Postgraduate courses - what the hell do I do now?

[unimatrix7]

So last year I finished my Bachelor's degree in human bioscience, and I'd always planned to go on and do Masters in either exercise or sports science. To that end, I spammed about a dozen universities with applications for their courses, and got acceptance letters for most of them.

That's all well and good, except for some stupid reason I decided to also apply for a Masters course in Forensic Science. I'm not sure why - I think I just wanted to see if I'd actually get in. It's interesting, but I'd never thought about actually studying it until I saw it on the Uni's website. And now, of course, I got in.

Part of me really wants to do it. It sounds amazing and I know I could be good at it since I have a good head for science, but the career opportunities are minimal at best and strictly confined to the big cities. But I kind of feel that if I turn it down I'll regret it for the rest of my life.

So I have no idea what to do. And being the first member of my family to go to university, and the only person in my circle of friends to pursue a postgrad education, I really have no one to ask for advice. I know there are many smart people here, so perhaps there are words of wisdom to be dispensed? I'd appreciate any help anyone feels like giving

 

[Lindley]

You can change majors (even at a Masters level) a lot more easily once you're in than re-applying. Just take a few of the "core" courses and see how they work for you.

 

[Scout101]

which has a higher likelihood of getting a job when you're done?

failing that, which course would get you a job you WANT when you're done?

Seems like too many people take the CLASSES they enjoy, with no thought to what they will do with them when they graduate...

 

[Holdfast]

Decide why you want to study for a Masters - is it for eventual employment or for wisdom & self-knowledge. Both are valid choices, but you need to be clear on which category you fall into. While there's sometimes a fortunate overlap, making a decision on this now will make your decision about which course you take much simpler.

 

[unimatrix7]

I want employment in the field of exercise rehabilitation, and it's a definite growth industry with jobs galore all over the country and the world. It makes too much sense for me not to do it, so I don't really know why I'm stressed so much about this.

It's probably just the gravity of the decision and the attached consequences that scare me.

I'm being silly, aren't I?

 

[Nobody]

If you're going for work prospects do exercise rehabilitation. Doing it for kicks, get it in Forensic Science.

Of course you can always get more than one degree.


-nobody

 

[Tim]

I want employment in the field of exercise rehabilitation, and it's a definite growth industry with jobs galore all over the country and the world. It makes too much sense for me not to do it, so I don't really know why I'm stressed so much about this.

It's probably just the gravity of the decision and the attached consequences that scare me.

I'm being silly, aren't I?

Not silly at all, but it sounds like you've arrived at your answer yourself.

 

[Lindley]

The real question is, can you get a job *before* enrolling so that they'll pay for your education?

 

[Nobody]

Or become a GA and have the university foot the bill.


-nobody

 

[nx1701g]

Or become a GA and have the university foot the bill.


-nobody

If you're lucky. The University I went to terminated almost all their GA positions due to "budget cuts".

 

[unimatrix7]

The real question is, can you get a job *before* enrolling so that they'll pay for your education?

Nah, I wish. Pfft.

At least here we don't have to pay fees up front. We pay a portion of the cost of the course back through income tax once we earn a certain amount. So that just means I have an enormous debt that I'll be paying back for the rest of my life

 

[Spot's Meow]

If you really think you want to try Forensic Science, go for it - you will find out by the end of the first semester whether you want to continue it or not. Postgrad work is something you have to love or else you will be crushed by the workload and feel like you want to kill yourself. Some programs are especially tough, requiring total dedication. If you don't have it, it just won't work. You may start the program and realize you just don't have that level of interest in it. Or you may absolutely love it. If you don't like it, you could easily switch programs and you would have only lost one semester's worth of work.

Or, you could go for your Masters in the sports rehabilitation thing and take Forensic Science courses on the side, at a community college type place or somewhere else out there that might offer classes, more for fun than for your career. And you could always earn two degrees. A Masters doesn't take too long so it wouldn't be a nightmare.