Professional exams weigh more than Masters, even in the academic world. A BSc with ICAN carries more weight in the accounting world than a Bsc with Masters.

Globally, there's a trend towards professionalism, rather than paper qualifications.

An example is a graduate with an ACCA stands a global chance than a graduate with Masters.

And except you are not concerned about quality, you all know our education system is all wash. Even a market woman can get Masters while sitting all day in her shop, but its not like that with professional exams.

I've been on the field and I'm talking from experience. Thanks

GentleNaaz:
It depends on ur undergraduate major n ur career pursuit.

If u r graduate of account, Economics, etc., go for ICAN first. u cn subsequently do MSc or MBA afterwards.

If u r graduate of Business administration, banking n finance, etc., go for MBA or MSc first (MBA wl b better). Professional certifications cn b acquired afterwards.

If u r science or Engineering graduate, go for MSc/M.Eng first, but gt HSE level 3 certificate as well. If u r Engineer, train n gt certificates in engineering softwares/application, eg AUTOCARD, etc.

if u want to b a lecturer, MSc first, PhD afterwards, no doubt. Become member of at least one professional body in ur field.

This Oga don make sense, he has spoken my mind.

I feel the Question should be “Which should come first” and not “which is better”. By the way, there are cases where both programmes could be run simultaneously.

The most important thing is to understand your field of study, your career goals and what is required to accomplish your career goals.

For example; A student of Accounting is expected to be ICAN chattered or ACCA chattered before graduation, at the point of graduation or after graduation.

It is glaring that he can obtain the crucial certification even before bagging his BSc. The question is; Can he have MSc before having BSc? NO!

In that same field, an ACA with a non-accounting background( e.g Agriculture Graduate) is very likely to be hotter in the market than a candidate that has BSc Accounting and MSc Accounting without ICAN or ACCA certification.

Let us look at Engineering where MSc is very crucial. Since we know having an MSc is vital in this field and it is still good to have some very hot professional certification, why not plan, save or even borrow to get some of these certification while in school ( during holidays)? Why not make use of the NYSC Year to get some certification and go for your MSc immediately after your NYSC?

tensazangetsu:
I think it depends on what you studied in school. The course am doing(marine engineering). The masters degree has more advantages than the professional exams.

I beg to differ. Make more research about your career. Pro courses will help u get to where u want to be quickly, except you want to go into academia then u can go for your msc. Especially for marine engineering

GentleNaaz:
It depends on ur undergraduate major n ur career pursuit.

If u r graduate of account, Economics, etc., go for ICAN first. u cn subsequently do MSc or MBA afterwards.

If u r graduate of Business administration, banking n finance, etc., go for MBA or MSc first (MBA wl b better). Professional certifications cn b acquired afterwards.

If u r science or Engineering graduate, go for MSc/M.Eng first, but gt HSE level 3 certificate as well. If u r Engineer, train n gt certificates in engineering softwares/application, eg AUTOCARD, etc.

if u want to b a lecturer, MSc first, PhD afterwards, no doubt. Become member of at least one professional body in ur field.

walai this is well said

I'm an accounting graduate and I think being an ICAN professional does a he'll lot of good more than the master's degree in the corporate world

in doing the professional exams you'll be more exposed in your field due to the fact that you do more of the advanced parts of your course and keeps you upgraded in more field than one giving you more experience in many fields unlike in master's where you are streamlined to just a field in your profession.

groovie:


I beg to differ. Make more research about your career. Pro courses will help u get to where u want to be quickly, except you want to go into academia then u can go for your msc. Especially for marine engineering

Yeah pro courses would help you if you want to work on sea all your life which I don't want to.

let us break it down in two synonymous examples using a G8 country say USA as an example.

Is a Bachelors or Associate degree synonymous with Professional Certifications?

Why do folks who have attained professional certifications still push to get the broader and wider academic qualification say Bsc, Msc etc as your case may be?

Whatever your answer to the aforementioned always realize that the world is dynamic and different environments have different standards per what professional certifications are acceptable.

The same analogy is albeit different for academic qualifications as in most instances and environments are acceptable unless you want to choose a different career path.

In general to be on the safe side, proactive and cost effective in the long run choose an academic degree in your case Masters degree it will save you many queries, objections , limitations and most importantly it is respectable because you would have contributed something in form of writing or research to the global community that even folks in the limited certifications category will respect and reference



Nothing stops you from getting certifications after you must have gotten the ultimate one.

For me,depend on ur career path.

daylay123:
Professional exams weigh more than Masters, even in the academic world. A BSc with ICAN carries more weight in the accounting world than a Bsc with Masters.

Globally, there's a trend towards professionalism, rather than paper qualifications.

An example is a graduate with an ACCA stands a global chance than a graduate with Masters.

And except you are not concerned about quality, you all know our education system is all wash. Even a market woman can get Masters while sitting all day in her shop, but its not like that with professional exams.

I've been on the field and I'm talking from experience. Thanks

Not necessarily true!
You have a Bsc plus ICAN( do not forget it is categorized) say from of course Nigeria

I have a Bsc from Nigeria just like you from same University sef but i also have a Masters Degree in Financial/Investment Mgt say from a reputable American University and we both apply for a management position in a Multinational Company (everything being equal) ask yourself who would they take on paper?

I'll give a terse advice: "if you are planning short term go for your professional certifications, if you can see the big picture in the long term, you would be very sure of that master's degree" despite the examples some people try to show around, I will boldly state that for the very top opportunities you will need those advanced degrees to gain access.

No two ways

Due to my little experience I think professional exam is way better

Jchi9876:


Not necessarily true!
You have a Bsc plus ICAN( do not forget it is categorized) say from of course Nigeria

I have a Bsc from Nigeria just like you from same University sef but i also have a Masters Degree in Financial/Investment Mgt say from a reputable American University and we both apply for a management position in a Multinational Company (everything being equal) ask yourself who would they take on paper?

Bro they would pick the person with ICAN.

I work in a multinational (one of the big four) and I can tell you that for you to employed in a management position you MUST be chartered, whether ICAN or ACCA. No matter how brilliant you are, without it you won't qualify for those positions.

I am not in any way belittling a masters degree though, just telling you the position in my workplace.

tensazangetsu:

Yeah pro courses would help you if you want to work on sea all your life which I don't want to.

And you reckon an Msc will help u rise up the corporate ladder in your field? Bro just try do a little more research. But if your really sure msc is the way for you, no problem.
Cheers

For a petroleum Engineer who's currently working and has almost a year experience in the oil and gas industry, would u advice a masters degree or a professional course. This has been a very disturbing issue to a brother.

As de tin dey hot.
I am around

pete26:
For a petroleum Engineer who's currently working and has almost a year experience in the oil and gas industry, would u advice a masters degree or a professional course. This has been a very disturbing issue to a brother.

A masters degree is your best bet in oil and gas at the moment. Gone are the days from the "great crew change" when there was a large knowledge gap and companies were pushing people up the ladder to fill up top positions.
For a "millenial" an advanced degree would better position you for those "sterling" positions otherwise inaccessible.

I'll sight an example and then u choose ur choice.
Where I work (FG coy) people who have masters were not promoted mainly because they do not possess professional certification in their field which is a yardstick for promotion.
Once u are gainfully employed with either 1st degree or HND, quickly pursue a professional certificate in your area of specialization and then, masters later. With that, u can develop your carrier quickly.

adeaks:


Bro they would pick the person with ICAN.

I work in a multinational (one of the big four) and I can tell you that for you to employed in a management position you MUST be chartered, whether ICAN or ACCA. No matter how brilliant you are, without it you won't qualify for those positions.

I am not in any way belittling a masters degree though, just telling you the position in my workplace.

Not true dear. It depends on d departmnt in d organization. Its only in account or internal control departmnt dat being ICAN/ACCA chartered wl gv u edge over non ICAN/ACCA chartered staffers.
in Engineering, production, Quality assurance, etc, MSC/PhD wl gv u leading edge. No doubt.

NB: if u r in field of accounting/economics, go for ICAN first, MSc afterwards. By so doing, u bcome hot-cake: every coy/organisation wants pepl wt such hard skills to b d manager of dia accounting/internal control departmnt.

@OP

When it comes down to who gets the job or climbs the corporate ladder, every company has its own structure and rules. But generally, it's a case of skills and experience. I always say that your MSc doesn't make you competent overnight. For instance, If you studied Petroleum engineering at LASU and did an MSc in drilling engineering at RGU Aberdeen straight up, that doesn't make you a competent driller. A high school grad that has a couple of years experience as a roughneck + IWCF's well control certificates is better poised to becoming a driller someday. If you doubt what I've just said, go on rigzone and check the minimum educational entry requirements for most jobs:
yeah, you saw right. Your O' levels.

pete26:
For a petroleum Engineer who's currently working and has almost a year experience in the oil and gas industry, would u advice a masters degree or a professional course. This has been a very disturbing issue to a brother.

Go for Masters

MOST PROF CERTS ARE TERMINAL BUT WIT MSC U CAN FURTHER TO PHD.

Thought to share this with you, could be helpful in whatever choice you decide to make.

https://www.nairaland.com/2820788/take-career-next-level-updated

tosyne2much:
I'm here to learn

learning is good prof. Btw, which course u dey study

groovie:


And you reckon an Msc will help u rise up the corporate ladder in your field? Bro just try do a little more research. But if your really sure msc is the way for you, no problem.
Cheers

I think it depends on what you really want to do I wanna go into consultancy.

ayokunlei:


learning is good prof. Btw, which course u dey study

Bro, I'm studying Office Management at the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti

adeaks:


Bro they would pick the person with ICAN.

I work in a multinational (one of the big four) and I can tell you that for you to employed in a management position you MUST be chartered, whether ICAN or ACCA. No matter how brilliant you are, without it you won't qualify for those positions.

I am not in any way belittling a masters degree though, just telling you the position in my workplace.

"big four" in which sector?

Jchi9876:


"big four" in which sector?

Audit

GentleNaaz:

Wats ur undergraduate major n positon in ur coy?

Mine us Soil Science and Land Management ( 2nd Class Lower )
Serving presently

GentleNaaz:

Go for Masters

Tnks Bro. Really wish I did that b4 working.

Allwility:
@OP

When it comes down to who gets the job or climbs the corporate ladder, every company has its own structure and rules. But generally, it's a case of skills and experience. I always say that your MSc doesn't make you competent overnight. For instance, If you studied Petroleum engineering at LASU and did an MSc in drilling engineering at RGU Aberdeen straight up, that doesn't make you a competent driller. A high school grad that has a couple of years experience as a roughneck + IWCF's well control certificates is better poised to becoming a driller someday. If you doubt what I've just said, go on rigzone and check the minimum educational entry requirements for most jobs:
yeah, you saw right. Your O' levels.

Your post is confusing. A graduate can never be a roughneck, atleast in developed countries like the US, Canada, Norway or scotland e.t.c He would enter the control room or supervisory position straight. Or be in an office controlling those on the field with occasional field visits.
The grad with MSc has an opportunity to rise to management. But the guy with high school diploma and all his certificates would spend all his career on the field drilling, a very tough job with no career advancement.

A job roles of a driller is different to than of a drilling engineer. Highest position a driller can attain: Tool pusher; Highest position a drilling engineer can attain: CEO

Just as you can't compare someone with a Masters in corrosion/materials engineering to a NDT technician(even on the highest level+plenty certificates).