MSc

[SallyAnne]

I'm starting one.

Anyone got any experiences of contracting and studying at the same time?

[ratewhore]

Yeah, piece of piss...

[ctdctd]

I'm starting one.

Anyone got any experiences of contracting and studying at the same time?

Yes, stay late at work and study and bill them for the time

[TheFaQQer]

I'm starting one.

Anyone got any experiences of contracting and studying at the same time?

Just buy one for £150 off ebay or "online university" - much easier than working.

Why are you doing an MSc? (Purely out of interest, that's not an "why are you wasting your time?" kind of question, in case it came across that way I've never really seen the benefit / interest in more studying, particularly when I'm working as well - what's the attraction / motivation?

[Mich the Tester]

I did a PGDip (Manufacturing and Technology Management) on the Open University alongside work. It was fairly difficult at times, but the workload’s manageable. Now I’m doing an MSc in geology as I’m rather bored my all the management stuff.

Travel to the clientco by train if you can, and use the time for studying. If travel times are long and you can’t use the train, sleep in a B&B close to the client and do the studying there; you won’t be distracted by family.

However well you plan things you’ll still find that occasionally you need to get up very early to finish something off in time for a deadline, and if you find yourself doing that too much then you’ll need to cut down the number of study points you do in a year. Open University recommend no more than 60 per year (half-pace studying) if you work full time, and 120 is the maximum if you can study full time. I’ve found 90 to be a happy balance; that means one big course and one smaller one.

I wouldn’t recommend doing the work at clientco as it wouldn’t be honest, but it wouldn’t be entirely honest to deny that I’ve ever done that.

Still, it’s do-able, so go for it.

[Mich the Tester]

Why are you doing an MSc? (Purely out of interest, that's not an "why are you wasting your time?" kind of question, in case it came across that way I've never really seen the benefit / interest in more studying, particularly when I'm working as well - what's the attraction / motivation?

A lot of people study for other reasons than to advance their career or their business. Some study just out of interest. I studied my PGDip to advance my career, and it worked. Now I’m studying Geology because I decided that in the long run I want to move out of the IT business into scientific research.

[Badger]

I've been toying with the idea of doing an MBA (for career enhancement), so would be also interested in the responses.

[threaded]

I've done a few courses over the years. The last MSc I was on was 2 years long with 10 lots of 1 week of attendance, 5 in each year. Good few books to read and then exams. Easy to fit in to the contracting lifestyle, especially if you work away from home a lot like I do. I was lucky in that case as I have a relative that was working at that Uni at the time, so I had some extra help to find my way around the campus.

The main trick I found is never to leave your books and notes anywhere but home and carry around those you're currently using. I had an episode on a Law course I was doing, whilst I was working in Finland went back to the UK for the weekend and then, over the weekend, the client wanted me at their siite in Cambridge on Monday, "It's OK we'll get someone to pack and ship your stuff to you", meant 2 weeks without books until I just went out down London and bought the whole set again (the originals turned up 2+ months later and I donated them to Doncaster Library). Just two weeks without books at the point was a nightmare of catch-up. Luckily I've a really good memory so I didn't actually need my notes, but did miss them, and that Uni has these multipart forms to send in with assignments, but the tutor liked my sob story and just filled some in herself.

Another good thing to do is to set aside at least 30 minutes everyday to do something on the course and never skip it. The "piling it all up to 8 hours on a Sunday" never works.

There are a couple of OU booklets about remote study and they're full of good tips.

[Mich the Tester]

I've been toying with the idea of doing an MBA (for career enhancement), so would be also interested in the responses.

I predict that within the next few years you’ll be much better off with MSc or MEng.

I’d say that if you’re studying at postgrad level, study something you find interesting. ‘Career Enhancement’ might not be enough motivation to get you up early, to make you do the studying every day, and to motivate you to plough through all the coursework. Genuine interest and curiosity is what you need above bachelors level; that’s what makes research work.

[Badger]

You're right Mich and that's the reason why I've only been toying with the idea.