Is a Master's Degree worth the effort ?

[ChrisMcCoy]

I know there are a lot of IT/IS people in this forum.
As one of them myself, I'm considering going back for my Master of Science in Information Systems Management. My question is, has anyone in the forum done this and did it improve your career after completing the degree ? In otherwords, is this worth my time and effort, or is it on the same level as a Certification. If it's no better than an MCSE I'm not going to do it. I already have one of those.

Thanks for your input !

Chris

[Georges]

I hold a Master's degree in Coporate Finance and European Area. From what I can tell after 3 years of work in auditing, a Master's degree is ABOVE ALL for yourself.

In most cases, it won't significantly boost your career (at least not by itself and certainly not in the beginning) but it might help you understand things quicker (due to a knowledge advance) than other people in your generation and thus may boost your career. Furthermore, it may open up doors to jobs you would normally not have access to, in particular when your work experience is zero or only 1-5 years. A Master's is still perceived differently than some sort of certification, for it represents a significant addition to your studying curriculum, which everyone can see - not to forget that a Master's can be really tough studying and such an intense personal investment will make you grow.

Therefore my recommendation: if there is a Master's programme which really attracts your interest, then do it, because it will provide you with a significant knowledge advance and in the long run it may have significant impact on your career. If it is only for the sake of money / career boosts, then don't do it, unless you can be really certain in advance that the diploma will open doors for signficant extra cash and/or responsibilities.

[ChrisMcCoy]

Thanks for the advice !

I found a school with a program geared toward working adults.
So...I may just go ahead and do this.
I appreciate your input on a rather difficult decision. :)
Chris

[pmarafio]

I have made my career in information systems. I used to be a programmer, and before that a network engineer. I went back to school for a Masters in Business Administration. This has been the best career decision I ever made. In a few years I literally doubled my income as a result. In addition to the financial benefits of a graduate business degree, the business program really rounds out your background and knowledge. It gives you an excellent perspective on how technology fits into the corporation and it enables technical folks like us to speak with business people and understand their needs.

In general, a masters degree is a more focused education that really lets you become a "master" at your given discipline. I highly recommend that you pursue it. Feel free to IM me or send an email if you'd like to discuss it further - it's a big committment and a major decision!

Good luck.

[mtg7643]

I just completed my Masters degree with the University of Oregon's Online Applied Information Management program. I cant say enough good things about it. It had hours flexible enough to allow me to finish in 2 1/2 years while working full time. It's benefited my career almost immediately, and next spring I will have another promotion that is helped because of my degree. Go for the master's degree. If you are interested in participating online go to http://www.aimdegree.com

[nismael]

In a society that becomes driven by knowledge, it sure isn't bad to be the most educated as possible if you have the will to go through many school years. There are already studies that prove that people with almost no education have a lot less chance to find a good job than 20 years ago. A college degree is already very good, but there are growing needs for people with higher degrees. So I would say that in almost every areas, it would benefit your career. A master can also be good to specialize in a particular area. Like if I would go back to school to do a master, I would probably specialize in image analysis and synthesis, and other people would prefer to specialize in AI or security or whatever.

Personally I would do a master just for the fun of going back to school, breaking this 5/7 - 40 hours a day routine and meeting plenty of nice people and do party 2-3 times a week :)

[ChrisMcCoy]

Thanks for the responses everyone !
Your advice has helped tremendously, and I decided to go for it !
Earlier this week I was accepted into Devry University's Keller Graduate School of Business Management http://www.keller.edu . I'm sorting out the financials, but I'll probably start there in October during the next 8 week session. One of the things that sold me was the option to mix elements of other degree programs, such as project management and network/communication management with the information systems management program and "customize the course of study".
I have an option to take classes online or in the classroom, and it looks like with my busy work and travel schedule, wife and 2 kids, I'll actually be able to get this done in a reasonable amount of time, while sneaking in a gig here and there (Gotta keep music around for my stress release) :)
Cheers and thanks again,

Chris

[Georges]

Congratulations for your decision, great luck!