Daughter wanting to do a masters. What would your advice be?

[Sup3rCooper]

So my DD will be going into her final year at uni in September. She's studying media with a special interest in feminism/women's studies.

She would like to go into publishing eventually and was lucky enough to have several work experiences at two of the biggest publishing houses last year. She's doing well and in track for a first.

So that's all very good for her. She's now told me she wants to do a masters. I asked 'err in what?!' and she said Gender studies. She's had several meetings about it to find out more etc etc and her plan is to live at home and commute to where it would be - not far and especially not too bad when she'd only be going in a few times a week

My issue isn't her living at home - although she was outraged at my suggestion that 'student favours' end when she finishes uni and that I consider a masters to be a bit of an indulgence in the subject she wants to do it in. She says she intends to work alongside it

What do you think? I'll support her whatever and clearly this isn't up to me but I'm just unsure what a masters in Gender studies adds to anything really - does it make the job market more favourable to you? Or just a waste of time?

I would be wary of doing an MA in gender studies. She needs to find out what MAs would actually help her in the field she wants to work.

@GeorgeTheBleeder and it distresses me to think that a person with access to the internet genuinely thinks that kids studying media in uni should spend the next decade (longer?) living at home (cos that's the reality) whilst having a ball doing a PHD in something which more than likely won't progress them to anything

You clearly haven't read my posts properly. I'm happy to support whatever but when my financial support is required I am allowed to have an opinion which may not quite chime with my daughters.

I'm with George. A Doctorate is, by definition, a significant advancement of human knowledge and understanding - if it isn't, you don't get the doctorate. It is worthwhile for that alone. PhD students aren't having a ball, they're a ball of stress. It's real hard work, I've watched enough bright and clever kids burn out from it.

Whether it's right for your daughter, is her decision. Good on you for supporting her. I'd also encourage her to do almost anything other than gender studies though...

What does "go into publishing" mean? What jobs do they do?

@BevfromPurchaseLedger she wants to work in editorial which is what she did both volunteering and on a placement with two of the biggest publishing houses

It's surely up to her whether she does a masters and what subject it's in.

If she's planning on living with you then it's up to you to decide how much rent she pays and what she contributes in other ways. Or you can ask her to move out.

I'm just interested - what do they do in editorial?

An increasing number of ‘graduates’ have more than an undergraduate degree these days. In many jobs, having a masters seems a prerequisite rather than just a bachelors. I write as someone who has recruited hundreds of new graduates. So I think she might be being quite sensible.

So I did a masters out of uni and am currently doing a second one for fun.
I worked part time in bar/ retail for my first one and have mostly worked full time in a professional job for my second.

I would not have got my first professional job without my masters - I didn’t know it existed and didn’t even know I’d end up doing the track I did when I started.
For my second, I did it for fun and as a means to move out of my work.
For advice, be very clear what you want out of it - if it’s the chance to do more in-depth study, make sure the academics are in place, if it’s a network, make sure you get it.

I will say it’s becoming more common to have masters - and both of mine have enriched my life hugely - and I don’t regret spending the money or time on them.

Won't be asking her to move out @NerrSnerr

No idea @BevfromPurchaseLedger - maybe have a google? I believe responsibility for style and content but beyond that I can't tell you as it's not me with the interest in it

Sound like you don't really value education op. I think this type of attitude is why privileged people continue to be privileged and dominate certain professions. There will be loads of privileged people who want to get into publishing who have been encouraged to do postgraduate education and take up other opportunities. Rather than pushed to get any job to earn money. They will be in a much better position than your dd. I think you're attitude is quite sad especially when you say money isn't a big concern.

@Bookishandblondish @WorkingItOutAsIGo that's really helpful thanks

@BuildBuildings we are privileged I suppose. Financially speaking. So no worries there. I'm not trying to push her into a job so unsure where you've got that from. I don't need her to pay me rent or buy her own food etc but these are crucial things to learn as an adult aren't they? I am just keen to know that a masters, in a non academic subject, will be of use to her.

I am just keen to know that a masters, in a non academic subject, will be of use to her.

Gender studies at masters level isn’t an academic subject? Really?

I think what she should do is approach people who are doing the sort of job she would love to do and ask them how they got there. An MA in Gender Studies will not increase her likelihood of getting a job in publishing. Something like this MA would be a much better help if she's determined to take an MA.

@HollowTalk that's helpful, thank you

I did a masters part time over 2 years while working full time and supporting myself, living away from home. Lots of people do. It's somewhat stressful but in a good way, very much manageable if you're young and have no dependants.

Something like this is an option www.bbk.ac.uk/study/2019/postgraduate/programmes/TMSGNSSO_C/

I'm not sure an MA in Gender Studies leads to a profession as such, although if she then went to a feminist press or to specialize in this area of publishing, it would all look very coherent.

If she's interested in getting a PhD, then there may be some other things to consider. If she'd like to try to get that funded, and it is hugely competitive, then she could go for a 1 + 3 studentship where the Masters is funded. Her current Masters probably wouldn't 'count' in terms of research so she may have to start from scratch again at that point, a lot of our 1 + 3 students already have a Masters (usually Distinction) but it's only at that level they start to be competitive for grants, which is wrong and not the intention of the funders, but what happens in practice. An alternative might be to do an MRes which is Masters in Research Methods, somewhere she could then take the options in gender studies and other related subjects, a lot of unis offer this. The advantage there is an MRes, if accredited by the research councils, would allow her to go straight into a 3 (PhD) funding if she wanted to go that route.

People do not take PhDs on without a Masters these days except in exceptional circumstances, so getting a Masters, whilst not necessarily mapping out her future, will take her forward.

I also meant to say she is too late to look for a 1 + 3 funded studentship this year, they've already been allocated and as I say, most have Masters and outstanding results to stand a chance of getting funding, most do not get funded. If she searches on jobs.ac.uk she could see if there are any Masters/Phds in the areas she is interested in and see what they require in terms of Masters/grades for the future.

If she worked in publishing for a short while then she must have good contacts there. She should be making the most of them while they remember who she is and ask them for advice. Perhaps she could take one of them out to lunch and ask questions?

If she is interested in gender studies, she must be aware that publishing is traditionally a career populated in the main by women, though any men tend to do better than they should. Because of the gender imbalance, it's also pretty low paid, unless she trained as a literary agent.

I think she should enjoy doing her Masters in something she is interested in and worry about her career later. If you can't study as an "indulgence" what can you bloody indulge in?

I think it's a shame less and less people study academically for the sake of academic study... it will be refreshing in interviews for her to be able to be passionate about something.

What kind of editorial job is she looking for? A Masters in Gender Studies would only be relevant for academic publishing and if she wants to work for the likes of OUP she will probably need a PhD. Most editors of academic publications are academics who do it on the side. Publishing is a business and they need practical skills rather than a non-specific masters. It would be of much more benefit to do a short course in IT, Finance or Marketing. She needs to get back to her contacts in publishing and ask them for advice on what training she needs. If she knows how to market books or has the ECDL this might give her the edge over 100 similar applicants. Also bear in mind that publishing isn't well-paid and she won't see a financial return on that masters.

More people seem to go on to a masters degree than in days of yore.
I think it's because so many people these days
a) get a degree
b) get a 2.1 or better.

Kids need a masters to stand out from the crowd.

I agree - an MA is the new degree.