Grad School

I am in the process of studying for a certification exam for work thru an engineering society. Back when I was discussing it with my boss it was around the time that Kris was going thru all her BS at work. At the time, I was talking with my boss about how if Kris wanted to continue doing what she was doing, she would have to go back to school and become a registered dietician. And then after doing that, a year or two later, she would have to get a master’s degree to continue doing the same work she was doing two or three months ago. I mentioned how the overall investment into that would not equate to career earnings over the next 10-15 years.

My boss then said something to me that she went back and got her MBA when she was something like 53 or 54 (I forget the exact age she said). She then said that since Badger Meter pays a portion, it isn’t a bad deal to go back and get a master’s degree. I think I am actually the only QE who doesn’t currently have a master’s; or maybe I don't have the Senior QE title because I don't have a master's degree.

After Sarah left for school a couple of weeks ago, I thought that maybe I would look into it and just get an idea of what it would cost. I didn’t want to get strictly an MBA, but thought maybe a Master’s in Engineering Management would be a better option. That way I get a business component in addition to some advanced technical classes. I did a quick internet search, and found out that UWM didn’t have an MS in Engineering Management anymore. They apparently suspended the program, or at elast are no longer offering it. But when I searched, a bunch of pages came up that listed “The Best Schools for an Online Masters Degree in Engineering Management”. That was something that I never considered.

I had always thought that I would need to go to either UWM, or Marquette, or possibly one of the smaller private colleges locally if I wanted to get a Master’s. But in today’s information age, there are a bevy of options. Colleges offer the course 100% online by streaming classes, or recording them and then posting them someplace to watch them. Bingo!

I have now decided that once I finish taking the certified QE exam, I am going to see about registering for a MSEM/MEM degree. Between now and then I’ll be gathering information on programs, and schools and evaluating which program to choose. I already have a list of about 100 schools, so I just need to start my research and whittling that list down to maybe 10 or 15 to consider.