True to my word I conducted an interview on your behalf. Hopefully this might help a little bit if you are considering applying for a masters degree.
So tell us what is the official title of the masters you are studying and what qualification will you receive at the end of it?
I’m doing Forensic Speech Science (sounds more complicate dthan it is). I will soon have mastered science, apparently, but not the world of arts.
You had to move from the town you had been living in for the last three years to a new place and the course is not free, so how are you handling the expense? Was there some sort of loan or grant available?
I did apply for funding, but it was just pot luck (or may be based on whether you had an interesting name) so I didn’t get it. I missed the deadline for some other sort of funding too ‘cos I didn’t decide I wanted to do the course until quite late on. There is moneyout there, you’ve just got to be lucky to get it. Or have a good name.Or do something like town planning. Or starve. I’m working a few shifts a week at a restaurant but that doesn’t cover living expenses/rent. Get yourself a girlfriend with money.
How much of a step up is it from doing a BA?
I’ve only had one piece of work assessed so far so I can’t say in terms of that, but there’s a lot more independence to it.Undergrad felt like college at times, now you’ve got no-one to holdy our hand (sorry Will). My timetable has increased by 500% if that’s any indicator of workload.
What’s the single best thing about being a master?
Having a focus on something you enjoy doing. Free printing.
What’s the worst thing about doing a masters?
Knowing there’s little room for finding more education to throw yourself into before finding work. Unless you want to spend your20s doing a PhD.
How much do you think your job prospects will increase when you have your new qualification?
Hopefully the CREDIT CRUNCH will have passed by next year and there’ll be jobs a’plenty. In terms of having a masters, I guess it depends what I’m applying for. If I want to be forensic linguist thenI’ll still have a few years left of training. Otherwise, it can’t hurt,surely?
If I was unsure on whether or not to do a master’s and came to you for advice, what would you say?
If you do one, make sure it’s something you definitely want to do. It’s a year focussed on a relatively narrow area so you’d better enjoy it. Research job prospects - you might be able to get a masters through employment.
And finally if you were a tree, what sort of tree would you be?
I’d be a Penelope Tree. Testament to how bad a joke that it,I’ll have to explain that Penelope Tree was a human being and not a tree.
So there you go, if you have any questions you want to ask leave a comment and I will do my best to answer it.
Oh also thanks go to Nathan without him this dedication would not be possible.
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