Masters Degree - Does it really matter where you get it from?

NavyIT

Okay I know posts similar to this one have probably been beaten to death but I have to ask.

I'm currently working as a DoD contractor and I'm going to start an MS program soon and during my research of different schools it dawned on me: does it really matter where my MS comes from? It's really just a compliment to my experience and certifications. Unless I'm getting it from MIT or Carnegie Mellon how much weight does the name of a school really carry?

I got my BS from UMUC and was looking at doing my MS there in cybersecurity. I was looking around at some other online schools and really couldn't come up with any reasons why a degree from UMUC would prevent me from getting a job vs someone with an MS from a state school. We would probably both get an interview and then it's up to me, not my piece of paper.

Any thoughts on this?

Also, I'm using a my GI bill so cost isn't a factor.

--chris--

Regionally accredited and affordable are my standards for a BS/Masters. As long as those fit the bill, and the course offering matches what you are wanting to learn/specialize in than I would say thats all that matters.

But (!), if you live near a major University and can get in state rates AND they have a degree that matches your needs...why not? Thats what my plan is. I live 20 minutes from U of M...I've always wanted a U of M diploma, but goofed off too much in my early years.

goldenlight

make sure the school is accredited..

JaneDoe

Yes it matters. A lot of employers rank recent graduates based on the reputation of the universities they went to and typically consider online only schools to be least reputable. A lot of what you get from getting a degree, especially a graduate degree, from a typical school is the connections you develop while you are there, something online schools can't replicate. If the choice is between a flagship state university and online school you're much more likely to get a the job you want with the degree from the flagship state university. While I'm sure there are quite a few Google employees have degrees from flagship state schools (the majority are probably MIT & CMU grads), I'd be surprised if any Google employees have degrees from the University of Phoenix. The reputation of the univeristy where you get your degree is defiantly a resume sorting criteria beyond the top ten universities.

Plantwiz

No, the 'where' does not matter provided you use an accredited school. There are some schools where if you can attend on campus, you benefit from the networking that is available. However, online courses do tend to have a bit of group work that is required so, you'll run into other students during your coursework and will likely develop some relationships that way.

But in the end, a Masters is a Masters and a PhD is a PhD. When one applies for a job the requirement is for a certain level of degree, not a degree from a specific school. Just confirm the school you work with is accredited.

NavyIT

Okay I see what you both are saying and I have to agree with Plantwiz.

JaneDoe, your statement about companies hiring recent graduates is true but that is not the majority of people getting masters degrees in IT. Two people with 0 years of experience, sure, the one with the better school may get the job, but once you have 5+ years experience in IT I'm not sure companies are scrutinizing your school as much.

Also, in regards to your Google statement, it depends on where you are located. I live in charleston, sc and there is a google data center here and I know plenty of people who work there. As you can imagine charleston has a shortage of MIT, CMU and Stanford grads.

Polynomial

All depends on the employer.

the_Grinch

Depends on the employer, whether or not you plan to teach, and location. Having worked at a University I can tell you that Masters from some schools will get you passed over when trying for a teaching position. If you are going Federal as long as it is an accredited institution you can go anywhere. Location is important for name recognition. I went to Drexel and worked there, they did studies and showed that for the most part outside of 200 miles of Philadelphia most companies hadn't heard of them. Where as within the region they are very well known.

--chris--

My post ignores the obvious benefit of a big name UNI (that may be seldom realized) "pseudo" nepotism. AKA, when the hiring manager says "Hey I graduated from there too!" If that is a driving factor for attending a big name school, I would rethink everything....

shodown

It all depends on the position. To comment on Jane doe. I was going to be a google employee with no degree which they have quite a few of. For a masters it all depends what you want out of it.


If you just need a check box go to the cheapest school you can find thats accredited.

If you want Name value, take your GRE and get into the best school you can find for your program in your area.

If you want connections, follow step 2. There will be others like you in that class, but make sure you have something to offer your class mates. Showing up empty handed won't make you many connections.

Also the elephant in the room with masters degree's. They expire. My wife got her's some time ago and now its not worth poo. It was great the 1st few years she got it, but she didn't move into a masters level position right away as she was 1 year out of undergrad. After some years in the field she figured she should have never spent the 120K on a graduate program as she could still be working the same jobs with SOLID experience under her belt at a good company (which she was already at after undergrad).

ptilsen

I have to disagree with any yes or no answer. Polynomial and the_Grinch are correct. It depends on the employer, even the specific hiring manager. Some people care and some companies even have policies for it. Some don't. Name recognition is usually at least a little valuable, sometimes very valuable.

Regional accreditation is what matters, by the way, not just accreditation. I would challenge anyone to find an unaccredited master's degree program in the United States (hint: if it offers degrees, it's either accredited by some federally-or-state-authorized body, or it likely does so illegally). However, the accreditation distinction is important. Nationally-but-not-regionally accredited programs are generally not looked well upon, and in many cases they are truly just scams. Personally, if I have any concerns about your institution, I'll do some research and get an idea of whether it's any good, but generally I'd interview and hire anyone regardless of what schools they want to.

ptilsen

shodown wrote: »

Also the elephant in the room with masters degree's. They expire.

What?

shodown wrote: »

My wife got her's some time ago and now its not worth poo.

That's not what "expiration" means.

If your point is that the usefulness dries up after a few years based on your wife's experience, I'd have to disagree. Plain and simple, some job positions, even in this industry require a master's degree and many prefer one. There's no special "recent grad" rule. I'll agree that not getting a job commensurate with the degree quickly is a problem, but that's not the same as expiring or becoming worthless.

shodown

sure if you want to use the word "expiration" like your a lawyer. But if someone comes in with a masters degree from 5+ years ago and they haven' worked in a position at that level. More than likely I'm not going to hire them. To me that means that the masters becomes worthless. My and my friends all have come to this same conclusion in one way or another. I used my wife as a real life example.

I'll also agree that some IT positions may require a masters, but they are so far and few in-between, that a person who's not going on scholarship or GI bill will have to take a long look at the ROI to determine if getting one is worth while.

JaneDoe

shodown wrote: »

If you just need a check box go to the cheapest school you can find thats accredited.
Also the elephant in the room with masters degree's. They expire. My wife got her's some time ago and now its not worth poo...

Did she go to the cheapest school that was accredited by any chance? If so I'm not surprised "its not worth poo". Accreditation is to an educational institution as "safe for human consumption" is to food. If a program has nothing better to say about it's self than that it's accredited, it's probably a scam. I would avoid any school that's for profit and/or online only if you want a degree that's worth the paper it's printed on.

shodown

My wife went to a top ranked graduate program in the DC area and she also did a fellowship at a top 10 US university and undergrad from a BIG 10 university.

JaneDoe

In which case, what my Mother always says about degrees (she has PhD) is that even if you still start at the bottom with a higher degree, it's easier to get promoted and move up as you gain experience with the degree than without it. That she was regularly promoted over people with more seniority because of her degree. In non-IT fields I suspect that is more true than it is in IT.

shodown

That was the old way. We are in a new world right now. This will still work in a lot of areas, but this is rapidly changing. I'm saying this, because I bid on a lot of contracts and we are rapidly seeing the degree requirements fade. At Originull we don't even check for degree's for any technical positions. Some of our people have them. 2 Computer Science majors, One electrical Engineering major, and 1 IT/IS major.