For Love or Money?

April 7, 2009 2:53 PM

Job Filter/ School Filter: Masters in Education, English, or Political Science?

I'm a recent graduate with an interdisciplinary Bachelors' degree in Political Science and Philosophy, and a burgeoning interest (and dreams) in the field of screenwriting (and a little talent). I'm also interested in secondary school teaching, as a career or (best-case scenario) to meet the bills while writing spec scripts while rolling my dice in the Hollywood lotto.

For reasons both financial and personal, I'm going to be applying to (and likely attending, barring terrible recommendations or a terrible GRE score) the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. I'm planning on moving to San Francisco following graduation, and building a life there -- if I were to teach, I realize I would have to satisfy the California education requirements independent of whatever degree I get in Hawaii (even if it is education).

Taking all of these factors into account, which of these is probably the best field to study for my Masters'? Is it
1. Political Science, the field which I know the most about (and loved taking undergraduate classes in); or
2. English, with an eye on not only improving my writing skills and general employability, hopefully also making me a better screenwriter, but also enhancing my knowledge to teach with were I to end up as a teacher; or
3. education, just because this is the area that I will most likely be spending the rest of my life?

posted by the NATURAL to education (8 comments total)

I work in the education department of a CA university, and while I don't deal directly with MA/credential candidates, I work immediately next to the people who do. What I can tell you from overhearing their advising sessions is that it's pretty hard for English teachers to get jobs right now. There's a bit of a glut. Making things worse is that a lot of CA school districts are cutting budgets, cutting salaries, and laying off teachers, so it's even more difficult for those just entering the field. Math and science teachers, on the other hand, are in demand. I repeatedly hear the advisors tell students that people who end up with math/science credentials won't have a very hard time finding a job.

If you get an MA in education, without the credential, you might be able to get an administration job. BUT, you'll be up against a lot of people who have been around for a long time, have earned PhDs, and have teaching experience as well.

I'd say go for the credential, but not in English.

I don't know anything about the market for PoliSci teachers. If you want, memail me and I'll give you the contact number for the advisor in my department. He's very helpful and can probably give you a lot more info on your prospects there.
posted by mudpuppie at 3:08 PM on April 7

Being an English major may not make you a better writer, especially if you intend to write for non-academic audiences.
posted by answergrape at 3:08 PM on April 7

1. You don't roll dice in lotto. Don't mix metaphors, writer!

2. You need the Education credential to work in secondary in CA, so that's just necessary. (Aside from temporary licenses, if I'm not mistaken.)

3. Poli Sci is a good thing to study, but if you're sure you want to teach and write professionally, I think you should switch gears to English or Ed. Even more than English, try to get into a proper Screenwriting or Playwrights' MA program. I'm presently at USC in an MA program, and I share classes with some screenwriting MAs, and theirs is a very special program, in terms of networking, opportunities, and quality of genre-specific teaching.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 3:16 PM on April 7

I'm a recent graduate with an interdisciplinary Bachelors' degree in Political Science and Philosophy, and a burgeoning interest (and dreams) in the field of screenwriting (and a little talent). I'm also interested in secondary school teaching, as a career or (best-case scenario) to meet the bills while writing spec scripts while rolling my dice in the Hollywood lotto.

Do you have experience teaching? An MA sometimes makes it more difficult, rather than less, to get a foot in the door due to higher salary requirements. Have you considered alternate route? If teaching is really your primary goal, and you're really sure you want to do it, I'd skip the graduate credential and look for an alternate route program, though, as mudpuppie says, jobs are scarce right now, anyway.

And this is anecdotal, of course, but every creative-type I've known (including my mother, who in 1970 was told by her college advisors that she should be a teacher so she could paint during the summers) has all but completely quit their creative endeavors after going on to teach secondary school. The first several years of teaching, particularly, are incredibly, incredibly draining and will leave you with little time or energy to learn a new craft. Incidentally, my mom's finally back to painting, but she didn't return to it until her 60s.

As someone who's finishing up a fairly worthless graduate degree, I wouldn't go to graduate school right away unless you're certain about how it will connect to your ultimate career goals. And you can take it from me: a master's in a writing-related discipline doesn't do a lot to improve your employability. I would consider a creative-writing based master's (MFA in screenwriting?) only if you can get full funding and are absolutely sure you need the time, and will use the time, to write. I wouldn't recommend a literature MA unless your ultimate goal is a PhD and college teaching--and only then, I'd recommend it with great trepidation because of the current job market.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 3:27 PM on April 7

I actually think what you are looking for is a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Secondary Education (PBCSE) (about halfway down this page) I'd think with an undergraduate degree in Political Science and a teaching certificate, you are as qualified to teach broad field social studies for a high school...and having a Master's in political science doesn't make you really any more qualified to do that. However, it looks like you can get a master's degree in anything you want and take 12 credits from this certificate in transfer, which is nice if you want a master's degree.

I don't know how the California market is now, but in Wisconsin, where I'm from, getting a teaching job in social studies or English is pretty competitive right now, so be aware of that moving forward.
posted by mjcon at 3:27 PM on April 7

Coming from a former teacher with a BEd, I would go for the M.Ed. It's a very useful degree, and you'll be able to either teach school like you wanted to, or teach college as an instructor.

Neither of these are lucrative or stable careers (although your MEd will definitely help you move up the food chain as an administrator).

However, an MEd is useful in the business world. You'll be able to work as a corporate trainer, or in HR in the "talent development" space.

You'll also be well-suited for project work, or as an analyst. You will also be able to consider working in marketing on the value-added and more cerebral survey or data collection side of things.

An MEd is a useful degree. The other two, meh, not so much, unless you want a career in academia.
posted by KokuRyu at 4:36 PM on April 7

Taking all of these factors into account, which of these is probably the best field to study for my Masters?

I'll go with Unspoken Option No. 4 and suggest "MBA."

I'm also interested in secondary school teaching, as a career or (best-case scenario) to meet the bills while writing spec scripts while rolling my dice in the Hollywood lotto.

It's either a career or it isn't. As a teacher in California, expect to start at about $25K per year, max, while spending a shitload of hours doing it. And in San Francisco? Heh. Good luck with that.

If you're just trying to pay bills, you'd make more money and have more free time for writing with just about ANY full-time, non-teaching job NOT located at a place of business where you ask people if they want fries with that.

I think you should switch gears to English or Ed. Even more than English, try to get into a proper Screenwriting or Playwrights' MA program.

What he said.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 4:40 PM on April 7

Education. Grad school will destroy your love for the other two, I assure you.
posted by Ironmouth at 8:45 PM on April 7