Do you think we will ever stop increasing the education requirements to get ahead in life?

Question

I am an undergraduate college student working toward a Bachelor's degree. Most of my friends who are in college plan to get some sort of advanced degree. Most of them are doing it because they want a better job, not because they actually want to get a grad degree. Some people are saying that a "Master's degree is becoming the new Bachelor's."

Do you think in the next generation or two everyone will get a Master's and the PhD will be the new "advanced" degree? Then what will happen when everyone is getting a PhD?

Or do you think the Masters is the end of the line? I can't imagine everyone spending 8 years at college for a PhD, but a generation ago nobody would have thought so many would be getting a Master's degree.

Answer 1

Well, you have to look at it in different ways, too. Is a master's degree really necessary, or do you just have a lot of friends with parents pushing their kids to do what was rare and prestigious fifty years ago? Looking at the actual job market, work experience and connections to people in the actual industry is much more influential than a major. With some cases, obviously like a doctor or anything in medicine, higher education is mandatory, but it was also mandatory fifty years ago and hasn't changed. People are getting master's degrees for things like teaching, which is much more common than it used to be. However, I have heard from some that it is more difficult to get a job initially as a teacher with a master's degree than without, simply because they are often required to pay you more. If you were hiring a new teacher for your school, would you want to pay more money for a teacher with more education, yet no more work experience than a teacher with simply an bachelor's degree?
But really, it depends on who you know. Any industry is flooded with people who get jobs because they know someone up top. That hasn't changed either.
I would evaluate the profession you're looking into. Go online and look at some job requirements. If you don't see "Master's degree" as one of the requirements, I think it would be a waste of time and money.
One more note: How many of your friends are actually going to continue with their plan? So many plans change with college, and then there's the possibility that they may not even get into the master's program that they want.

Answer 2

The phenomenon you're talking about is quite a real one, and the saying is correct (masters is the new bachelors). Colleges and Universities, not to mention the federal government, realized the importance of higher education, and started offering excellent financial aid packages to students who wouldn't otherwise be able to go to college. It's a great program overall, but with the sudden influx of college grads all competing for the same jobs, it means that the Bachelors degree doesn't carry the same weight it used to. The new competetive edge is going to go to those earning Masters degrees (since Masters programs are still expensive, selective and there aren't as many financial aid programs available to defray the costs). It may well change in the future as more BA grads push to get into MA programs, and if that happens the Doctorate may become the new MA. But you still have to consider that an MA is a lot of work and that as you move up the higher education ladder, the pool of graduates is going to become smaller and smaller, thus reducing your competition in the job market. So an MA will likely always pull more weight than a BA.

Answer 3

PHD is really for teaching, research and publishing it does not truly benefit you in an every day job.
While i do agree that a masters is becoming the new bachelors the PHD will not become a part of the equation except prehaps injthe education industry.
Say for instance Architecture.....15years ago you could become liscenced with a 4 year degree. NOw you are required to have at least a bachelor of science (5years) or a masters (up to 7.5 years), but A PHD in arhcitecture will not ever become a requirement for such liscencing....just perhaps if you would like to be published or teach at the university level.

Answer 4

Your friends are probably afraid of the real world and want to avoid it as long as they can.

Look, odds are against your first job right out of school being the right one. If you get your Master's first, and then pick the wrong job, you'll find it hard to explain in a year. "what do you mean it was the wrong job? you have a master's, aren't you smart?"

On the other hand, if you get a BS, then a job for a year or so, you have the benefit of experience, and everyone understands when you say "I left to get my Master's". Then when you look for work out of Grad School, you're miles ahead of the people that don't have that experience, and you have a better idea of what to look for.

Answer 5

There are only so many "good" jobs out there--it is a fallacy to think that just because someone goes to school so many years, they will be entitled to a good job. Employers tend to choose whoever they think will best do the work they need to have done; if someone with a Master's is available, they may choose him rather than someone with a Bachelor's, or someone with only 2 years of college--as long as the Master's candidate doesn't seem over-qualified, because then his is likely to leave and switch over to another job.

Answer 6

Public school teachers, at least in New York City, have needed Master's Degrees for many decades.

The problem is, that years ago children were taught nearly everything they needed to know by eighth grade. Even drop-outs were far from dumb. High school was basically repetition, with the addition of algebra and a foreign language--or secretarial degrees, general diplomas, trades/shop, etc.

At some point, they started making school more like a hang-out, or babysitter--rather than teaching enough in the elementary grades. Today's Bachelors was yesterday's High School Diploma.

Answer 7

sounds like Russia how everyone has PHD's and can't find a job.
Hubby will get his PHD too but not for the same reason . He teaches at a upper school

Answer 8

Yes,daily.Especially in view that in recent times I were going by way of plenty.By preventing and taking time to admire the little matters in lifestyles it's what maintains me reasonably sane.