Is it a good idea to pursue a Security Studies master’s degree from a local university to work in government?
Hi everyone, I graduated about 6 years ago with my BS in political science. Since then, I’ve mainly worked in a mixture of finance and sales roles. I’m looking for a more fulfilling career path and want to pursue a career in security, possibly a DoD position for example. My alma mater has an affordable online Security studies MA for around $12k, but I wonder how valuable that sort of degree would be in this economy, especially if it’s online with limited networking potential.
Should I skip the degree and get work experience in the government first? I’ve applied to a few positions on USAjobs in various agencies. There’s a lot of openings but also a lot of people applying, and I’m not sure how competitive I am with just a BS. I’d really appreciate it if anybody who has advice or knowledge about this field can provide some advice, thanks.
Also, if it helps, my record is clean and I’m sure I’d have no problems obtaining a top security clearance for jobs that require it.