Working and going to School

[red4tribe]

Hi all,

 

I have applied to a number of schools for the Fall of 2014 semester. I applied to some PhD programs as well as some Masters program. Theoretically, would it be possible as a history major to work and go to school full time? I've talked a few people, a friend of mine told me it would be too much and my grades would suffer while others have said it is possible, just difficult. Thoughts? Advice?

 

Thanks!

[New England Nat]

It's frequently done in masters programs, but most PhD programs that offer funding generally forbid outside work.

[jamc8383]

It's frequently done in masters programs, but most PhD programs that offer funding generally forbid outside work.

 

Agreed.  

 

Working during your MA is completely feasible; I know many people that do it, myself included.  I took three courses a semester, worked 25-30 hours per week, managed multiple organizations (at one point, 3 simultaneously), presented at conferences (5), revised papers for publication (5) and maintained a 4.00.  It can be done.  My secret? I really have no life outside of my husband and dogs.  These are the choices we make.

[barnardbonnu]

Working during an MA is difficult, but possible. I've been working as I earned my MA, and the most difficult thing has been studying things outside of coursework (like exams and a thesis).

 

I think it's easier to do if you really like your field, because you can "unwind" while still being somewhat productive.

[Sbinf]

It would be difficult, even if you are very disciplined. 

 

I started my master's program while I was working full time as a high school teacher. Even taking one class a semester, the 200-300 pages a week of reading was difficult on top of the 40 hour work week. After 5 years of a class here and there, I decided to quit my job so that I could focus on school full time. 

 

The benefit of working of course is that you can pay as you go. In the end it might be best to weigh the costs and benefits of either route, the amount of debt you would take on to get the degree versus the earning potential after you finish.

[lafayette]

I worked while I got my MA (most semesters). It was hard. I went to school full-time but definitely did not work full-time. (Usually did 20-24 hours a week). It was difficult, yes. I would have quit my job had it really started to impact my schooling though; what's the point of doing/spending $ on a MA if you're not going to get the most out of it? 

[Katzenmusik]

A part-time job is do-able, but any more would be too much. Grad school is crazy enough as it is.  You'll want to give it your all while you are there, otherwise you might as well not even go.

 

The exception would be part-time MA programs geared toward people with jobs (e.g. history teachers and public historians).

[kdavid]

One issue which hasn't been raised yet is the affect on your "personal" life; and by "personal" I mean networking with classmates/colleagues and professors, attending conferences and outside lectures, etc.

 

I imagine this is a major part of the experience, not only in terms of sharing ideas and giving feedback, but also exposing yourself to the larger community for networking and employment purposes.

 

Even if one could manage a full-time job on top of their studies, I think it'd be difficult to be made available for all of these "extra" activities. While being present in the classroom but not at conferences, etc. may not hurt you, in the long-run it certainly won't help.

Edited January 20, 2014 by kdavid

[BookishVixen]

Lurker here finally deciding to post.

 

I worked full time while doing a double Master's program (MA/MLIS) and also doing a 1 semester internship and 1 semester certification program. It is completely do-able if you are strict on time management but I have to say my ability to network suffered greatly. My grades were fine for my most part (3.7) but I wasn't able to devote time to research that my cohorts were able to and I certainly wasn't able to develop the relationships with profs that they were because I wasn't on campus as much.  Now that I am applying to PhD programs, I am concerned that my reference letters and application isn't as strong as my fellow applicants.