Master’s degree necessary in PM?
Hi everyone,
I’m currently working at a boutique project management consulting firm in Germany. Our clients are large corporations, and we support all kinds of IT projects.
I joined the company after completing my bachelor’s degree in International Business and then spending two years in Business Development & Procurement at a large daycare provider, where I led several projects. So, compared to many others in consulting, I didn’t come from the “typical” background.
The main reason I got the opportunity was because I joined as a dual student, meaning I’ve been doing a master’s program (including an MBA) alongside working full-time for one of our clients as a Junior Project Manager for the past two years.
I took a significant pay cut when switching jobs because I was hoping it would create better long-term opportunities. I’m still okay with that decision.
However, there’s now a possibility for me to quit the master’s program and focus entirely on working full-time instead. I would use the time I currently spend on university for professional certifications such as the CAPM and similar qualifications.
My question is: do you think I would regret not finishing the master’s degree later on? Could it limit future job opportunities or prevent me from getting certain projects, even if I gain experience on large corporate projects and continue building certifications?
I’d really appreciate hearing from people who have been in similar situations.