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Should I get a Masters from Mizzou or Harvard or Nebraska online to move up

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by SURFCAV, Jul 3, 2013.

  1. Not saying a master's in journalism is worthless, but plenty of others on here will. Don't think a professor job is in the bag with a Ph.D., either.

    All I'm stating is an online program won't help. You need to network with others in your field of study. Look at placement data for online programs.
     
  2. SURFCAV

    SURFCAV Member

    Thanks for the feedback all. I may just pursue a Masters in History. I can always teach Texas History or military history when I'm too old to run along the sidelines. 8)
     
  3. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    The only motivation I could ever see for pursuing a masters is if your goal is to teach at the university level. People in academia care about that stuff. The rest of the world surely does not.
     
  4. deskslave

    deskslave Active Member

    Don't come to a place and ask for advice, then bash or argue with anyone who advises you to do something other than the answer you wanted to hear. Your service is laudatory, assuming you're not making it up, but it doesn't give you carte blanche to insult anyone who disagrees with you. You get that beat writing job, what are you gonna do, tell Nick Saban he has to talk to you because you have shrapnel in your back?

    Judging by your other posts here, you're little more than a troll anyway. And believe it or not, none of us has a full-time job posting on this website, yet most of us manage to use correct punctuation and grammar. You either have that habit or you don't; it's not like a tap that you can turn on and off.
     
  5. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    I don't know the difference between an online Masters and a regular Masters, but if the GI bill is paying for it, why not do it?

    It won't protect you from layoffs, but it certainly wouldn't hurt your job prospects as you go forward. If getting your Masters allows you to teach journalism or military history, then I would do it.

    If you want to do it, and since you're not going to have to go into debt to do it, then do it...

    I
     
  6. henryhenry

    henryhenry Member

    right on.
     
  7. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    I don't think an online masters in journalism is worth the time. And, SURFCAV, of course those programs say on their sites that they are the best.

    I also would suggest looking into working for the military as a writer in some capacity. You have a leg up. I have a friend who covers sports for the Army. Seems like a pretty good gig.

    If you are determined to use the GI benefits get a masters in something else--preferably on campus if you can swing it.
     
  8. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    Doing it on campus is better because of the connections you can make. I think that's far more important than the actual degree.
     
  9. KJIM

    KJIM Well-Known Member

    I'll second the "use your preference points" suggestion.

    There are some awesome writing jobs in the federal government. Some are journalism, but there are many others. I was thisclose to a great position with a VA hospital but HR rejiggered it and reposted it. When it was posted again, I'd lost my NCE status and was no longer eligible. Had I had that or preference points, I'd be three years into a sweet gig right now.

    I don't think online degrees, especially masters, are worth it. My POV is one who has one, though it's not in journalism.

    In the 10+ years I've had it, the only use it's been is for my upcoming federal gig, in that I could check the "do you have a masters degree" box and qualify for a more advanced step in the FP level.
     
  10. HanSenSE

    HanSenSE Well-Known Member

    WFW
     
  11. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    The only way I would ever go back to school is to take some very specific courses to learn some very specific skills --- like, say, web design, which didn't exist when I was in university 25 years ago. Another degree is absolutely worthless and a colossal waste of money.
     
  12. Great advice. I was not being sarcastic to the OP regarding preference points. If you served, why not explore what the federal government has to offer? Pretty sure it's a more comfortable lifestyle than working 18 hours per day, and more lucrative.
     
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