Second masters degree or ph.d. in information science?
Until recently I have not given much thought about going back to school to get a second graduate degree or even a Ph.D. It was just too expensive for somebody who is still paying off “his and hers” student loans, has two kids, and has the rest of life’s expenses. However things have changed, my employer’s tuition reimbursement plan has made it so that it might be financially possible for me to go back to school. I am wondering, is it worth getting a second masters degree or a Ph.D.? It is no secret that some day I would like to become a library director. I realize a second masters degree or Ph.D. won’t get me that library director position, but will not having it shut me out of some potential positions?I realize this a fairly hot topic for debate within the academic library world. When I was going to library school the hot topic of conversation among library students was the about whether a second masters degree or a Ph.D. in a subject specialty was a perceived or real need. Not only were single master students (those who would just have a masters in library science) and dual masters students discussing the pros and cons about it, but both students found that the salary (often in low to mid 30’s) did not match that value of dual advance degree.There are many successful single masters degree librarians out there, many in the medical library world. So I don’t think having one masters degree specifically limits your success, but does it limit you in your career advancement? Notice, success and advancement are not the same? (That is not a coincidence, one does not always beget the other.)The article “Subject Experts Need Not Apply: Recent job postings and hires suggest that many academic libraries are losing interest in hiring humanities Ph.D.’s,” in The Chronicle of Higher Education (July 1, 2008) by Todd Gilman implies the trend to hire librarians with subject specialty masters degrees or Ph.D.’s is lessening. …
Tags: Air, Education, Medical, School, Science