What would you do if you could get a FREE MBA in project managment ????

Okay guys help me out cause I am stumped..I am currently an IT manager at a credit union..and well been here the last 3 years as Manager the other 5 network support..so I have my BS in CS..so I am a Veteran of the US Air Force..and our state pays for 128 credit hours of the schools here. So I can get essentially a FREE MBA degree just have to put the time in.

What would you do and why if you were me?

chase Cisco Certs (which I do like very much) or get my MBA then shoot for CIO jobs? and never really have to chase any certification anymore really..I know CIOs don't have to really do anything but their jobs and an occasional maybe training?
Where us IT dogs have to work very hard to keep up with technology every 3 years..

Just wondering what you would do and why? I mean the degree is free just I show up to classes and exams..huh! WOW
I am freaking out...

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Comments

veritas_libertas

I would do it. Whether you stay as an IT Manager or move up it will help.

crrussell3

Really it all depends on where you want to see yourself in the next 5,10,20 years. If you want to move to more of a management position and less technical, the MBA will help. If you want to stay on the technical side of things, the MBA won't hurt. Either way, its free no matter what you decide to do. You can always take your time and just do one class at a time so you can keep working on certifications if that is what you want.

If it was me, I would do it.

Slowhand

I would probably take them up on that degree. Lots of companies are willing to pay for certs, even give you time and resources for training, but it's a pretty rare thing to have something like an MBA paid for by your employer. Chances are, if they're offering this opportunity to you it means they believe you'll not only benefit from it, but that THEY want to try to push you up into a CIO type role and think you're a good fit for it.

And hey, there's nothing that says you can't pursue those higher-level Cisco certs down the road. After all, how good would it feel to list not only that MBA on your resume, but a CCIE number as well?

powerfool

I'd be inclined to do it... there are plenty of other factors besides cost... but free? That is a biggy. If you can do it at an even moderately decent school? Yep.

N2IT

If your heart and mind isn't in it I would pass. It's easy to say do it but to go through 36/48 credit hours of grueling work is A LOT different. I am currently going through an MBA program now and it has been hell at times to say the least.

Free is only one piece of it however it's not really free. It will consume time and most likely a lot of time. If your passion is Cisco and you ENJOY labbing and doing Cisco certs then I would say go for that. It's fun, exciting, and you seem to really like it. That makes the most sense to me.

One last think, you don't merely become a CIO. Those positions are extremely rare and the chances of you getting one is not likely.

My vote is for CISCO

itdaddy

OMG!!!! dudes I am so confused..you have both great arguments..but fully paid MBA my God am I stupid not to take it ,,I can take Cisco certs down the road. I am going to finish CCNP and CCDP but was thinking of starting it next year 2014 and hammer it out..I mean I am a study hound anyway! and well My work deals with Cisco all the time so I won't get rusty..and well for sure I will finish CCNP and CCNP by end of 2013 and then start my MBA because I will feel stupid to miss this train! plus I am an IT Manager now and the natural progression from IT Manager with lots of server, vmware, unix,and cisco skills, Policy writing bull crap to disaster recover systems to you name it and supervisory skills might be a natural progression to Director and CIO..I mean I see a big push for CIOs and Directors in the future and well....I know during my MBA I think I can persue for sure CCNP Sec. or CCNP voice iit might be 1 exam at at time but at my work that is all I do all day is vmware, cisco, servers, unix and of coure management crap hahhah but I do need to work on my Golf! hahaha my gut tells me to finish CCNP and then CCDP and then hammer MBA in 3 years and then go back to Cisco which is my 1st love in IT really then who knows but I cannot pass up free tuition I feel I would be a fool! and I do love charts and graphs ahah funny I am really a nerd haha Thanks men for your advice but what is it like 5 say go and 1 says stay...I am going to go! for it thanks men.Yeah I can come back to cisco easy and i plan on putsing with some Cisco certs while doing my MBA maybe snails pace but i can study at work alittle since I am the boss hahhahha

thanks men!!!!!!!!!!!! I say I am going for it I just needed your advice to push my small voice! thanks for all your advice whether devils advocate and or the go for its! thanks you are truly my friends!!!!!!!!Also when I was in college people said Chemistry and Calc and physics were hard..the weird thing it was easy for me which is weird..the harder the concepts or the more complex, I could understand, I really have issues but the simple stuff I can't see hahahahah I am so weird! hahaha

NotHackingYou

Take the fully paid for MBA.

zrockstar

Here is my take on it. I was originally doing a business degree with a concentration in project management. I dropped the concentration because simply having a degree in project management isn't worth much when trying to get a job in that field. It is definitely more about experience. Also, as mentioned by N2IT, it may be monetarily free, but it isn't free. My wife is in her masters right now while working part time. We never have time to do anything together. She is always stressed which causes her to get sick every time there is a bug around. And the weekends all she wants to do is stay in and recuperate. I don't blame her, I just want to warn you that you are in for a butt load of work that you better be willing to put everything else on hold for. My recommendation would be to wait a couple years more and get into an executive MBA program. You won't get your concentration, but I don't think they really care about your concentration or minor at executive or chief level anyways. Look up executive MBA if you have never checked into it before. That is what I plan on doing, so I just thought I would share.

pinkydapimp

Take the free degree.

N2IT

Just Kidding

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pinkydapimp

N2IT wrote: »

Just Kidding

HAHA truth!

reloaded

You don't have to renew a Masters degree...yes, take the MBA. It will totally pay off.

instant000

This is a no-brainer. Go to school.

If the employer is offering it to you, that's a very good sign they want to promote you higher. Go for it.

Getting a decent MBA is a lot more expensive than maintaining your home lab.

W Stewart

If I were you depends on how old you are. If you were under 30 I would chase cisco certs but mid to late 30s and beyond I would definitely get that masters so I could take it easy in my later years.

Xyro

To me, unlike to many others who replied, it sounds like it isn't your employer offering you this - but instead an option you have through the state. In that case I would be certain that those credits are not just undergrad credits - which is usually the case. If by some oddity the state is actually willing to pay for grad studies ... then ok, re-apply the decision.

In that case, I wouldn't go for it. I've actually had to make this decision before (though the circumstances were somewhat different). I was offered a full academic scholarship in Computer Engineering. I passed. At first I wondered if it wouldn't be 1 of those decisions I regretted for the rest of my life; however, as time has progressed I'm EXTREMELY glad I didn't take it. It would have been a waste of time & energy for what I wish to do.

My time has been better spent in gaining EXPERIENCE... which seems to be much more valuable to employers than degrees.

I remember being all hyped up though, just like you. So my advice to you is to put aside all of the "hype" / excitement for a moment & come to this decision LOGICALLY.

Good luck

N2IT

Xyro great post

One thing I have noticed is that most of the successful people I know have bachelors but no masters. I have theories behind this, but it seems they get into the job itself and they don't have time to focus on a masters. Several ole mates from the University are now directors and upward. None of them have master degrees of any kind.

I'm seriously trying to think of one person who makes ~300,000 on up and I can't think of one I know personally who has a masters. It seems these individuals leverage different skills and use their time differently, however it makes them successful.

The OP has a CS degree assuming it's from an average university he is in really good shape with that alone.

I still think you should focus on the Cisco certifications.

Just my two cents.

One other piece I would like to add - The most successful of them all get a solid bachelors (finance, EE, CS, etc) and then go to work for a company and stick with that company and continue to network. Those are the ones who are making the most that I know of. (Not to say this is right or the only way, it what I have observed).

At the end of the day if you want to do the MBA do it, however if you find your passions else where then you have to go with that.

My passion is business / IT in that order so I am doing an MBA, but I want to fill my knowledge gaps especially around finance and accounting.

Xyro

N2IT wrote: »

Xyro great post

Thank you N2, you're giving out some great advice yourself.

itdaddy

wow some really good logic..This is my issue really.I am in management and to be honest I am not a real people person...I am very objective and suck at people stuff..I am brutal in troubleshooting systems. I love machines and I get along well. I am not very good with people and stroking egos...and to be honest in the management world youhave to be a really good smooser and my grade is F! when it comes to people, as I age mid 40s now I suck with people but am great with machines..and I struggle with what I want to do.I mean at the end of the day would I feel great getting and MBA? I don't know I have a BSCS and am happy with it but you know when offered free Master degree, I am like OMG what do I DO? and it is the Wisconsin VA GI Bill giving me a free 128 credits it dont matter Masters or BS or AS they will pay any State own college the college tution. I can even take a Cisco program as long as a school in WI had a Cisco program.
I really love network engineering, it is very cool stuff and I would love to be called a Cisco ENgineer and a damn good one.but I am just beside myself, I am going to some soul searching. Ihave time it is a life long benefit but I can finish by my age of 50 and with x amount of years as IT Manager/Net Engineer it might help me sometime? maybe as a CIO or IT Director if I am headed that way which sounds good, but right now I hate being a manager really bad and I don't know why> maybe cause of all the paper work and I dont see an end in sight of it where as Machines you get some satisfaction building and fixing things and with paper work, it just seem stupid. I know it is bad attitude but audit after audit after audit in my job just gets old. I just want ot design and build cool technology and not deal with the bull crap! thanks guys for all your great input you guys are great..I will let you knwo what I do..I am going to look at some schools and programs and see what I like. I wont start till 2014 but want to look ahead to see what I need . Thanks men!

chmod

If you don't feel OK with the master degree don't take it and use that time and energy to get your CCIE which i guess will make feel better.

itdaddy

chmod thanks I feel stupid I wish i was a smoosher but I cannot do it. I have tried. I would rather be in the trenches with the geeks than in the yachts with the smooshers..really I guess I just need to see that in myself...I wish i could get a free ccie haahhahaha

N2IT

itdaddy

After further review CCIE or bust!

ptilsen

I would probably take a "free" degree (but not just any degree), but it's important to remember the very basic economic principle TANSTASFL.

If studying for an MBA stops you from getting a CCIE, or an MS in Computer Science, or whatever else may benefit you and your career, there is that opportunity cost to consider. Any graduate degree costs a lot more than money. The value of any degree (which is both the money it earns you and whatever else you feel it does does for you) has to both make up for all costs to getting that degree (time, tuition, gas, etc.) and whatever you could have done instead of that earn that degree.

Now, MBAs add career value for almost anyone in IT, and for most I think the time and any minor costs would be easily worth it if tuition is paid, but I can't say that for you. We can't say that for you. Only you can. Personally, I probably wouldn't take it. My time is extremely valuable (as I sit here posting on forums for little enjoyment and no personal gain), and an MBA would take up a lot of it to teach me skills I largely don't want to use professionally. I'll get a graduate degree and pay for it myself if I have to, but it will be focused on what I want to learn and want to do.

chmod

itdaddy wrote: »

chmod thanks I feel stupid I wish i was a smoosher but I cannot do it. I have tried. I would rather be in the trenches with the geeks than in the yachts with the smooshers..really I guess I just need to see that in myself...I wish i could get a free ccie haahhahaha

You might not like it because of 2 reasons: where u r currently working the management sucks and is no the best place to be(for a manager) or because is not what makes you happy if this is the case don't take the master and go for a CCIE

Polynomial

Project management might be the most important buzz term on your resume if you're interested in management.

Even if you're only interested in tech work, project management is important.

In conclusion, project management is important =P

pinkydapimp

you do realize that just because you get a masters level degree doesnt mean you need to be a manager or work with people. There are many many areas you could get a degree in.

ptilsen

The thread is about a "free" MBA in project management, not master's degrees in general.

N2IT

No matter how you slice and dice it this degree will not be free. There will be a cost, there always is......

daviddws

I would say go for it because not only is it paid for, but the potential of doors opening up for you will increase. Your salary potential should also increase as you would become more valuable to employees. Not ALL employees, as those who like to pay low wages would not consider you (you wouldnt want those jobs anyway) but those who would award you for your merits.

itdaddy

thanks guys so much for you deep replies all very good points of view i am going to finish some network certs and the reconsider this option in about 1 or 2 years i might go for it it is free to take it but yeah it iwll cost me some time but i might hook this thank men!