Advice About MSc

[hawleybits]

I wonder whether anyone can offer any advice please?

A friend of mine, an African who was educated in Africa to Degree level followed by a PGCE equivalent. He taught for a year or so and then came to live in the UK. This was 10 years ago.

Since living here, he has worked in care and worked his way up within that job. There is potential to go further but he has decided to embark on a self funding MSc in a subject he is interested in but totally unrelated to his current work experience in the UK.

I think he is educating himself for education's sake, if that makes sense. He seems to think that having a Masters is going to be the gateway to a better future in the UK. I wonder whether he's setting himself up for a fall? It's hugely expensive and he is working every hour to fund this.

Is having an MSc really going to make a difference to the bigger picture without any relevant work experience in his chosen subject?

it depends entirely on the subject and what he wants to do after the MSc. it also depends on the university and the precise course he is taking.

for some careers, an MSc can be a great launchpad, and a good way to switch into a different field or move ahead.

for other careers, it may not make much difference. But if he can afford it and enjoys it, then why not?

Also, he should make sure to talk to his university careers service and his tutors about what to do next - they can be very helpful and are worth using.

It's Integrated Environmental Management at Bath Uni. What he'd like to do with it remains undecided.

He does enjoy it but I'm not sure it's easily affordable. My concern is, he's going in blindly and hasn't thought it through but believes this will be the qualification that's going to project him forward.

Incidentally, he did a Geography Degree in Africa and a PGCE but has found it difficult to get a placement to do a PGCE in the UK.