Should I finish my physics master's degree to pursue my career in IT

[dizinko]

I live in a former postsocialist country where master's degree (i.e. not only bachelor's) is considered to be a complete university education. Bachelor's degree usually takes 3 years to complete and master's takes another 2. To get a degree, you have to pass a so-called state exam at the end of your studies.

I finished my bachelor's degree and then both years of master's studies but I haven't passed master's state exam. Afterwards I worked as a BPM dev for a little less than 2 years and I currently work as a junior full stack dev (java+javascript+some frameworks).

I can still take master's degree state exam one more time. It would require around 2.5 months of practically all my free time and a lot of my energy. Would getting a degree still be worth it? I have a linkedin profile which says that I'm not currently looking for a new position and recruiters still contact me with job offers.

I'm not interested in an academic career, I want to stay working in IT.

 

[CWatters]

Here in the UK I would say that a Bachelor degree and a few years experience would make you in demand. Think you could starting to look for positions with more responsibility and/or which broaden your experience whatever you decide to do for your MSc.

What are your longer term aims? My background is in electronics and I've worked with programmers and other technical staff. At some point, perhaps in 10 yeas time you might need to decide if you want to move from a hands on technical role into more of a managerial or project management role. At that point having some project management training might help.

 

[dizinko]

I'm not interested in a mangerial role as my personality doesn't really suite that role. My Msc. would be in theoretical physics, so nothing strictly related to my practical skills or qualifications.

 

[CrysPhys]

I live in a former postsocialist country where master's degree (i.e. not only bachelor's) is considered to be a complete university education. Bachelor's degree usually takes 3 years to complete and master's takes another 2. To get a degree, you have to pass a so-called state exam at the end of your studies.

I finished my bachelor's degree and then both years of master's studies but I haven't passed master's state exam. Afterwards I worked as a BPM dev for a little less than 2 years and I currently work as a junior full stack dev (java+javascript+some frameworks).

I can still take master's degree state exam one more time. It would require around 2.5 months of practically all my free time and a lot of my energy. Would getting a degree still be worth it? I have a linkedin profile which says that I'm not currently looking for a new position and recruiters still contact me with job offers.

I'm not interested in an academic career, I want to stay working in IT.

A lot depends on your motivation for passing the state exam. From the phrasing of your question, I'm not sure you know.

(a) Do you want to pass the state exam as a matter of self-fulfillment and self-esteem? To prove to yourself that you can? So you won't look back in regret, and say to yourself, "If only I had tried one more time"? If so, I think the answer's clear.

(b) Do you want to leave open the door for a future career in physics? Perhaps return for a PhD program? If so, I think the answer's clear.

(c) Do you plan never to return to a career in physics, but to advance yourself in IT? If so, you need to ask yourself what value passing the state exam will have. This will depend on the culture in your country and in the company you work for. Will passing the state exam give you a raise, a bigger office, more perks, a promotion, more respect, more job opportunities? If you don't already know, you should ask the managers in your company ... and the recruiters who contact you.

 

[CrysPhys]

I live in a former postsocialist country where master's degree (i.e. not only bachelor's) is considered to be a complete university education. Bachelor's degree usually takes 3 years to complete and master's takes another 2. To get a degree, you have to pass a so-called state exam at the end of your studies.

I finished my bachelor's degree and then both years of master's studies but I haven't passed master's state exam. Afterwards I worked as a BPM dev for a little less than 2 years and I currently work as a junior full stack dev (java+javascript+some frameworks).

By the way, in your country, once you complete the bachelor's courses, do you automatically get a bachelor's degree? Do you need to pass a state exam for a bachelor's degree? Do you have a bachelor's degree? Or is it a choice between pass a state exam to get a master's degree or no degree at all?

 

[dizinko]

CrysPhys, thanks for your opinion. I think my main motivation is self-fulfillment as my employee doesn't really care and I'm not interested in getting a PhD, even though it would be interesting to have that option in the future.

And yes, there's a state exam at the end of bachelor's courses here and you have to write and defend a thesis as well, but it doesn't really have to have any original research (mine did:).