Undergraduate degree = underqualified

Magally Zelaya, Staff

I’m not sure if brown is the new black, 30 the new 17, or if down is the new up, but I am sure that an undergraduate degree is the new high school diploma. It’s easier than ever to get (buy) an undergraduate degree, and consequently, it’s harder than ever to set yourself apart.

Back in the day, only the very wealthy, the very intelligent, and the very masculine could achieve tertiary education. Not these days.

Today, admission requirements are reasonable (the U of M requires a 63 per cent average), as are costs, thanks to a tuition freeze, student loans and a range of scholarships and bursaries. According to Statistics Canada, women have outnumbered men at Canadian universities since the late-1970s.

Not to mention, you don’t even have to do well once you make it in to a university program. With supports for academic difficulties, a probation and suspension period, it’s nearly impossible to actually flunk out of an undergraduate degree.

Having an advanced BA myself, I don’t want to completely disregard the undergraduate degree. No, I don’t have any tangible skills, no, I’m not qualified to do anything, but I do have a higher understanding of a variety of concepts and I see the world in a substantially open-minded yet critical way.

Still, these days it seems everyone and their dog has a BA or a B.Sc.Last month, Statistics Canada reported that a record 172,700 students received an undergraduate degree in 2005: the seventh consecutive annual increase and a 20.7 per cent increase from 1998.

That’s right. The slacker who sits on your right and the numb-nuts on your left are going to finish with the same qualifications you are.

Whether it’s an additional certificate or a PhD, in today’s world, a second degree may not be the only way but it is the best way to set one’s self apart.

Personally, I am a big fan of the master’s degree. Usually a two-year program (sometimes one), it provides an advanced-level, focused program in a specialty area that mixes theory with necessary practical skills.

Some will still argue that certain undergraduate degrees are enough to ensure your entry into a professional career. And that’s true. Teachers, nurses, lab technicians, and, ummm . . . suffice to say, there aren’t many.

Nowadays, physiotherapists need master’s degrees, as do architects, librarians, and psychologists. Even journalists can benefit from a master’s degree, as more and more employers are demanding them.

For those nostalgic folk who say that there’s still room for the self-made man, that, if you apply yourself and gain experience, you’ll be able to work your way up the ladder, I have two responses. The first, a command: snap out of it! The second, a question: who would you rather hire — the experienced hard worker or the master’s graduate who also has experience in addition to a specialized education?

Most master’s programs look for a record of significant experience that shows that aspiring scholars are dedicated to their chosen field and not just hungry for the additional letters. Many master’s programs also provide top internships and placements that are not readily available to those who are working their way up.

I should also warn you that more students than ever are graduating with master’s degrees. The same StatsCan report showed a 33 per cent increase from 2001 to 2005, when some 33,000 master’s degrees were awarded. The competition is stiff, and a BA or a B.Sc. just doesn’t cut it like it used to.

In a master’s program, the theory you learn allows you to develop the mental faculties that will facilitate problem-solving, decision-making and critical thinking skills you will use on-the-job while the practical aspect will teach you the necessary hands-on skills.

Plus, who really wants to chance their education on bosses who may or may not know what they’re doing? You might as well take your education into your own hands and avoid learning bad habits.

Another good reason for going beyond the bachelor’s degree is due to the impact that globalization is having on job prospects. As jobs not requiring higher education are relocated to cheaper economies and global scale research and technology continues to rise, we are in a “knowledge age,” in which there is a premium on those who have advanced degrees.

For instance, using earning data from 1999, the U.S. Census Bureau found that, over 40 years, a master’s graduate will earn $400,000 more than a bachelor’s graduate. (PhD graduates earn $1.3 million more.)

And don’t forget that, with a master’s, you’ll also have the back-up option of teaching at a university or college if you ever tire of your career.

Clearly, with the domino-like consequences of pursuing a master’s degree — a superior skill set, more job opportunities, and higher pay — there’s no better way to ensure your advantage over the dime-a-dozen bachelor’s degree holders.

That is, of course, until PhDs become the new master’s.