Poll: Graduate Degrees

[Demelza]

Masters in English -- I was going for my PhD, but realized I didn''t want to be in academia so I left the program with an MA as my "consolation" prize.

Masters in Social Work -- Haven''t done much with this degree yet, but I''m hoping after more training to be able to do psychotherapy in a private practice setting. Much easier to do in California (where I''m from and received the degree) than Vancouver, Canada (where I''m living now). Oh well.

 

[CJS924]

ladykemma - That's an amazing goal to strive for!

more - heehee...that's my point exactly...my main objective isn't necessarily to go to to grad school to put myself on a career track. I already have a great job! I'd be going because I really do enjoy school. Expensive? Sure. But to me, the expense is worth it IMHO. Obviously, not everyone shares the same sentiment. I will say that I'm currently leaning towards an MA in Communications (perhaps even a PhD afterwards). How would it help? Countless ways! For example, I've always been intrigued by the effect of violent media on the mental health of children and how this can possibly translate into crime later in life. In this case, you really have to have a good grip on communication theory and also understand the science behind the phenomena of crime and child psychology. All very interesting to me!

But really, at the end of the day, I go to school because I can (I feel so incredibly fortunate that education is so easily accessible to us here in the Western world) and because I find it stimulates me like nothing else in life

.

Interesting discourse here!

Cheers,
CJ

 

[Blue824]

I''m going to begin my MA in Arts Administration. Don''t know if I"m going to fully enroll this fall and pay my own way for the first part or wait a little bit longer for my job''s free tuition program to kick in. I sorta want to just get started already so I''ll probably work my way into some classes this fall.

CJS - I have the same kind out outlook, I just like learning and I''d rather take classes I enjoy even though in my field I won''t have the same earning potential as in other areas... have you compared the courses you''ll have to take between the two programs? When I was looking at MBA in Non Profit Admin and the Arts Admin program and I talked about it with the VP at the museum I was then working at, they made me feel so much better about my Arts Admin choice, I know I''ll enjoy the classes so much more and it has a good balance between the serious and yet, I can still indulge and get my Art History courses in, which i love.

Alyson - where did you do your MA in Art History? I''d love to get mine... but I haven''t found a program I like near me.

 

[Selkie]

I love school too! Even though I''m no longer a student, I still work in a university setting, and interact daily with professors, undergrads, and PhD students. Every day, I wonder if I should have just done my PhD and gotten it over with. Because I''ve been involved in some of our lab''s projects so long and so deeply, it almost feels like a doctoral thesis. Oh well. I do enjoy the fact that I make enough money to survive, unlike most of our students!

I strongly believe that we have a huge responsibility to support education in all forms, especially public schools. I just wish that we could figure out how to run many of them better

.

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 5/27/2006 2:37:39 PM
Author: Selkie
I love school too! Even though I''m no longer a student, I still work in a university setting, and interact daily with professors, undergrads, and PhD students. Every day, I wonder if I should have just done my PhD and gotten it over with. Because I''ve been involved in some of our lab''s projects so long and so deeply, it almost feels like a doctoral thesis. Oh well. I do enjoy the fact that I make enough money to survive, unlike most of our students!

I strongly believe that we have a huge responsibility to support education in all forms, especially public schools. I just wish that we could figure out how to run many of them better

.

HI:

I also worked in an academic environment while employed in the medical research field and had similar feelings--that getting my PhD would be a natural fit; unitl I began to teach in a baccalaurette program and began doctoral level course work....altho I loved school, I realized afterall that teaching at that level was definately not for me.

cheers--Sharon

 

[Selkie]

Hi Sharon,
Yes, that''s definitely another reason I haven''t actually done it. I enjoy teaching small groups, or on a one-to-one basis, but I don''t have the personality or stamina for teaching at that level. Also, there''s the fact that I see how much of my boss''s time is taken up with the grant-writing, publications, and administrative junk that goes into running an active research lab. I LOVE the hands-on work too much, and am a little too lazy to turn my life into an ongoing scrabble for funding.

 

[nicolejrx]

Date: 5/27/2006 9:49:22 AM
Author: pebbles

Date: 5/26/2006 11:28:50 PM
Author: nicolejrx
I have a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) from the University of Arizona
FI has a DO from Midwestern
My best friend is a Ph.D candidate in Immunology
My sister is a Ph.D student in the field of Interpersonal Communications
Lots of graduate degrees!!!

Firegoddess where did you go to school, my best friend is at the University of Rochester, NY.

Nicole

Doctor of Pharmacy as well, 2003.

Hey Nicole -- I graduated from Midwestern Univ. -- the Illinois campus!

Pebbles! I graduated 2003 too! Can you believe we have been pharmacists for 3 years already? Time sure does fly!

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 5/27/2006 2:56:17 PM
Author: Selkie
Hi Sharon,
Yes, that''s definitely another reason I haven''t actually done it. I enjoy teaching small groups, or on a one-to-one basis, but I don''t have the personality or stamina for teaching at that level. Also, there''s the fact that I see how much of my boss''s time is taken up with the grant-writing, publications, and administrative junk that goes into running an active research lab. I LOVE the hands-on work too much, and am a little too lazy to turn my life into an ongoing scrabble for funding.

HI Selkie:

I hear ya sister! I also loved teaching in small groups--in the lab or clinical setting (hospital). But the clincher for me was when a student stood up in class (of 125 students) and said "I don''t know why we need to learn this crap" (granted, the course was difficult, "research and methods of inquiry" to 3rd year nursing students). My good pals, however, have stayed and continue to teach despite the huge bureaucracy and beign told on a regular basis by students that "they are paying her salary....I am glad they have the fortitude!!!! I salute teachers everywhere!!

Sorry, I didn''t mean to hijack this thread....

cheers--Sharon

 

[blueroses]

MFA, Acting, 2003

MA, Theatre Arts -- finished the coursework 2001 but still haven''t submitted thesis.....so hopefully I''ll get it officially under my belt in 2007.

The MFA is the one that really matters--terminal degree, able to teach at collge level and all that--so getting the MA is more just to have not left it undone.

 

[JCJD]

PhD student in Biological Sciences. Will be Dr. JCJD in 2009-ish and I''ll be teaching.

 

[FireGoddess]

Moremoremore and Gypsy - LOL @ at the holy crap.

I think some of what you guys do is ''holy crap!''

Nicole, I got my BS at Lehigh in Bethlehem, PA and my PhD at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX. All that time near Whiteflash and I couldn''t have given a hoot about diamonds at the time. Now though....the irony!

 

[CJS924]

Demelza - Hey...nice to see a fellow Vancouverite on here

. May I ask what brought you up here from California? I''ve always thought that if there was a place I''d move to in the US it would be Cali.

 

[moremoremore]

Cj...it sounds like you should go for it...and that it can never be a bad thing!

 

[HOUMedGal]

M.D., 2008! I''m halfway there!!

 

[Demelza]

Date: 5/27/2006 6:17:08 PM
Author: CJS924
Demelza - Hey...nice to see a fellow Vancouverite on here

. May I ask what brought you up here from California? I''ve always thought that if there was a place I''d move to in the US it would be Cali.

You''re in Vancouver too? Are you a native?

We moved here because my husband was offered a job as a professor at Simon Fraser University.

California is great. I''m from Los Angeles and my husband is from the Bay Area.

 

[hlmr]

Sorry to hijack this thread but I am wondering how you are feeling Dem?

 

[Demelza]

Date: 5/27/2006 8:13:39 PM
Author: hlmr
Sorry to hijack this thread but I am wondering how you are feeling Dem?

Awww, that''s so sweet of you to ask! I am feeling much better, but still have bouts of nausea here and there. I''m about 16 weeks, so I''m hoping they go away completely in the not too distant future. Fingers crossed!!

 

[alyson423]

Blue- hi, the degree I''m working on is a general history degree, sorry! Not very practical, but it''s where my interests lie, so it works for me.

 

[hlmr]

Date: 5/27/2006 8:26:22 PM
Author: Demelza

Date: 5/27/2006 8:13:39 PM
Author: hlmr
Sorry to hijack this thread but I am wondering how you are feeling Dem?

Awww, that''s so sweet of you to ask! I am feeling much better, but still have bouts of nausea here and there. I''m about 16 weeks, so I''m hoping they go away completely in the not too distant future. Fingers crossed!!

I am glad you are feeling better! You are almost halfway!! Best wishes.

 

[flopkins]

working on my phD in Bioengineering... hopefully I will graduate next year.. (please, stem cells, GROW! hehe.)

 

[Siamese Kitty]

Hi!

I have a MA in French (2002) and anticipate graduating with a PhD in French in 2007.

I plan to teach at the university-level as long as the job market is kind!

 

[Blue824]

Date: 5/27/2006 8:30:53 PM
Author: alyson423
Blue- hi, the degree I''m working on is a general history degree, sorry! Not very practical, but it''s where my interests lie, so it works for me.

Oops! Lol I misread!

Its not practical to spend money on schooling you''re not into. So I think you should go with what you like! Lol, I''m not one to say anything, cuz it isn''t like studying art history is necessarily "practical" to most people, but I enjoy it and I"ve made it work for me. Hope you continue to enjoy your studies!

 

[pave]

MS in Counseling and Master of Public Health

 

[nicolejrx]

Date: 5/27/2006 5:44:00 PM
Author: FireGoddess
Moremoremore and Gypsy - LOL @ at the holy crap.

I think some of what you guys do is ''holy crap!''

Nicole, I got my BS at Lehigh in Bethlehem, PA and my PhD at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX. All that time near Whiteflash and I couldn''t have given a hoot about diamonds at the time. Now though....the irony!

Oh the irony!!! My friend is such a virus dork! She isn''t totally in love with the whole lab thing, I think she would be better suited doing field research. Hopefully that is where she will end up...
Nicole

 

[CJS924]

flopkins - Oooh...stem cell work...cool! I once worked in pathology at UBC doing angiogenesis research and I did a little stint with stem cells (collected from cord blood) trying to differentiate them into endothelial cells.

Demelza - Oh yes...you're pregnant! I remember reading that post somewhere...I hope that you're feeling well! At one point just a few months ago seven of my close girlfriends were pregnant...now only two are left expecting to give birth soon. It's so funny and entertaining when we all get together.

I'm not a Vancouver native (born in Winnipeg), but I have lived here since '91 and I consider it home. Oh...your DH is an SFU professor??? What dept.? That's where my DH studies and it's also where I'm thinking of applying to grad school for next year!

 

[Munchkin]

Master of Science in Nursing

I am a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. The only thing I regret about choosing this instead of an MD, is that I am really tired of explaining what my job means! (No offense to anyone who doesn''t know!) I hate walking into a visit and having parents be rude and disrespectful to me because they don''t understand why their child isn''t seeing a "Doctor" today. They also do not understand why a "nurse" is writing their child a prescription. If you don''t know what I can do, please ask! Just don''t be condescending and rude while I am examining your child! I know it sounds awful, but I have taken to wearing a lab coat to work everyday because it has a patch from the school I got my masters. As ridiculous as it sounds, people have been more respectuful of me.

Munchkin

 

[dani13]

I agree with you Munchkin, I just got my masters in nursing (I am a womens health NP/but working right now as a labor and delivery RN) and I have run into the same problems you have- it kind of sucks, but I guess just goes with the territory....hopefully people will become more educated about what we as nurse practitioners do- it can become very frustrating at times....

 

[baldguy]

I have a Ph.D in animal sciences with an emphasis on reproductive physiology and a masters in genetics. I now work in molecular biology. My FI just receved her DVM an is getting ready to start practice in 3 weeks. I agree with what others have said, it is only worth going for the advanced degree if you love what you''re doing.

 

[froufrou]

i''ve just finished my first year in the PhD program in Economics.

 

[ephemery1]

M.S.Ed in Psychological Services and certification in school counseling for me... and now back at Penn working on my M.Phil in Counseling Psychology to meet the requirements for licensure in PA. Hopefully finishing up next summer! Sounds like there are a few other counselors on here too...