I was recently made an offer from a company and I plan on accepting it.
Part of the offer includes tuition reimbursement which got me thinking on
maybe getting a masters. Is it worth getting a masters (especially cause
it's free)? I plan on specializing in signal processing (and maybe
communications) and don't really have any interest in going into management
(so no MBA for me). An M.Eng seemed more to be aligned with what I want but
I don't know how much it matters in the industry and if it helps me out
career-wise that much. I've also toyed with the idea of getting a PhD later
and maybe becoming a prof but that's way on down the line if at all.

On Aug 20, 10:25 am, "Crandles" <61563@dsprelated> wrote:
> I was recently made an offer from a company and I plan on accepting it.
> Part of the offer includes tuition reimbursement which got me thinking on
> maybe getting a masters. Is it worth getting a masters (especially cause
> it's free)? I plan on specializing in signal processing (and maybe
> communications) and don't really have any interest in going into management
> (so no MBA for me). An M.Eng seemed more to be aligned with what I want but
> I don't know how much it matters in the industry and if it helps me out
> career-wise that much. I've also toyed with the idea of getting a PhD later
> and maybe becoming a prof but that's way on down the line if at all.

If your employer wants you to get a masters, then do it! In this
competative world, any leg up is likely advantageous.

Clay

On Mon, 20 Aug 2012 09:25:37 -0500, Crandles wrote:

> I was recently made an offer from a company and I plan on accepting it.
> Part of the offer includes tuition reimbursement which got me thinking
> on maybe getting a masters. Is it worth getting a masters (especially
> cause it's free)? I plan on specializing in signal processing (and maybe
> communications) and don't really have any interest in going into
> management (so no MBA for me). An M.Eng seemed more to be aligned with
> what I want but I don't know how much it matters in the industry and if
> it helps me out career-wise that much. I've also toyed with the idea of
> getting a PhD later and maybe becoming a prof but that's way on down the
> line if at all.

Being able to put "MSEE" on my resume has, I think, been slightly more of 
a help than a barrier to getting jobs in the working world.  (Having a 
master's degree might scare off some employers that are just looking for 
cheap meat, or a boss that is intimidated by someone with more education 
than he/she has).  I can't say for sure, but I suspect that it's helped 
more than a little bit to help me get work as a consultant.

Because I'm pretty good at taking theoretical knowledge and actually 
applying it in the real world, getting a Master's degree has helped me be 
a more valuable asset both in the corporate world and later on to my 
customers.  This because the _knowledge_ that I gained in the course of 
getting my Master's degree, in the form of all the extra coursework and 
some one-on-one coaching in writing a well-structured book-length work, 
has made me more effective at solving problems that not everyone else can.

Apply those comments to yourself, and make up your own mind.  The payoff, 
if any, will be slow and only as sure as you make it (for either a MS or 
PhD).  The fact that you're trying to do it while holding down a job will 
only make it harder -- but all the better if you pull it off.

-- 
My liberal friends think I'm a conservative kook.
My conservative friends think I'm a liberal kook.
Why am I not happy that they have found common ground?

Tim Wescott, Communications, Control, Circuits & Software
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Credentials are always good.

What you learn is priceless!
de W8CCW, John
On Mon, 20 Aug 2012 09:25:37 -0500, "Crandles" <61563@dsprelated>
wrote:

>I was recently made an offer from a company and I plan on accepting it.
>Part of the offer includes tuition reimbursement which got me thinking on
>maybe getting a masters. Is it worth getting a masters (especially cause
>it's free)? I plan on specializing in signal processing (and maybe
>communications) and don't really have any interest in going into management
>(so no MBA for me). An M.Eng seemed more to be aligned with what I want but
>I don't know how much it matters in the industry and if it helps me out
>career-wise that much. I've also toyed with the idea of getting a PhD later
>and maybe becoming a prof but that's way on down the line if at all.
>
John Ferrell W8CCW

John Ferrell wrote:
> Credentials are always good.
>
> What you learn is priceless!

I'll second that!! [especially in *THAT* order]

I'd like to add a personal testimony in support of Tim 
saying "The fact that you're trying to do it while holding 
down a job will only make it harder -- but all the better if 
you pull it off."

When I was young and foolish, I turned down an opportunity 
to complete a degree program because I wanted "the 'real' 
world". Later a head of personnel said, "Why should I hire 
you? You quit." Later I had good jobs because of the 
"irrelevant" theory crammed into my unwilling head. If you 
complete an advanced degree [any kind], it will demonstrate 
the willingness/inclination/ability to tackle the difficult.

[P.S. Suspect my grand-nieces/nephews are you age ;]


> de W8CCW, John
> On Mon, 20 Aug 2012 09:25:37 -0500, "Crandles"<61563@dsprelated>
> wrote:
>
>> I was recently made an offer from a company and I plan on accepting it.
>> Part of the offer includes tuition reimbursement which got me thinking on
>> maybe getting a masters. Is it worth getting a masters (especially cause
>> it's free)? I plan on specializing in signal processing (and maybe
>> communications) and don't really have any interest in going into management
>> (so no MBA for me). An M.Eng seemed more to be aligned with what I want but
>> I don't know how much it matters in the industry and if it helps me out
>> career-wise that much. I've also toyed with the idea of getting a PhD later
>> and maybe becoming a prof but that's way on down the line if at all.
>>
> John Ferrell W8CCW

Education is its own reward.

Be sure you're willing to put forward the effort. 

On Aug 20, 10:25 am, "Crandles" <61563@dsprelated> wrote:
> I was recently made an offer from a company and I plan on accepting it.
> Part of the offer includes tuition reimbursement which got me thinking on
> maybe getting a masters. Is it worth getting a masters (especially cause
> it's free)? I plan on specializing in signal processing (and maybe
> communications) and don't really have any interest in going into management
> (so no MBA for me). An M.Eng seemed more to be aligned with what I want but
> I don't know how much it matters in the industry and if it helps me out
> career-wise that much. I've also toyed with the idea of getting a PhD later
> and maybe becoming a prof but that's way on down the line if at all.

I have my M. Eng. I would generally say it is worth it. In my
experience, the value doesn't come from what they teach you, but
rather what you learn.

A couple of things you should check out:
1- They give you tuition but do they give you the time. Trying to
finish any degree while doing your full time job is exceedingly
difficult.

2- It is easier if your thesis is aligned with your work. This way the
company gets some benefit out of you while you are doing your grad
work. It also can shorten your transition from Grad work back into the
workplace.

3- What are the conditions on your reimbursement - I would suspect you
have to work for the company for X years - which fair, but look into
other conditions.

4- If your eye is on the PhD. I would suggest looking into going
straight into a PhD rather than doing the Masters and then the PhD.
Most people don't know that you can do this. There's a couple reasons
for doing this
     - Gov't scholarships: back when I did my grad work in Ontario -
The Ontario Graduate Scholarship only covered 4 years. So it would be
2 years of Masters, and the first 2 years of a PhD. If did the PhD
straight away - it would cover the first 4 years. I'm not sure what
the deal is now.
     - Unfortunately, in Grad school there can be a lot of politics.
Doing a PhD straight away, helps prevent your supervisors from
stringing you along. If they know you want to continue in for your PhD
they have no real interest in seeing you complete your Masters any
time soon.

Just some suggestions.
YMMV.

Cheers,
Dave

You might ask how you feel about your capabilities today?  Is your self 
confidence at the high end or not?

Because, self confidence is a huge winner if it's not just the blowfish 
kind.  Not only do you learn a few things but when you're done you 
*know* you could hack it.
By itself that could make it worth it.

You will keep learning anyway.  So, a good question is: "How prepared 
are you to launch each new learning experience?"  If you find some 
things intimidating then it will help to get the degree in that regard 
as well.  And, consider that you may not have hit any of those quite yet 
in your career.

I've seen a wide variety of folks who could have done it and didn't and 
didn't really need to.  Others who did it later in life who probably 
didn't "need" it either but I rather think that they benefited from it. 
  And surely a lot of folks who did it early and got a lot out of it.

I agree with aligning it to your job.  It makes it more interesting and 
more fun and more productive.  And maybe you'll find some tools at work 
that will help.

I couldn't suggest taking the "ride" just to jump ship.  That's a bit 
tacky.  Do your best while you're there.  Let the future take care of 
itself.

Fred


>
>

>I was recently made an offer from a company and I plan on accepting it.
>Part of the offer includes tuition reimbursement which got me thinking on
>maybe getting a masters. Is it worth getting a masters (especially cause
>it's free)? I plan on specializing in signal processing (and maybe
>communications) and don't really have any interest in going into
management
>(so no MBA for me). An M.Eng seemed more to be aligned with what I want
but
>I don't know how much it matters in the industry and if it helps me out
>career-wise that much. I've also toyed with the idea of getting a PhD
later
>and maybe becoming a prof but that's way on down the line if at all.

You have an interest in becoming an academic, but question whether its
worth getting a masters degree? Am I the only one who finds a strange
conflict there? I thought a masters was the entry level for any decent job
these days, especially in larger companies.

On 8/29/2012 12:14 AM, steveu wrote:
> You have an interest in becoming an academic, but question whether its
> worth getting a masters degree? Am I the only one who finds a strange
> conflict there? I thought a masters was the entry level for any decent job
> these days, especially in larger companies.

I think the OP was expressing interest in a couple of career paths. No 
conflict that I can see except in his head.  He has to make that decision.

I would say that postponing a PhD pursuit is not a likely path for an 
academic.  Not that some haven't done just that but it would be unusual. 
  It's likely unusual because folks are often of one world or the other. 
  Switching isn't easy.  Leaving academia for certain gurus yes. 
Leaving academia from a lab job (which really isn't an academic job) 
yes.  Joining academia from a company environment where research and 
publishing aren't the norm is a lot less likely.

Fred