How much value does a masters degree have in IT?

[drago762]

I currently work in a position at a small company where I do everything from network administration to tech support to database design/admin to project management to programming. I'd like to advance my career but decided that certifications are a waste of time because I'm not a specialist and will never use 80% of the material in the books, so I've been thinking about a masters. There's a school in my area that offers a M.S. in Management of Information Technology. It's a mixture of MBA-level business courses and IT courses like e-commerce, ERP, and database management. Ther are about 18 classes to take which would take about 3-4 years if I go part time, and it would cost approx $15,000, not to mention the drive time and gas (the college is an hour away). Is a masters degree worth pursuing in this field? I rarely ever see jobs that require a masters and I wonder if the time wouldn't be better spent starting a side business to make extra money and then investing it.

 

[LFI]

Since I'm a part-time student, the university through which I'm doing this prefers taking more classes and doing the project (preferably something related to what I'm doing at work). It's their feeling that a full-blown thesis will be too difficult for those such as me (time-wise). However, full-time students (presumably younger and not yet part of the work force) are required (I believe) to go the thesis route.

I haven't fixed on a title yet, but my project has to do with programming a timesheet application (mimicking someting we have on our desktop computers at work) for use on a BlackBerry.

Thanks for asking!

--Dave

 

[CajunCenturion]

==> I haven't fixed on a title yet, but my project has to do with programming a timesheet application (mimicking someting we have on our desktop computers at work) for use on a BlackBerry.

Programming a timesheet application as a Master's project because you don't have time for a full-blown thesis?

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[LFI]

As a title? I like it! Thanks!

 

[drago762]

Hi Dave, thanks for your reply (thanks to everyone else who replied as well). I am no stranger to burnout as I worked shift work full time and went to school part/full time for 5 years to get my B.S. degree. It's been almost 3 years since I've graduated and I think I recovered enough to go back.

I'm still debating whether or not to go back or to start my own side business. Due to my crazy schedule, my GPA isn't as good as it should've been as I ended up with a 2.8 and a 3.0 is required for most universities to apply to graduate school. If you don't mind me asking, why did you have to spend 2 years in school before starting grad school? I'm thinking that I might have to do the same thing to bump my GPA up.

 

[LFI]

I had a Master's already, but in a different field. The 2 years of school was to give me the prerequisites the university felt necessary for me to enter the Master's program in Computer Science. As it was, I might have done just fine with just those 2 years of classes. By the end of the two years, I had already side-stepped into my company's IM Department and could have just stop my schooling there. Like I said, though, I really wanted more knowledge... the kind I wasn't likely to force myself to acquire without homework assignments and deadlines.

Let us know what you decide and good luck to you!

--Dave

 

[GUJUm0deL]

I'm in the same boat, only difference is which MBA to persue is better: IT or Business. I made a thread here thread654-1104566 asking other professional which to persue.

My concern is which would be net me a better result after 3-4 years of hard work.

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[kHz]

Only you can determine what your interests are, as I said in your other post. Nobody can determine for you which is better. And I still don't understand why you keep saying "Business." Your project/thesis is an area that should interest you and that will probably determine whethere you concentrate in IT, HRM, Finance, etc.

 

[Corran007]

Im pretty sure he is talking about the concentration area. you can concentrate in a variety of area in an mba. accounting, finance, management, IT, operations, ect depending on the school. I think he means general buisness vs IT. IT will require more IT courses. the business is proably management courses. i did alot of reearch in mbas when i was deciding to get mine or not. ive delayed and im getting a techincal maters in engineering first, then the mba latter.

 

[kHz]

I have a Master's degree in education and have debated whether or not to return to school and get an MBA. If I did return to school for an MBA, it would not be in IT, even if that is the area in which I would work (and I currently do).

I used to think I would always want to be technical and would never want to be in management, even a year ago. However, things change, and I no longer derive the enjoyment I used to from the daily hands-on technical work. I need new challenges and I believe an MBA would open more doors of opportunity.

 

[GUJUm0deL]

Corran007 you're right, I was talking about the concentration areas. The university I am talking about is Columbia University. I looked at their MBA program, and I can have a concenttration in the School of Business in Management or Finance and Economics or International Business, etc. Or, I can go into Technology Management.

I understand that the decision is mine, and only mine to make but what I was looking for was experiences from others who have gone the MBA route and/or from others who want to go into this but are not sure which is better.

I am interested in both, IT I have done for years, and Business is something I have always been interested in, plus that is something that would challange me (not that I dont have enough challanges, lol).

I'll talk to some advisors at both programs and then make an informed decision.

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[Corran007]

it all depends on what you want to do eventually. if you want to stay on the IT side and get up to CIO and dont really want beyond that, i would go IT. if you want to go into Sales or finance or something on that side i would think about not IT. if you work for a multinational company and want to do business side, go for international business. people with an understanding in it are already in short supply and will become more so as smaller and smaller business start opperating globally. however at upper levels in large companys its mostly a mgmt position and it wont matter that much what area your mba was in. its all about what you enjoy doing.

personally ill be staying in IT. sorta. i work for a company whos major products is sofware and hardware so it would work for both sides.

good luck to you.

 

[imterpsfan3]

I disagree that certifications are worthless in the job market. I got an MCSD and it helped me get the job I currently have. I think there are different strokes for different folks. Studying for the MCSD helped identify areas where I was weak.

I am a developer and never really took any computer classes. I learned on my own or from people who knew more than I did.

I think more and more programming jobs will be going overseas and the real job market in IT will be and is in project management, so that is where getting the advanced degree will really pay off. As for someone who is strictly a programmer, I am not sure an advanced degree would be of much more benefit.

I am by no means knocking anyone from going after a degree.