I’m kind of confused on the step to take.

I work for an organisation whose entry qualification for any position is MSc. Although very few are just BSc holders and I fall into this category although I have professional certificates here and there. I joined this org 2yrs plus and at the last appraisal, I was asked for my plans for MSc and at any given opportunity, my Director reminds me to pursue my MSc in order to take up more responsibilities. I have also scanned this particular sector and what obtains is second degree. Another appraisal is due in the next few weeks and I will need to give concrete steps I have taken.

Currently, my husband is not buoyant financially and he is seriously searching for work which makes the financial responsibilities fall on me. He’s been trying to secure a job to no avail. My income is quite attractive and we’ve been copying just fine.

But now, I need to further and the only option is an online program and you will agree that this is quite expensive, the bulk of my income will go into it and the home front may suffer financially. But I have to secure my job; we can’t afford to lose it since it is our major source of income. Nigerian Universities run my course option as full time, more so they are quite far from my place of residence;hence the reason for settling for online.

My husband has been supportive and agreed that I start the program but I keep thinking -How are we going to survive? Am I been selfish for wanting to take this step? Should I put it on hold till later?

If you were in this position, what will u do?

Chaulay1:

I’m kind of confused on the step to take.

I work for an organisation whose entry qualification for any position is MSc. Although very few are just BSc holders and I fall into this category although I have professional certificates here and there. I joined this org 2yrs plus and at the last appraisal, I was asked for my plans for MSc and at any given opportunity, my Director reminds me to pursue my MSc in order to take up more responsibilities. I have also scanned this particular sector and what obtains is second degree. Another appraisal is due in the next few weeks and I will need to give concrete steps I have taken.

Currently, my husband is not buoyant financially and he is seriously searching for work which makes the financial responsibilities fall on me. He’s been trying to secure a job to no avail. My income is quite attractive and we’ve been copying just fine.

But now, I need to further and the only option is an online program and you will agree that this is quite expensive, the bulk of my income will go into it and the home front may suffer financially. But I have to secure my job; we can’t afford to lose it since it is our major source of income.  Nigerian Universities run my course option as full time, more so they are quite far from my place of residence;hence the reason for settling for online.

My husband has been supportive and agreed that I start the program but I keep thinking -How are we going to survive? Am I been selfish for wanting to take this step? Should I put it on hold till later?

If you were in this position, what will u do?

I like that line. I hardly see sentences constructed that way Everybody likes what is attractive, you know. Attractiveness is very, very appealing. 

So, back to business. Madam, if I were in your shoes, I would try to ascertain whether your organization views online MSc as being at par with regular full time or part-time MSc. Why? Because some organizations just do not believe that online students learn or learned anything at all. Such organizations feel that online degrees are a major opportunity for students to find an easy way out. For this reason, they rate such degrees very lowly. Notice I have not mentioned that their thoughts or actions are justified.

If your organization frowns at certain MSc degrees, then it is best to completely neglect such degrees, as having one of them will not give you that additional utility you hope to derive from being promoted in your office. In such a case, going the part-time and weekend-only-lecture type of MSc will prove to be the most prudent (best of the worst) strategy.

If, on the contrary, your organization views every MSc degree as being equivalent, no matter the mode through which it was obtained, then I would go for the MSc degree that gives me the best flexibility. Remember, the utility to be derived from this MSc degree is periodic promotion in the office, nothing more. 

About your being selfish, well I have never gotten married before and therefore I sincerely do not know what being selfish means in a nuptial context. But all I can say is that, if food can still be readily available at home, if kids can always be well fed and well taken care of, plus their school fees paid regularly, if bills and rent can be paid, and if your family will suddenly not crumble because of your understandable ambition to purse an MSc degree, then I will advise that you purse the degree. Based on your own submission, the MSc degree will surely offer you that promotion which you have always striven for and have always wanted. Go for it.

I would advise my elder sister to go for it if she were in your shoes. And of course, provided her husband says it is fine.

T22

Chaulay1:

I’m kind of confused on the step to take.

I work for an organisation whose entry qualification for any position is MSc. Although very few are just BSc holders and I fall into this category although I have professional certificates here and there. I joined this org 2yrs plus and at the last appraisal, I was asked for my plans for MSc and at any given opportunity, my Director reminds me to pursue my MSc in order to take up more responsibilities. I have also scanned this particular sector and what obtains is second degree. Another appraisal is due in the next few weeks and I will need to give concrete steps I have taken.

Currently, my husband is not buoyant financially and he is seriously searching for work which makes the financial responsibilities fall on me. He’s been trying to secure a job to no avail. My income is quite attractive and we’ve been copying just fine.

But now, I need to further and the only option is an online program and you will agree that this is quite expensive, the bulk of my income will go into it and the home front may suffer financially. But I have to secure my job; we can’t afford to lose it since it is our major source of income. Nigerian Universities run my course option as full time, more so they are quite far from my place of residence;hence the reason for settling for online.

My husband has been supportive and agreed that I start the program but I keep thinking -How are we going to survive? Am I been selfish for wanting to take this step? Should I put it on hold till later?

If you were in this position, what will u do?

Don't you live in Lagos? There are many weekend programmes all around the place. If you could say the course you are interested in doing at MSc level, then things would be better simplified for contributors.

I still opine that you can very well do a weekend programme or the so called sandwich programme. In fact there are many of them.


T22

@OP:

Have you tried checking with your company to see if they are happy to sponsor any or part of your training?

violent:

@OP:

Have you tried checking with your company to see if they are happy to sponsor any or part of your training?

Another great point.

@ OP

And hopefully offer you a paid leave for the duration of the MSc.

@tanimola
Tanks alot for your contribution. I work for a development organisation (NGO) and we are basically donor driven/funded. Though I dont have a medical background but I'm looking at MPH or Development Management.

I dont stay in Lagos, I'm in Abuja. Uni Abj doesnt offer MPH. Closest in Zaria and its full time.

Online masters is acceptable in my org, infact one or two people have started something similar.


@violet
My org only sponsor short term training (Max 3weeks) or conferences and not an MSc. Salaries/training cost is mainly donor funded and there is no justification for sponsoring a staff whose entry requirement should be MSc in the first place.