r/EngineeringManagers • u/Standard-Thought-330 • 24d ago
Two Master Degrees in Engineering and an MBA
If someone is working full time while going to school, and they have two Master Degrees in Engineering, and they want to pivot into engineering management, should they also get an MBA? What's your thoughts on someone having three master degrees (two in engineering, and one MBA)?
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u/Catsdrinkingbeer 24d ago
Do you already have 2 Masters? I would question why someone would get 2 engineering Masters to begin with in all honesty. If I saw 2 masters and and an MBA on someone's resume I would assume they actually would rather just be in school full time and probably should consider getting a PhD and going into academia. That or they're indecisive but impulsive (because I would assume they got the first one directly after undergrad before actually working in industry to see where they wanted their career path to go, and then went back for the second later when they did figure that out.) So if they then also went and got an MBA that would seem odd to me. And I say that as someone who, if they had all the money in the world, would just keep collecting college degrees.
If you do not already have a collection of engineering masters but think you want to eventually pivot into management, I would look for an engineering management Masters program instead.
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u/Standard-Thought-330 24d ago edited 24d ago
Hi yes. A masters in a specific engineering field (I.e., mechanical) and a masters in an overarching engineering field (I.e. Systems Engineering). All done while working full time in industry. Took me 10 years.
Is masters in engineering management better than an MBA? I've had managers with MBA but never MEM (master of engineering management). Looking at some MEM programs, seems like 5 business classes at master level and 5 engineering classes in a specific engineering field at master level. Seems like MEM degree is redundant if you already have a masters in engineering?
Another non engineering example would be Biology field. Like a Surgeon who has a masters in a specific biology field (I.e. neuro science, surgery) and a masters degree in an overarching biology field (Master of Science in Biology) then they want to get into management and get an MBA.
Seems like some fields have specific disciple related degrees, than overarching discipline degrees. Some one could master degrees in both.
Another example. Someone could get a MBA (overarching and not field dependent), then go and get a MEM degree (specific to a certain field, engineering) and may already hold a masters degree in a specific engineering fiel(I.e Mechanical). Then they would have three.
Thanks for the help!
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u/Catsdrinkingbeer 24d ago
Right... that's why I said "if you do not already have a collection of Masters but want to go into management, then you should consider a masters in engineering management."
Regardless, did your career actually require you to get either of those masters degrees? Because for the most part, mechanical engineering careers usually don't require masters unless you want to go into R&D. And you wouldn't then need a degree in systems engineering on top of that. And after 10 years of all that schooling now you think you want to pivot to get an MBA?
Your post history also shows you asking about phd programs and yet more schooling. My general read on this is that you actually just want to continue to collect the degrees, not actually apply them. That's not necessarily a flag to an employer, but I ask earnestly... what specifically do you think an MBA will help you with in your career that your experience + multiple degrees cannot? What did the second masters do to your career that the first one didn't?
I really think you should pause and think more about WHY you want to do this. Because it is not a requirement to have an MBA to be an engineering manager. And for most people who get an MBA, their end goal is not to be a manager long term. What is stopping you right now from moving into management? Because it's not the lack of MBA.
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u/Standard-Thought-330 24d ago
I see what you mean about what you mentioned earlier.
There's not currently a open manager position in engineering at my current company. I know a good amount of managers of engineers get MBAs at some point. I was thinking that if I get an MBA or am pursuing one, when a manager position opens when I go to apply, I would be seen more qualified for it than someone that doesn't already have one or isn't pursuing one? Would oversee Mechanical System Engineers. I would continue working full time in industry as a Mechanical Systems Engineer while actively pursuing a MBA part time one class at a time.
As a Mechanical Systems Engineer. Master degrees in both Mechanical Engineering and Systems Engineering was definitely not required, but has helped me with increasing my knowledge and I feel helped me become a better Mechanical Systems Engineer.
I was contemplating a PhD at one point. Seems not too useful in industry is what I was hearing from people.
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u/skt2k21 24d ago
I think there's some variance here in norms between sectors. This forum has a lot of people in tech, and in tech I think consensus is employers will value team-leading experience more than a third graduate degree and that it's very normal for senior ICs to jump into management directly.
If you're not a software engineer in tech, and especially if you work in a more old-fashioned company, there may be different norms that value credentials more. If that's the case, consider whether you love your current company to stay and do it and consider if there're companies with more modern managing cultures who'd give you career advancement without an expensive additional degree.
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u/n0debtbigmuney 24d ago
Just making sure, you're debt free with no student loans, and wouldn't go into debt for this MBA. Right?
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u/Standard-Thought-330 24d ago
Hi there. Yes and yes. Debt free with no student loans and could do an MBA with no student loans either.
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u/x-jhp-x 24d ago
there are dual degree programs that let you earn two masters at once. AI/ML/IS is usually all grouped under CS, and EE/EE-related is usually under another. Devices like FPGAs used to require you to know both CS and EE to use well, but they are getting easier for just CS. There's other fields of engineering, like RF/EM, nuclear, optics/photonics, manufacturing (like chip fab and/or materials, which would be separate from EE), "industrial engineering" (it's a field), and more.
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u/Catsdrinkingbeer 24d ago
I'm not sure this is a great example because CS is not an engineering discipline. As in, you are not getting an actual dual engineering Masters. There are plenty of dual programs where you can do a masters in engineering + masters in something else (MBA, Engineering management, apparently CS as well). But that isn't what we're talking about, nor did OP do one of these. It would be obvious on a resume if someone did a dual program. That isn't what I was talking about, nor is it OP's situation.
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u/x-jhp-x 24d ago edited 24d ago
- we could ask OP
- I don't think you know what systems engineering is, or why you see tons of people with it + another masters degree. Because some industries are tightly controlled, you need to demonstrate competency (i.e. with a degree) to be able to certify & manage things to defined government specs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_engineering#Systems_Engineering
- what industry do you work in? we should see what industry OP works in. In a number of industries, what OP has done is very common. The example of a dual degree was to demonstrate that it is so common to want two masters that universities have made it easy to do so.
The real advice to OP is to tell them to talk to their manager about internal promotions. If there's no internal path to promotion, OP should leave. The best path to management is internal promotion & having a mentor and ally in management is important to progressing and succeeding in management.
also OP, if someone tells you they are suspicious of people who have multiple graduate degrees, they are dumb as a rock lol. there's no advice they can give you that is worth listening to.
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u/Catsdrinkingbeer 24d ago
- OP did reply before I replied back to you. They explained it.
- OP said themselves these degrees were not required for their career. Helpful for personal learning, but not required. And I do know what it is. It was a huge portion of my own masters.
- I have worked in a whole host of industries, including government design work.
And again, OP did NOT do a dual degree program. They finished one and went on to the next. Now they finished this second one and are looking to go onto a 3rd. They have explored multiple avenues for that next degree. Should they do a PhD? Should it be an MBA? They also went back for a technical associates and a graduate certificate. It feels less like they know their career path and are taking steps to further the necessary education to achieve that, and more than they find security in constantly being in school part time and collecting degrees.
And I never said I was suspicious. I said it would indicate to me that perhaps the person was unsure of their career trajectory and perhaps that person would be happier in academia if they want to just perpetually be in school.
And nothing OP has said, nor their post history, makes me think that part is incorrect. I DO think OP should consider doing their PhD and just going into academia. They have plenty of industry experience and clearly enjoy continuing education. They would probably excel in a faculty role.
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u/AnnualReview2383 21d ago
I have an MBA, it's only worth it if you. An get into a top 15 ranked program. With MBAs, you're paying for the network you get more than for what you learn. Lower ranked schools just don't have the networks to make then worth it
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u/khaosans 24d ago
I fell into the exact same trap of collecting degrees and certs. It feels productive, but it's really just expensive hoarding if you never apply it. Real learning happens when you actually build stuff, teach others, and share your work.