Hate my Masters and thinking of leaving but what else could i do?

abbas5001

Hey guys, just posting on this for a bit of catharsis and maybe some advice. Basically after graduating in 2008 with a 1st in psychology I was unsure of what I wanted to do - I had tons of possible ideas but no firm real interest in any of them and also my supervisor was suggesting I do a PhD but I said no to that on the basis I wasn't interested in the subject matter of my dissertation project enough (or indeed any other area) and devote probably my entire life to it (seeing as how most psychology graduates end up working in academia).

So I left uni and like many people decided to relax for a bit before looking into things to do. To cut a long story short, you could say I was a coward and didn't have the guts to try something or put myself forward for anything and I applied for no jobs whatsoever. I helped my dad run the family business for a year because 'I didn't know what I wanted to do'. Quite ridiculous now I look back on it. Everyone was of course bemused at this and why I was doing 'nothing' and in way I got a stuck in a rut and was too scared to just try something out there in the real world.

Anyway in the summer of 2009, a whole year after graduating, I decided to take a chance and go back to uni to study for an MSc in research methods in the hope that something would click and I would enjoy it and perhaps do a PhD but really just to do something. So far in I have hated the course to be honest, I’ve been pretty unhappy since I started due to a number of reasons. Firstly, my interest in the subject matter has not been sparked. Secondly, because I chose to take on a challenging project (using neuroimaging) for my masters and I can't even bring myself to put in the extra work to read up on the methodology and learn the programming language, such is the little motivation I have.

I have been considering dropping out since the first few weeks but decided to give it a chance, then we had quite a lot of coursework due in December to from November to December I was busy with that and kind of forgot about my problems. However, after coming back from xmas break, I have the same feeling of unhappiness and I looked at the coursework due for one of the modules and it just depressed me! I didn't know what it was asking but more importantly, I thought to myself I have no interest in doing this work! Again I have been thinking of dropping out. Especially since I am paying for this course myself and it is taking up all of my savings entirely. I have already paid 1 instalment but I’m thinking what’s the point in staying if you're not enjoying it and paying such high amounts aswell.

PhD proposals are due soon and my supervisor would like me to apply but is not pressuring me at all. I am not sure whether to apply and I just had a meeting with my two supervisors. They asked me what other areas I might be interested in and I told them social psych, autism, clinical stuff but again just a general interest I doubt it would be a deep enough interest. My supervisor pointed out often other areas seem better (grass is greener on the other side) but when you think you'll be dealing with an acute area probably and the nitty gritty theories and paradigms of autism or whatever other area.

Also my supervisor doesn't know that I am considering leaving the Masters, I told her today I have been unhappy and also told her a couple of weeks ago so it seems stupid to be applying for a PhD and also considering dropping out. Indeed, I don't want to waste anyone's time or !!!! anyone off to be honest by applying for the PhD and leaving, it seems pretty arrogant on my part. Also, we had an exam for stats a month or so ago, I bombed one section of the exam and thought I had failed badly. I passed but with a C or D, however University policy is students must gain a minimum of a B in all exams to get a Masters with Distinction (regardless of overall grade) which means I can't even get that. In the first few months of the course I convinced myself that even if I did the 1yr Masters I would have an edge in the labour market and even better because of the 'with distinction' . I'm now thinking I can't get this, what's the point, do I want to pay thousands of pounds for a 'normal masters' and I might aswell leave. In hindsight I guess it was arrogant for me to expect a 'with distinction' purely because I had got a 1st in my undergrad.

They were also trying to explain to me that you don't have to go into a career in academia and there are other things you can do such as civil service, teaching, go into general management and so on but lets be honest most people doing PhDs in the sciences end up going into academia and especially with psychology. However, I’m not too bothered by future career as much as I am by my interest in the PhD and masters and subsequent motivation to do some for it. I wish I wasn't so bloody indecisive!!! To be honest, I do feel like leaving the masters if I had something to go to but I obviously don't. Another guy in my course dropped out after 4 or 5 weeks and he used to teach English to foreign students and so he was able to go back to that.

I'm worried though if I leave and apply for general graduate management jobs, they will start recruiting in the summer which will be 2 years after I graduated! There aren't that many jobs around these days from what I hear:( and I’ll be competing with fresh graduates, if I had a better resume I could show the 2 years since graduation have been fantastically well spent and use this as an edge but I can't - 1 year of running the family business and the rest of the time in a postgrad course which I dropped out of - isn't exactly going to help! As one my supervisors said to be you need to be carefully about what you do, I am 23, will be 24 in October and I can't mess about for too long otherwise I will be closer to 30 with nothing on my CV (he was referring to the PhD where if I did it I would be 27 or so by the time I finished and the older you get the less scope there is for choice)

Sorry for this big mess but I just had to get it out of my head. The advice I’m looking for from people is do you think it is worthwhile staying on the masters even though I wont be able to get a 'with distinction' or should I just leave if I’m unhappy? What should I do about PhD? I know this sin't exactly the right forum section to post in but i would like advice on what i could do in the real word if i left with probably a job in graduate management being something that would interest me.

Of course I understand you can only offer opinions based on very limited info about big decisions but I’d appreciate whatever people think.

Thanks

wontfallforit

abbas5001 wrote: »

University policy is students must gain a minimum of a B in all exams to get a Masters with Distinction (regardless of overall grade) which means I can't even get that. In the first few months of the course I convinced myself that even if I did the 1yr Masters I would have an edge in the labour market and even better because of the 'with distinction' . I'm now thinking I can't get this, what's the point, do I want to pay thousands of pounds for a 'normal masters' and I might aswell leave. In hindsight I guess it was arrogant for me to expect a 'with distinction' purely because I had got a 1st in my undergrad.

Does your uni not award merits, as a middle ground between pass and distinction? My university quoted available grades as 'pass' (50%-69%) and 'distinction' (70%+), however, my certificate says 'with merit', as I passed with 65%. I'd always known that masters merits were possible, yet just assumed my university didn't award them - as apparently some don't. The first I knew of it was when I was actually awarded a merit

Added to that, there's nothing wrong with getting a non-distinction masters. It's bloody hard, to say the least. Just because you got a 1st bachelors (well done, by the way ) doesn't automatically mean that you're up to masters distinction standard, since it's supposed to be harder

Regarding job prospects... I'm no recruiter, but you're just 23...you can't have done yourself that much "harm" so far. A years' experience in any field - even if it's within the family business - sounds solid to me, especially considering the fact that you're still fresh out of undergraduate studies yourself! "Recent" graduates are, in my experience, considered to be those who have finished up in the last 3 years or so. You may well have the edge over 21 year olds fresh from uni, with very little/no work experience.

Personally I'd stick with the masters, simply because it's a costly affair (:)) and it'd be a shame for you to have gained nothing from what you've studied towards it so far. Or at least let yourself be awarded the PGDip? As said, there's nothing wrong with an 'ordinary' masters.

PhD sounds like it needs some long, hard thought from you. If you hate your masters so much, do you really have the interest in another 3 years? At an even more intense academic level?

Perhaps finish your masters and wait for some graduate schemes to come up (autumn-winter is the busiest time for them, though start dates will likely be for 2011)?

Don't consider your age to be a barrier - many people don't even consider masters (or even undergrad!) until they're much older than you are now - let alone PhD

Fire_Fox

Is there any possibility you may be experiencing mild depression? If so perhaps this needs addressing, with depression comes a focus on possible negative outcomes over and above possible positive outcomes. It's not really a time to be making major decisions. I think you should be honest with your supervisor and/ or see if there is any careers or personal counselling on offer at your university.

Are you taking care of your physical wellbeing? Healthy eating, good sleep patterns and regular physical activity? The latter two are particularly helpful in stress-relief, and I have known high achiever clients 'set the world to rights' mentally during a hard workout!

ellie101

Is there anyway you can stick out the masters until the end of the year even if you don't get a distinction? It's the summer you'd start to apply for grad mgt jobs?

Only reason thinking that is psych masters in research have a lot of maths in them, and if you go for grad mgt jobs with that as a masters it'll look good. I guess it depends what kind of mgt firms you are applying for? The big consultancy/accountancy firms would look favourably on it I'd imagine.

As for your family business, did that involve things such as running the books etc? You can always mention that.

I think you're still young, if you want to change careers it's easy to do. If you really can't stand the masters what about doing an internship somewhere for free for the next 6 mths until you apply in summer? (if you can afford it). Sure there is a graduate internship site somewhere... can't remember the link. Take the fees you would have paid for rest of masters to support yourself, and work out if you can get enough money on top of that to live on. With a 1st you wouldn't have an issue if you get work experience (I reckon).

ellie101

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Is there any possibility you may be experiencing mild depression? If so perhaps this needs addressing, with depression comes a focus on possible negative outcomes over and above possible positive outcomes. It's not really a time to be making major decisions. I think you should be honest with your supervisor and/ or see if there is any careers or personal counselling on offer at your university.

Yeah, that kind of applies to me at the moment, valid point. I'm trying to decide whether to do a masters, but work out what work to do to support myself (finally getting vague offers) but am finding it impossible to decide.

Depressions seems to really affect cognitive abilities (well it does with me). I can't make up my mind and if I go for one thing it seems like that's "the end of the road" when in reality there are lots of opportunities.

piggeh

abbas5001 wrote: »

I am 23, will be 24 in October and I can't mess about for too long otherwise I will be closer to 30 with nothing on my CV (he was referring to the PhD where if I did it I would be 27 or so by the time I finished and the older you get the less scope there is for choice)

You're 23 and easily young enough to change direction a few times. I think most working people change their career direction totally 3 or 4 times in their working life, it's not unusual to look to do sometihng different!

I wasn't going to touch on the depression side, but do you find things overwhelming & getting you down even though you are more than capable of doing them? Most Universities have student support services, I found mine quite helpful in helping me take stock of my situation.

FWIW - I quit university twice, so that's "2 years of my life wasted", but I'm very happy that I decided to leave and start afresh. It's easy enough to climb your way up the ladder quickly if you have the ability, which getting a 1st I'd imagine you do have.

Maybe also speak to your tutor about taking a break and maybe continuing your masters in a year or so? You could go back feeling invigorated and much more up for the challenge if you then decide you want to continue it.

teabelly

Can any of the credits you have received for the masters be transferred to another postgrad qualification? An MBA perhaps? Also a psychology degree opens doors in psychiatry, counselling, social work, buyer behaviour etc

If being there makes you miserable then I can't see the point in continuing it. If you complete the masters what is the chance you'll drift into a phd as it is easy?

On the other hand as you don't seem to have a burning desire to do anything else, finishing the masters and doing the best you can (or switching courses if you can) is the most sensible course of action.

bugsaboo

If you are unhappy on your MSc DO NOT do a PhD.
PhD's are very hard to stick with as you have to motivate youself and manage all your own work. Once you get so far you know more about the topic than anyone else which can be quite isolating.
It can seem tempting to put off the decision about what kind of job to do and stay in academia for 3 years but this will be outweighed when it comes to writing up your thesis then you run the risk of dropping out and that'll be three years down the pan. Don't want to sound harsh but I've seen it happen to loads of other people....
There are so many things you can do with a psych degree. All the stats mean you can go into some kind of analytical job. Or the people skills mean you've got a good chance with "caring" jobs. What do you like doing? what is important to you? money, status? good working hours? feeling you've "made a difference"? Think about these and then look for jobs in areas that suit those skills.
Or even go back to the family business if that would make you happier!
anyway hope this helps. good luck!

Owain_Moneysaver

Can you complete the Masters course but not do the dissertation, and get a postgraduate diploma instead? There's really only 6 months of the academic year left so not long to stick it out for ... and in the meantime there are s*d all jobs out there so you might as well be getting another qualification.

Fly_Baby

Just wanted to say - stick to it. Please, I beg of you. I've been there, feeling totally depressed and lost in my Masters (mine was in Marketing). Wanted to just drop everything, study the remaining modules, get my Postgraduate Diploma and be done with it. The thought of embarking on a dissertation scared the hell out of me. I simply didn't have the confidence to even start (I wonder why I felt like that - I was a good student).

It was my OH who talked some sense into me. He said: you've come so far and did so much - do not even think of quitting at this stage. A PGDip is just not good enough - you HAVE to make this one last effort and do this bl***dy dissertation. Then you'll be a proud holder of the Masters and can forget all this nightmare.

So that's what I did. And I found that with the dissertation, like with anything else in life, the first step is the hardest. After I did my literature review and designed the questionnaire for my research, it all looked straightforward. And once I started collecting data, my thesis was pretty much writing itself.

Amazingly, after all my 'suffering', I graduated with a Merit (and I had one D too).

So don't give up. The weather is looking up, it's been sunny for the past few days (the occasional rain doesn't count!) so you are bound to start feeling better! Get yourself together and finish it - and only then, with your Masters, decide on what you want to do in terms of career. Your bad mood and your doubts are passing but that degree will stay with you forever.

DVardysShadow

I'm so disappointed. When I saw the thread title I thought it was along the line of "I hate my [Lords and] Masters" and we would have a bolshie workers vs management toadies fest. No such luck.