Help! MSF or PhD?

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I am at a big crossroads in my life. My passion is demography and geography, and sports.

I decided to get an MA in Geography, because I love Geog topics (urban sprawl, transportation, population geography). I wanted to get a job with the US Census or DOT working on planning the next phase of highway and high speed rail, studying and preventing further sprawl.
Having graduated and search for over a year, I cannot get any paying work in my field, just unpaid internships.

I decided to look elsewhere and possibly go back to school to get a degree in finance. My undergrad was in criminal justice with a business minor. I enjoyed accounting classes, but too late, realized my annoying hobby of sprawl study and demography actually was a legit academic study.
So I choose to pursue this and go to grad school. I thought with the whole "Green" jobs mantra, I'd fit in.

Due to housing construction ending, and government slashes, my field is gone. My only choices are to give up and just take a job which I will hate and could do with a HS diploma. (option 1).

2: I could go back to school in January, study finance, and get a job doing budget analysis or investments. I do have an interest in budgets and investing, I do, and I want to learn how to make a good portfolio. But this is not my number one passion. Moreover, I am not a 9-5 culture fit. I fit very well in an academic environment, wearing jeans, having time off, instead of the 9-5 (or more like 8-6 daily grind). I work to live, not live to work. I am an ASer if you didn't notice.

3: I can go back to school, and get a PhD in Geography. I would love to study transportation issues (should we expand the NJTP or add high speed rail), population issues (how far will NY sprawl spread into Central and Southern NJ and what effect will it have on regional culture, will it overwash and overtake Philly influence in Mercer and Burlington County)? I love these kinds of questions.

Problem: PhD Is hard, will take 3-4 years, is pretty much hazing, and I will be busy and poor in school (you make maybe 15K and get another 10K in subsidized loans, meaning you need summer work, which all of us know is hard). Also, I cannot begin a PhD (if I get in) till August, Business school I can start in January (if I get in). But Business school with expenses will cost 60K for 1-1.5 years, PhD will cost 40-50K for 3-4 years.

They say if you choose a career based on earning, job security, and job demand, you are more likely to dislike it, which is why I chose Finance, because it is in demand unlike Geographers/planners. I also can start in January, be done in 1-1.5 years and out earning, PhD I won't be done until after 30. But, I had my best success in Academia, that is where I fit.


I would be curious of your thoughts, this is a very hard choice.

I'm curious, would you be able to teach geography with your current qualifications? Interested and interesting teachers can be difficult to come by sometimes.

I say go for the PhD, but I am biased I am working on my PhD in materials science/corrosion with reinforcing steel in concrete, so, transportation infrastructure sustainability.
Several times in the past I've had work (credit) stolen by co-workers, and I can't express myself well enough in those situations to defend myself. I figured with a PhD I can write my own ticket for work and my title will demand courtesy and respect from those I work for; I cannot function in a hostile workplace, with any bullying or harassment, so I figured a "Dr." title would help.
Later I will probably get an MBA or something too, but the PhD kinda goes beyond the subject area or degree itself, as a symbol that whatever the issue or subject, you are capable of understanding and contributing.

Have you considered getting a graduate certificate in GIS? I don't know what opportunities there are, but that might be something worth looking into.

I like the idea of a PhD as well. I'm currently working on an undergrad science degree and am already looking at possible graduate degree programs, including a couple of PhD programs. But it is a considerable amount of work and a serious commitment.

Good set of questions!

First off, have you looked for work outside your current country of residence? Development may not be a #1 priority there, but elsewhere development is a big business. Most of the places where there's hard core development, there's not as much experience in urban planning. Your area of expertise could be right up their alley.

Next, have you looked outside of the traditional jobs in your area of expertise? For example, there are contract think tanks that governments may hire to help with urban planning in a more global sense than a civil engineer with a development company would. These aren't always places that post their jobs. But writing a letter and sending a resume may get you an interview if they think they can use your skills. This may also be closer to academia than as a practicing civil engineer or urban planner.

Next, seriously think on what you want to do. The reason I'm couching it that way is that depending on the field, the PhD may not be the professional degree. I don't know about geography so I can't say there. But in electrical engineering, the professional degrees are the bachelor and master's degrees. A PhD in EE typically means you're teaching it or working at a research facility. It's a different job market at that point. If academia is your target job market, the PhD is probably a good route to go.

And also consider what you want your skill set to be long-term. For example, it's one thing to have a background in geography when coming to an urban planning project. It's quite another to also have a background in finance and planning. Adding that skill set makes you more valuable and more marketable.

Tough call. I don't think you can go too far wrong no matter which way you go. But you do have to pick one.

My quick response:


1. Stay close to your field; don't diverge too much. you'll need for your new direction to make sense in order for employers to understand it, however, arcwelders are always in demand and they don't really care about your history so to speak.
That means no MSF - If you go back, get an add-on certificate in another field (non-profits, GIS) or go PhD in-field.

2. You have a Masters, have you considered teaching as an adjunct, or teaching High School social studies+geography?

3. Have you considered doing GIS work or building those digital skills? AFAIK, they are still in demand to some extent.