<p>Hypothetically speaking, instead of spending 5 years to get a PhD degree, is it a good idea to get 5 master's degrees, one per year? It's feasible if you take summer courses. I don't intend to do research or teach, just work professionally. Say I get master's degree in electrical engineering, computer science, applied math, physics, and engineering management. So that equates to 10 grad courses per year for a total of 50 courses for 5 degrees. Would that be far more impressive on my resume than a single PhD degree, assuming I apply to a non-research position?</p>
<p>No, it would look like you had no focus, weren't committed to any one area enough to pursue it long term, and were trying to avoid "the real world."</p>
<p>I'm not saying a PhD is necessarily a good idea, but this is one is absolutely HORRIFIC.</p>
<p>Yeah, "horrific" pretty much sums it up. I would imagine a lot of HR staff looking at your CV and saying W...T...F...?!</p>
<p>Not even a masochist would want to go through such an ordeal. And no, it wouldn't look good on a resume. It'd look crazy.</p>
<p>i'll just say that i found it an amusing question, but not an idiotic question at all.</p>
<p>good food for thought.</p>
<p>The only reason youw ould want more than one Masters degree is if you got a masters in something like Internationa relations, than a Masters in Conflict Studies. They go together, ostensibly, and it doesnt look unfocused and crazy on a resume.</p>
<p>What about if u Double Major in Math and CS and then go on to get a Masters in CS as well as Math. How does that look?</p>
<p>Two is fine. Five is crazy.</p>
<p>how 'bout 3 ?
just a random question</p>
<p>A master's in electrical engineering, computer science, applied math, and engineering managment would all be related. It hits on all the different aspects of engineering. It would make you more well-rounded than a single PhD degree in one field.</p>
<p>a bit tooooo well rounded some may say</p>
<p>but well rounded nonetheless</p>
<p>noggarder,</p>
<p>That wouldn't make you look well rounded, it would make you look nuts.</p>
<p>Besides, i'm guessing an admissions board, on seeing your "education rich" application might turn you down in favor of a kid who will actually go out and USE his Masters Degree rather than just keep racking them up.</p>
<p>A quick comment from the "real world" (I've been in IT since I graduated with a BS CS in 1975): nobody does that many masters in related fields for the following reasons:</p>
<p>1) Too much time and money - even if you did manage to complete each masters in 1 calendar year, you'll rack up 30-50K in debt (nobody will fund you for a second masters in so closely related a field) when you could be earning 60-80K.</p>
<p>2) Even if you can self fund, you'll look like an idiot when you apply for jobs. Employers want to see specific skills, ideally with demonstrated competence. You're MUCH better off taking the normal 2 years for the MS with a good internship or two.</p>
<p>After a few years in the workplace, perhaps at more than one employer, you can consider going back to school for specific skills. If you stick with the engineering side, you'll likely be going back so you can gain a new specialization. If you're one of the very few engineers with an aptitude for management, you'll find its pretty easy to get your employer to fund an MBA. I've also know a couple of engineers who eventually went into law.</p>
<p>That said, in my years in IT, at 8 major companies, I've seen a lot of people taking formal classes but I can't remember ANY that were CS or engineering related. Managment, law, music composition, theology, Classics (me): just about anything not technical.</p>
<p>I'm currently working at a large engineering company after graduating with a master's degree in electrical engineering. Since my company reimburses for courses, I take 2 courses per semester before or after work hours. I'll be done with my second master's degree after this semester in computer science, and I'm only 23. Now, I was just accepted into a program in my company where my company pays all my tuition, books, expenses AND half my salary for me to go back to school full-time for a duration of two years. It sounds like a good deal and I can get two more master's degrees, for a total of 4 master's degrees at age 25.</p>
<p>It's really not that horrific if you're very good at math. I like to learn, especially when it's all paid for and I get half salary.</p>
<p>Noggarder,</p>
<p>Based on the content of your last post, it seems that you think people will actually be impressed if you rack up 5 masters before you turn 25. This isn't hockey, homie! You aren't trying to score 50 goals in 50 games. I won't be impressed if you roll up to to me and say, "Hey, check me out..I got FIVE masters degrees and I'm only 25!" I will find it wasteful. In fact, I will find it disgusting, because for at least 3 of those masters degrees, you needlessly took the spot of another potential graduate student who actually NEEDED to be in that program. Your plan is not only stupid, it also smacks of hubris and youthful immaturity.</p>
<p>It's also a waste of time. If you like studying that much, then just drop out and do a proper Ph.D. or just do a single thesised research master's.</p>
<p>There is NOTHING beneficial about the plan you are proposing other than to impress someone who's never gone to college.</p>
<p>If you want to impress people at job interviews, commit to something and get extremely good at it.</p>
<p>If you are genuinely interested in learning a variety of different things, download some lectures from MIT opencourseware and go study in the library.</p>
<p>If you want people to laugh at you, spend thousands of dollars on five masters degrees.</p>
<p>"Jack of all trades, master of none." </p>
<p>It's that simple. And for the record, no one is really THAT impressed with a master's degree, or five, for that matter. All it proves is that you paid a lot of money for your education. If you're trying to get an education with a wider focus, try an interdisciplinary program.</p>
<p>Actually, if you want to impress the masses with your wide array of knowledge, just be a contestant on "Jeopardy."</p>
<p>Here's another way of looking at it:
It looks like you're just getting degrees for the sake of having them.</p>