What do you plan to do with your Interdisciplinary Bachelors/Masters?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Paidagogos, Feb 24, 2012.

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  1. Paidagogos

    Paidagogos Member

    I am currently working on my an Interdisciplinary master's at Western New Mexico University, and I was curious what everyone is planning to do after they finish their interdisciplinary degree? Or what have you done with your degree?

    I am getting 18 hours in History/English at WNMU, and my undergrad degree is in history, so my goal after I finish my master's degree is to teach as an adjunct at a local community college. I have talked to some of the local CCs and I don't think getting hired will be that difficult, but I could be wrong. If I can get hired somewhere, I may think seriously about some Ph.D. work somewhere.

    So what are everyone's plans?:confused:
     
  2. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    Well, if I ever get around to my interdisciplinary master's, I'd frame it and hang it on the wall and then go for an interdisciplinary doctorate and frame it and hang it on the wall.
     
  3. rebel100

    rebel100 New Member

    The possibility to one day adjunct and personal gratification. I'm still not sure WNMU is right for me though, I have to re-asses where I am heading with this. The price point has been a big factor so far.
     
  4. lawrenceq

    lawrenceq Member

    I'm not sure. I just finished my B.S. in Multidisciplinary studies last month. My reason was just to complete a bachelors degree. I'm thinking about grad school, but want to work on a few things first.

    I'm currently registered for a class through UCSD (extension). My plan is to complete their copyediting certificate if I like them. After that, I'm down for anything.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 25, 2012
  5. CoachTurner

    CoachTurner Member

    My wife and I are both in the MAIS - she's a semester further along than I am. I'm English/Psych and she's English/Writing. She used to be English/History but didn't care for the history material so much.

    Background first: we both already have multiple master's. We both also have one in HR Development and Media Communication. I have an additional, MBA.

    Essentially the MAIS adds two "minimally/basic qualified" teaching content areas for me and reinforces her Media Communication with what should become a very broad department-wide teaching qualification at the CC and Univ lower-level to either enhance or maintain position prospects. She writes for money (freelance) and tells me that the coursework has helped to refine her skills. It must have because the money has increased.

    My main purpose though is that I want to have five master's degrees for little more reason than to have them. I won't be needing a job anytime soon. This one has the right price point and our experiences so far (both over half-way) have been as good as any other college we've attended in this class of schools.

    I recommend them highly to everyone I know seeking something this model fits. It's really good for people that want a master's for an automatic pay raise (lucky b******s) but don't want it to be too terribly intense or career confining.
     
  6. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    My opinion is that if you want/need a graduate degree for personal interest or a pay increase based on the degree itself or a number of graduate credits, then the WNMU program is perfect.....inexpensive, great course selection, and unquestionably legitimate.

    However, if your goal is teaching at the college level, I would think twice. If I were on the hiring committee of a school looking for either adjunct or full-time faculty, I can't think of why I would choose someone with a graduate Interdisciplinary degree with 18 credits in 2 different fields of study, versus someone with a focused graduate degree with 30-60 credits in the same field of study that is relevant to the position.

    Just my thoughts.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 10, 2012
  7. DxD=D^2

    DxD=D^2 Member

    Sarcasm at it's finest? Or a pure genuine response?
     
  8. Shawn Ambrose

    Shawn Ambrose New Member

    Bruce,

    A person with the credentials to teach two different subject areas would be very desirable in a rural community college. I know that when I was an Interim Academic Dean, I would have loved to had a good adjunct teacher who I could give more teaching opportunities to.

    I also think this degree would be useful to someone who is already teaching, and wants to expand on what subjects he/she could teach.

    Shawn

    BTW - Not disagreeing with your point, but there's
     
  9. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    It has been a dream of mine since I first acquired a copy of Bear's Guide in 1992 to get a PhD in Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences with concentration in History (or, as it now is, a PhD in Humanities & Culture) at the Union Institute. As you might know (if you've ever read the Washout Thread Sticky), I have dropped out of five attempts at an MA in History. Of these, I have found out that I am welcome back at Western New Mexico University's MA in Interdisciplinary Studies with dual concentration in History & Political Science (if only I could find the money). I am aware, of course, that the job market for PhD Historians really sucks now. So maybe I'll have to do two doctorates: a PhD in History for love and a PhD in Business for money.
     
  10. Paidagogos

    Paidagogos Member

    This is good news to hear! In fact, I was banking on this idea when I first enrolled at WNMU. The idea was that if I picked two very marketable areas (History & English), which are always in need at the community college level, I could at least get some experience doing some adjunct work.

    Who knows if this will work out in practicality. I have no delusions of grandeur, I just hope I will at least be able to do some adjunct work, teaching what I love, either online of in the classroom after I graduate.

    When I graduated in 2009, I went straight to a private brick-and-motar in hopes of obtaining an MA in History. However, as I became more aware of the difficulty of finding work after graduation, the motivation to complete the degree with a pricetag of $20,000 dropped off completely. I quit after one semester, and ultimately enrolled at WNMU about a year later.

    The market for professional historians is terrible right now, but there are a lot of opportunities out there in history, albeit ones that do not pay very well. I think a lot of Ph.D. expect they will move into cushy, tenure-track positions quickly after graduation, but that is just not the case anymore.
     

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