Graduate School
Graduate School
(OP)
Realizing that graduate school is becoming more and more important, towards the industry standard, does anybody have advice to know when is the appropiate time to go?
I'm just finishing my first year after my bachelors. I've heard that it is helpful to gain some experience before heading for a masters. I don't want to try to work and go to school, but I feel the longer I wait the less likely I am to quit and go for it.
Realizing everybody and every situation is different, I'm just wondering how many engineers in practice (preferably structural, but any advice is appreciated) have their masters? When did you get it? Any suggestions?
I'm just finishing my first year after my bachelors. I've heard that it is helpful to gain some experience before heading for a masters. I don't want to try to work and go to school, but I feel the longer I wait the less likely I am to quit and go for it.
Realizing everybody and every situation is different, I'm just wondering how many engineers in practice (preferably structural, but any advice is appreciated) have their masters? When did you get it? Any suggestions?





RE: Graduate School
MBA, MS, MPhil, MEng...
My BEng is in Aerspace Systems Engineering, I don't have a Masters. I was looking into it but now am not so sure.
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
RE: Graduate School
I did my MS straight out of school. It gave me better job choices. It also keeps you from forgetting all the technical knowledge you gained in school. Would you gain more if you already had some experience? Sure, but the odds of you getting back to school full time diminish greatly once you've tasted a paycheck.
MBA programs usually want you to experience the real world before you apply. I would aim for a top 5 biz school if you can get in, the price difference seems to more than pay itself off.
-b
RE: Graduate School
I am one of very, very few at my office that doesn't have a MS. Most of the others that don't graduated from a 5-year AE program (certainly the equivalent of MS - though not recognized as such).
RE: Graduate School
That indeed would be the primary benefit. Another is that you get a better job coming out of school. Thirdly, another year of school is another year of maturity. I know I benefitted from it, and you seem to have as well in that you're 'way ahead' of your BS/MS coworkers.
-b
RE: Graduate School
What is the difference in work available to somebody with an MS to a BS?
RE: Graduate School
RE: Graduate School
As I recal youll find a lot of guys with just BS doubt the need for MS in many areas. Likewise one might suspect that some MS guys overplay their significance. However, my memory isn't what it was.
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
RE: Graduate School
I think an MS is a great way to put yourself on the path of your choosing. Most BSME jobs that were avialable to me at graduation were more manufacturing related. I wanted product development. I decided to stay in school and do an MS with a focus on design. I was able to pick up some internships in that area, and poof... my resume looked like a product developer rather than a generic BSME grad. I had much different job choices after the MSME.
If you've already got a job in the area you want, then I don't think an MS will do as much for you. It depends more on how your industy views it as to whether it's worth the effort. I think bigger, sexier, industries (automotive, aerospace, etc) tend to value it more, as there are so many talented people trying to distinguish themselves for a few promotions.
-b
RE: Graduate School
I don't think a masters does you much harm (in terms of short term prospects/pay), and it should be beneficial in the long term IF you stay in the technical stream. But if you go into manufacturing or management then it would have limited utility.
On the other hand a PhD has direct short term implicastions if you are looking at total financial recompense over the first few years after your BSc. I don't believe you can make up the difference in pay in that timeframe. Every year you stay at uni is another year that the rest of us are getting paid, promoted, and gaining experience, and like it or lump it, when you come into industry with no industrial experience you will not be taken very seriously by most people for a couple of years, and will be paid accordingly. The exception I suggest would be if you are working on an industry project directly with your employer during your PhD.
Cheers
Greg Locock
SIG:Please see FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
RE: Graduate School
That said, since you're already employed this isn't as big a concern. It may increase your pay, I would think this more likely when changing jobs though. The other reason people I know have gone back for a grad degree is that they have then been given more interesting problems to work on. But again, if you are happy with your current work this isn't much of an incentive.
I've never heard the comment about getting experience before a master's from anyone actually practising.
RE: Graduate School
If anything, it probably would have hindered. I do almost nothing related to what I thought I was going to be doing when I graduated. That's probably the strongest reason for not getting an MS, just simply that sh*t happens, and what you might have studied won't be of practical use to you later, or, it'll pidgeonhole you into a different career path altogether.
TTFN
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RE: Graduate School
As to why I'm going full time instead of part time? My situation is kind of unique. The program I'm taking (MS in Radiological Physics) is only offered at a handful of univeristies in North America, one of which happens to be in Detroit, about a 20 minute drive for me (40 minutes if the border is backed up). Because I'm Canadian and still living in Canada (commute to work in the US every day) I can't legally work and go to school in the US at the same time, as that would require two visas and the Border Guard I talked to about this said I can't have two visa's at once. So I'm forced to either quit my job and go full time, keep my job and take a different program part time at the University of Windsor, or move to another city in Canada where it's offered and try to find a job and go part time. Also, I just want to get it finished, so going full time would have been my choice regardless of Visa issues.
Bob
RE: Graduate School
I'm starting to realize that this probably won't effect me as much as I thought, but considering ASCE's new Policy 465 of 30 additional credits after your bachelors before you can sit for the PE. I understand that this is reqired to be implemented by the state you are obtaining your license from before it is required; I guess I felt like it was becoming almost a requirement to get a masters. But I realize by that time I'll have a lot of experience so it shouldn't effect me much.
RE: Graduate School
Having the experience ensured I had the desire to do well on my MSc because I certainly wasn't going back to my previous life! As a structural engineer, a masters is powerful and useful, if you are looking for project management roles or dipping the toe in research potentials. Takes a little longer to put it into play in the mainstream engineering.
The advantage of the masters programme is that it should be current, cover all the thinking of the industry, the future, the latest information on everything. You will learn so much more than the narrow BEng. What I learned in one year, blew my head off and stayed with me for a long time. The pressure of the studies and learning to deal with the vast array of information that just kept coming was a whole new ball game. You find you will sink or swim and that is great knowledge in itself.
Robert Mote
www.motagg.com
RE: Graduate School
For structural, it is definitely better have some work experience under your belt. It gives you a good context to view the material being presented. I have a few graduate classmates who have never set foot in an engineering office, and they have no idea what are practical design questions to be asking about material presented in class.
Good Luck!!
RE: Graduate School
However, reality can be different. If you have a choice, get two years minimum work experience, look learn and then go into MSc with nothing on your plate. You will learn a whole new level of attitude, knowledge and confidence.
I do recommend it for the enquiring mind.
Robert Mote
www.motagg.com