Masters Degree Vs. PhD In Public Administration: Which Is Right For You?
As long as you are going to pursue more education in public administration then you might as well go all the way and get your PhD. Or should you just go for your masters so that you can complete your schooling sooner and be able to focus exclusively on your real job again? This is the question many public administration students face. Should you get your masters or your PhD?
Do You Have The Time?
Masters and PhD degrees both require time commitments but PhD degrees require a lot more time. How much time do you want to put into earning your advanced degree? Masters degrees tend to take about 2 years to complete while a PhD degree can take anywhere from 5 to 9 years to complete. Ask yourself how much time you really want to put into pursuing more education. An honest answer to this question often tells you which route is the right one for you.
Do You Have The Money?
Because you are going to be in school so much longer pursuing your PhD degree you will also be paying for classes that whole time too. You need to figure out how you will pay for either degree. A masters degree may not be cheap but it is certainly cheaper than a PhD.
Scholarships, grants, and loans will probably all come into the picture at some point for most students so you need to find an arrangement that you are comfortable with. You will be making more money after you graduate so that will help and you will make more with a PhD than with a masters. Still, not everyone wants to struggle to pay school bills for that long or to deal with mountains of debt when they graduate. You can probably find a way to manage either degree but which one is worth it for you?
Are You Committed To This?
If you are planning to pursue an advanced degree then you are probably committed to your schooling. But how committed are you? Are you committed enough to go to school for 2 more years? Or for 5 to 9 more years?
If you love school then you might love the longer time spent there. If you just want a raise then a masters degree may be more your style. Just decide how committed you are to your education and how long you want to be committed for.