How important is a masters degree?

DylanII

Hi,

I have to choose between one year erasmus or a masters degree. Unfortunately, I cant afford both. I was considering a masters in education.

When applying for a teaching position, how important would the masters be?

TheBody

DylanII wrote: »

Hi,

I have to choose between one year erasmus or a masters degree. Unfortunately, I cant afford both. I was considering a masters in education.

When applying for a teaching position, how important would the masters be?

I doubt it's that important. A good teaching practice grade would prob be more important.

Just in case you don't know already, a masters in education will NOT qualify you to teach at second level. You need to do the Professional Diploma in Education.

bdoo

DylanII wrote: »

Hi,

I have to choose between one year erasmus or a masters degree. Unfortunately, I cant afford both. I was considering a masters in education.

When applying for a teaching position, how important would the masters be?

Do you have the pgde Or h dip? If not your masters is worthless as you won't be able to rev with the teaching council.

Apart from that I don't think personally that the masters in education would confer any great advantage. It does not prove that you know your subject or that you can teach it any better than someone without

spurious

In terms of applying for a job, fully qualified and registered with a few years experience is what gets an interview.

DylanII

Yea I was planning on doing the PDE. I want to do a masters anyway, for myself. I can't do it in my subject because I don't have the mathematical ability.

RH149

You would be better off doing the PGDE and then if you get just a few hours in a school after you qualify (seems to be the norm now) you'll have spare time to do a Masters in Ed if you want to but doubt it will help your employment prospects. It's typically what teachers do to raise their degree allowance (if you don't already have an honours degree) or if they are planning on going for a Principal/ Deputy P's job but not something many people do before qualifying.

TheBody

RH149 wrote: »

You would be better off doing the PGDE and then if you get just a few hours in a school after you qualify (seems to be the norm now) you'll have spare time to do a Masters in Ed if you want to but doubt it will help your employment prospects. It's typically what teachers do to raise their degree allowance (if you don't already have an honours degree) or if they are planning on going for a Principal/ Deputy P's job but not something many people do before qualifying.

Allowances are suspended for new entrants to teaching. So under current rules, a masters would make no difference to pay.

RH149

Good point- and I presume you need an honours degree to get onto the PGD
E now too so you wouldn't need the allowance even if it was still there.
If you really want to do a post grad that would help your job prospects I'd be looking at something IT related.

spurious

I'd get experience as soon as you can to improve your job chances and get post-grads afterwards.

TheBody

RH149 wrote: »

Good point- and I presume you need an honours degree to get onto the PGD
E now too so you wouldn't need the allowance even if it was still there.
If you really want to do a post grad that would help your job prospects I'd be looking at something IT related.

Yea, some people do a masters to get more points so they can gain entry to the Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) as it's called now.

Seanchai

DylanII wrote: »

Hi,

I have to choose between one year erasmus or a masters degree. Unfortunately, I cant afford both. I was considering a masters in education.

When applying for a teaching position, how important would the masters be?

In hindsight, I wish I had done an Erasmus year. If you are thinking of teaching a language, it would be a great benefit. If you want to leave teaching down the road, then your Erasmus year will stand to you providing you keep up that language of course. You can always do a Masters part-time if you feel it's necessary.

I wouldn't put much store in a Masters or PhD as things which could help you get a teaching job. And now with the qualification bonus gone for teachers, it makes even less financial sense to spend money on them.

In terms of securing a job, your degree subjects will be the most important thing. To that end, I would suggest that, if you're looking to spend money on education with the aim of being a teacher, aside from the PDE, you could investigate the Higher Diploma in Arts which runs in each of the Irish universities. That course will allow you to get the required degree credits to register as a teacher of that subject with the Teaching Council of Ireland.

drvantramp

Do the ERASMUS year - it will bring you to another level and a bucket of great memories....

gaeilgegrinds1

Most of our new teachers have masters.

TheBody

gaeilgegrinds1 wrote: »

Most of our new teachers have masters.

Were you on the interview panel for the new teachers? If so, how much would you say you were influenced to hire them because of them having a masters?

sitstill

TheBody wrote: »

gaeilgegrinds1 wrote: »

Most of our new teachers have masters.

Were you on the interview panel for the new teachers? If so, how much would you say you were influenced to hire them because of them having a masters?

In all the interviews that I had this year, the fact that I have a masters was a topic of discussion. I started in a school with 4 others this year and 3 of us have masters. It definitely seems to me that interview panels are using masters degrees as a way of singling out candidates who are otherwise similar in terns of experience etc

bdoo

sitstill wrote: »

TheBody wrote: »

gaeilgegrinds1 wrote: »

Most of our new teachers have masters.

Were you on the interview panel for the new teachers? If so, how much would you say you were influenced to hire them because of them having a masters?

In all the interviews that I had this year, the fact that I have a masters was a topic of discussion. I started in a school with 4 others this year and 3 of us have masters. It definitely seems to me that interview panels are using masters degrees as a way of singling out candidates who are otherwise similar in terns of experience etc

Do you mind me asking what the masters is in? Could it add to your subject/teaching ability? A masters for a masters sake is what you get a lot of, which would be the case with the op.

Do a masters if you want one but don't do it cos you think it will get you a job the drudgery of doing something for the sake of it.

sitstill

bdoo wrote: »

sitstill wrote: »

TheBody wrote: »

gaeilgegrinds1 wrote: »

Most of our new teachers have masters.

Were you on the interview panel for the new teachers? If so, how much would you say you were influenced to hire them because of them having a masters?

In all the interviews that I had this year, the fact that I have a masters was a topic of discussion. I started in a school with 4 others this year and 3 of us have masters. It definitely seems to me that interview panels are using masters degrees as a way of singling out candidates who are otherwise similar in terns of experience etc

Do you mind me asking what the masters is in? Could it add to your subject/teaching ability? A masters for a masters sake is what you get a lot of, which would be the case with the op.

Do a masters if you want one but don't do it cos you think it will get you a job the drudgery of doing something for the sake of it.

Mine is in my main subject area.

gaeilgegrinds1

Mine is in education.