To do a masters instead of working FT

[Hedgehoghair]

I have been looking into doing a masters recently. I’ve found one that accepts credits from previous qualifications I already have and will allow me to complete the masters if I submit two projects. The prospectus says the masters should thereafter take 6-9 months to complete. I would have the option to take longer if I needed to though.

I haven’t studied for a couple of years but think I can do it. The problem is as my ds gets older and is in school (now 6) my dh is putting extra pressure in me to work FT. I worked FT until ds was 4 then the last two years I’ve worked PT. my career has massively stagnated. I want to do the masters to improve my future employability opportunities. I’ve watched dh career shoot off in the right direction whilst mine has disintegrated into nothing due to taking on most of responsibility of ds at school and most of the home care as well.

Dh is helpful at home but when I mention the masters he’s said oh well who’s going to pay for that. Me? I have money. We have disposable income but dh wants it to stay as what it is instead of me taking it for the masters and go back to work so we can buy a bigger house etc.
I want to work FT as well but right now I’m looking at FT admin work instead of what I’m qualified to do as I’ve been out for two years. And a masters would massively increase my chances of better opportunities in the long term and tbh PT is working miracles for our home life and dh admits that but wants us both to earn more money to better our whole families lives.

I feel selfish at the same time though. Aibu to just take this money against my dh wishes?

I'm not sure if you've seen it, but there's a module on FutureLearn (the OU free site) called "preparing for postgraduate study". It has a section on juggling life and study. Might be worth a look?

Thanks @thetimekeeper I will take a look, that’s why I posted on here to get some inspiration and not be so down about it all. I had a good job and an amazing career and then a surprise baby came along that’s put a rather huge dent into it!

Just want to somehow look like I’m still in the game and hoping at least studying plus part time crap job looks better than nothing and right now haven’t managed to get the childcare I need to sort everything out to go FT but maybe I have to try a bit harder.

Definitely do the masters! You have a rationale for it and it will improve your employability.

Make sure the masters will help employment prospects. I could turn my professional quals into a degree and masters but I don’t believe it will help get better jobs. Experience is more important. I had loads of applicants for a second job type role from applicants with masters, including MBAs. In other sectors this is probably not the case but I’m much better equipped with prof quals than my degree in the subject holding assistant.

Just double and triple check that a masters will make u more employable. I saw it with friends who did one and were shocked they were still employed at same level as those who didn't. My husband works and interviews for a very large accountancy firm and they don't give 2 hoots whether u have a masters or not.....

Can you sell it to him as just one more year "investing" time in all your futures?

My only other thought was whether there are any supplementary professional qualifications you could do as a way back in? Lots of professional bodies have their main qualification and then offer certificates and diplomas in more specialised areas or areas that might have advanced since your original qualification. And then there are the niche bodies in same field that offer similar quals in their specialist area.

Have you explored that as an option to compare what you'd gain from each and the usefulness? Either way, a lot of it may come down to how well you sell it and talk about it on your cv, on applications and at interview, etc.

I'm not sure whether all the replies you are getting are factoring in that you don't want this for a step up, just a way to show you're still current and capable of the commitment etc they want.

Also, apparently I was half asleep when I posted earlier because "FutureLearn" stopped being called that ages ago and now goes by the more obvious "OpenLearn", and the course I was thinking of is actually called "succeeding in postgraduate study"! So, here is the link in hopes of increasing your chances of actually finding what I was talking about!

www.open.edu/openlearn/education-development/succeeding-postgraduate-study/content-section-overview?active-tab=description-tab

Admin work is done destroying. If the Masters would help you get a professional role it would be worth it.