Experts have differing viewpoints on just how much education is necessary to be comfortable in business, but there is little debate that engineering and the sciences are the pladce to cash in on a post-graduate degree.

Gary Scott, director of Career Planning and Placement, says a student must evaluate the long and short term goals of obtaining a master’s or other graduate degree.

“Many times in a recession, students opt for graduate school simply because the job market is tighter and they are not sure what to do,” Scott said. “I’m not sure if that’s such a good idea,” he said.

Scott emphasizes graduate degrees are required in many occupations, but cautions against potential over-qualifications in other entry-level positions.

“Any counseling field such as psychology will require an individual to have post graduate education,” Scott said. Other areas graduate degrees are essential include education, social work, and science degrees where students are seeking employment in research.

“There is such a thing as being over-qualified. If an employer has a bachelor’s degree position, they may not want to hire someone with a graduate degree simply because they may not feel they can offer the pay or live up to the expectation’s that the person with a master’s may have,” he said.

Scott feels that students should be encouraged to pursue the highest level of education they desire, but should be aware of the employment loopholes they will encounter.

Carla Montgomery, associate dean for NIU’s Graduate School, has a slightly different viewpoint.

“In many fields, bachelor’s degrees are best for entry-level positions, but even in business a level is reached where a graduate degree is needed to move higher,” Montgomery said.

Scott and Montgomery both feel that graduate degrees in fields like engineering translate into significant salary and demand increases.

“Right now there are tremendous opportunities in the sciences and engineering because of the diminished number of American students entering these fields as opposed to other countries,” Montgomery said.

Business students debating whether they need a Master’s in Business Administration should understand the cyclic nature of company hiring.

“There aren’t a lot of business jobs that an individual cannot get with a bachelor’s degree,” Scott said. “In fact, some companies are hesitant to hire MIT or Harvard MBA’s because these graduates usually have expectations out of grad school that are just too high,” he said.

Montgomery probably sums it up best when she says, “The trick is to match the credentials with the job.”