How does this look on a resume? MS Interdisciplinary Studies...

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: How does this look on a resume? MS Interdisciplinary Studies...

Douglas,

Interesting that you would consider this a "last word" issue.

Per your own words - you have tried to enter academia. Nothing wrong with that - but with your non-traditional background and degree - good luck.

Per your own words - you selectively answered my "academia" comment with a evasive "faculty" specific answer. And the two are NOT the same - academia is much broader - including administration, etc.

Best of luck with your endeavors.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: How does this look on a resume? MS Interdisciplinary Studies...

Beacause you posted it on a public forum?

Given how busy you are - I would be interested to know the resons for more grad school - not which school, but what field and why.

Bismarck is reputed to have said "Fools say they learn by experience. I prefer to learn from others experience."

Your reseans are undoubtly good ones and perhaps I can learn something.

 

An Idea!

Someone should open another section in these fora, next to the off topic and political discussions. It could be called “Rich Douglas attackers” or “Come and get at Rich” and it could be the realm where these people meet, do some networking, get to know each other, vent, let off their steam, and get Rich Douglas at the personal level. Hopefully then, people like philosophicalme can know other posters´ opinions on her resume, and educational plans without being disturbed with all this BS.

 

Re: An Idea!

Great point!

With that in mind, what Robert_555 said about dropping the "interdisciplinary" from the title. 'Nuff said.

 

You should also consider joining the Society for Human Resource Management. It's a professional organization that offers support and resources to HR professionals, as well as continuing edcuation and a number of professional certifications that could help in your job search. Here's a link: http://www.shrm.org/join/benefits.asp

 

Re: An Idea!

Why not just get all of Rich's umm..disgruntled friends together rather than a fora(the seem to have serveral already)..perhaps an annual international convention! I'm sure some exotic place like a hotel in Fargo will be more than happy to give you a discount this time of year! Talk about networking!..The ironic part is none of them can get along, with each other. It would be fun to watch, make for a great reality show(think real world meets UFC) !

 

I've never really understood these questions and they appear periodically.

Why wouldn't any degree look good on a resume?

 

I am of the opinion that graduate school should give a student an opportunity to focus on a disciplin. Consequently, interdisciplinary studies at the graduate level is, IMO, an oxymoron.

 

While this is a good point, I would want to point out that there are some topics, oh, let's say something like Globalization, that do not cleanly fall within the realm of only one discipline.
Jack

 

Well, your opinions have certainly made me think twice about this degree option. I must say, I was initially excited by the prospect of designing my own degree program, but it seems the risks would outweigh the benefits when it comes to securing a position in HRM.

Rhonda

 

I also wanted to note that the MS in Interdisciplinary Studies can, oddly enough, focus on one OR two areas of specialization. If one area of specialization is used, as I originally intended, I feel Mountain State should change the title of the degree to be more in line with this approach.

For example, instead of MS Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Resource Management, the degree would read Independent Studies in Human Resource Management. I'm not sure if this would help the resume factor, but it would be more appropriate, IMHO.

Rhonda

 

No. Not even close. Many such programs exist. Try Georgetown's interdisciplinary doctorate, for example.

Interdisciplinarity isn't "general studies"; some sort of hodge-podge of classes lumped into a degree. It is about taking concepts, ideas, techniques, strategies, standards, etc. from multiple disciplines to solve questions, problems, research issues, etc. That's why these degrees have emphasese, concentrations, and the like.

For example, I concentrated in higher education, but I used HR and business approaches to my research.

 

Rhonda, you just may need to take some time to stew on these (usefully, I think) competing views. Sometimes the more you know about an industry’s specific challenges, the easier it is to make these judgments. For some bracing perceptons on HR careers – advancement within HR in general and differentiation through degree selection in particular – I strongly recommend:

The Human Resource Professional’s Career Guide. Jeanne Palmer. 2004.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0787973319/qid=1133981909/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/102-2327675-1122569?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

Two other very useful glimpses into the industry and its career challenges are:

Shaping Your HR Role. Kahnweiler & Kahnweiler. 2005.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0750678232/qid=1133982020/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-2327675-1122569?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

Human Resources in the 21st Century. Effron & Gandossy. 2003.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471434213/qid=1133982198/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-2327675-1122569?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

 

Good job. Rich got attacked. A mod handled it. JLV defended Rich. Thread got back on track. Wonderful.

[By the way, thanks, Rich, for a concise go at the concept of interdisciplinarity. This pertains tangentially to my current project and your statement helped crystallise some of my theory section.]

Whether this degree is right for you, Rhonda, I don't know (although the arguments against it are pretty darn good), but Mountain State looks like a good school and I might consider it in the future myself.

So, thanks for starting this thread and for keeping it on track. This shows how others can benefit from our personal inquiries. It also shows DI at its comradely best in the face of crap and blather. Again, Rhonda, my thanks to you.

 

I also find an interdisciplinary doctorate to be an oxymoron because during the dissertation phase, a student is supposed to narrow it down to a defined topic. Maybe it's just semantics, but I view the term "interdisciplinary" as a hodgepodge of different stuff, as opposed to a specific disciplin.

 

Which is wrong. Students in interdisciplinary programs create dissertations as narrowly focused as others. It is the methods, theories, and broader reach into the existing literature that make the difference.

I measured the quality of nontraditional degrees not with traditional measures (like those used by accreditors), but by measuring utility. I measured utility not by asking students, but the gatekeepers (in my case HR professionals). Also, my literature review included many aspects of business and HR, not just higher education.

Narrow topic, interdisciplinary approach. This makes the results much more relevant. LIFE is interdisciplinary, and we solve most of its problems not in a vacuum, but among all the intertwining aspects that make up our environments.

At this point, I would recommend you do some reading about the subject so you'll better understand it. You might also want to take a look at dissertation abstracts from interdisciplinary programs. Both efforts would go a long way to eliminating an admitted prejudice arising from your lack of knowledge. This will make your next coments on the subject considerably more informed. Heck, it might even persuade you to take an interdisciplinary approach to your own dissertation, should you reach that stage.

 

Well said.
Jack

 

Thanks, Rich. These were my thoughts, too. I personally get frustrated at people who refuse to do the background research necessary before speaking authoritively on a topic.

Rhonda

 

Let's clear something up. Douglas was not attacked - except that the moderator labled it an attack.

Point number 1: There's lots of "shooting from the hip" here - and I include moderators.

At best, there are two types of thinking going on here:

· Concrete operational stage (Elementary and early adolescence). In this stage intelligence is demonstrated through logical and systematic manipulation of symbols related to concrete objects. Operational thinking develops (mental actions that are reversible).

· Formal operational stage (Adolescence and adulthood). In this stage, intelligence is demonstrated through the logical use of symbols related to abstract concepts.

Since the formal operational stage applies to adolescence and adulthood, why mention the concrete operational stage? Becasue only 35% of high school graduates in industrialized countries obtain formal operations; many people do not think formally during adulthood - and that includes some people on this list.

Re: Douglas: To his credit, he has an RA PhD. Based on a web search, he has detractors and fans both. He certainly has persistence.

Washington Irving said, "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. Great minds have purposes, little minds have wishes."

Having said that, Douglas - like all of us - has his share of flaws. One of which appears to be a tendency to reflexively deny anything negative. He denied looking for FT academic positions in the SAME blurb he admitted doing it. There is nothing wrong with examining your options - why deny something that you are doing?

The entire point of his degree being mentioned is that advanced degrees should have a focus - and if they're for resume enhancement - they should provide the perception of "added value". Douglas's self-designed degree has not, of itself, moved him into a new position that required a PhD (feel free to correct me). In fact, he's gone back to grad school despite his busy schedule - so his PhD hasn't opened up a door he wants to look into.

Getting a degree because you "gotta be me" is fine - but do not expect an organization to care about that. My EdS is an interdisciplinary degree (CIS and Education) with more than 18 hours in each field - so it is academically respectable.

Another self-designed PhD holder stated he pursued his degree for personal reasons - nor career related. Nothing wrong with that. Person drives (or drove...no idea if he still does) trucks for a living. Unless you have a specific position in mind (military history at a service academy), you generally want a degree that won't raise eyebrows in HR.

 

I don't understand your desire to (a) talk about me and (b) continue to be so utterly wrong.

I have had two positions since I graduated from Union. Both have required my Ph.D., including the position I know hold.

Your speculation about why I'm going back to school is just that, speculation. And it's wrong. I'm doing it because I feel like it.

It is insulting to see you continue to post about me and get so many things wrong--things you might know if you actually paid attention, and others you couldn't possibly know but insist upon commenting about.

Since completing my degree with Union, I have taken one position (with UoP) that has anything to do with higher education. I sought no others yet failed. I turned down two others, both of which resulted from my relationships with the schools in question, as opposed to me seeking them out.

I deny so much because so much written about me by people like you is utterly wrong. Get your facts right--and stick to what you might possibly be able to know--and I wouldn't have to correct your inaccuracies. You're sloppy.

(I hear the crazies at Jamesville rumbling from their slumber. Nice work, "Jim.")