To degree or not to degree

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Kizmet, Dec 19, 2015.

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  1. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

  2. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Earning a college degree exposes you to so many concepts and ways of thinking. In my experience, technical performers promoted to supervisory and managerial roles without a degree can be really narrow in their thinking and, thus, can be very ineffective leaders. This doesn't mean there aren't exceptions, of course. But getting a bachelor's degree makes someone so much more likely to be effective.

    The federal government is still really bad about this, promoting people based on past performance and loyalty instead of future potential. Its managerial ranks are bloated with very narrow, technical thinkers. This, unfortunately, extends all the way through the Senior Executive Service as well.

    Conversely, the Air Force quit commissioning line officers without bachelor's degrees in the 1960s or so. (It continued commissioning nurses with associate's degrees until the early 1980s.) And almost no one gets promoted past captain without doing a master's degree.

    I'm not a degree snob. I have very routine degrees from very unknown places, all of which were earned while working for a living. But I've seen too many lousy leaders who know very little else than what's involved in their jobs, while the system continues to promote them.
     
  3. dfreybur

    dfreybur New Member

    Rich Douglas pointed out why that first degree is so important. When I was young I didn't get the point and railed against taking general education courses just because they were required for the degree. In time I saw the competitive edge at my work where the extra perspective of those courses helped in various ways later in my career.

    When I read the thread title I thought it might be about subsequent degrees. As degree fields see more and more graduates the cost benefit analysis starts to weaken when compared to taking individual point courses. A degree is atomic - It lasts forever and is a full package. A course is temporary - Unless you use the material at work it becomes gradually obsolete.
     

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