Page 6 | To ask what you would think about someone that had masters degrees from both Oxford and Cambridge?

strawberrydonuts · 02/07/2021 19:11

It's not as difficult to get into Oxbridge for a Masters as an undergraduate.

Either way though I wouldn't think anything really. I suppose I might think they're probably quite intelligent.

lljkk · 02/07/2021 19:11

Honestly my first response to idea of 2 Master's degrees (from any 2 locations) is: "Glutton for punishment". "Why didn't they do a PhD instead", too

what if one is pursued for career purposes and the other for interest sake? 3x on the "Glutton for punishment" hypothesis.

Not very interesting fact all by itself, otherwise

GreenWhiteViolet · 02/07/2021 19:11

I have a Masters from one of these universities. It was fully funded and the monthly stipend I got was more than I earned in the full-time job I had before I went into academia. I couldn't have afforded to do it otherwise. I did find that people's opinions of my decision to do it changed when I told them about the money!

My assumptions would be that the person was intellectually curious and probably interesting. No guarantees, but I'd think it was likely.

Original poster

Zorbing · 02/07/2021 19:11

@mam0918 45k!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sounds like an executive MBA

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MrsTulipTattsyrup · 02/07/2021 19:11

I have two postgraduate qualifications, one an MA and the other a PgDip. Both were part-funded by my employer as they enhanced my skills and knowledge in a way that would benefit the organisation, and I worked full time while studying part time, and have been promoted significantly since getting them. One of them I could have taken at Cambridge but I found somewhere more local.

You should not deduce anything other than their qualifications from the simple fact of someone having two postgrad degrees from prestigious universities. You also shouldn’t be gossiping about anyone who works in your field, whether or not they got the job you were recruiting to. It’s highly unprofessional and could come back to bite you.

LazJaz · 02/07/2021 19:11

I’m a bit alarmed to read this as this could be me! But mine is an MA (ie the freebie) from one and an MPhil (studied for 2year kind) from the other. I’m also waiting to hear back on a kind of application for a new role.... so I do hope that it’s not me you’re talking about!

If it is me you are discussing I’m a really nice person and terribly hard working!

I’d also hope you would ask me why I decided to do my masters at these places instead of elsewhere if you were concerned I lacked imagination or similar.

Basically my (obviously unbiased ) view is that you should interview them like any other candidate and see if you like them.

BeenAsFarAsMercyAndGrand · 02/07/2021 19:12

It would tell me nothing about their work ethic though. Or their general intelligence. I've met PhDs who are pretty clueless outside their very narrow field of expertise. Having a masters in X only really shows that you studied X and demonstrated masters level knowledge of that topic. Nothing else.

Jacopo · 02/07/2021 19:14

Did she get the job?

AssassinatedBeauty · 02/07/2021 19:15

As @lljkk says, I'd wonder why they didn't do a PHd instead. That's pretty much all I'd think, apart from wanting to know if they were in similar or very different subjects.

Hoppinggreen · 02/07/2021 19:15

Rich, privileged, well connected and totally lacking common sense and the ability to get an actual job that didn’t involve using her contacts

GalesThisMorning · 02/07/2021 19:16

I would think they are very clever and expert in their field. I would not necessarily assume they were wealthy or privileged. DH and I have 3 masters between us: 2 were funded by our work, I was obtained many years ago while working as a part time live in carer. I think many people don't pay for their postgraduate degrees

KirstenBlest · 02/07/2021 19:16

Postgraduate courses are far, far, far, far easier to get onto at Oxbridge than undergraduate courses. I don't think this demonstrates that they're any more skilled or qualified than anyone else with a degree of that level/discipline from a respected university. In fact, depending on the discipline, they'd be far better off with a postgrad from a different university. Oxbridge prestige is largely only applicable to undergraduate degrees.

This.

It depends a lot on what the qualifications are in and where they are from. A relevant HND would probably be a lot more meaningful than an irrelevant PHD.

Hadalifeonce · 02/07/2021 19:16

I know someone who has a masters from Oxford, but it wasn't 'earned', apparently they are often just given.

Changechangychange · 02/07/2021 19:16

It would depend a bit on the masters, whether they were relevant for their job, or whether they were done for fun.

If they had say an undergrad in Modern Languages, an MA from Cambridge in Creative Writing and an MA from Oxford in Diplomatic Studies, and were applying for a job in Marketing, I would think they lacked direction.

If at least one of the post grad degrees were related to this or a previous job, I’d think they had changed field, which is fine.

If all three degrees were related to their current field, it would be a plus, but they wouldn’t get extra brownie points for going to Oxbridge over any other highly rated university.

Original poster

Zorbing · 02/07/2021 19:16

@LazJaz

I’m a bit alarmed to read this as this could be me! But mine is an MA (ie the freebie) from one and an MPhil (studied for 2year kind) from the other. I’m also waiting to hear back on a kind of application for a new role....

so I do hope that it’s not me you’re talking about!

If it is me you are discussing I’m a really nice person and terribly hard working!

I’d also hope you would ask me why I decided to do my masters at these places instead of elsewhere if you were concerned I lacked imagination or similar.

Basically my (obviously unbiased ) view is that you should interview them like any other candidate and see if you like them.

It is not you @LazJaz I assure you :)

This person was interviewed quite some time ago now. And has long since heard back.

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KingdomScrolls · 02/07/2021 19:16

Friend of mine has a master's from Cambridge and a PhD from Oxford, she went to a state comp. She's very very intelligent and hardworking (and lovely)

MouldyPotato · 02/07/2021 19:17

Very clever

BeenAsFarAsMercyAndGrand · 02/07/2021 19:17

Btw, I'm not prejudiced against people with higher level equals, just realistic about what they actually mean.

(I have 4 post grad level qualifications. One MA (done part-time, for interest) and 3 professional qualifications with chartered institutes (all studied for while working, and I need them for my job.))

IME, if you want to identify who's hard working, look at who did their studying (at whatever level) while also holding down a proper job. Those are the real grafters.

Original poster

Zorbing · 02/07/2021 19:19

@BeenAsFarAsMercyAndGrand

Btw, I'm not prejudiced against people with higher level equals, just realistic about what they actually mean.

(I have 4 post grad level qualifications. One MA (done part-time, for interest) and 3 professional qualifications with chartered institutes (all studied for while working, and I need them for my job.))

IME, if you want to identify who's hard working, look at who did their studying (at whatever level) while also holding down a proper job. Those are the real grafters.

Completely agree re grafting - holding down a job whilst studying.

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Changechangychange · 02/07/2021 19:19

what if one is pursued for career purposes and the other for interest sake

I wouldn’t put the hobby MA on my CV, personally. Unless I needed to account for a break in employment.

Original poster

Zorbing · 02/07/2021 19:20

Its interesting to see the roughly equal split in replies on this thread where roughly half have said they would assume wealth and the others have said the wouldn't assume that at all and maybe the person continued working whilst studying, got a scholarship or maybe their employer funded.

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claralara42 · 02/07/2021 19:20

Would you think they were highly intelligent / had a strong work ethic? Or just lucky and privileged?

Luck doesn't get you multiple masters degrees

Original poster

Zorbing · 02/07/2021 19:20

@Changechangychange

what if one is pursued for career purposes and the other for interest sake

I wouldn’t put the hobby MA on my CV, personally. Unless I needed to account for a break in employment.

Oh really, why's that?

Just because it might bring up difficult questions in an interview or for other reasons?

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LazJaz · 02/07/2021 19:21

@Zorbing phew !!!

*opens wine!

WithLoveFromMyselfToYourself · 02/07/2021 19:21

My first degree was Oxbridge and years later I did a Masters at a non-Russell Group red brick. I was a bit startled when the subject head for the Masters told me I was totally different to what he had expected as he associated Oxbridge with arrogance. I didn’t ask him if that was based on experience but I should have.

It’s a shame, and while I met a few arrogant tossers at my university (at the Union and one waiting outside the exam hall) they were a tiny minority and my peers were from mixed backgrounds and generally lovely.