Finish Second Bachelors in IE or get Masters in IE?

<p>So I have been back in engineering school for a while and am currently on an internship with top company. There is an IE position open and the other day they floated the idea of hiring me with the contingency of me finishing an IE degree while working. This won't work for the BS, as I work in the daytime and there is no distance option. However, my school, NCSU has a distance based MIE which gives you the same degree/diploma as the class based MIE (no online mentioned on degree). I spoke with my school today and they said I was eligible to apply. I am just not sure if it is the best path in front of me. I like the job. Great benefits, work hours, coworkers, I just worry about jumping at the first thing in front of me; especially since this is the only thing I have seen.</p>

<p>Regardless whether I got the job or not, would an MIE through online be better than finishing my BSIE?</p>

<p>Around the same time to finish both.</p>

<p>My previous Bachelors is in Psychology btw.</p>

<p>Thanks for any and all advice.</p>

<p>If you can get into the MIE program, why not?..especially if employers will still hire you for engineering positions. Although my B.S. degree is in a more “technical” field (Math), my M.S. in Engineering is pretty much like the M.Eng online degree at NCSU. As a matter of fact, I was considering the M.Eng (no major specified) degree at NCSU…but the admission decision-makers were not into me doing the “sneak in the back door” method of taking courses as a non-degree grad student as using that as admission…to cover up my sub-3.0 undergrad GPA.</p>

<p>I would say do it.</p>

<p>Thanks for the response Global!</p>

<p>So is there any downfall for bypassing a BS or will future employers mainly just see that I have a Masters?</p>

<p>Chuck: I am in the same situation. I have a B.S in Econ, working on my 2nd B.S. in IE. If I were you, I would probably talk to several people in the industry before making the decision to go for a M.S instead of finishing B.S.</p>

<p>Econ is a lot closer to IE than Psychology but I still want to complete the B.S in IE. My situation is different though, I am single, no kids, not a lot of debt, so I really do not have any responsibilities besides school.</p>

<p>Let us know what happens!</p>

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<p>I have to use the software engineering industry as reference because that is all I know. SoftE probably has the most engineers not from the traditional CS degree. Landing that first job and getting into the industry will probably be the only thing tough. Once you have experience, all employers will see are “Experience and a M.S./M.Eng”. My previous employer has a Director of Software Development who was an English major…but now has a M.S. in Computer Science.</p>

<p>I would imagine industrial engineering operating in the same manner.</p>

<p>I am an engineer and would say go with the Masters degree. A person with a masters degree in engineering along with engineering experience is just that, an engineer. If anyone questions it you have also taken some undergrad classes it sounds like.</p>

<p>In general, a BS in engineering gives you a broad base in the field, while the MS gives you depth in a narrow subfield. If you have the MS, the breadth is not usually an issue as few will want to hire you significantly outside that subfield.</p>

<p>So if you know what subfield you will pursue, I would go for the MS - faster, online while you are working, leads to better knowledge, and pay.</p>