I will be finishing my MBA in IT Management next August from Touro University International. I would like to continue my studies further... Which would be a good choice? A second Masters Degree from a B&M school or PhD/DBA from Capella/TUI/Nova/UOPX? MFH MBA Student TUI
It really depends on what you want to do with your education once you are finished. I asked the President of the Comm. College that I work for the same question about myself and he said that I should go for the Ph.D. and not waste my time on a 2nd Masters. But that is only one man's opinion. Duff
It really depends on what is your objective. If you are interested in an industry job, a PhD or DBA wouldn't add to much to your credentials but a technical master's can give you a much better competitive advantage that a DBA in pure management from the professional perspective. If you are in the teaching business, some schools pay a second master's but the PhD will always put you in the higher pay scale. If you are looking for a PhD for a teaching career, try to do research about the school and select the one that has a more solid reputation. So far, I have seen many Nova graduates teaching at many good universities in comparison to Capella, TUI or UOPX graduates. I have also seen a good number of graduates from Capella in the teaching business.
I am currently employed in IT industry. I do not want to switch myself to teaching profession. My concern is how double masters are evaluated where PhD is not a requirement for that job? For example: Job Requirement: Masters in IT related field Applicant# 1: MBA (ITM) and a Phd (Business Admin) Applicant# 2: MS (CIS) & an MBA (ITM) Applicant# 3: MS (CIS) How would the applicants be treated considering that in terms of job requirement all the applicants has equal potential to perform the job…
A PhD in Business Administration will prepare you more for paper writting and teaching rather than professional skills. I would consider Applicant 2 better suited for a senior IT job (e.g. Director) since he has the technical and management background that can help him to make better decisions, I would avoid applicant number 1 for a senior IT position since this type of individuals are too focused in management and theory and might lack the technical skills that are required to interact with technical people. Applicant number 3 can be also a good option if he has the required experience. If I had an MBA in ITM, I would go for a more technical master's than a CIS (Computer Information Systems) and get as master's in either electrical engineering or computer science. CIS tends to be very superficial and is almost at the same level than ITM. The other option is to get a PhD in Business from a school that has a good mixture of technical and management courses, I found the PhD from Capella ideal for this purpose. I would avoid the PhD from Touro since it is too general.
Ph.D. or Second Masters? I am a fulltime faculty at a community college and thought about this myself. I had a master's, did an Ed.S. (education specialist in instructional technology), then thought... "What's next?" I decided on an MBA. Here is why IN MY CASE: 1. An MBA would put me at the end of my pay scale. A Ph.D. would get me an additional $1800 a year. In my mind, hardly worth the tremendous hassle, cost, and effort. 2. The online MBA I chose would take 2 1/2 years payback (my boost in salary would pay back the cost of the MBA in 2 1/2 years). Some of the Ph.D.'s I looked at would take 10-plus years for payback. 3. I could get an MBA in 2 years. A Ph.D. is 3 to 8 years, depending on the whim of your doctoral committee. And I am not making this up... whim is the word. A residential Ph.D. is out of the question because of the high opportunity costs of driving to and from, parking, hassles, etc... and reputation of some departments to "mess" with doctoral candidates. A fellow prof who received his doctorate from the local university told me not to even think of that place... they held up his doctorate for almost nine years... and this is more common than you think. Capella, Nova, Walden... maybe three years but at what cost? $30k to $40k ??? !!!! And he looks at me and shakes his head... because I make a miniscule amount less than he does and he has a doctorate! 4. For a community college, what good is a doctorate? It might give you a leg up if you want to be an administrator, but not always. If you want to teach at a university, you NEED a doctorate. I was on a faculty hiring committee last summer and applicants with doctorates raised more questions in my mind than anything else. Why here? How committed to teaching are they? Do they think this is a place to do research? In other words, a doctorally-qualified applicant had to EXPLAIN his/her doctorate to me. We do not need a Ph.D. preening and strutting about lording a title in our faces; we need somebody to do the work and teach! In fact, one applicant who was not hired asked me if her lack of a doctorate was the problem. I said flat out that would have HURT her... she had an MBA and I told her to get a technical grad degree in IT or instructional technology to compliment her MBA. There is no ONE good answer to your question. You have to do what is best in your circumstances. If your heart is set on university life, a doctorate is a must. But do not discount community colleges! I call it the best kept academic secret in America. It is heaven, to me. Analyze this with your eyes open. Look at all the costs involved. And finally, if you are driven to do a doctorate for a title... well, I can give you a free "certificate of ministry" that will give you a title! P.S., that's what I have! haha
