Co-op or thesis?

[Queenofnormandy]

I've been accepted to my first-choice program (MA in Folklore), which has the option of 8 courses plus a thesis, or 8 courses plus two co-op work terms (potentially at two different workplaces).  Obviously, it's not a very practical field, and because I'm not planning to do a PhD, I'm hoping to do whatever I can to increase my chances of finding work in the field after I graduate.  Is co-op definitely the better choice?  Or would it help to have the expertise in one particular subject that I would gain by doing the thesis instead?  To complicate things further, I've been offered a SSHRC CGS-M scholarship which, I believe, I would only be eligible to receive if I were doing the thesis.  That's a significant chunk of money that I'm reluctant to turn down.  Any advice would be appreciated!

[rvict]

Does the sshrc scholarship mean that you will be able to graduate w/o debt? I'd go with the thesis option if this is true, assuming:

- the thesis option is necessary for the sshrc scholarship

- the coop work terms don't pay enough to erase any debt you will incur, nor does funding (ta, ra, scholarships, etc)

It's better to graduate with no debt and weaker job prospects than debt and slightly improved job prospects. Coop does not guarantee a job after graduation.

Is there a reason you can't do a thesis, get the scholarship, and do a coop?

I guess I also don't understand what a Folklore coop would be. If coop is virtually necessary to get the experience to get a job, the above advice is flawed. What do you hope to do with your degree?

Edit: typosss

Edited April 1, 2014 by rvict

[TakeruK]

I would first advise you to check with your MA institution to see if you can hold the SSHRC for part of the time. The SSHRC Award Holder guide: http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/using-utiliser/guide-A/regulations-reglements-eng.aspx does not say you must be doing research. (Note: most of that award holder guide is only for awards from before 2013 but the section on General Regulations applies to  all award holders, it says). 

 

For both NSERC and SSHRC, I know that the CGS-M generally is meant to fund you for graduate studies, not specifically for thesis research only. It is generally not awarded to those in professional Masters programs though, as far as I know. But, there are non-thesis based Masters programs in both NSERC and SSHRC fields.

 

One requirement is that you are a full time student and there is an upper limit on how many hours you can work (as a TA or whatever). But I also know you can interrupt your CGS-M for up to 4 months (i.e. one co-op term) for work related to your program of study (i.e. co-op) one time. Since the CGS-M is a one-year award only, and your MA sounds like it might be 2 years long(?), you might be able to hold the CGS-M during the months where you are a full time student. If you do your 8 courses in 8 months and then followed by 8 months of co-op, then you can at least hold your CGS-M during the first 8 months. If you do like...2 semesters of courses, then a summer of co-op, then another semester of courses, you might be able to hold your CGS-M during the first two semester, interrupt your award for summer co-op, and then resume the CGS-M and finish out the award in the last 4 months of courses. 

 

These are just examples of how it might work--but only your school will know what is actually possible. You should check with them before you make a decision!

 

And of course, whether one option or another is better really depends on your goals. If you are sure that you don't want a PhD, then would a Masters thesis be helpful in your future career goals? To me, it sounds like co-op will get you much better experience. When I did co-op (different field though) during undergrad, it paid pretty well--I think my salary worked out to be something like $2200/month so after 8 months, it's comparable to the value of the CGS-M (although I had to pay co-op fees, and it would be taxable income while the CGS-M is nontaxable).