Certification Magazine - March 2008 - (Page 20)

You feel a sigh of relief. You’ve gotten your bachelor’s degree, you’re secure in a job and you’re thankfully near the end of paying off your college loans. Then a thought sends you reeling: Should I get a master’s degree? The decision to pursue a master’s in any subject area can be a tough one. It could mean accumulating more loans, juggling a demanding job and a rigorous course load and wondering whether it’s all worth it in the long run. Leone believes the best route to getting a master’s degree is finding an employer who will invest in your education. “The ideal thing is for somebody to get working with a company and then go to the company and say: ‘Now I would like to work on my master’s degree. Will you help?’” Leone said. “Most companies, if they’re smart, they will help their employees work on their master’s degree at night because the whole time that they are doing that they are investing in their employees. It’s an ideal way to keep your marketability.” If that doesn’t happen, getting a bachelor’s degree and gaining on-the-job experience is a good alternative. However, Abraham Haddad, director of the Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) program at Northwestern University, said a master’s degree is worth the cost and time commitment if you want a broader grasp of the IT field. He believes a master’s degree offers a look at the big picture, whereas bachelor’s degrees or certifications present just a small slice. “[If] you come into the field with a bachelor’s degree, you really have [only] seen a small part of it, and you are constantly being bombarded with the new terms and new technologies,” Haddad said. “The master’s is just a way of saying, yes, you are aware of all the technology involved in IT. If you want really to know a broader thing, you either have to take a lot of short courses or get a master’s degree.” Because the IT industry will never be static, Northwestern’s MSIT degree tries to give students an understanding of IT that will take them into the future. It’s a program that covers the technical side but also blends it with the business side. “Just like in any industry that’s fast changing, a mas- Is It a Necessity? Jim Leone, information technology department head at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), said in the current job market, a master’s degree is not imperative. “In today’s world, [a master’s degree is] not really important, simply because our students with bachelors’ degrees are finding work,” he said. “However, mid-level IT workers can strengthen their careers by coming back for a master’s degree. But is it critical? No, not in my opinion.” Scientists have determined that we only use 10% of our brains. Make the most of it. There’s only one way to prepare for your next certification exam and that’s with Self Test. It’s the only tool you’ll need to improve your IT IQ. Self Test Software helps you figure out what you know and gives you the answers to what you don’t. Hey, you’re already smart. We help you be smarter. w w w. s e l f t e s t s o f t w a re . c o m · 1 - 8 0 0 - 2 4 4 - 7 3 3 0 © 2006 Kaplan IT, Inc. All rights reserved. SELF TEST SOFTWARE® Kaplan IT, Inc. All rights reserved. be smarter http://www.selftestsoftware.com http://www.selftestsoftware.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Certification Magazine - March 2008

Certification Magazine - March 2008 Editor's Letter Contents Data Stream Tech Careers Academic Connection Dear Techie Virtual Village Mastering IT: Choosing Between an Immediate Job and Higher Education Inside Certification Virtual World Administrators: Service Requests in Cyberspace Interface Boomers in IT: Will the Talent Shortage Affect Techies? Ad Index Endtag

Certification Magazine - March 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.