Discussion Thread

I am going into my junior year of undergrad and I am in the early stages of looking into graduate school. I am most interested in structural engineering, and I have heard from many engineers at my internship that having a master's in structural engineering proves to be very helpful. 

Everyone's situation is unique. For me, I will have to fully find my own graduate education, and some online programs from accredited programs seem to be more financially feasible. The flexibility of online is also appealing. I may consider going into the workforce and taking my time completing a program. Some companies also offer tuition reimbursement and having my employer pay for the degree, while I am able to earn money working would be a game changer.

Any advice or opinions are appreciated. Some of my general questions are: Are (accredited) online programs valued in the workplace the same/similar to attending in person? What was your experience getting your master's, and would you change anything? Is it realistic to work as a part-time engineer while attending school? Did you have any scholarships or financial aid?

Thanks!

I'm not up to the level of answering your type of question, I'm still a Freshman.

I think you can get a few key takeaways from this post, though https://collaborate.asce.org/careerbydesign/blogs/william-key/2019/05/20/why-you-should-be-pursuing-your-masters-online?hlmlt=VT

I am going into my junior year of undergrad and I am in the early stages of looking into graduate school. I am most interested in structural engineering, and I have heard from many engineers at my internship that having a master's in structural engineering proves to be very helpful. 

Everyone's situation is unique. For me, I will have to fully find my own graduate education, and some online programs from accredited programs seem to be more financially feasible. The flexibility of online is also appealing. I may consider going into the workforce and taking my time completing a program. Some companies also offer tuition reimbursement and having my employer pay for the degree, while I am able to earn money working would be a game changer.

Any advice or opinions are appreciated. Some of my general questions are: Are (accredited) online programs valued in the workplace the same/similar to attending in person? What was your experience getting your master's, and would you change anything? Is it realistic to work as a part-time engineer while attending school? Did you have any scholarships or financial aid?

Thanks!

Liberty,

Many options for graduate school how you attend and how costs are paid.  Planning to fully fund on own, if that means debt or more debt, would not be a choice for me.  

Any advice or opinions are appreciated. Some of my general questions are: Are (accredited) online programs valued in the workplace the same/similar to attending in person?

Response:   For those who I have worked with, online programs have been valued and people have readily advanced with them.  These folks were working and the online degrees advanced them from positions they were in so likely pursuit of the online degree was worked out before starting, I do not know the details.  The online degrees are technical, master engineering but also MBAs.    

What was your experience getting your master's, and would you change anything?

Response:  My experience, taking 1.5 years to complete as a full time student, on campus, would not change that - years ago before online options existed much although there were a few options 25 years ago.  

Is it realistic to work as a part-time engineer while attending school?

Response:  Yes, realistic, a matter of time management.  Having employer support just with the efforts, if not also paying for education expenses helps.  Can you use employer computer?  As noted previously, I was full-time, left an engineering job to be a student.  The town where I was working and living had no option for a civil engineering master degree.  

Did you have any scholarships or financial aid?

Response:  I saved up to pay for 2 years of school and live modestly, entering for master degree study 9 years after finishing bachelor degree, which made me older than most but not all students in my classes.  I was hired as a teaching assistant, something not planned or expected.  That made costs almost negligible, just several hundred $ per term for recreation, health center, other fees and then also books.   Being a teaching assistant would not be an option if I was not on campus at a large university and being full-time student. 

Now 25 years later, my employer offers over $5000 per year to any employee pursuing a degree or certificate.  I believe many employers offer such benefits, at varying amounts.  When searching for a job, discussing benefits is relevant and expressing interest in graduate studies along with financial support for such efforts is something to do, certainly if that really matters to you.  

Consider the value of licensure, getting a Professional Engineer license or possibly a Structural Engineer license depending on where you work.  A PE or SE likely has more value in the work place and the costs are much lower, putting time in to prepare.  More employers are likely to support PE license.  I did have a PE before going to graduate school and that was also the case with a couple of other graduate students although they were pursuing PhD studies at that time and I was just working on a master degree.  Most states allow for few years of work experience needed for the PE if you would complete the master degree in engineering so there is some value in that regard to completing a master degree before the PE.  That seems to make sense to me only for full time master degree studies directly after completing a bachelor degree.  If you are working, my advice is work on license, although typically that means 4 years of work experience.  Completing some classes, part time, online toward a master degree during those 4 years may get you close toward the degree.   Much a matter of time management.  

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David Devine P.E., P.S., M.ASCE
Fort Wayne IN

Original Message:
Sent: 08-12-2024 03:12 AM
From: Victor Nwafor
Subject: Thoughts on Online Master's?

I'm not up to the level of answering your type of question, I'm still a Freshman.

I think you can get a few key takeaways from this post, though https://collaborate.asce.org/careerbydesign/blogs/william-key/2019/05/20/why-you-should-be-pursuing-your-masters-online?hlmlt=VT

I am going into my junior year of undergrad and I am in the early stages of looking into graduate school. I am most interested in structural engineering, and I have heard from many engineers at my internship that having a master's in structural engineering proves to be very helpful. 

Everyone's situation is unique. For me, I will have to fully find my own graduate education, and some online programs from accredited programs seem to be more financially feasible. The flexibility of online is also appealing. I may consider going into the workforce and taking my time completing a program. Some companies also offer tuition reimbursement and having my employer pay for the degree, while I am able to earn money working would be a game changer.

Any advice or opinions are appreciated. Some of my general questions are: Are (accredited) online programs valued in the workplace the same/similar to attending in person? What was your experience getting your master's, and would you change anything? Is it realistic to work as a part-time engineer while attending school? Did you have any scholarships or financial aid?

Thanks!

I'm not up to the level of answering your type of question, I'm still a Freshman.

I think you can get a few key takeaways from this post, though https://collaborate.asce.org/careerbydesign/blogs/william-key/2019/05/20/why-you-should-be-pursuing-your-masters-online?hlmlt=VT

I am going into my junior year of undergrad and I am in the early stages of looking into graduate school. I am most interested in structural engineering, and I have heard from many engineers at my internship that having a master's in structural engineering proves to be very helpful. 

Everyone's situation is unique. For me, I will have to fully find my own graduate education, and some online programs from accredited programs seem to be more financially feasible. The flexibility of online is also appealing. I may consider going into the workforce and taking my time completing a program. Some companies also offer tuition reimbursement and having my employer pay for the degree, while I am able to earn money working would be a game changer.

Any advice or opinions are appreciated. Some of my general questions are: Are (accredited) online programs valued in the workplace the same/similar to attending in person? What was your experience getting your master's, and would you change anything? Is it realistic to work as a part-time engineer while attending school? Did you have any scholarships or financial aid?

Thanks!

I know plenty of people do it, but anecdotally, I found it very challenging to try to complete a masters in person while working full time and I ended up dropping out after a few classes. I took all of the courses that were relevant to my field first, the classes I had left were things like Advanced Soils, Advanced Transportation, etc. (which I would never be interacting with in facade engineering) and it had started to feel like a box ticking exercise. The company I worked for offered a partial tuition reimbursement program, but they only required a master's for certain management positions that I wasn't interested in pursuing. If I could go back and do it again, I'd definitely consider extending my time in school with a 5-year bachelors/master's program, but I don't know that I'd change anything.

I know plenty of people do it, but anecdotally, I found it very challenging to try to complete a masters in person while working full time and I ended up dropping out after a few classes. I took all of the courses that were relevant to my field first, the classes I had left were things like Advanced Soils, Advanced Transportation, etc. (which I would never be interacting with in facade engineering) and it had started to feel like a box ticking exercise. The company I worked for offered a partial tuition reimbursement program, but they only required a master's for certain management positions that I wasn't interested in pursuing. If I could go back and do it again, I'd definitely consider extending my time in school with a 5-year bachelors/master's program, but I don't know that I'd change anything.

Renn, the requirement to take MS courses outside your area of interest sounds very odd to me. U Florida, which I attended, and Mississippi State U, where I taught for a few years, required only courses related directly to the specialty. 

Bill Mc

I know plenty of people do it, but anecdotally, I found it very challenging to try to complete a masters in person while working full time and I ended up dropping out after a few classes. I took all of the courses that were relevant to my field first, the classes I had left were things like Advanced Soils, Advanced Transportation, etc. (which I would never be interacting with in facade engineering) and it had started to feel like a box ticking exercise. The company I worked for offered a partial tuition reimbursement program, but they only required a master's for certain management positions that I wasn't interested in pursuing. If I could go back and do it again, I'd definitely consider extending my time in school with a 5-year bachelors/master's program, but I don't know that I'd change anything.

I am going into my junior year of undergrad and I am in the early stages of looking into graduate school. I am most interested in structural engineering, and I have heard from many engineers at my internship that having a master's in structural engineering proves to be very helpful. 

Everyone's situation is unique. For me, I will have to fully find my own graduate education, and some online programs from accredited programs seem to be more financially feasible. The flexibility of online is also appealing. I may consider going into the workforce and taking my time completing a program. Some companies also offer tuition reimbursement and having my employer pay for the degree, while I am able to earn money working would be a game changer.

Any advice or opinions are appreciated. Some of my general questions are: Are (accredited) online programs valued in the workplace the same/similar to attending in person? What was your experience getting your master's, and would you change anything? Is it realistic to work as a part-time engineer while attending school? Did you have any scholarships or financial aid?

Thanks!

Hey there, Liberty!

I would love to share my story with you and then answer your questions directly. 

Let me start off by saying you are totally right; everyone's story is unique. While this may have worked for me, I would definitely recommend searching for other opportunities specific to your interests or goals. 

A few years ago, I shared your thought process and decided to pursue graduate school after interning as a structural engineer in my senior year. Many engineers advised that if the opportunity arises to do a master's, especially in structural engineering, one should take it. For me, it's not just a personal goal but also a means to focus on subjects that could benefit my career. In summary, I applied and was accepted to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for Fall 2024, although I did apply to other schools as well.

I selected UIUC primarily because, besides being from Chicago, many of my past and present colleagues were U of I alumni, and also the university is renowned for its Civil Engineering program's excellence, both on-campus and online. The online program holds the #1 ranking nationwide. While I initially did not plan to pursue the online program, I was fortunate to receive a full-time job offer after graduation, which led mi to choose the online option. Fortunately, my employer provides tuition reimbursement, covering up to 75% of the expenses, with a maximum of $5,250 as per IRS regulations.

Online degrees are increasingly valued on par with in-person degrees, particularly in today's environment where many workplaces operate on hybrid schedules and online interactions are commonplace. Until now I have not received any negative insight. A coworker of mine, who also recently graduated, will be pursuing her master's degree online at UIUC. I will be taking 2 courses; she will be taking 1. This might be demanding, but I am willing to sacrifice these 2 years of my life in hopes of a rewarding outcome. Also, I 100% prefer entering the workforce now to pay for my education, rather than maybe recieve funding to do research which I am not a fan of. My motivation stems from acquiring experience for professional licensing, making an income to sidestep student debt, and correlating school learning with job-site observations.

I also applied to scholarships from the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois (SEAOI) and the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations, which thankfully I received. I am also eligible for FAFSA loans, which I might take, but with sacrifice, what I get paid is enough to cover the rest of the tuition. 

I haven't encountered anyone who has completed their master's degree online, but I can give you more insight after this coming semester or year. Meanwhile, I hope this information is useful, and please don't hesitate to ask me any questions!

I am going into my junior year of undergrad and I am in the early stages of looking into graduate school. I am most interested in structural engineering, and I have heard from many engineers at my internship that having a master's in structural engineering proves to be very helpful. 

Everyone's situation is unique. For me, I will have to fully find my own graduate education, and some online programs from accredited programs seem to be more financially feasible. The flexibility of online is also appealing. I may consider going into the workforce and taking my time completing a program. Some companies also offer tuition reimbursement and having my employer pay for the degree, while I am able to earn money working would be a game changer.

Any advice or opinions are appreciated. Some of my general questions are: Are (accredited) online programs valued in the workplace the same/similar to attending in person? What was your experience getting your master's, and would you change anything? Is it realistic to work as a part-time engineer while attending school? Did you have any scholarships or financial aid?

Thanks!

I am going into my junior year of undergrad and I am in the early stages of looking into graduate school. I am most interested in structural engineering, and I have heard from many engineers at my internship that having a master's in structural engineering proves to be very helpful. 

Everyone's situation is unique. For me, I will have to fully find my own graduate education, and some online programs from accredited programs seem to be more financially feasible. The flexibility of online is also appealing. I may consider going into the workforce and taking my time completing a program. Some companies also offer tuition reimbursement and having my employer pay for the degree, while I am able to earn money working would be a game changer.

Any advice or opinions are appreciated. Some of my general questions are: Are (accredited) online programs valued in the workplace the same/similar to attending in person? What was your experience getting your master's, and would you change anything? Is it realistic to work as a part-time engineer while attending school? Did you have any scholarships or financial aid?

Thanks!

I am going into my junior year of undergrad and I am in the early stages of looking into graduate school. I am most interested in structural engineering, and I have heard from many engineers at my internship that having a master's in structural engineering proves to be very helpful. 

Everyone's situation is unique. For me, I will have to fully find my own graduate education, and some online programs from accredited programs seem to be more financially feasible. The flexibility of online is also appealing. I may consider going into the workforce and taking my time completing a program. Some companies also offer tuition reimbursement and having my employer pay for the degree, while I am able to earn money working would be a game changer.

Any advice or opinions are appreciated. Some of my general questions are: Are (accredited) online programs valued in the workplace the same/similar to attending in person? What was your experience getting your master's, and would you change anything? Is it realistic to work as a part-time engineer while attending school? Did you have any scholarships or financial aid?

Thanks!

I am going into my junior year of undergrad and I am in the early stages of looking into graduate school. I am most interested in structural engineering, and I have heard from many engineers at my internship that having a master's in structural engineering proves to be very helpful. 

Everyone's situation is unique. For me, I will have to fully find my own graduate education, and some online programs from accredited programs seem to be more financially feasible. The flexibility of online is also appealing. I may consider going into the workforce and taking my time completing a program. Some companies also offer tuition reimbursement and having my employer pay for the degree, while I am able to earn money working would be a game changer.

Any advice or opinions are appreciated. Some of my general questions are: Are (accredited) online programs valued in the workplace the same/similar to attending in person? What was your experience getting your master's, and would you change anything? Is it realistic to work as a part-time engineer while attending school? Did you have any scholarships or financial aid?

Thanks!

I am going into my junior year of undergrad and I am in the early stages of looking into graduate school. I am most interested in structural engineering, and I have heard from many engineers at my internship that having a master's in structural engineering proves to be very helpful. 

Everyone's situation is unique. For me, I will have to fully find my own graduate education, and some online programs from accredited programs seem to be more financially feasible. The flexibility of online is also appealing. I may consider going into the workforce and taking my time completing a program. Some companies also offer tuition reimbursement and having my employer pay for the degree, while I am able to earn money working would be a game changer.

Any advice or opinions are appreciated. Some of my general questions are: Are (accredited) online programs valued in the workplace the same/similar to attending in person? What was your experience getting your master's, and would you change anything? Is it realistic to work as a part-time engineer while attending school? Did you have any scholarships or financial aid?

Thanks!

I am going into my junior year of undergrad and I am in the early stages of looking into graduate school. I am most interested in structural engineering, and I have heard from many engineers at my internship that having a master's in structural engineering proves to be very helpful. 

Everyone's situation is unique. For me, I will have to fully find my own graduate education, and some online programs from accredited programs seem to be more financially feasible. The flexibility of online is also appealing. I may consider going into the workforce and taking my time completing a program. Some companies also offer tuition reimbursement and having my employer pay for the degree, while I am able to earn money working would be a game changer.

Any advice or opinions are appreciated. Some of my general questions are: Are (accredited) online programs valued in the workplace the same/similar to attending in person? What was your experience getting your master's, and would you change anything? Is it realistic to work as a part-time engineer while attending school? Did you have any scholarships or financial aid?

Thanks!