Question?

[dewisant]

How does one choose what to do a Masters degree in? What your parents did? What your highest GPA was in? Where the market requires more people with Masters degrees? What feels good? What you didn't spend enough time working on in your Bachelors degree? What your friend thinks you should do? What your counselor or spouse thinks you should do? If you can afford it or not? Just what exactly??

[dfrecore]

I would choose a masters degree based on the career I'm in. If I'm somewhere where a BA is enough, I wouldn't get a MA. If I was somewhere where a MA was required to move up past a certain point, I'd probably get my MA in something that was valuable in that particular career path. If I was somewhere where a MA was required, I'd get it in what would get me the most bang for my buck.

You don't really have to ask this question once you're at the point in your career where this is an issue. You will KNOW that you need to get it and what it should be in (people will start to recommend one to you frequently - kind of like when the army says "if we wanted you to have a family, we'd have issued you one, and then suddenly you reach a certain rank and your higher-ups start joking "we're getting ready to issue you a wife if you don't get one yourself").

[dewisant]

I'm 57 and nearing retirement again. I have spent 36 years working on aircraft and have no interest in doing anything in that field ever again.

[armstrongsubero]

At your age and experience OP, it really dosen't matter what you do it in.

Do your masters in whatever interests you

[bjcheung77]

Yes, I would recommend looking for a Masters from one of the competency based degree providers. For example, if you wanted to move up in a non profit or similar type of role - something like organizational leadership may be for you, you may want to look at getting a MAOL from Brandman or an MSML from WGU. If you're into business, then an MBA from WGU or other providers ie Capella, Purdue, etc, Walden has a special going on for 50% off right now.

[Merlin]

I'm of a similar age to dewisant, though I'm a bit younger. For me, I got my MBA not because I needed it, but because I enjoy learning. Working in tech, I don't really even need a degree at all. I wanted it more for myself.

Once I completed my bachelor's degree journey, it felt like I needed to continue on with something else. I considered pursuing a second bachelor's degree, but I didn't really feel like there would be much value in that. I decided on the MBA mostly because I figured I could complete that quickly via competency-based programs like WGU where I could leverage my existing business leadership experience while building on what I learned in my undergrad business degree.

If it wasn't for the competency-based options, I don't know that I would have continued on to a master's degree at all. Or if I did, I probably wouldn't have even considered an MBA since my ultimate goal is to earn a terminal degree in a technology-related field since that has a better likelihood of offering direct value to my career. The MBA is more of a stopgap before my next degree.

[dfrecore]

I'm 57 and nearing retirement again. I have spent 36 years working on aircraft and have no interest in doing anything in that field ever again.

I guess I assumed that you wanted to move up in your career.  I should have said to get one in the career you want, and to find out what is required in that field.

[bluebooger]

> How does one choose what to do a Masters degree in? 

if you have money to spare get a masters in what interests you                         
if you need a masters in a specific subject to increase your employment opportunities then get a masters in that subject       
otherwise don't get a masters -- don't go into debt just to get a masters -- if you're interested in a subject and want advanced knowledge then go to a library and get a book, see if there any decent documentaries around or any "great courses" videos              
https://www.thegreatcourses.com/

[dfrecore]

> How does one choose what to do a Masters degree in? 

if you have money to spare get a masters in what interests you                         
if you need a masters in a specific subject to increase your employment opportunities then get a masters in that subject       
otherwise don't get a masters -- don't go into debt just to get a masters -- if you're interested in a subject and want advanced knowledge then go to a library and get a book, see if there any decent documentaries around or any "great courses" videos              
https://www.thegreatcourses.com/

I completely agree.  You don't need a masters unless you need one.  But there's nothing stopping you from becoming an expert in your field, in whatever you want, just because you enjoy learning about it.

I think some might consider me an "expert" degree planner, and there's no piece of paper that will say that I'm one of those.  But I just keep learning, and applying my knowledge, and I know a lot about this whole thing just because it interests me.  I'm not paying for a degree to call myself that, I just get to if I want to (I don't, really).

[dewisant]

> How does one choose what to do a Masters degree in? 

if you have money to spare get a masters in what interests you                         
if you need a masters in a specific subject to increase your employment opportunities then get a masters in that subject       
otherwise don't get a masters -- don't go into debt just to get a masters -- if you're interested in a subject and want advanced knowledge then go to a library and get a book, see if there any decent documentaries around or any "great courses" videos              
https://www.thegreatcourses.com/

I own and have owned dozens of the Great Courses.