r/MastersDegree

Primary teacher here looking at possible masters for the following September and wondering about people’s experiences doing it and if there are many career progression opportunities from it? I’ve heard of many who have done the leadership and management one but are still just teaching with it and wondering is it worth it if you’re not sure if you definitely want to be a principal?

Mary I have other ones including M.Ed with specialisms where you can build your own masters, a wellbeing one and one in digital leadership in education. Has anyone done any of these ones? Are there many other possible job opportunities from doing a masters other than principal roles? Since there is no pay increase from doing one, I’d love to hear if anyone has any experience doing a M.Ed, if they’ve gained new roles from it and if they feel it was worth it?!

ESPAÑOL: Hola a todos,

Me gustaría pediros opinión porque estoy en un punto importante y tengo dudas bastante reales sobre qué camino elegir.

Estoy terminando Ingeniería Industrial (ahora mismo de Erasmus en Oporto) y me han admitido en el máster de Engineering Innovation and Business en SDU (Sønderborg, Dinamarca).

También tengo la opción de hacer el máster habilitante en la UC3M en Madrid.

No tengo claro qué opción es mejor a largo plazo.

🧠 Sobre mí

Ingeniería Industrial

TFG relacionado con data analysis / machine learning

Me gustan tanto los problemas técnicos como analíticos

No estoy 100% enfocado en un área concreta

Me gusta aprender cosas nuevas y adaptarme

Hablo español, inglés y tengo C1 de francés

🇪🇸 Opción 1: UC3M (España) – Máster habilitante

Pros:

Ser ingeniero habilitado (puedo firmar proyectos en España)

Camino más claro y “seguro”

Base técnica fuerte

Buen encaje si quiero trabajar en España

Contras:

Perfil más clásico

Menos internacional

No tendría ingresos mientras estudio

🇩🇰 Opción 2: SDU (Dinamarca) – Engineering Innovation and Business

Pros:

Experiencia internacional

Perfil más flexible (ingeniería + negocio + innovación)

Posibilidad de trabajar mientras estudio

Mejor posicionamiento para trabajar fuera

Contras:

Sønderborg es una ciudad pequeña (me preocupa el tema social)

No es el perfil clásico de ingeniero

No tendría habilitación en España

🤔 Dudas principales

¿No tener el habilitante limita mucho la carrera en España?

¿Cómo se valora en Europa un perfil tipo ingeniería + negocio + algo de data/ML?

¿Creéis que SDU es buena opción si en el futuro quiero ir a países como Suiza?

¿Sønderborg se queda demasiado “pequeño” a nivel de vida social?

¿Mejor camino seguro (España) o apostar por algo más internacional?

🎯 Qué valoro

Crecimiento profesional

Opciones de futuro

Movilidad internacional

No encasillarme demasiado

Tener también una buena experiencia personal (no solo estudiar)

Sé que no hay una respuesta única, pero agradecería mucho opiniones de gente que haya pasado por algo parecido o trabaje en ingeniería/consultoría/tech en Europa.

¡Gracias de antemano! 🙏

EN: Hi everyone,

I’d really appreciate some honest advice because I’m at a bit of a crossroads right now.

I’m finishing my Industrial Engineering degree (currently on Erasmus in Porto), and I’ve been accepted into the MSc in Engineering Innovation and Business at SDU (Sønderborg, Denmark). I also have the option to do the Industrial Engineering Master (habilitante) in Spain (UC3M in Madrid).

I’m struggling to decide between these two paths.

About me:

Industrial Engineering background

Currently doing my thesis related to data analysis / machine learning

I enjoy both technical and analytical problems, but I’m not 100% specialized in one field

I like learning new things and adapting rather than sticking to one niche

I speak Spanish, and I have a C1 in French and english

Option 1: UC3M (Spain) – Industrial Engineering Master

Pros:

Becomes a fully qualified engineer (can sign projects in Spain)

More traditional and “secure” path

Strong technical foundation

Good for working in Spain long-term

Cons:

More classical/rigid path

Less international exposure

No income during studies

Option 2: SDU (Denmark) – MSc Engineering Innovation and Business

Pros:

International experience

More flexible profile (engineering + business + innovation)

Possibility to work part-time and be financially independent

Better positioning for international careers

Cons:

Sønderborg is a small town (this worries me socially)

Not a “classic engineer” profile

No official engineering habilitation in Spain

My main doubts

Does NOT having the “habilitante” limit your long-term career significantly in Spain? I don't like to be the one signing project papers.

How is a profile like engineering + business + some data/ML perceived in Europe?

Would SDU be a good move if I eventually want to work in countries like Switzerland?

Is Sønderborg too small to enjoy student life compared to bigger cities?

Is it smarter to take the “safe” route (Spain) or the more flexible/international one (Denmark)?

What I value most

Career growth and opportunities

International mobility

Not being stuck in a very narrow role

Having a good student experience (not just studying 24/7)

I know there’s no perfect answer, but I’d love to hear from people who have taken similar paths or work in engineering/consulting/tech in Europe.

Thanks a lot in advance

my_qualifications:

7.5 cgpa from tier 2 college in India

I’m seriously considering changing my career direction away from coding/software engineering. I realized during my degree that while I can manage coding academically, I’m not genuinely passionate about software development and I don’t see myself enjoying a pure tech job long term.

Because of that, I’m exploring Master’s options in Germany, mainly because public universities are affordable and I’m interested in building a career there eventually. I’m currently learning German as well.

Right now I’m still preparing for placements as a backup in case there are delays with admissions/visa, but ideally I want to move into a non-tech or semi-tech field.

The areas I’m considering are:

• Management / International Management
• Business Analytics
• Technology Management

I’m okay with light technical work, analytics, tools, etc., but I don’t want a hardcore coding-heavy career anymore.

A few concerns/questions I have:

• Is switching from CSE to management/business-related master’s in Germany realistic?
• How difficult is it to get admitted with a 7.5 CGPA and without strong internships?
• Would Business Analytics still become too technical/coding-heavy?
• Is it better to work 1–2 years first before applying?
• Are there better fields I should explore based on my situation?

Would really appreciate honest advice.

I’m choosing between Warwick MSc Management and MSc Marketing & Strategy and would love honest advice.

I’m leaning toward Marketing & Strategy because I’m interested in branding, consumer behaviour, positioning, and data-driven creative strategy. But Management seems broader and maybe more flexible for consulting, strategy, or business roles.

Which one has better career prospects and reputation? Can Marketing & Strategy still lead to consulting/strategy roles, or is Management the safer choice?

My background:

- Investment finance - passed CFA Levels 1 & 2, 1+ year exp at a foreign fund manager

- From a developing country in SEA that's going through significant economic transformation

Why I'm considering MPP instead of a Master's in Finance

I don't want to repeat what I already know - corporate finance, valuation, portfolio theory are already part of my day-to-day. What I feel I'm missing is the macro and policy layer: how regulations are made, how capital markets get developed at a national level, how governments make financial decisions. I think a finance + policy combination could be a rare and valuable profile in my home country, especially as it pushes toward emerging market status and undertakes major financial sector reforms.

My questions:

1. Does this career logic make sense, or am I being naively optimistic? Is a finance background actually valued in MPP programs and in policy-adjacent careers?

2. Which schools would you recommend? I'm open to UK and Europe

3. For those with a similar background - finance professional going into policy - what was the actual career outcome? Did the degree open the doors you expected?

Any honest perspective appreciated, including if you think this is a bad idea.

Not talking about “too late” or “too early,” just in general. Like when do you think people get the most out of it academically/career-wise/life-wise?

i want to do phd abroad later, so looking for uni with more research and great prestige and reputation.

gonna apply to- JNU, DSE

confused about- south asian uni.

my score was 270 (RAW) no deprivation, so scope in jnu, dse exists imo.

Which Uni should i go for? TISS offers Socio+anthro combined but fee is like cant even imagine paying, and living expenses hell noo for me.

Pleasee help.

Hello everyone,

What do you think about studying two master’s degrees at the same time? Do you think this would be a good ROI long term, or would it be better to focus on one degree only? And why? PLEASE HELP.

For context:

- F26

- 3 years of experience in cybersecurity (government entity)

- Master’s 1: Master of Public Administration (MPA) at Columbia University, fully sponsored and full-time

- Master’s 2: MSc in Software and Systems Security at the University of Oxford, part-time and flexible, requiring travel to Oxford around 10 times over 4 years ( cost is affordable)

Note: I’ve already completed the first year at Oxford, and the second year is expected to be lighter with mainly the dissertation/project remaining and 4 courses. I would still have around 3 years to complete the Oxford degree.

Thank you🙏🙏

[USA] but looking for fully online programs!

I know there is a lot of posts about online programs, but they seem to be flooded with directories to big lists or just full of people who are trying to figure things out themselves. Hoping to get some feedback from real people who have completed fully online programs.

My specifics if they help: I have multiple degrees in teaching as this has been my full time career. However, due to medical changes, I have been advised that teaching may never be the best career for me and something where I could work from home/telework would be best for me. I have always been passionate about mental health and took a lot of extra psych classes in undergrad. For one of my post grad programs, I specialised in gifted education and considered changing careers then to work with mental health based on what I was learning.

Long story short though, I am now looking for fully online counseling degree programs. I've been told some of the fully online programs advertised are borderline scams, but am having trouble filtering through options, specifically ones best for my background and circumstances.

Any real life people willing to help out? Any fully online counseling degree programs you'd recommend? Specifically any recs where I wouldn't be starting from scratch since I already have so much education under my belt?

Hi folks, I'm planning for ms in CS or data science for spring 2027.

I've recently given my gre and TOEFL, the scores are as follows:

Gre 308 163 Q 145 V, i messed up verbal due to time pressure

TOEFL 5.5 (110/120) r 6 l5.5 w 5 s 5.5

Overall cgpa 8.6 or 3.44 in us scale approx

I have my sop written by a professional writer

2 lors from my direct managers and vps from industry

1 lor from adacemia, vp of cs in ai in amrita under whom I have published a research paper in healthcare ai domain (ICMLDE 2025)

2 internships, one in a startup and one in tredencd company, both ml/ai engineering roles.

That might be converted to fte and I might work full time until october

A national hackathon win

My initial uni shortlist was as follows:

- Johns Hopkins University

- University of Southern California

- Northeastern University

- Stony Brook University

- University of Texas at Dallas

- University of Central Florida

- San Jose State University

- UC Riverside

What changes do I need to make in this list based on my scores and profile?

I wanted to go to a top 50 uni but that is out of sight right now.

Need some help!!🙏

Hi everyone,

I’m an Indian student and I’ve received offers for:

1. University of Manchester – MSc Advanced Computer Science
2. University of Southampton – MSc Computer Science

I’m trying to decide which university would be better overall, especially from the perspective of an international/Indian student aiming for placements in the UK after graduation.

A few things about me:
- I’m an average student academically (not a topper/research-focused person)
- My main goal is getting a good software/tech job in the UK after MSc
- I’m interested in AI/ML, software engineering and cybersecurity
- I also care about student support, workload balance, faculty interaction and overall student life

From my research:
- Manchester seems more prestigious and academically intense
- Southampton seems more flexible and industry-oriented

I’d really appreciate honest opinions from:
- current students
- alumni
- international students
- especially Indian students

Some specific things I’d like to know:
- Which university gives better employability for average students?
- How difficult/intense are the courses?
- How are the professors and support systems?
- Which has better networking/job opportunities?
- Is Manchester’s prestige worth the extra academic pressure?
- How realistic is getting a UK tech job from each university in the current market?

Would love to hear real experiences — both positive and negative.

Thanks a lot!

Hello good people!
I’m a former IELTS (academic) taker and, my little brother is gonna take IELTS sometime later. I was exploring their official website when I got stuck at one point and now I’m experiencing indecision about whether my brother should go for academic or GT.

To give a little intro about him, he is a professional chef, currently working at a well-known restaurant in Dhaka, Bangladesh. As we were discussing about his gateway to abroad, he was thinking of either pursuing a Masters degree or straight up working if any opportunity comes.

Now, for academic purpose, he should consider “Academic” whereas if it’s for work, he should go for “General Training”. Let’s say he registered for academic (which will be tough for him in terms of reading and writing), and then suddenly he got a chance to go to a country for work purpose where they might need a moderate band score (and vice versa). What would be the best choice for him to make in this situation?

Hey everyone, looking for some guidance on building a quantitative profile for masters abroad.

Background: currently pursuing sociology hons withs economics minor from delhi university . I want to pursue a masters in a quant-heavy field like quantitative economics, finance, or data analytics after graduation. My issue is that my degree doesn't reflect much quantitative coursework, so I need to build that proof externally.

Important constraint: I had PCB (physics, chemistry, biology) in 12th, so I cannot enroll in any distance Hons. Mathematics degree. I have been self-studying maths for the past few months though.

I'm weighing these options: (ONLINE)

1. IGNOU BA Hons. Economics with a maths minor
2. IIT Madras BS Data Science (online degree)
3. MicroBachelors in Mathematics & Statistics Fundamentals from edX
4. NPTEL courses (though these open in January)
5. Any other suggestion I might be missing?

Main goal is something affordable , recognized by international universities .Would love to hear from anyone who can suggest .Thanks!

Im Rahmen meiner Masterarbeit untersuche ich das Verhalten von Anlegern im Kontext von Social Trading (z. B. Copy Trading) und den Einfluss von Entscheidungsprozessen auf die Investment-Performance.

Dafür suche ich Teilnehmer, die bereits investieren – egal ob mit oder ohne Erfahrung im Social Trading.

🕒 Dauer: ca. 6-12 Minuten
🔒 Anonym & ausschließlich für wissenschaftliche Zwecke
🌍 Der Fragebogen ist auf Deutsch und Englisch verfügbar (Sprache kann oben ausgewählt werden)

Ich würde mich sehr über eure Unterstützung freuen!

👉 Hier geht’s zur Umfrage:

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=mvm2uUOiLUKrNvcmV0yYGqAnrGkqL6hEnCC0wqjczSpUMTVOUElUV1ZFQVZPVkU4SlNZWkM1Mk42Qy4u

Hi everyone,

I’m considering pursuing an MBA, but I’m unsure if it’s the right move given my background. Here’s a quick rundown of my profile:

• Work Experience: 1 year experience in sales and marketing in Real Estate industry (India)
• Education: got enrolled for BBA from a tier 2 city in an Indian College (grades are 7/10) through a full funded scholarship (ICCR Scholarship)
• Age: 25
• Background: Before pursuing for BBA i was doing my CSE in my country in a private uni and completed 1 sem over there
• Target B.Schools: I would apply to top European programs (Bocconi, INSEAD, LBS, etc.)

My main concerns:

• I only have a bachelor’s degree (no master’s). Would this put me at a disadvantage for MBA admissions?
• My GPA is on the lower side, and I didn’t attend a prestigious university. Could this hurt my chances at top programs?

I’m mainly looking at MBA programs to pivot into marketing, brand management or a corporate sales or marketing role, but I’m open to other options.

Would an MBA be a good investment in my case? Should I aim for a top program, or would a strong regional MBA work just as well? Any insights or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m interested in applying to KTH for a master’s program (Data driven health or Medical engineering or Sports tech) and wanted to ask current students or successful applicants about what kind of profile is usually considered competitive.

Would a GPA around 3.4/4.0 be considered enough for admission, especially if there are a lot of B/C grades in some courses? My bachelors is on AI and Data Science.

For those who got admitted, what helped strengthen your application besides grades? For example:

• Research experience
• Projects/portfolio
• Internships/work experience
• Publications
• Strong SOP or recommendation letters

If someone has slightly lower grades, what are the best ways to compensate and make the application stronger?

Would really appreciate any advice from people who were admitted. Thanks!

(from india)
so i was considering on either doing mba or masters right after my engg degree, realised without work ex it makes no sense to do an mba so i thought masters in management would be a better option, either that or masters in marketing, since im really drawn towards that field. i was researching online and came across HEC Paris as one of the good ones, the brochure and everything looked pretty good but after reading few of the threads im kinda contemplating now 😭
my goal is to get a job in europe, in luxury brand mgmt/marketing after my course. so how realistic is it and is it even possible. any alumni who has done smth similar preferred.
my_qualifications right now as a third year, i have done two internships and doing my third one right now. and i have taken up certifications online

I had taken up masters after my BDS in a private college and during admission I had taken into consideration only my annual fee and it felt manageable.

But the add on expenses of equipment, hostel, conferences and extra courses are way more than anticipated.

It is causing a lot of financial stress and i have already taken a loan of over 10lakhs to cover my fees.

I love what I am doing, the college is good but I can't help but think that it was a mistake taking up masters when I don't have a sound financial background to help me.

It doesn't feel worth it atp.

Is this the same with you and has it been worth it or not after passing out?

My_qualifications are BDS and now doing masters in prosthodontics.

Wanting some intel on how manageable a masters while working FT DDNN is? The masters is online FT so I believe 4 courses a semester. I’m a pretty good student never failed anything. Just wondering if anyone’s done it.
The program I got accepted into is through laurentian.