I graduated with Bachelors in Accounting. Became an accountant, worked for a large company for 3 years till started feeling like a cog in a machine. Long held dream of being a humanities professor would revisit me every now and then. The following are my choices:
1) To do an MBA (locally) and branch out to Finance from Accounting.
2) Get accounting certifications so I can get a promotion in the same company.
3) Do my Masters in a social science or philosphy and pursue a phD later on, to become a uni prof. For this will quit my current job, take a loan and move away from my family.
If its choice 3, then how do I KNOW that this is what I want.
2007-07-29 01:38:32 · 5 answers · asked by ttfn 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Higher Education (University +)
I certainly don't want to be discouraging, but the fact is that your education to date didn't prepare you for #3 at all. I can't think of a social science or humanities major which would take you into a master's program if your bachelor's degree wasn't in that same field, or at least something closely related. So in order to pursue #3, you would have to do a second bachelor's degree (not repeating all the general ed classes, but the entire major) before being admitted to a master's program.
Secondly, you should really talk to several professors in those disciplines before trying to pursue them, preferably at universities somewhat less prestigious than your own, since most faculty end up at schools which are less prestigious than the ones at which they got their own degrees. Most of these fields are very overpopulated, and it is extremely hard to get a permanent job at all. Many people with perfectly good Ph.D.s from decent schools spend years as adjuncts at multiple schools before they either find a permanent position or leave the profession. Furthermore, the pay in the social sciences and the humanities is awful. You may be making more after 3 years with an accounting degree than you would EVER make as philosophy professor.
I have an alternate suggestion, which might be a workable compromise for you. Have you ever thought of getting a Ph.D. in Accounting? There is a DRASTIC shortage of accounting professors right now, with a worsening of the situation predicted, and they can pretty much write their own tickets. I'm hearing starting salary packages of near $200K (including summer support). You would be pretty much assured of finding a job, probably wherever you wanted to live (not likely in the social sciences or humanities), and you would still be part of the academic community you have dreamed of. You might even be able to pick a research topic that incorporates elements of philosophy or some social science, so if that is what interests you, you wouldn't have to completely give it up.
I can't tell your ethnicity from your profile, but if you are a person of color, I would encourage you to look at the website for the Ph.D. Project. This is a phenomenal organization which has tripled the number of faculty of color (still way too low) in business schools within the U.S. They do a great job of taking people through the whole process of looking at trade-offs and providing support of all sorts throughout the Ph.D. program and their eventual careers.
2007-07-29 03:26:36 · answer #1 · answered by neniaf 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I believe doing something you enjoy is more important than anything else. Obviously money is an important factor for most people in life.
I think option 3 is what you want to do, but I suggest you save as much money as you can before quiting to do what you enjoy. This way it will give you time to think about if this what you really want to do.
A possible alternative is that you do a part time masters degree so you can carry on working to pay for it. Some companies allow staff time off to do things like this.
Ultimately you've got to do what makes you happy as you will spend alot of your life at work so doing a job you like is important.
Hope that helps
2007-07-29 08:57:18 · answer #2 · answered by Nitro 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get an MBA, then eventually a DBA or PhD in finance. Then options 1 and 3 are open for you.
2007-07-29 08:46:59 · answer #3 · answered by Jeƒƒ Lebowski 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is it necessary to leave your family to get your masters?
Option 3 is good but what about your family? of course it is very important to do what you enjoy...
If you had been with your family eversince then maybe try option 3... It is what you want if and only if you think it is worth being separated from your family...Ã
2007-07-29 08:53:18 · answer #4 · answered by Charlie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
why not take an aptitude test http://gsx1.com/FreeAptiTest.htm
it might help find out what you are cut out for
2007-07-29 22:04:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋