Master's in Aeronautical Science?

Duly noted. Thanks for the opinion.

Not sure if serious, but if I came off as being a jerk, that wasn't my intent. I would just lump Aviation Science in with a whole bunch of other fancy sounding degrees that aren't really anything more than glorified trade courses. And my personal opinion is that we all know how to fly, in one manner or another. Why get a degree that is just a review of what we already know? When I go back and get a Masters, my intent is to do something that is entirely unrelated to aviation, that will hopefully broaden my career horizons well beyond my aviation and engineering (school) background. I'm not sold on an MBA either, as I think those are skills I have just learned (and proven myself in) to a lesser extent and more informally on the job leading a division of 40+ Sailors. I've kind of hovered between econ and something related to foreign policy. The kinds of things that I really don't know 2 cents about beyond a general interest and a very limited amount of real life experience, but which I feel could sort of complete my personal "package" in terms of marketability (at least for the sorts of jobs I'm interested in well down the road). That is my thought process anyway. Take it for what it is, which is not much, since I don't have a Masters degree, and my job is basically a fraternity full of man children who on any given day would be fired on the spot for our office transgressions at any normal "real job" :)
 
Not sure if serious, but if I came off as being a jerk, that wasn't my intent. I would just lump Aviation Science in with a whole bunch of other fancy sounding degrees that aren't really anything more than glorified trade courses. And my personal opinion is that we all know how to fly, in one manner or another. Why get a degree that is just a review of what we already know? When I go back and get a Masters, my intent is to do something that is entirely unrelated to aviation, that will hopefully broaden my career horizons well beyond my aviation and engineering (school) background. I'm not sold on an MBA either, as I think those are skills I have just learned (and proven myself in) to a lesser extent and more informally on the job leading a division of 40+ Sailors. I've kind of hovered between econ and something related to foreign policy. The kinds of things that I really don't know 2 cents about beyond a general interest and a very limited amount of real life experience, but which I feel could sort of complete my personal "package" in terms of marketability (at least for the sorts of jobs I'm interested in well down the road). That is my thought process anyway. Take it for what it is, which is not much, since I don't have a Masters degree, and my job is basically a fraternity full of man children who on any given day would be fired on the spot for our office transgressions at any normal "real job" :)
Because of you I'm switching up to be a veterinarian! :sarcasm:

I wasn't trying to be butt hurt and I didn't feel you came off as a jerk at all. You're giving me the insight that I'm looking for. I always seem to find the best answers in this forum which is why I subject myself to everyone's ridicule and audacious behavior ;) So your engineering background. Were you a double major? Also with getting a Masters outside of aviation. Why? I feel like econ or foreign policy could all point back to aviation is respect of a career. Are you looking for something completely outside?
 
So your engineering background. Were you a double major? Also with getting a Masters outside of aviation. Why? I feel like econ or foreign policy could all point back to aviation is respect of a career. Are you looking for something completely outside?

I was an engineering major during undergrad. No double major for me, I'm not that smart. My point about getting a masters outside of aviation, or other things I have done: when you have proven yourself during the course of a career in various specialties, be it flying, or management, or something else, what benefit do you get by having a $80k-500k piece of paper verifying what your years of real world experience have already shown? Why not, if you are going to spend all that money and effort, go back to school and educate yourself on something that you have no professional credentials with? Yes, all of those things could relate to aviation in one form or another, or they could provide a general check in the box for something very unrelated as well. I'm just shy of being 31, have at least a few more years of obligated service, and I like what I'm doing at the moment, so I really have no desire to leave and do something else right now. But I do want to have that option open to me in the future, rather than pigeon holing myself into something that doesn't really have much more than exactly 2 long term career paths (airlines and/or senior officer).
 
Why not, if you are going to spend all that money and effort, go back to school and educate yourself on something that you have no professional credentials with?


My personal opinion, for what it's worth, is that you should specialize in one field. Trying to be all things to all people by branching out just leads to mediocrity in your endeavors most of the time. If one truly wants to be successful in a career path they should devote themselves to that career path.

We admire individuals who excel at what they do in their fields. Experts is what we call them. Why not try to become an expert?

I see more possibilities and more opportunity in my chosen area of expertise the higher up I get.

That said, there are other things you can do to make yourself more marketable. I pretty much clinched my next job because I learned to speak Mandarin Chinese pretty well over the last 15 years. It is something that makes me rather unique among my peers and will be useful for our China/Taiwan/Singapore contracts.



Typhoonpilot
 
Sure. I'm not looking to branch away from my career wildly at any point. That would be wasteful certainly, and put me back at square one. But advanced education that can supplement your skillset, rather than simply confirm it, seems like a wise choice to me.
 
This degree may be specifically designed for military folks who need an advanced degree for promotion purposes......

Exactly....I had six credits going into the ERAU program just because I had an ATP and FE so it was a no brainer to pursue it. Probably helped me getting hired by a major.
 
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