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?

Having done recruitment for international companies (although I'm now COO rather than HR director) I would say that nowadays a Masters is pretty important. Everyone has a bachelors in the UK these days . A Masters gives you more points when an employer is sitting through 700 applications. However, Gender Studies? This would be useful as a pre-PhD course, nothing else. I would recommend against it.

I think you, and she, need to evaluate the best way to be taken seriously for this career. Is she serious about publishing anyway?

A friends’ DS is a Commissioning Editor for a magazine and he doesn’t have a Masters. The number of people with a masters has grown because the number of universities has grown! It’s a sheer numbers phenomenon and some Masters are Terry average! Our friend’s DS has a degree in Psychology from a good RG university and a track record of getting articles published and networking. I’m really not sure Gender Studies will trump this. I think she’s had hard sell from someone at uni if she thinks this will help. I don’t buy it and quite a few employers, I believe, won’t value this MA.

She will be competing for work against appropriately and superbly qualified DC with relevant skills and cvs. I think this qualification narrows down her future opportunities and doing the course at City is a far better idea because it’s focussed. She is already doing a degree that some employers would discount (I’m sorry but it’s true) so she needs to prove herself to employers by this MA. Gender studies simply doesn’t cut it. Never forget she will be competing against grads from Oxbridge, UCL etc who have degrees in highly academic subjects, stunning cvs and lots of work experience and published articles in magazines and even the national press. Research very carefully what is the best thing to do.

Terry average. Pretty average!

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.

Loads of helpful advice and things to consider.

She's not interested in the OUP or anything like that. Fiction all the way. She has had a stint at Penguin and they've offered her an internship this summer as she got on well with her work experience and then she's back at uni for her final year.

I agree that Media is perhaps not quite on par with some degrees. I've not said a word about that though as it's what she wanted to do. It's only when the talk of Masters cropped up and the gender studies thing that I said ' err we may need to discuss this'

Ultimately her decision. I'll support whatever. But I'll also say what I think and why and I think any parent financially supporting their adult child through studies would do the same.

And that's all lovely @DulcieRay but when do all these young adults indulgently doing Masters and PHDs actually join the work force? Genuine question with no snide intended.

When they feel they've learnt enough? When they're 28? When they suddenly realise they're competing with grads 6 years younger than them?

If she isn't interested in academic publishing the masters she wants to do is of no benefit. A masters in publishing would be better than nothing but work experience, contacts and practical skills will count for more. There are very mixed opinions about creative writing degrees but they can lead to editorial jobs.

There is nothing indulgent about post grad studies. They’re a fucking grind, leading to well respected qualifications and a much higher salary bracket

If I were your DD I’d bloody move out, therefore qualifying for higher levels of student loans, pay my own bills and ignore your wanky opinion.

Speaking as a 32 year old with 3DC who has just started a combined Masters/PhD in Public Health and Epidemiology with a Stipend of 20K.

I did a masters and loved it. Think I peaked academically that year. Mine is in an arts subject and although not essential to my job, I know it definitely made me more attractive to my current and previous employers.

Similar experience for me. I can't offer any advice on Gender Studies or funding nowadays (I'm 45!) but it was a worthwhile experience for me and given that your DD will probably be working until she's late 60s-70, what's an extra year in academia? I'm going to encourage my two to do post-graduate work if they have the aptitude/opportunity.

Grads may be 6 years younger but they’ll just have a BA not an MA and PhD... What part of that is difficult to grasp?

@GhostIsAGoodBoi none of it is difficult for me to grasp. I don't really know what point you're trying to make. Not a very good one anyway

@GhostIsAGoodBoi I'm laughing so hard at your incensed response. I'll tell her just that. Say she can move out , pay her own bills and ignore my wanky opinion. LOL. She'll enjoy that spot of advice.

Stop being silly and taking it so personally. It's not about you.

@SuckingDieselFella that's right - no interest in academic publishing. I think this may not be the right Masters for her. Up to her of course but she needs to be very sure and clear before she starts

OP - I bet you went to the School of Hard Knocks and graduated from the University of Life. Am I right?

@BevFromPurchaseLedger Yep, she’s definitely one of those. Clearly has no grasp of what an MA and PhD means for a career and salary.

Alas, both wrong. University educated. First class honours. I will hold my hands up to not having a Masters

Not sure what 'one of those' is?

Do you feel silly now? I would if I were you. You also clearly don't have children aged 20 and understand the complexities of the situation. AM I RIGHT? Always idiots on every thread though I suppose

Thanks so much to those who offered helpful suggestions and some food for thought. I'll hide the thread now because it'd be a shame for it to descend into trolls commenting

Alas, both wrong. University educated. First class honours

Of course!

Give Gender Studies a very wide berth. It is neither academically rigorous nor vocational (the description above as "indoctination" pretty much sums it up). If she's interested in fiction publishing, an MA in English Lit would preferable (she can always take modules in women's writing) or as others have said a Publishing MA.

Agree with the above poster. If she's set on doing a Masters, Eng Lit at a good university would be much more sensible than Gender Studies. Creative writing would teach her about contemporary fiction but it's pretty irrelevant to the job market.

Creative writing is not irrelevant to the publishing job market!

She is doing a Media degree!! Is it really possible to get onto a MA programme for English Lit at a decent university? Ahead of people with an English Lit degree? Might be difficult.

As she is going back to be an intern, can she not ask about future training when she is there? What do THEY think is best? Surely that is the way forward. Plenty of peopke without MAs do very well!!! As if every grad needs them. Many grads do further training in specific vocational skills like accountancy, law, human resources without an MA. Sometimes a masters just is ot needed. PhD's even less so for most grad schemes. What evidence is there thsat grads earn more money if have an MA in Gender Studies? Very little one suspects.

Bev and ghost - a PhD usually means a piss poor salary, so not sure that helps your argument. A masters - can help as long as it's not a way of deferring getting a job. Again not sure that helps your argument either. And I speak as someone with 30 years in HE....

Agree with others - she's got some great work experience, and if she can continue that whilst doing the Masters it can only be a good thing. However..... Gender studies is really not a good choice. It's roots are in the politics of the woke, not sociology. Currently anyway, hopefully it'll change back to what it used to be...

English would be a much better bet, or even women's writing. Kings do Modern Lit and Culture which might serve well?

Could she do the masters part time, possibly with the open university while working/ gaining experience in the publishing industry?

@titchy Depends what you class as a piss poor salary. Of the academics I know, the lowest salary is 45k.

Assuming she’s doing Gender Studies as that’s her area of interest; I’d say in the wake of the trans movement it’s actually very relevant.