<p>I graduated with a degree in biochemistry from UT Austin and have been working for a couple years and I'm now looking to make a career change. I'm very interested in petroleum engineering and was wondering if anyone in the field had advice on how I should make the transition. Both Texas Tech and Texas A&M have online programs that would allow me to keep my job in the meantime, but I don't know if I'd be selling myself short with an online degree. Would it be best to get a second bachelors, or take the prereqs and enter a masters in engineering program? Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>I’m kinda in a similar situation, and I think masters is better since you’re more qualified and can get better salaries. Also, if you’re planning to get an MBA later by any chance, the combination of B.S + master’s + MBA looks much better than MBA with two bachelor’s</p>
<p>Online master’s degree with no work experience. Yeah, that’s going to be a reasonably tough sell. There are enough undergraduate petroleum graduates being produced to provide for all the needs of companies (and they generally have work experience!).</p>
<p>Mr. Payne, what would you recommend to someone in my position? I wish I had picked a more versatile major in college but I am where I am and need to move forward regardless.</p>
<p>I don’t know, I’d probably save up money and just through a Master’s program at A&M or UT. Online Master’s PetE programs are designed for working professionals.</p>
<p>These online degree programs are from reputable universities that don’t accept everyone who applies. Completing their program gains you more opportunities than not having the degree.</p>
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Yes, but that’s still utterly irrelevant.</p>
<p>An online master’s degree with no work experience is less attractive than a pure undergraduate petroleum engineering degree for a few reasons.</p>
<p>1) No lab work or hands on experience, at all.
2) It usually says “online degree” on the diploma. And yes, there is a reasonable stigma.</p>
<p>FYI - to anyone interested, the degrees do not say ‘online’ on them</p>
<p>Both TTU & TAMU have online degrees that are completely indistinguishable from the standard non-thesis master’s option?</p>
<p>^^</p>
<p>Even if the degree looks the same on paper the fact that it was an online degree will eventually come out in the wash. In order for it not to you would have to doctor your resume to hide the last 1-2 years of work experience, or more likely, not even list your current employer on the resume - as just about every company does an employment verification.</p>
<p>Thus, whether it looks the same on paper really makes little difference because the stigma of online degrees will still come into play. Whether or not that’s a deal breaker, idk, but something to think about.</p>
<p>Just curious, how would a non-thesis master’s degree look compared to master’s degree when you’re looking for a job?</p>