BA and MA from Same College/University

I have a question for those of you in the know.....

I have an ultimate goal of teaching college level course as an adjunct instructor.

I wonder if there is any downside or bias against a person who wants to get into teaching to have obtained both their bachelor and masters from the same university or college?

I am making some hard choices in my masters program, and am considering taking my earned credits in one program and transferring them into the same university I received my BA from.

Thanks in advance.

 

In the Boston area there is a phenomenon generally known as the "Triple Eagle." the classic version consists of:
1) H.S. diploma from Boston College High School
2) BA/BS from Boston College
3) J.D from BC Law School
I believe there are other versions that involve the PhD. It is said to be a most potent combination of credentials.
Jack
(who is not even a single eagle)

 

Jack, you forgot to mention that most triple eagles are pompous jackasses.

I think having degrees from different schools might be good, to give one a varied exposure to different teaching styles & approaches. But, as Jack mentioned, having a combination from one of the upper-tier schools is probably more desireable than a mix from less-renowned schools.


Bruce

 

Most masters programs that I am familiar with will only allow a transfer of 6 sh. You may want to consider this before you transfer.

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Howard Rodgers

 

It all depends on what the overall quality and reputation of the school happens to be. Two degrees from a school that doesn't open to doors you're hoping to knock on are worse than one.

And to follow up on Jack Tracey's post, I think many "Triple Eagles" should get an honorary Ph.D. in "Insular Worldview," an unfortunate perspective that dominates too much of Boston life!

 

Does this mean that a person with three degrees from Oglethorpe would be a "Triple Stormy Petrel." And when a Triple Eagle meets a Triple Stormy Petrel in the courtroom . . .

(Amusing nicknames have arisen here before. I'll add the one that Steve Levicoff should have discovered, but since he didn't -- the Flying Queens of Wayland Baptist.)

 

We already had the Banana Slugs, Geoducks, and Anteaters in another thread. So this time, I'll suggest the Horned Frogs (Texas Christian University).

 

Hmmm... I migh become a double eagle... since that is the mascot of the school in question.

 

Geewhiz Bruce, I figured eveybody knew that!!
Jack

 

Of course David, they top it off by buying a home on Beacon Hill and vacationing at the Cape. They can spend their entire lives in the beautiful Commonwealth and never worry about what goes on out in "the hinterlands."
Jack

 

UC tradition called for a bear.... The anteater was actually a joke promoted by two UCI (male) cheerleaders. Personally, I would've wanted the choice with the
second-most amount of votes: "none of the above"



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Sam C
www.uci.edu
UCI 2002
[email protected]
Confusion is just the path to insight and knowledge

 

To answer your question more seriously, a minority view might be mine: yes, I think it looks less good to hold two degrees from the same institution. It looks like you're in a rut, no matter how fine the school may be.
I am talking perception, not educational quality. But I also think there are good *educational* reasons for studying at different schools.
Peter
Peter
Peter

 

Woops, I just signed that previous post three times inadvertently. (Well, twice inadvertently, once on purpose.)
Yet it sort of proves my point. That's what three degrees from one school would look like, all stacked up on a cv. Dull.

 

Oops. Goofed on that one.... I'll try again...

For one thing, studying at different schools broadens your perspective(especially if the schools are in different states).

- Sam

 

For what it is worth, I had interviews with couple different institutes where this subject has come up. In both cases, the chair of the departments I was talking with said essentially, that with everything else being equal the preference would be given to the individuals that had their degrees from more then one source due to the exposure to different teaching styles. Now if this is a local idea or more wide spread I cannot say. But it can be used as food for thought.

Bill

 

I have wondered the same thing and, as a result, I chose to pursue a masters degree at a different school than where I got an undergraduate degree.

 

When I was getting my BS I also had this conversation with my counselor and was told the same thing Bill wrote, that you get a more varied education from 2 different schools with a different set of teachers and philosophies. However, who would question two degrees from the same top tier school? Probably not many. I got my BS in Business at a 3rd tier RA school and would prefer to get my master's at a different school, even though I had a good experience at the school. The school I went to has some of the same teachers teaching lower and master's division equivalent classes. So one probably wouldn't learn much new stuff by taking the master's level class. Just things for you to think about . . . .