- #1
BackEMF
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So, as the title says, I'm considering doing a second undergraduate degree having recently completed my PhD. I've searched for advice on this online and I can't see anyone else who has asked this before, which hasn't made my decision any easier.
My educational background is an undergraduate degree in electronic engineering, and a PhD in wireless communications. During the PhD I became very interested in mathematics and this is what I'm thinking about going back and doing.
So my motivation for doing this is purely out of interest. And I'm very interested (this might be the most important aspect to note). Even if I don't go back to college, I would probably keep reading some maths books in my spare time, so I figure why not actually get the qualification while I'm at it?
I think with my current knowledge I could skip a certain amount of the standard maths course and complete a maths degree in 3 years. I have the opportunity to do this in a fairly high rated university, and for very little financial cost (sounds good doesn't it!).
I guess this question is mostly targeted at employers, would it look unusual to do this? And more to the point, would it be unusual in a negative way? Make me look too academic? Ultimately I still would like to work in an area related to my PhD when I finished maths.
So here's my brief list of pro's and con's as I see them:
Pro's
Con's
So, as you can see, I've thought about it a good bit. My personal opinion is to just do it. And my general philiosophy is to do what I think I should.
So it's up to you to convice me not to. Go for it!
Thanks for reading everyone.
My educational background is an undergraduate degree in electronic engineering, and a PhD in wireless communications. During the PhD I became very interested in mathematics and this is what I'm thinking about going back and doing.
So my motivation for doing this is purely out of interest. And I'm very interested (this might be the most important aspect to note). Even if I don't go back to college, I would probably keep reading some maths books in my spare time, so I figure why not actually get the qualification while I'm at it?
I think with my current knowledge I could skip a certain amount of the standard maths course and complete a maths degree in 3 years. I have the opportunity to do this in a fairly high rated university, and for very little financial cost (sounds good doesn't it!).
I guess this question is mostly targeted at employers, would it look unusual to do this? And more to the point, would it be unusual in a negative way? Make me look too academic? Ultimately I still would like to work in an area related to my PhD when I finished maths.
So here's my brief list of pro's and con's as I see them:
Pro's
- I'm currently very interested in mathematics on a very broad scale (yes, even statistics)
- I have few personal commitments at this stage of my life, so could dedicate significant time to it
- I can study at the top university in my county for effectively very little cost (maybe even get paid if I obtain a scholarship, which is a possibility).
- Being in college, it would give me a decent amount of free time which I could use to plan my future career - and enjoy what's left of my 20's!
- An undergradute degree is the broadest treatment of mathematics as opposed to a master's - which suits my personal interests well
- Currenty very motivated to learn maths, this might not still be the case if I got a job and started the daily grind, so I feel I should use this interest while I can.
Con's
- Possible negative opinion from employers
- I still want to work in engineering, so adds little/nothing to my immediate career options.
- Being around immature students again (but this time I'm not immature with them, could be painful - but then how crazy can mathematics students be?).
- Delaying the start of my career proper.
- Being kinda poor, while the course might be free, living is not. Might be talking banks loans, borrowing from parents.
- Might be hard to actually work in the real world after all this academia.
So, as you can see, I've thought about it a good bit. My personal opinion is to just do it. And my general philiosophy is to do what I think I should.
So it's up to you to convice me not to. Go for it!
Thanks for reading everyone.