Is useful MS in BIODEFENSE or MS in any Hard Biomedicalscience better?

[mshelen]

Hi All- I was accepted into a PhD program in Micro Imuuno (Emerging Infectious Disease), did not recieve extra funding. Only stipend alone and it was a full time program. I have a family, long commute to school, and did not like the program. Luckily, I'm getting my old job back in government science research. I just have a BS in Biology. Looking into just getting MS first while working, since it seems I need to keep my job at this point and go to school. GMU offers a MS in Biodefense with classes at night, how useful is this degree compared to an MS in Micro Immuno or any biomedical science? What jobs do you get, how lucrative, and will there be these jobs projected in the near future w/ this MS in Biodefense? It seems like an abstract degree. GMU also offers a PhD in Biodefense, but I was told they only select 3 people/year and the majority are people that completed their MS Biodefense program. I've also seen many online degrees for MS in Biodefense e.g. UMUC.

Thanks for your input!!!