If already working at 90-110k/yr in high tech/program management, does
getting a masters matter?  If yes, what is the goodness of MBA vs
Masters in Library Science (MLS) etc?  Or what about a Masters in
something more general - like Behavioral Sciences or Psychology - do
any of these boost base salaries or provide more job advancement or
increase job variety/hopping opportunities?

Most importantly - what about advanced degrees for folks wanting to be
an entrepreneur - if starting own business, is it worth getting the
grad degree- how so?

---

Request for Question Clarification by czh-ga on 05 Jul 2005 16:33 PDT

Hello appreciative-ga,

How old are you? What industry/ies are you in? What are your family
and other non-work obligations? What are you passionate about? I would
be happy to help you with evaluating your options but I'd have to know
more about your to be able to decide what are the relevant issues you
should consider. Tell me more about why you're considering this
question at this time. (BTW, I'm working on your house question so I
already know a little bit about you.) Thanks. I look forward to your
clarification.

~ czh ~

---

Clarification of Question by appreciative-ga on 05 Jul 2005 18:03 PDT

Hi czh...  I am 39 yrs old working for a fortune 100 hi-tech
chip/memory/platforms co in hillsboro/portland OR (we are
headquartered in Santa Clara).  I'd rather run my own business more
than anything - the commute & bureaucracy & politics assoc w/the
office seem like such a waste.

Re EDU:  I currently just need to finish my thesis to have a masters
in Behavioral Science - I finished course work 6 yrs ago w/ 4.0 GPA
before moving to OR but never finished thesis due to crazy work hours
& feel I should invest time/$ into completing degree - school may kick
me off roster soon for having IP (inprogress) too many semesters in a
row on thesis hours - Univ of Houston Clear Lake.  Ikes!

Aside from completing the degree I already started, I am wondering if
getting an MBA would help me at all. I don't know what I will do in my
future - I know I am tired of Corp life and would rather have my own
business - my interests & skills are varied - I could be an artist,
organizer, decorator, animal shelter/kennel/careger facility,
giftstore, space products store, etc - anything requiring
organization, good sense, love of the universe/space/animals, etc - I
have lots of knowledge & passion & good customer service sense - would
an MBA help me as an entrepreneur?  Not sure!

---

Request for Question Clarification by czh-ga on 05 Jul 2005 18:23 PDT

Hello again appreciative-ga,

It would be great if you could figure out how to have a home-based
business. You could keep the house and have the life you dreamed of.
I'll think about your question. You've provided a lot of information
to consider. Back soon.

~ czh ~

---

Clarification of Question by appreciative-ga on 05 Jul 2005 19:00 PDT

Agree!  A home business would be my dream; I abhore the commute to a
bureaucratic politiclally charged large corporation such as Intel. My
dream would be to buy land & build property on it (with an indoor
pool) that could serve as my retirement home & long-term place of
business. I am great with people & pets & common sense & marketing &
design & writing & negotiating & creativity!

Hello again appreciative-ga,

As I see it, you?ve asked three related questions.

1) Should you finish your Masters degree Behavioral Science.

Answer: 

Yes! You?ve already invested a lot of time and money and it?s worth
whatever it will take to finish your thesis. There are a lot of jobs
where ?Masters preferred? is one of the requirements. Frequently the
subject matter doesn?t matter; it?s proving that you persisted to
finish that counts.

2) Should you get an MBA or MLS or some other degree in light of the
fact that you would like to become a self-employed entrepreneur as the
next step?

Answer:

No. The question about the worth of the MBA has been asked many times
on Google Answers and I?ve collected them for you. One of the main
issues you should consider is whether the investment of time and money
will bring you sufficient returns if you earn the MBA. It seems to me
that you?re burnt out on corporate life where the MBA is most likely
to be valued. It doesn?t sound like you want to become a business
consultant who wants to work at one of the big consulting firms. These
are the situations that offer the best payoff for an MBA.

Nothing in the scope of your interests indicates that getting an MLS
would make sense. I know several librarians and if money is important
to you the MLS is not the way to go. Completing your Behavioral
Science masters makes sense because it should be fairly easy to do and
will earn you the piece of paper so you can claim a graduate degree.

3) Should you get an MBA if you want to be an entrepreneur? How to
pursue your dream to become self-employed?

Answer:

I don?t think entrepreneurs care very much about degrees and
credentials. I think they?re much more action oriented. Did Bill Gates
ever finish his undergrad degree? It would be fun to brainstorm with
you about what businesses you could start as an entrepreneur, but
that?s a new question.

Wishing you good luck with finishing the masters and pursuing your
entrepreneurial dream.

~ czh ~


==================================================================
GOOGLE ANSWERS QUESTION ON WORTH OF MBA AND OTHER ADVANCED DEGREES
==================================================================

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=37525
Q: Is it worth doing an MBA?

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=62925
Q: Do MBA's add value to the world?

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=439906
Q: Business education

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=485882
Q: Different Masters of Business Administration (MBA) Programs

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=275347
Q: What is the ideal training program for the effective IT manager?

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=397717
Q: Adjunct Faculty Positions Part-Time Without Doctorate

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=324905
Q: What is a MBA type?

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=324352
Q: Postive quotes about a MBA

Thank you!

Well, one way to look at it is getting a degree can't hurt.  Your
90-110k job may disappear for whatever reason, so having a degree(s)
is a good back-up plan.  Of course the value of a degree depends on
the field.  If you are making that kind of money I can tell you
getting an MLS, for example, is not going to allow you to make more
than 110k (I speak from experience).  You have to look at the
practicality of the degree.  An MBA is very useful and will allow you
to seek out many different careers, whereas a Master's in Psychology
is more limited.

Czh-ga should be able to help you more specifically when you reply to
her request for clarification.

If you want to stay in the field that you are in, one consideration is
the expense in money and time to get the degree (educ. expenses, lost
income and advancement during the period).  Will returning to that
field with a grad. degree boost your income enough to make up for this
and put you on a better upward track?
In some fields  - and in a company that knows your competence and
experience -  it may not.  In some fields  - and high tech may be one
of them -  ongoing work may be a constant learning process, more
useful than a broadened educational background that is less useful. 
This could be the case with an MBA.
But again, some companies may have a ceiling for persons without a
management degree  - regardless of whether there is any demonstrable
evidence that they do better for having one.

If you want to go into business for yourself, you would want some
basics in company law, accounting and financing, whichever areas you
have less experience in, but as your own boss, a degree then is not
important, and  - I would venture to say -  if you have the gumption
and the experience for the business you choose, with a recognition of
the areas you need to fill in, you will be able to  pick up that
knowledge pretty quickly.

The few (under-educated but successful) entrepreneurs I know, have all
surprised me by their quick grasp of such matters  (but, of course,
there are others with excellent and viable ideas that shipwreck
because they ignored them).

Good luck, Myoarin

HI again,
Until Czh-ga comes back and answers: knowing your age now, I would agree with you:
"I am wondering if getting an MBA would help me at all."

If you must remain an employee  - where you are or elsewhere -  taking
of to get a full MBA could suggest to an employer that you are
dissatisfied with what you have been doing, looking for some way out,
up, whatever.  I would doubt that it would significantly increase your
marketability  - or be a very satisfying experience in itself.  What
could be useful to a continuing career is a short middle management
business school program, especially if your employee supported the
idea (even if he let you pay for it), since this would be appropriate
to someone your age and indicate that your employee thought it was a
good idea for you and for the company.  That would make more sense on
a resumé.

But you really want to get out of that kind of work.

What about entrepreneur seminars, courses, reading?

Good luck, Myoarin

Hello appreciative-ga,

Thanks for the five stars and generous tip. I wish you well for your
academic and career decisions.

~ czh ~