Anyone doing a masters & part-time work?

seahorse

Hi all. I posted recently about doing a masters and am now wondering what people think regarding the feasibility of doing a masters whilst working part-time (20/25 hours a week) I'm sure a lot of people must do this? Am just curious to hear your opinions/experiences. Thank you in advance.

Electric

I'm doing a part time masters while working full time and it's really hard going!

I've found that it's not so much the class time but all the hours you need to put in doing research and getting assignments done. Personally that usually works out about 20-30 hours a week depending on what I need to get done.

If you're going to be working part time I would work out how much you need to get by and also look into any grants etc you might qualify for that way you'll know what how much time you can give to work and to study.

I definitely wouldn't recommend working full time and studying part time, I think it's just easier to get the course done in a year rather than dragging it out!

derek27

You've got to weigh up the impact that this part-time work is going to have on your ability to ensure you'll acheive your masters. Investigate whether or not there is any possibility of you obtaining some part-time teaching or assisting hours at the college you are working in. The pay is likely to be relatively high (perhaps €30 per hr for assisting, and more for lecturing), meaning you won't have to do a lot of hours to get enough money to get by. Also, you'll pretty much be working in the same place as you're studying, which has obvious benefits. I know the ITs do have this opportunity, but not so sure of the Universities, but it's certainly worth looking into.

seahorse

Thank you both. It's a creative writing masters I'm looking at so I doubt the opportunity to teach is plausible, if there at all. It's a full-time one-year course so it'd be over before long, thank God! It's just that I really want to give my all to it while it lasts but need to work at least part-time also. I'm also a single mother, so Jaysus, it doesn't look like it's going to be an easy year! :eek:

Hi Seahorse! Firstly, different courses require different amounts of time and more importantly different people might need more or less time to do them, so I'm not comparing situations directly with yours, just throwing stuff out there! To get to the point, in the first year of my masters I gave tutorials (which require preparation time as well as class time and grading time) and had a part-time job and found this no problem whatsoever. However, a friend of mine is doing a masters and can't even consider working because she won't be able to get back into study mode. For her it's not so much about not having the time, as not being able to manage it. I suspect that you're probably well practised at time management! To be honest, with my masters (also in the humanities), having 10 free hours together really wouldn't have been much good anyway, I needed to work at something for a while, then leave it and come back to it.

Ed. Forgot to say Best of luck!!! Hope it all goes well for you!

pretty*monster

I work 20hours a week alongside a MA in philosophy. I don't think it interferes with much to be honest. My supervisor did the same hours last year while she did her MA and she got a 1st which is a pretty good sign if you ask me

seahorse

I don't know what's wrong here, but I've posted twice to this thread to say thanks for the advice folks but my posts haven't showed up either time - here's to hoping it'll go through this time! Thanks!

corkgal1981

Hi Seahorse,
I did an MA 2 years ago & worked 25 hours a week & still got a first. I actually found it a relief having somwhwere else to go & work & it really took my mind of thesis! It forces you to manage your time well. If I was free every day, all day, I wouldnt have spent as much time researching cos I would have felt like I had all the time in the world! A year goes very fast! I had classmates who didnt work & they had to pay for more time to complete thesis & some never got it done. When you have no choice but to work hard in life you really appreciate your achievements more. Best of luck!!!

onlyrocknroll

Hi seahorse
I did a one year "full time" masters while working about 20-30 hours per week and got a first. That being said the work load in that particular MA wasn't huge. The credits were divided 50:50 between taught and research sections. Lectures were held from September-April, but these were held on only two days a week. I found working part-time during this period pretty easy. From April on there was a 20000 word thesis. I admit I struggled a little at this and my result was largely based on the taught section. I didn't get a first on the thesis which was a bit of disappointment. I'd say that whether its possible or not depends on the work load of the MA. Good luck with it.

petethebrick

Yeah depends on the MA. I did mine in politics and didn't have lot of extra time to be honest (I was aiming to do well though). Others on the course worked part-time a lot more but constantly seemed rushed with course work as a result. Why not do a TEFL cert between now and september and get some teaching hours with the VEC. It pays 42eur an hour so you could just do 7/8 one day a week instead of working a few days

compgeek

Hi Guys,


I am just wondering if it would be possible to work part-time (20/25 hours a week) mainly over the weekend while doing a Masters.


I worked part-time while doing my Honors degree and I found it difficult, not with time management but with having any free time. I had a very stressful job where you were often given more work that one person could physically handle.


I have decidied to give up this job to focus 100% on my Masters but I'm wondering if it's the right decision.

I know I could probably still do it, but my job is exhausting & draining and I don't have any free time to think or relax.

I basically don't want to jeporadise my future with this company incase I can't find work straight after my Masters but at the same time, something had got to give.

I am not whinging here and any criticism will be noted, I am really just looking for any advice or opinions you can offer.


Thanks,
CompGeek.

The Cool

Hi,
I've just come on to ask the same question, I'm doing a MA in Translation studies in Sept and wondering whether to keep on my job.
Last year, doing the final year of my degree, I kept on my summer job, just on Sundays. However my degree was in languages so I had a lot of contact hours as well as all my language practice and reading to do on the side. I found it tough going because Mon - Fri were all used up with college, Saturdays were split between getting the leftover work done, catching up on the little things like housework and trying to see my boyfriend and then Sunday was work all day. I had no time to myself at all so I gave it up for second semester, and was glad I did, but missed the money.
Can anyone tell me if they found much of a step up of workload between final year of an undergrad, and a masters? I'm trying to figure out if I'd be capable of working part time.
At the minute I'm leaning toward a year of cheap living on the grant, seeing if I can borrow off of my parents and try and do a few hours of grinds.

compgeek

Hi The Cool,


Thanks for your comment. I also worked during my honors degree.


I worked about 21 hours. Straight from College to work on Friday evenings & then Saturday & Sunday too.

My work was also shift work so sleep patterns and regular study / college work time was hard to find.

I would also like to know what kind of contact hours would be involved. I plan on doing an IT Masters.

Like The Cool, I'm also leaning towards trying to survive without working.

Thanks, Compgeek