21-02-2003 13:02									#1
	University and Career advice Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

I'm almost done my second year now of computer science with a minor in math (requires only a couple additional math courses in addition to CS requirements), and I'm starting to think of what I should do after my degree.

I've basically narrowed it down to three choices:

• Take my BSc and get a job in the field as a software engineer
  
• Stay in school, get a Masters in Computer Science
  
• Stay in school, get an MBA
  

The easiest would be to just get a job as a software engineer when I graduate (that is my concentration afterall). But I don't want to be a software engineer for the rest of my life, I'm hoping to get somewhere in management or administration eventually.

Masters in CS: Would be cool, makes me more attractive from a technical point of view.

MBA: This is where I'm leaning. The chances of moving up the ranks in a company with an MBA are far higher than without one. I was told by someone that it helps to have a minor in something like economics to make yourself more attractive from the school's perspective, and that's something I'm seriously considering. I'd need to take 8 more semester-long econ courses to qualify for a minor, which would push my four-year degree to a five-year degree, but I find economics interesting so I'm not sure I'd mind. But is it really that valuable to have an econ minor?

For that matter, is it really valuable to have an MBA or a Masters in CS?

Any input is appreciated. Thanks.

	21-02-2003 13:05									#2
	Tired of ads?

If you think you can get a masters without too much trouble, then go for it. I'm going for a transfer degree from TMCC to University of Nevada, Las Vegas and getting my bachelor's there, then going for the masters in architecture.

The difference between a bachelor's and a master's counts for something in a lot of fields.

	21-02-2003 13:17									#3
	Full PM-box? Change here!

Honestly, and if you want advice from me... go for the most Education you can get. Adding another yr. to your schooling is not too much to get something that would probably be looked upon more favorably within the job sector.

My oldest daughter is adding half a yr. to her schooling just to obtain as much education and diversity in her field as possible. She's a senior right now , but will graduate at the end of the summer. (Taking summer courses again this yr to obtain her goals).

Go for the extra Education. It looks good on a resume, it can't hurt... it can only help... and do it now while you are thinking about it and have the opportunity. You never know what goes on, down the road and you may regret not doing it.

My advice therefore is to go for it.

Good luck.

	21-02-2003 13:52									#4
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

Extra education is definitely the ideal route, because it can't hurt. The real question is if I can put up with more education in 2 years' time and can resist the temptation of making real money. I think I can, though.

	21-02-2003 13:56									#5
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

High school education = money now
Higher education = MORE money now
Master's or better = potentially more money starting AND over the long-term

Yes Asher, you CAN resist the temptation to stop now. And you damn well should.

	22-02-2003 01:03									#6
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

(bump)

	22-02-2003 01:12									#7
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

I think that doing an bussiness degree is cool, esp. IF you want to be enterpreneurial(sp?), or to go into management.

I want to get bussiness or a law degree, myself. (Chemist.)

	22-02-2003 01:13									#8
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quote: Originally posted by DRoseDARs High school education = money now Higher education = MORE money now Master's or better = potentially more money starting AND over the long-term Yes Asher, you CAN resist the temptation to stop now. And you damn well should.

If I may:

High school = Bullshit, hell everybody craps on you.
Higher education = Put up with some bullshit
Master's or better = Yer the Bull

	22-02-2003 01:14									#9
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

There is always a PhD in general studies.

	22-02-2003 01:37									#10
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quote: Originally posted by monkspider There is always a PhD in general studies.

I'd need to switch faculties for that, and I'm not sure what kind of job I'd get with it. Is there anything you can do with that besides teaching?

	22-02-2003 01:38									#11
	Re: University and Career advice Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

I'm an MBA student myself. The things I learn are very diverse and potentially very useful for a career in management. So if a career in management is something you want, it's definitely the way to go.

quote: Originally posted by Asher I was told by someone that it helps to have a minor in something like economics to make yourself more attractive from the school's perspective [...] But is it really that valuable to have an econ minor?

Depends on who that "someone" was.

Do you have "study advisor"-people at your university (people who have a lot of knowledge on studies/job outlook/study composition)?
If there is, go consult one.

When I decided to quit my Industrial Design-study, the study advisor at the university proposed my current BA study to me, and so far it's been good advice

	22-02-2003 01:39									#12
	Put an end to popups!

What would you be called, anyway?

A doctor of... stuff?

	22-02-2003 01:41									#13
	Tired of ads?

How about taking a year off and travelling around the world?

	22-02-2003 01:53									#14
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Zopper: We have advisors too, I'm going to make an appointment with one once school returns next week.

Snapcase: I'm not a big fan of travelling, and I don't have the money for that kind of thing.

	22-02-2003 01:53									#15
	Full PM-box? Change here!

Buck speaks the truth. If not a year, at least take 3 or 4 months.

I wish I could do this.

	22-02-2003 02:32									#16
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

Left school, got a job (two-and-a-half-years-ago), starting degree in Business and Marketing in Spetember and then hope to do a Masters in Enterprise development, both part-time while still working (and earning) it's gonna be a lot of hard work but will hopefully pay off- my advice = learn as much as you can stay on as long as you can.

Good Luck!

	22-02-2003 03:05									#17
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

For an MBA program, a lot of them require a couple of years of work experience... but aside from that, Math is probably as important as Econ. In fact, for an MFE (masters in financial engineering) it would be better. Check out U of California at Berkeley's program for an idea. www.haas.berkeley.edu iirc.

If you decide to do an MBA, I would recommend an accounting class or two. Boring, but helpful in the long run.

	22-02-2003 03:19									#18
	Suffering from ads?

I've got an MBA and a BA in International Relations. I can't say that the econ component of my BA helped much, although it gave me a decent background for the micro- and macro-econ courses you take with most MBAs. I think many people have the misconception that an econ background gives you a leg up in an MBA program. Everything in an MBA program is geared towards "management", so even the two econ courses you generally take are pretty basic and geared towards what a manager should know. Any more advanced econ theory, even the stuff I took with my BA, is totally useless for the purposes of an MBA. Frankly, you'd be far better off to just take something like the CSC - it gives you a much better background. Also, consider some accounting courses - tons of that stuff in an MBA program.

But the real question is do you need an MBA? I'd think about where you want to go and then decide. Unless you really want to get into the finance side of IT, I might suggest against it. True, you'll learn valuable skills regardless, but most programs require at least a few years work experience, at which point you need to evaluate whether taking the time off work (unless you do an exec MBA, but those are usually for people with far more work experience) and shelling out the dough for an MBA is worth it. Odds are, you'd be better off to just keep working your way up the ladder.