On 6/20/08, Uday Gajendar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > On Jun 19, 2008, at 9:08 AM, Connor, Adam wrote: > >> The recent thread on the SVA program and subsequent writing about online >> programs has got me wondering - how important is a Masters Degree in a >> > design related discipline to the success of one's career?
I've been struggling with the same issue... I've been doing this stuff for 10 years, so for me it's really hard to justify an advanced degree... ESPECIALLY one that does not accommodate working professionals. However, *many* UXP-related job postings nowadays are starting to *require* advanced degrees. This is *in addition* to having some experience. The idea of being screened out just because I don't have some piece of paper (I've got all the thinking and the portfolio already)... it just seems wrong. But now to respond to some of Uday's points... 1) Cross-college connections and alumni networking, especially if you go to > a "brand-name" school. Sorry to offend or seem elitist but it's true. You can get this by going to conferences as well. Especially with Crowdvine coming into high usage. Search for interesting/famous people to talk to, then go find them at the conference. Also, just participating in online communities like this list will help give you those connections. 2) The opportunity to do creative, exploratory projects and re-kindle the > imaginative spirit that the working world may have killed off (Like Jack I > went straight thru from Undergrad to Grad, for various reasons, but I > remember my CMU adviser saying he liked folks who returned to school after > spending a few years in the "real world" b/c they were sufficiently angry > and jaded and primed to crank out amazing stuff--i'm simplifying a bit ;-) Not that conferences are a panacea, but there are *certain* conferences that will give you this... interaction08 was one for me. I'm hoping to go to IDEA this year as well, thinking it will be similarly inspiring. 3) The opportunity to get deep into thinking, reflecting, and diving into > the theoretical and intellectual issues that enrich the practice, but we > often don't have time for when we got a Have you *seen* how long some of the threads on this list go on? : ) 4) And if you've been fumbling around learning it as you go along, grad > school offers the chance to learn methods/approaches in a more organized > guided fashion (presuming the curriculum is sound and robust!) to push > yourself further...and perhaps discover something about yourself you didn't > know! There are also professional training programs out there that do this. Adaptive Path's UX Intensive, Cooper's IxD Practicum. Also, in terms of career growth, AIGA and IDSA usually publish periodic > studies of salary increases, etc. More and more I see job descriptions (like > posted on ixda) that require or recommend Master's... If you're just starting out in the field, or if you have a year or two's experience, then YES an advanced degree is most likely worth it. Plus, if you've graduated from college recently, you're likely relatively young and without a lot of the responsibility we accrete as we get older. In that situation, you CAN pick up and move to Pittsburgh or San Francisco or New York or wherever and take those two years of full-time study to get your degree. Take care, - Fred ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
