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Original poster

Part-time Masters and full-time work. What's the work/life balance like?

16 replies

lazarusb · 09/10/2023 18:44

My daughter is thinking about starting an online part-time Masters in Museum Studies next year. She works full-time Monday to Friday 9-5. Does anyone on views on how manageable the study workload is while working and studying? The expectation is around 18 hours a week so likely to be one full day at the weekend and a few hours each evening. Would appreciate others experience of doing similar please.

OP posts:

TheSnootiestFox · 09/10/2023 19:40

Well, I'm managing it while working 3 days a week, caring for my mum with dementia or volunteering for either of two charities I'm involved with on the other two days per working week, being a Governor of a local college, being a single parent to two teens and a dog, maintaining a long distance relationship plus I'm 50, so I'm sure a young person with only one job to worry about would be just fine 🙂 people do manage to do more than just work in a day, you know!

CMOTDibbler · 09/10/2023 19:42

I've been doing an MBA with more working hours than that. Hard but doable - the biggest issue was the sheer amount of reading around needed

GoddamReylos · 09/10/2023 19:55

I did it and found it absolutely horrendous. I think it depends on what kind of person your DD is. Some people are natural life-jugglers! I worked FT, had two under-2s and studied at night or early in the morning. It was only for a year though and was worth it in the long run.

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TeenLifeMum · 09/10/2023 20:04

I’m doing a 2 year part time level 7 post graduate diploma (that I can top up with a dissertation at the end for a masters). I work full time but am doing it through work as a senior level apprenticeship so I get full time pay with 20% study time (one day a week). On top of that I have to use many weekends - one day as I’m strict to ensure my dc get me one day at weekends. My portfolio alongside my assignments is my actually work so that’s done in work time mostly.

I’m not sure how I’d do it without the one day a week off work but then I have 3dc so it’s possible I guess to use evenings. I’m shattered most evenings though.

Original poster

lazarusb · 09/10/2023 21:03

TheSnootiestFox · 09/10/2023 19:40

Thanks for your response. I wasn't going to put it in my initial post but my daughter also suffers from a potentially life limiting neurological condition, plus a gastric issue which affects her on a daily basis. Have a ⭐ though.

Thanks to the other posters who have provided more helpful responses about the likely workload.

OP posts:

TheSnootiestFox · 09/10/2023 21:05

Wow. I'm sure you didn't mean to be so rude. I wish her well with her studies.

Berninaa · 09/10/2023 21:07

I did an MBA over two years as a single parent with a senior job where I work about 45 hours most weeks in my late 40s. It’s fine, you just need to be organised.

I carried on and am just finishing my DBA. I don’t watch much TV 😂 but I clearly really enjoy the challenge.

museumum · 09/10/2023 21:11

I teach an online masters and did one myself a decade or so ago. My students almost all work full time. There’s a lot of reading and it’ll take a lot of her free time but if she doesn’t also have young children, or other volunteering or caring commitments then she’ll likely be fine.

Destiny123 · 09/10/2023 21:19

Pretty manageable I'm in the year if my msc and work 45-68h s week as a full time dr

Original poster

lazarusb · 09/10/2023 21:22

Thanks all. Your comments have reinforced my understanding that with organisation and some sacrifices time wise, she is more than able to undertake this.

I'm slightly jaded because I did a Master's then a professional qualification while working full time but the guidance re: time commitments were well under what I put in during the courses. It had a significant effect on me at times - although it was eventually worth it!

OP posts:

Scampuss · 09/10/2023 21:25

If she's really interested in the subject matter, and hopefully that's why she's chosen it, the reading and a lot of the thinking won't feel like 'work' so she'll find that the actual sitting at a desk work is quite manageable. If she doesn't enjoy the reading then it could easily all feel quite overwhelming and a bit crap!

Berninaa · 09/10/2023 21:29

How old is she and what are her other commitments like? How keen is she and is it something she is really keen to do are reasonable questions I suppose.

There’s plenty of us holding down demanding jobs, running households, looking after kids and studying at the same time but you need to be reasonably determined.

ETA it is a completely different kettle of fish to my first masters or any of my professional quals because of everything in the paragraph above.

user1471554720 · 09/10/2023 21:40

It should be ok workwise. I did professional accountancy exams when I was 30 and single no dcs. I worked full time 5 days a week. I had to go to revision courses for each subject. This was a few Saturdays each term.

I studied from 7pm to 9.30pm Mon to Fri. Then I did a few hours, morn or afternoon Sat and Sun. The course was correspondence with attendance at revision weekends every so often.

I didn't have loads of free time but the terms were short and it was doable. I have asthma and am easily tired. With vitamins, doing little and often i managed.

Particularly if your daughter lives at home and doesn't need to do cooking, cleaning and shopping it should be very doable. I wouldn't do something like this for longer than 2 or 3 years as you could get burnt out.

HTH

Original poster

lazarusb · 09/10/2023 21:44

Thank you. She's early 20s and has reasonably few other commitments, although she's also planning to move away from home next year so will have more responsibilities in respect of housework etc.

She has a History degree from an RG university so is definitely interested in the subject and it's an area she's very keen to work in. The main issue is her health which means she can sometimes be completely wiped out in the evening or at the weekend. I do think it's achievable but just wanted to get some feedback from others that have done it.

I do agree that it's better for her to do it now before children etc!

OP posts:

flustereddriver75 · 09/10/2023 22:46

I have just finished doing this. Juggling a full time job, primary age child and a fairly time-consuming volunteer role.
It was demanding to say the least and I was glad when it ended but it definitely is doable if you're either really interested in the subject or having the qualification holds significant value.

Ankerdam · 09/10/2023 22:51

Totally possible for a young professional with (what sounds like?) minimal responsibility - it all comes down to how badly she wants it. If the answer is a lot then she'll easily find 18 hours a week, if not more.

DP works 4 12 hour shifts per week, goes to the gym 5 days a week, does the childcare for our toddler on the afternoons he's off so I can work, and has still managed to complete his 2nd year of his MSc with distinction all round, and he's not even the academic type!

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