Anybody have higher than a master's degree?

Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (Full Version)

All Forums >> [Casual Banter] >> Off the Grid

Message

MissAsylum -> Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 12:03:24 PM)
Not looking for kudos or anything- but I have officially applied for graduation for the 3rd time. This time, I'm getting my master's degree in fine art. Now, I'm quite a few years ahead of schedule, I'm 21 and I already have 2 bachelor's degrees. Since I'm not sick of school and actually love it, I figured I might as well pursue a PhD. I hope to become a curator one day, so I know this will help tremendously. This is new for me, so has anybody here gone through the process of obtaining a degree higher than a master's? What was your experience like? Any knowledge you can pass on?

pahunkboy -> RE: Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 12:08:35 PM)
Hello. I started a Masters and hated it. So I did not proceed after that first class. My impression of Phd folks is they are either the coolest people on earth- or a pompous ass wind bags--- anyone I knew with a Phd- no one was in the middle range. So- if you press on- as a cool person- yay- yes- go for it. If you become a pompous wind bag- then - don't bother.....

MissAsylum -> RE: Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 12:13:45 PM)
well in my opinion, pompous windbags carry the following traits: overly opinionated/hypercritical rude arrogant snobbish i have a few professors like that- and i won't say that I hate them, but I certainly could do without them. So chances are, I'm not going to be. So no worries. [;)]

DomYngBlk -> RE: Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 12:18:32 PM)
Congrats Miss, all good. Should be proud. Book smarts waved bye bye to me a long time ago.

MissAsylum -> RE: Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 12:23:36 PM)
well according to your profile, you are only 25, further education is well within your reach if you want it.

DomYngBlk -> RE: Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 12:24:53 PM)
Thanks, It didn't take the first time. But got other things. All is good

DesFIP -> RE: Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 12:32:59 PM)
My oldest is going for her master's. She has officially decided against a PhD because you are the professor's slave during the process. She's in a small university so is friendly with both professors and grad students, and this is the norm across the board. It's worth it in the end if you can tolerate the process. Talk to some and find out the nitty gritty for yourself.

pahunkboy -> RE: Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 12:40:55 PM)
MissA, I doubt you would get an ego problem. I would want to have some idea what the end game is. There are a series of goals I did when I was young- as I was young- and say school and travel- do it while your young- since when one gets older it is hard to do that stuff.

samboct -> RE: Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 2:18:11 PM)
Hi MissA There are actually a few of us hanging around here with Ph.Ds. I'll let the others chime in as they see fit. My doctoral work was in bioinorganic chemistry and I've actually got a somewhat different viewpoint than some of the previous posters. My experience was that Ph.Ds were in demand when I started school, but by the time I came out after a post doc 9 years later- research was getting cut in lots of industries (did I mention I despise Ronnie Rayguns?) and most of my friends and I wound up being in a terrible scramble for jobs. People with Ph.Ds in history have fared worse since schools have been replacing tenured faculty with adjuncts at much lower pay (and it was never great to begin with)- it can be very hard to make a living as an academic. Teaching at a high school is considered a good job for a history Ph.D. Schools have also done an abysmal job in terms of speaking out about the poor prospects of employment for their Ph.D. students. People assume that since Ph.Ds are hard to get (and they are- I've met relatively few bozos who've slogged it through) that people with the degrees are in demand- but it's not true. Schools have a vested interest in making sure that there are Ph.Ds around campus- they do a lot of the work for dirt cheap. Also- in times of economic hardship, a lot of folks decide to hang in school- I did. The problem is that when you get out may not be any better than when you went in. Be very, very careful about taking loans out to get a degree. Some schools will offer financial support for their graduate students in areas outside of the sciences- shop around. Ph.Ds can also make you LESS marketable. People assume that if you've gotten a Ph.D in a field and you don't get a job in it- there's something wrong with you. Trying to change fields can be a nightmare because of this assumption. So if you come out with a Ph.D. and you want to be a museum curator and discover that there are no jobs, you'll be needing a big shovel. Really- how much turnover is there in this field? I'll bet that there are a handful of jobs a year at best. So while the Ph.D. can fuel a sense of personal accomplishment- it's often a millstone when it comes to employment. Something to kick around... Sam

January -> RE: Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 2:36:29 PM)
quote: This is new for me, so has anybody here gone through the process of obtaining a degree higher than a master's? I have a Ph.D. In science. I loved my graduate work, and am still (even at the age of 99 ;) ) mighty proud of that achievement. I don't use my science knowledge all that much, now that I'm a fiction writer, but I keep thinking I will... So, MissA, Go For It! January

Tantriqu -> RE: Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 4:27:10 PM)
As a Domme, poetically, yes, yes, I DO have a degree higher than a master's ;-) If your PhD is in the arts and in a highly desirable or politically correct field, get ready for the gravy train of professorship with working two-day weeks plus four-month long summers off, tenure, and retirement at 50! If your PhD is in the arts and NOT employable, hmmm, do you want fries with that? You have to choose between the reality of doing what you love and the uncertain future of being paid a living wage to do what you love, i.e., being a TA without employment benefits for decades. If it's in the sciences/engineering/math, get ready for hard work and an endless glamourless thankless job that's gotta be done. And then a post-doc. But at least you'll be contributing to the collective intelligence of humanity in a meaningful way, unlike those lazy bastards who got the identical degree as yours but without labs, experiments, writing or studying, just by parsing Bon Jovi lyrics or smearing their earwax on canvas and lighting it on fire as performance art. And an mba is nothing but a degree money can buy, where most businessmen pay their secretaries to do their homework. There ya go! Good luck! Edited to add: A friend's partner got his degree in library science: 8 years for a master's, for chrissake! He's a lazyass to the rest of us, but that's an aside: he wants to be a curator, and apparently lots of museums need archival folks NOW, so he's taking the path of applying now, rather than run the risk of going into a PhD programme and watching the job offers dry up. But that's just him. ymmv

BeingChewsie -> RE: Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 4:36:39 PM)
Yes, working on my doctorate in nursing right now. I'm doing it mostly for personal achievement. Go for it and good luck! quote: ORIGINAL: MissAsylum This is new for me, so has anybody here gone through the process of obtaining a degree higher than a master's?

PeonForHer -> RE: Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 5:32:39 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: MissAsylum This is new for me, so has anybody here gone through the process of obtaining a degree higher than a master's? I've counted eleven people with PhDs on CM that I've spoken to, Miss Asylum. To me, that's an astonishingly high number and testimony to the belief that kinky people tend to be more highly educated. Indeed, if you count those with PhDs from USA universities (and I see no reason why one shouldn't - the US education system has come a long way in recent decades and the literacy rates are encouraging) there are at least twenty-one PhD holders on CM that I know of. They're more commonplace than one might think. The thing you have to realise, though, is that a PhD isn't a course. You work an awful lot on your own. It can be very hermit-like and, sometimes, lonely. None of your friends will know, or care, what you're talking about. Few of the people you mix with while studying will understand or be interested, either (just as you won't be, in their PhD subject). The lifestyle of doctoral research isn't everyone's cup of tea, that's all I'm saying.

sophia37 -> RE: Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 5:54:54 PM)
I considered a Doctoral degree but decided the politics weren't worth it. My masters degree didn't earn me a fortune. Just gave me more smarts. Still paying off my college loan in fact. ugh. I'm 50 years of age. Keep that thought in mind.

LadyHibiscus -> RE: Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 6:52:45 PM)
Two master's degrees, no doctorate yet. I really want one, too. I's stalled at the topic, though. Finances are another issue! Someday...

MissAsylum -> RE: Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 7:04:59 PM)
this really took me a while to process. you gave me a lot to think about. thank you. quote: ) quote: ORIGINAL: samboct Hi MissA There are actually a few of us hanging around here with Ph.Ds. I'll let the others chime in as they see fit. My doctoral work was in bioinorganic chemistry and I've actually got a somewhat different viewpoint than some of the previous posters. My experience was that Ph.Ds were in demand when I started school, but by the time I came out after a post doc 9 years later- research was getting cut in lots of industries (did I mention I despise Ronnie Rayguns?) and most of my friends and I wound up being in a terrible scramble for jobs. People with Ph.Ds in history have fared worse since schools have been replacing tenured faculty with adjuncts at much lower pay (and it was never great to begin with)- it can be very hard to make a living as an academic. Teaching at a high school is considered a good job for a history Ph.D. Schools have also done an abysmal job in terms of speaking out about the poor prospects of employment for their Ph.D. students. People assume that since Ph.Ds are hard to get (and they are- I've met relatively few bozos who've slogged it through) that people with the degrees are in demand- but it's not true. Schools have a vested interest in making sure that there are Ph.Ds around campus- they do a lot of the work for dirt cheap. Also- in times of economic hardship, a lot of folks decide to hang in school- I did. The problem is that when you get out may not be any better than when you went in. Be very, very careful about taking loans out to get a degree. Some schools will offer financial support for their graduate students in areas outside of the sciences- shop around. Ph.Ds can also make you LESS marketable. People assume that if you've gotten a Ph.D in a field and you don't get a job in it- there's something wrong with you. Trying to change fields can be a nightmare because of this assumption. So if you come out with a Ph.D. and you want to be a museum curator and discover that there are no jobs, you'll be needing a big shovel. Really- how much turnover is there in this field? I'll bet that there are a handful of jobs a year at best. So while the Ph.D. can fuel a sense of personal accomplishment- it's often a millstone when it comes to employment. Something to kick around... Sam

MissAsylum -> RE: Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 7:09:18 PM)
this reminds me of one of the first American shows i watched called Girlfriends. One character probably was the most educated out of the group, holding 5 higher level degrees....but was drifting aimlessly through life until the series entered its last season or two. it almost scared me out of college. quote: ORIGINAL: Tantriqu As a Domme, poetically, yes, yes, I DO have a degree higher than a master's ;-) If your PhD is in the arts and in a highly desirable or politically correct field, get ready for the gravy train of professorship with working two-day weeks plus four-month long summers off, tenure, and retirement at 50! If your PhD is in the arts and NOT employable, hmmm, do you want fries with that? You have to choose between the reality of doing what you love and the uncertain future of being paid a living wage to do what you love, i.e., being a TA without employment benefits for decades. If it's in the sciences/engineering/math, get ready for hard work and an endless glamourless thankless job that's gotta be done. And then a post-doc. But at least you'll be contributing to the collective intelligence of humanity in a meaningful way, unlike those lazy bastards who got the identical degree as yours but without labs, experiments, writing or studying, just by parsing Bon Jovi lyrics or smearing their earwax on canvas and lighting it on fire as performance art. And an mba is nothing but a degree money can buy, where most businessmen pay their secretaries to do their homework. There ya go! Good luck! Edited to add: A friend's partner got his degree in library science: 8 years for a master's, for chrissake! He's a lazyass to the rest of us, but that's an aside: he wants to be a curator, and apparently lots of museums need archival folks NOW, so he's taking the path of applying now, rather than run the risk of going into a PhD programme and watching the job offers dry up. But that's just him. ymmv

sunshinemiss -> RE: Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 7:19:11 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: MissAsylum well according to your profile, you are only 25, further education is well within your reach if you want it. I'm not sure what age has to do with it, but ok. Congrats on your plan Asylum, sounds good. best, sunshine

RedMagic1 -> RE: Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 7:43:59 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: MissAsylum this really took me a while to process. you gave me a lot to think about. thank you. I believe samboct is correct. You cannot look at a PhD as an aid to getting a job. Even in the hard sciences, faculty are now advising things like, "Only get a PhD if you have to," in the same way that certain people have to paint or sing or dance. The only reward in the current economy, except for a very few who are both brilliant and lucky, is enjoyment and fulfillment. And there are a lot of ways to enjoy life and feel fulfilled.

samboct -> RE: Anybody have higher than a master's degree? (10/29/2010 8:01:13 PM)
"this really took me a while to process. you gave me a lot to think about. thank you." You're welcome. From the science perspective- often working a few years before getting a graduate degree is a better plan. Schools tend to like their Ph.D. candidates on the younger side, because more mature individuals often question the process, not trusting their advisers with their careers and wanting to get out sooner, rather than later. On the political side, students often try to one up each other with the number of hours that they put in. Most of this is nonsense- and the more mature candidates were often far more organized and cranked out a lot of work efficiently. I don't know anything about the museum curating end of academia, but most firms will look at employment history. Figure that you'll be in your late 20s at best coming out- having some job history prior can provide some reassurance to potential employers that you won't be an ivory tower academic. Also note- and this is disheartening- that many employers feel insecure around those with doctoral degrees. There's a prejudice that can manifest itself as belittling people with Ph.Ds as arrogant, or complaining that all they do is stare at walls. There is a certain truth here. What a doctoral degree will teach you how to do is focus on a particular problem. The modern mantra in business of multitasking- of accomplishing many small tasks- occasionally without really understanding ramifications, does not mesh well with the skills you will acquire. Consequently, some of us in the sciences have decided that we have to start our own businesses. Unfortunately, we were very poorly prepared for this challenge and we're now a lot older than some of the kids that are the darlings of the VC crowd. Another suggestion- take some courses in an MBA program. See if people in your department gasp at this idea, or whether other students have done the same. Plan on your employability when you graduate being your responsibility. My thesis advisor figured that she would train me as a scientist (and she did- I was well trained, because I've seen a bunch of the other folks) and getting a job would be my problem. Unfortunately, if you've been in the lab for 7 years, with no industrial contacts because your thesis advisor has a conniption about taking off for conferences etc- this is a problem. In her defense- it wasn't a problem when she graduated- it's something that arose in the sciences in the late 80s. In summary- make sure you have a career plan. Going into school to develop one can bite you later on. Sam

Page: [1] 2 next > >>

Collarchat.com © 2025

Terms of Service

0.0625