Two Masters Degrees? Using College Equally A Crutch?
Monday, November 10, 2003
My most read weblog post service is 1 I published inward Apr 2007, called, "For students: Don't collect degrees." It was prompted past times a inquiry I received from a student:
As someone who is inward on the business/medical/policy of today's wellness aid system, what create you lot retrieve nigh the career prospects of those pursuing a articulation JD/MPH? Is it worth it?
Virtually every day--even over viii years later--it tops the listing on my weblog statistics inward damage of viewers, together with it has prompted nigh 3 dozen comments. I'm rattling pleased immature people bring constitute it helpful every bit they catch their career paths.
Here's the latest enquiry that's come upward across the transom:
Mr. Levy, I would appreciate your thoughts. I bring a MPA inward H.C.Administration together with a MS inward Organizational Change Management. I've been a generalist every bit I relish alter together with bring many interests: acute, ambulatory, together with long term aid every bit good every bit operate inward social services providing services to individuals alongside I/DD together with inward behavioural health.
I appear to bring gravitated towards social services together with bring thoughts of State or Federal authorities though I would in all likelihood acquire overly frustrated alongside their pace.
I jurist I bring a twosome inquiries: If I persue (sic) a doctorate or JD, what concentrations would round-out my Masters? Also, I would dearest to operate abroad or for an way where at that topographic point powerfulness live on intermittent travel. Would you lot bring whatever suggestions?
Thanks for your thoughts.
And my reply:
Whoa, you lot bring 2 masters degrees together with you lot desire to expire dorsum to schoolhouse for more? My showtime reaction is that you've already spent plenty fourth dimension getting degrees together with that it's fourth dimension to acquire to a greater extent than sense inward the operate house together with figure out what you lot genuinely aid nigh doing.
But if you lot desire to acquire a Ph.D., it should non live on to "round out" your masters. You alone acquire a Ph.D. for 1 of 2 reasons: (1) To acquire an academic together with live on a professor somewhere; or (2) to operate inward a house similar the World Bank, where they appear to value that degree. As to what land you lot should pursue for a Ph.D., you'll need to alternative a land where you lot tin brand an original contribution to the field. Based on what you've learned together with experienced to date, tin you lot imagine what that powerfulness be? If not, don't fifty-fifty retrieve nigh getting a Ph.D.
As to a JD, you lot alone expire to police pull schoolhouse to acquire a lawyer. You don't expire to police pull schoolhouse to circular out your education. It is a merchandise school. It is non a house to expand your intellectual capital, unless, again, you lot intend to motion into academic police pull together with acquire a professor. If so, you lot should, again, bring a sense of where you lot tin brand an original contribution to the field.
On the professional person front, if you lot fearfulness that the land or federal authorities would live on likewise irksome for you, don't expire there. Slowness is the nature of government. It is designed to live on irksome together with deliberative.
Your final betoken nigh wanting an way where at that topographic point powerfulness live on move suggests that you lot are putting the cart earlier the horse. First, abide by an way that excites your passions together with sense of purpose. If it involves travel, together with thence you lot acquire a bonus. But, don't alternative an way that involves move for the sake of the travel.
In short, it sounds similar it's fourth dimension to halt beingness such a generalist together with acquire your hands muddied genuinely working inward the trenches together with doing something interesting together with difficult. After a few years of that, you lot tin figure out if to a greater extent than formal teaching is worth doing. Sorry, only your banker's complaint suggests that you lot are using college every bit a crutch to avoid committing to some chore where you lot volition bring to exam out what you lot genuinely aid about. Take a leap!
By the way, when it comes fourth dimension to negotiate that novel chore offer, cheque out our mass on salary negotiation together with more: How to Negotiate Your First Job!
As someone who is inward on the business/medical/policy of today's wellness aid system, what create you lot retrieve nigh the career prospects of those pursuing a articulation JD/MPH? Is it worth it?
Virtually every day--even over viii years later--it tops the listing on my weblog statistics inward damage of viewers, together with it has prompted nigh 3 dozen comments. I'm rattling pleased immature people bring constitute it helpful every bit they catch their career paths.
Here's the latest enquiry that's come upward across the transom:
Mr. Levy, I would appreciate your thoughts. I bring a MPA inward H.C.Administration together with a MS inward Organizational Change Management. I've been a generalist every bit I relish alter together with bring many interests: acute, ambulatory, together with long term aid every bit good every bit operate inward social services providing services to individuals alongside I/DD together with inward behavioural health.
I appear to bring gravitated towards social services together with bring thoughts of State or Federal authorities though I would in all likelihood acquire overly frustrated alongside their pace.
I jurist I bring a twosome inquiries: If I persue (sic) a doctorate or JD, what concentrations would round-out my Masters? Also, I would dearest to operate abroad or for an way where at that topographic point powerfulness live on intermittent travel. Would you lot bring whatever suggestions?
Thanks for your thoughts.
And my reply:
Whoa, you lot bring 2 masters degrees together with you lot desire to expire dorsum to schoolhouse for more? My showtime reaction is that you've already spent plenty fourth dimension getting degrees together with that it's fourth dimension to acquire to a greater extent than sense inward the operate house together with figure out what you lot genuinely aid nigh doing.
But if you lot desire to acquire a Ph.D., it should non live on to "round out" your masters. You alone acquire a Ph.D. for 1 of 2 reasons: (1) To acquire an academic together with live on a professor somewhere; or (2) to operate inward a house similar the World Bank, where they appear to value that degree. As to what land you lot should pursue for a Ph.D., you'll need to alternative a land where you lot tin brand an original contribution to the field. Based on what you've learned together with experienced to date, tin you lot imagine what that powerfulness be? If not, don't fifty-fifty retrieve nigh getting a Ph.D.
As to a JD, you lot alone expire to police pull schoolhouse to acquire a lawyer. You don't expire to police pull schoolhouse to circular out your education. It is a merchandise school. It is non a house to expand your intellectual capital, unless, again, you lot intend to motion into academic police pull together with acquire a professor. If so, you lot should, again, bring a sense of where you lot tin brand an original contribution to the field.
On the professional person front, if you lot fearfulness that the land or federal authorities would live on likewise irksome for you, don't expire there. Slowness is the nature of government. It is designed to live on irksome together with deliberative.
Your final betoken nigh wanting an way where at that topographic point powerfulness live on move suggests that you lot are putting the cart earlier the horse. First, abide by an way that excites your passions together with sense of purpose. If it involves travel, together with thence you lot acquire a bonus. But, don't alternative an way that involves move for the sake of the travel.
In short, it sounds similar it's fourth dimension to halt beingness such a generalist together with acquire your hands muddied genuinely working inward the trenches together with doing something interesting together with difficult. After a few years of that, you lot tin figure out if to a greater extent than formal teaching is worth doing. Sorry, only your banker's complaint suggests that you lot are using college every bit a crutch to avoid committing to some chore where you lot volition bring to exam out what you lot genuinely aid about. Take a leap!
By the way, when it comes fourth dimension to negotiate that novel chore offer, cheque out our mass on salary negotiation together with more: How to Negotiate Your First Job!