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If it bothers you, 21k seems cheap for peace of mind.
Wait how can you get a masters degree without a bachelors degree lol
OP are you in Europe? I don’t think any school in the US does this
No one cares about the degree but you. You already have the experience sufficient to hold your own in the room with clients. So the question is peace of mind vs. the expanded opportunities that the certifications will bring. Opportunities will bring more experience and an increase in pay, potentially. The only caveats is that if you want to go into a management track you should ask mentors in the company if the lack of a degree will hold you back? My sense is still no.
I recently got a significant bonus and thought i should probably enrol for a master in cybersecurity. The university has told me that given my certifications and work experience, i can get 50% of the course on credit, meaning that I only have to do 6 subjects that i think i can complete within a year to get my masters degree. These 6 subjects will cost me 21k. A part of me thinks i should do this just to scratch the itch. I dont quite think i will learn anything new looking at the course content, but at least i will have my degree. A part of me thinks i can better use that money to do specific certifications (many of them) that can definitely benefit me. However, this means that the "chip on my shoulder" will remain and I will always feel a bit awkward when people talk about university etc. A part of me thinks that the lack of degree may hinder me from progressing in the future….but thus far, it hasnt and I am on par or even better than my peers because of the excellent experience i have from many different top tier companies.
What are your thoughts on this? Oh, i discounted other universities that seem to have the same degree with better content because they wouldnt give me as much credit so they end up significantly more expensive e.g. 30-45k compared to the 21k.
Just looking for some guidance or outside perspective. Alternatively, i could put the 21k to use in obtaining further certifications directly linked to my role/skillset. Thoughts?
It sounds like a really personal decision. What are the gains you are hoping to get from a degree? Better salary, more job opportunities, new skills, networking?
My guess is that other than scratching the itch, you'll get very little utility out of the degree. I would guess you'll learn minimal new skills and it wouldn't open any new doors for you professionally.
With all that being said, if you think it would further validate you internally, or feel like it would put your mind at ease... Go for it. I don't know your financial situation, but $21k can be manageable.
I would also suggest you look up imposter syndrome and do some introspection. It happens to a lot of folks and can get in the way of rational thinking about you and your self worth.
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As long as this isn’t a university of Phoenix type of school it’s seems reasonable but one question how do you get the masters without a undergraduate degree?
With a lot of certs and experience (recognized/acknowledged), I'd just go for an MBA. Not a masters in cyber.