Graduate Degree Title, Does it matter?
Graduate Degree Title, Does it matter?
(OP)
My employer will fully sponsor a degree from UofM and I only have to purchase books. However, the degree is focused toward a career in the Automotive industry and I am not 100% confident I want to remain in the Auto industry forever. The degree would take approximately 4 years to complete.
My employer also provides tuition reimbursement up to dollar limit per year which would allow me to attend Purdue for an Interdisciplinary engineering degree in the same time frame at a cost to me of approximately $6000. However, I have to pay the tuition cost up front and pass the class with a certain grade before reimbursement. I can transfer credits from Purdue into the UofM degree at anytime should I decide to take the employer sponsored degree route.
So the UofM degree is nice because it is completely hands off with regard to money but suffers from being narrowly focused in an area I am unsure I want to pursue for my career.
The Purdue degree is nice because I can take courses I am interested in but suffers from requiring tuition cost up front and the added headache.
My question: Do you feel that the focus/content of the degree is more important? Or that you check the box for having an advanced degree. If the latter is the case, I would just transfer my current credit from Purdue into UofM and use my money for other things.
Thoughts?
My employer also provides tuition reimbursement up to dollar limit per year which would allow me to attend Purdue for an Interdisciplinary engineering degree in the same time frame at a cost to me of approximately $6000. However, I have to pay the tuition cost up front and pass the class with a certain grade before reimbursement. I can transfer credits from Purdue into the UofM degree at anytime should I decide to take the employer sponsored degree route.
So the UofM degree is nice because it is completely hands off with regard to money but suffers from being narrowly focused in an area I am unsure I want to pursue for my career.
The Purdue degree is nice because I can take courses I am interested in but suffers from requiring tuition cost up front and the added headache.
My question: Do you feel that the focus/content of the degree is more important? Or that you check the box for having an advanced degree. If the latter is the case, I would just transfer my current credit from Purdue into UofM and use my money for other things.
Thoughts?





RE: Graduate Degree Title, Does it matter?
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RE: Graduate Degree Title, Does it matter?
David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering
In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei, Italian Physicist
RE: Graduate Degree Title, Does it matter?
RE: Graduate Degree Title, Does it matter?
Dan - Owner
http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: Graduate Degree Title, Does it matter?
Do you feel future job security would be better with a MS over a BS?
Cheers
RE: Graduate Degree Title, Does it matter?
In the idealized sense, job security is a function of the value you provide. An MS may offer credential value to your company, or may allow you to learn a skill that translates to production value.
But truthfully, your value as an employee is affected more heavily by communication, involvement and attitude than any degree or certification.
RE: Graduate Degree Title, Does it matter?
Job security is in no (reasonable) way tied to your level of degree... if a company wants to improve their bottom line, they look for who is costing them the most (and if you're lucky, who is also providing the least benefit).
Dan - Owner
http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: Graduate Degree Title, Does it matter?
Since I went out on my own, I think I get preferential selection over BS in expert witness work, but that is the only place I've ever seen an MS make a material difference. Judges and Lawyers seem to like the graduate credential (and the P.E.), but companies don't seem to care.
David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering
In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei, Italian Physicist
RE: Graduate Degree Title, Does it matter?
Another time they did try and compile all our qualifications and experience and skills etc. into a spreadsheet or something they claimed it was nothing to do with 'ranking & yanking', but a few weeks later there was a round of layoffs.
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: Graduate Degree Title, Does it matter?
TTFN

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RE: Graduate Degree Title, Does it matter?
RE: Graduate Degree Title, Does it matter?
David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering
In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei, Italian Physicist
RE: Graduate Degree Title, Does it matter?
This is also fundamentally why most K-12 students suck at STEM; they really don't have any interest or passion in it, because the push from the academic side is completely swamped up by the parents or peers thinking they'll succeed at baseball, or soccer, or ANYTHING else, besides STEM. My neighbor pushed his son into Little League, etc., while I pushed my older son into STEM, made easier by the fact that I'm an enginerd. So, he's graduated from college and working at a very well-known .COM and making the big bucks. Lost track of my neighbor's son, but I doubt that he's a baseball draft choice and I doubt that he's doing STEM. Oddly, his father does gifted program testing and his mother is a teacher, but they didn't really push him in that direction.
So, you need to examine your interests, and identify subjects that will get you out of bed to solve problems. THAT's what you should study, if you want to go that route. I didn't because I'm either ADD or just interested in too many different things. Nevertheless, I'm passionate about learning in general, and my workplace position reflects that.
TTFN

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