How useful is a Chinese studies M.A.?

October 31, 2009 6:40 AM

I'm thinking about getting an M.A. in Chinese studies. How useful a job qualification would it be if I didn't go on to get a Ph.D.?

I majored in a subject unrelated to Chinese studies in undergrad, but have subsequently become very interested in China, particularly Chinese cultural history. I want to further my interest in an academic program, but don't want to do so if it won't lead to interesting China-related career opportunities. At this point, I'm not sure whether I'd want to get a Ph.D., so I want to confine this question to opportunities an M.A. can help provide. Here are some of the possibilities I can think of. How much would an M.A. help to get these sorts of jobs? What others are there?

- Government (e.g., State Department)
- Nonprofit with a focus on or including China
- Entry-level researcher at a think tank or some other sort of research institution
- Teaching at a high school
- Teaching at a community college
- Teaching at an English-speaking university in a developing country
- Journalism (would a Chinese studies M.A. matter at all as a qualification in this field relative to previous experience or publication record?)
- Business (increased opportunities in the business world are frequently cited on Chinese studies M.A. program websites, but it's difficult for me to imagine how the degree would lead to a job at, e.g., a company with operations in China; if it could, how?)

Thanks in advance for your help!

posted by Mummy of a Lady Named Jemutesonekh to Education (6 answers total)

My best advice for you is to think first about what you want to do. Start looking at job postings. Compile a bunch that seem interesting to you -- jobs that you might want to pursue. This will give you an idea of what jobs are out there and what kinds of things seem interesting to you.

Then look through that list. What are some common threads? Do a lot of the jobs that hooked you involve, say, teaching, or non-profit work, or business? Do many of the jobs list a Masters level degree as a requirement? Are there any jobs that you want that specifically require an MA in Chinese History? Do a lot of those jobs list other kinds of experience as qualifications?

The idea, I guess, is to find out what jobs out there are compelling to you, and then find out what qualifications you need for those jobs, and then go get those qualifications. You may find that you don't need the MA, or that maybe you need a different kind of degree, or that you can start working now and get a degree later.

Of course, if you just want to be in school, and you're really interested in this topic, then go for it and worry about jobs later. Especially if you can get a low-cost/free masters program.

In my experience, I have not yet chosen grad school (I'm 28) because there were lots of great youth work jobs that I could get without a masters. Now I'm shifting into a new field (philanthropy), and it may make sense for me to get an MPP to get very far in the new field.

Good luck in your search! Enjoy it!
posted by cubby at 7:44 AM on October 31, 2009

Have you spent much time in China? Or learned Mandarin? I suspect that experience on the ground in China would also help you get those jobs, and might be more interesting to you than school.

The State Department sends people all over the world and typically does not send people to one place for more than a couple of years. I suspect language skills and international experience rather than an academic degree would be of more interest to them (but I do not work for the state dept).

As for teaching: well, a community college would hire you to teach Chinese Studies. I suspect that's not a very common course offering at most community colleges. And unless a high school has an international focus, you'd be better off with a master's in education for teaching.

Why not start looking for jobs teaching English in China right now?
posted by bluedaisy at 12:26 PM on October 31, 2009

Bluedaisy has it right. Go to China and work there for a year or longer- probably a job teaching English would be the easiest way to do this. You don't mention skills in Mandarin or any other language- working and/or studying in China would be a great way to learn a language. In terms of getting a job in the non-profit or business sector, having work experience in China would likely be much more important than having an advanced degree obtained in the US. You could always get an M.A. later on. I don't think you need a Ph.D. for any of jobs you list here (except for maybe the community college one).
posted by emd3737 at 2:55 PM on October 31, 2009

Data point of 2 - some people that I knew while I was doing my MA were doing their MAs in Chinese studies. Both had excellent spoken Mandarin after having spent time doing intensive language learning in China. They had already worked at DoS/DoD jobs and took a year off to do Chinese Studies MAs in order to make the next paygrade.

MAs are (IMHO) rarely worth the investment. As others have said, ensure that getting an MA is going to be worth ~$40k (or more) and taking a year off from your present career.
posted by k8t at 8:52 PM on October 31, 2009

Agreeing with cubby above, make sure that an MA furthers your career rather than just your interest. Would you be able to satisfy your interest in Chinese history/culture by spending $1000 on history books and a subscription to ChinesePod, or by spending a year/semester in an intensive language program in Beijing/Shanghai? If so, forgo the MA for the cheaper alternative and continue to build up works experience that will count toward your career goals.
posted by msittig at 1:26 AM on November 1, 2009

Not mincing words here: total f**king waste of time.

Do you know how many people can speak both Chinese and English with a native fluency? Millions and millions and millions. They'll get the job, not you. And you'll never speak (let alone read, or - Christ... write) even one fraction as well as them by doing an MA, unless you go to China and do the MA in China, and even then you'll have to study harder than someone doing a degree in nuclear physics.
posted by moorooka at 2:05 AM on November 1, 2009