does.
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
If it is something you want to pursue. investigate several school's programs. They are not the same and a good BS program does not guarantee a good MS program.
We have hired two engineers with MS degrees from the local university. Both of them did their research in prestress concrete girders for bridges. None of which was very relevant to our work. Neither of which was really trained for designing buildings. Both wanted to get into building design when they went and got their MS degrees. Both have said that they woul dhave gone else where had they known what they were getting into.
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
In my experience, the best way to go through grad school is to have an employer pay as you go. This way, your main investment is time, not money, and you can structure your coursework to focus on topics that best suit your day job and make it that much more fulfilling. I think this is more beneficial than completing a masters directly after a BS with little to no work experience.
Be aware, as most academia, post-graduate studies often get a bum wrap for being too theorhetical or too focused on a niche topic. My former grad school advisor would be proud if he could read this, because I fought him tooth and nail about coursework being too theory based. I wanted to learn practical applications. Yet, he repetitively reminded me that you don't learn theory on the job, so it's best to learn it in school. In hindsight, I see the beauty in learning higher engineering theory, because it helps make everything click so much faster.
So, if you already have a BS and have a little experience and your employer is willing to help you out, I'd say you have nothing to lose by going for it.
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
I have been in the role of hiring in a structural engineering department for many years. All of the MS grads I hired were very good. The few BS grads were good, but there was a noticable difference in ability, understanding, etc. Even after 1 year of experience, the BS - MS difference was apparent.
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
My excitement about pursuing a masters would not have diminished if the general sentiment in this thread would have been to discourage it, but I'm all that more excited to know that my colleagues encourage and respect this pursuit.
Happy studying, all!
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
I found the first 2 years working in a consultancy invaluable as has been mentioned in this thread a few times.
My bosses have been encouraging me to go for a Masters and this year I got hungry again, so I'm starting a distance learning (on-line) MSc in Renewable Energy in February. I know this veers away from structures but I believe there will be a useful knowledge overlap when I get working on some projects.
Anyway getting some experience has worked well for me, but having the support of my bosses to go on for the Masters is great.
If you're not working for a company that will help, try to find one.
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
I think this is very true. Thinking back to the various design subjects: steel, concrete, masonry, wood, lateral loads, etc. I learned some of these on the job, but never to the depth that I learned the ones I had in school. Of course, going through a good MS program gives the opportunity to take several more of these classes.
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
If you have a good mentor, this will only enhance what you can take from him as your knowledge base with be that much broader for him to expound upon.
I like others was tired of full time school and full time working after 4.1/2 years, so emhraced the opportunity to enter the work force. Thus I only have a BS in Architectural Engineering. When I do find the time to go for a Masters, it probably won't be in structural engineering.
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
I got my BSc and MSc consecutively and worked a few years before moving to Canada. I started a program for a PhD degree, but in the third year, for mixed reasons, I "downscaled" (as it was called, although I did the same thing as planned) to a MSc program. I am glad that all my degrees are on the same major.
I have worked in differet companies afterwards, from commercial to industrial, from size of a few to a few thousand employees. And I worked with many PhDs in engineering companies. It seems to me that companies regard PhD a great deal and blindly assign important jobs. For example, automatically grant them to be specification writer, technical supervisor, QC personnal, etc. I don't know if this is common practice.
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
Since abusementpark is structural, a professional license will probably be necessary (or at least desireable) for career progression. I would encourage this be a consideration as well.
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
I don't have one, but would recommend a Masters. Your career lasts a long time, and the more applicable knowledge you can obtain, the more valuable you'll be over your entire career. The good / valuable structural engineers are always learning new stuff and advancing their knowledge base and capabilities. I don't know that you necessarily need to obtain the knowledge from a masters degree, but it is a sure way to assure yourself that you'll be presented some of that knowledge - without learning it all yourself.
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
Everything seemed to become much clearer and working gave me additional insentive to pay more attention to what was being taught. I would often ask the prof what the practical aspect was of what he was teaching us or call him on something that was not practical.
I am with the others....go for it!
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?
RE: Do you recommend getting a master's?