NationStates Jolt Archive

So, who here has done any post-graduate work? From honours onwards. What subject was it in? Do you think it was worth it? etc.

The reason I ask is because I just got an email from my poli-sci lecturer/tutor who suggested I think about continuing with it after I graduate at the end of the year. I'm doing a journalism/politics degree and have honestly never thought about post-grad. Especially in poli-sci; it would be great fun and everything, but what is the point? I don't really see having an honours in poli-sci would help out career prospects. But who knows it might- thoughts?

Obviously I'm going to talk to him and others about it before I decide, but I was curious about your thoughts on and experiences with post-grad work.

Are you in any way interested in becoming an academic. You know, teaching complete losers at a university, fighting off the temptation to sleep so that you can write papers, spending long lonely hours reading the latest theories, travelling to mind numbingly tedious conferences in towns that have not even invented beer yet.

(I am exaggerating, I know)

If so, then post grad is important, otherwise think of it is a way of delaying entry into the real world for a couple of years and can be fun.

(This does not apply to vocational post grads - such as those in medicine, law, architecture, engineering etc. They often have some real use. )

I have a masters in History and Philosophy of science and am currently in the writing up phase of a second masters (this time in a different country and a different language) in ethics. Neither are of any practical use, unless I want to go back to teaching at uni.

This thread is depressing me......

I just finished High school and realized......I did absolutely NOTHING for those 4 years....:(

I did a graduate program (the least you can possibly do and still consider it a graduate program) in playwrighting. I actually ended up doing more work in media design for the live theater. It wasn't necessary, I just wanted to. I mean, it's in playwrighting...

Though I have to admit that I'm doing media right now for a bunch of dudes in the MFA program for playwrights and I kind feel like I want to take that despite being out of college for two years now. Mostly because my life hasn't noticeably improved since college...probably has something to do with studying playwrighting...

I did a little post graduate study in Public Policy, but decided it wasn't my cup of tea, so flagged it.

I think nowadays, it's worth it if you want a highly skilled role that is at least obliquely related to your degree. It used to be that a bachelor's was enough, now I see that many job adverts are asking for postgrad, particularly at management level.

Are you in any way interested in becoming an academic. You know, teaching complete losers at a university, fighting off the temptation to sleep so that you can write papers, spending long lonely hours reading the latest theories, travelling to mind numbingly tedious conferences in towns that have not even invented beer yet.

(I am exaggerating, I know)

If so, then post grad is important, otherwise think of it is a way of delaying entry into the real world for a couple of years and can be fun.

(This does not apply to vocational post grads - such as those in medicine, law, architecture, engineering etc. They often have some real use. )

I have a masters in History and Philosophy of science and am currently in the writing up phase of a second masters (this time in a different country and a different language) in ethics. Neither are of any practical use, unless I want to go back to teaching at uni.

Good post. Pretty much what I thought; pretty useless if I want a university job, which honestly doesn't appeal to me. But the pros like not having to get a real job, more chances to chat with smart people and develop a thesis all sound pretty fulfilling and fun. Out of curiosity, what was your first thesis about?

Good post. Pretty much what I thought; pretty useless if I want a university job, which honestly doesn't appeal to me. But the pros like not having to get a real job, more chances to chat with smart people and develop a thesis all sound pretty fulfilling and fun.

(I erased your last question because it was specific to the person you where responding to)

A masters (and I'm assuming that's the equivalent to what you're talking about, unless honours is the highest post graduate degree you can achieve, which would make it the equivalent of a doctorate) isn't really only for academics. In fact, academics would really require the doctorate. And even then it's not your only option or door that it opens.

The post grad degree gives you the same edge over other applicants that your college degree gives you over high school graduates (though notably less so, to be fair). It also raises the bar of your entry level job. It might not be immediately noticeable, and by no means whatsoever a guarantee, it does provide you with more opportunities and affects your salary in a positive way. If you TA then you don't really pay for that extra education so you don't have to worry about how long for return on investment.

Plus if you love what you're studying and you're good at it, it's two more years of immersing yourself in the discovery of it before the drudgery of applying it, which isn't always as cool.

Umm... my BSc was honours (physics with an astrophysics specialization and a minor in philosophy). Most BScs at my school are honours so I don't really consider honours to be post grad.

I'm also starting up an MSc in astronomy in the fall and of course I think it's worth it. They're paying me to learn more about the universe, how could it not be worth it?

Also, a life in academia seems pretty sweet at this point in time, but I have to see how much I like doing actual research before deciding whether or not to pursue a PhD.

Umm... my BSc was honours (physics with an astrophysics specialization and a minor in philosophy). Most BScs at my school are honours so I don't really consider honours to be post grad.

This is where I get confused. I don't know that American universities have 'honours' (we'd call it 'honors', but anyway) so I kind of assumed it meant something like 'masters' or 'doctorate.'

Or maybe American universities do have that I just don't know. I guess what I'm saying is that in this case I'm posting from a degree of ignorance and that should be taken into account when evaluating my remarks.

This is where I get confused. I don't know that American universities have 'honours' (we'd call it 'honors', but anyway) so I kind of assumed it meant something like 'masters' or 'doctorate.'

Or maybe American universities do have that I just don't know. I guess what I'm saying is that in this case I'm posting from a degree of ignorance and that should be taken into account when evaluating my remarks.
Yeah, I don't know about American universities (or really for sure about other universities in Canada) but here a three year degree is a BSc and one done in four years (with a certain average) is an honours degree.

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Just to clarify, at Australian universities you first complete (in most cases- mine anyway) a bachelors. Once that is completed, you can apply for an honours which, in the case of political science and most other subjects at my uni (JCU (http://www.jcu.edu.au)) is just a year to complete a thesis, and I think you do one or two subjects. After that you can do masters and Ph.D. At this point I'm just considering the honours. Having a year to write a 12 to 19 thousand word thesis sounds pretty cool.

Just to clarify, at Australian universities you first complete (in most cases- mine anyway) a bachelors. Once that is completed, you can apply for an honours which, in the case of political science and most other subjects at my uni (JCU (http://www.jcu.edu.au)) is just a year to complete a thesis, and I think you do one or two subjects. After that you can do masters and Ph.D. At this point I'm just considering the honours. Having a year to write a 12 to 19 thousand word thesis sounds pretty cool.
AAAHHHhhh, okay. I have that, but it's called a graduate certificate and it's in a specific 'thing,' in my case playwrighting. It's between a bachelors and a masters. TOTALLY makes sense now.

Okay, so now I can be more specific. All of the things I said apply, but much less so. It's just that little edge now. And an edge might be nice depending on what you're doing.

It is cool, and it's also a year to sort out what you're going to do now. If you know exactly where you're headed, it might be a drag of a delay. If you don't, it might be a time to get yourself sorted, do that internship you never got around to, set yourself up some more. And in the mean time give yourself a slight advantage.