going back to school worth it?

[welch10]

For someone who has graduated with a Bachelors in English/Creative writing with a minor in sports com. who already has a job in the field (coming up on a year at the end of summer), would it do them any good to go back to school to get a Masters?

 

[valpo87]

I've thought about this for myself. But then I have to add the factors of children (second born last night) to consider. Then again, I have a decent writing job and was just asked to move into sports after a recent departure. I think you always have to evolve and grow or else, just like Triple H used to say on WWE, evolution (at least of the journalism industry) will pass you by.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

It may be useful to get a master's, if you're looking to switch careers. If you want to stay in journalism, it won't do you much good. If anything, it'll be a waste of money and newspapers will see you as overqualified and not willing to work for peanuts.

 

[daemon]

The easy answer to all of these types of questions:

Investing any amount of your capital -- human or financial -- in this industry will never again be "worth it." Don't really understand how that is still even a question for some people.

 

[Liut]

What Baron and Daemon said.

 

[Mark2010]

For someone who has graduated with a Bachelors in English/Creative writing with a minor in sports com. who already has a job in the field (coming up on a year at the end of summer), would it do them any good to go back to school to get a Masters?

It all depends on what you want to achieve. If you want to work in sports, it's probably not worth it. If you want to teach at a university, then it's probably a worthwhile investment.

 

[podunk press]

Logical way to do this:

Quit journalism. Get job outside journalism. Get Master's. Get better job outside journalism.

 

[valpo87]

Logical way to do this:

Quit journalism. Get job outside journalism. Get Master's. Get better job outside journalism.

Or do what I'm doing:

Write multiple best-selling novels hoping so you don't feel bad you're salary is less than those from many warehouse positions - despite having higher education.

 

[Double J]

Logical way to do this:

Quit journalism. Get job outside journalism. Get Master's. Get better job outside journalism.

Or do what I'm doing:

Write multiple best-selling novels hoping so you don't feel bad you're salary is less than those from many warehouse positions - despite having higher education.

Make sure you have a decent editor who can differentiate between "your" and "you're."

 

[doctorx]

Is there any use to a master's in journalism except to fulfill a teaching requirement?

 

[SP7988]

I too was thinking of getting a masters in journalism.

I get some of your points. But wouldn't the contacts you could make at the school be worth it? Say if you went to a Missouri, Columbia, Northwestern, etc. with professors who have links to news organizations.

Couldn't that be beneficial?

 

[SP7988]

I too was thinking of getting a masters in journalism.

I get some of your points. But wouldn't the contacts you could make at the school be worth it? Say if you went to a Missouri, Columbia, Northwestern, etc. with professors who have links to news organizations.

Couldn't that be beneficial?

What contacts? Only so many jobs to go around.

Well, the writing gigs I've gotten that have been beneficial for me have been from knowing someone. So for example, if I was someone who had interest in a position at Company XYZ and I had a professor who had a long history with the company, I'm sure that could help open up some doors, right?

At least I would think.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

I too was thinking of getting a masters in journalism.

I get some of your points. But wouldn't the contacts you could make at the school be worth it? Say if you went to a Missouri, Columbia, Northwestern, etc. with professors who have links to news organizations.

Couldn't that be beneficial?

What contacts? Only so many jobs to go around.

Well, the writing gigs I've gotten that have been beneficial for me have been from knowing someone. So for example, if I was someone who had interest in a position at Company XYZ and I had a professor who had a long history with the company, I'm sure that could help open up some doors, right?

At least I would think.

Pretty expensive way to make contacts.

Put it this way. Say you spend $50K to get a master's. Maybe you go from a job that pays $28K to $35K. That means you're spending seven of your work years just making up what you already spent on school just to break even. And you also have to take into account how the industry will be like seven years from now, plus the time that you're studying.

So think about if that $50K will be a good investment for your journalism career around 2022-2023.

 

[Mark2010]

I too was thinking of getting a masters in journalism.

I get some of your points. But wouldn't the contacts you could make at the school be worth it? Say if you went to a Missouri, Columbia, Northwestern, etc. with professors who have links to news organizations.

Couldn't that be beneficial?

I suppose having contacts never hurts. But, again, what's the goal? Don't expect a $10k salary bump because the boss is enamored at your Master's degree.

 

[Mr. X]

Wouldn't it be more likely that your first job after getting a master's degree would pay more than $35,000?

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Wouldn't it be more likely that your first job after getting a master's degree would pay more than $35,000?

Not unless you're at a big paper or in a job out of the business.

 

[Mr. X]

How much circulation do you need to be considered a big paper?

 

[Cigar56]

Get the master's degree in something other than journalism.

 

[SP7988]

Now I'm reconsidering that decision to take the GRE and apply for grad school. lol

 

[DeskMonkey1]

I've been nickeling and diming my working on bachelors in a non-journalism field because my career path has only been as an editor and it's quickly becoming apparent that without a writing portfolio, I'll never rise above the copy desk. All the sports editors/assistant editor jobs are going to copy editors who were at one time reporters.

Am I right in that assessment?