Workplace Unsure about postgraduate degree...

wemakesparksfly

wemakesparksfly

Member
Feb 6, 2017
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#1
I'm just about to start my final year of a combined BA/BEc and am unsure whether or not to continue my studies in a postgrad degree. I would be looking at doing a JD (essentially a law degree) at the same university as I am at now in Australia. I essentially have three choices here; get a job next year, continue to study next year doing a JD, or get a job and do the JD part-time (which would take six years to complete). The thing about postgrad degrees in Australia is that the fees are not regulated by the government, and if my marks are not good enough to get a government supported place (approx. $10k/year) I would end up paying about $40k/year.

There are a couple of other factors coming into play here as well. My majors are French, financial economics and commercial law (which doesn't give me any sort of legal qualification). My concern is that with my financial economics major (statistics) is that I would be pigeonholed into a job as a statistician. My financial economics marks aren't great and I'm not really passionate about statistics at all. Also, I'm feeling some family pressure because I have about four cousins also doing law, and I feel that my BA/BEc is not nearly as desirable as a law degree in terms of finding a job.

Has anyone else here been in a similar situation as mine, or would otherwise like to share their thoughts? Any help would be much appreciated!
 
#2
Do you like law? You mentioned what you're not crazy about (statistics), but didn't say what you actually like. What is your motivation that drives you towards a JD? I think you have to think about what you want to do, and not just what you don't want to do.

Some practical questions: what are your realistic job prospects, including salary range, with/without the JD? Are they vastly different?
 
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#3
When you are unsure about your educational path I think it's best to take a year off between the bachelors and the next degree. You do not have to go for the next degree immediately and perhaps some time off from studies will offer new insights on what to pursue. I was about to go from my BS to Law school right away but delayed for a year and entered a different post-grad career. I say take a year off to decide, or work at something for a year.
 
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#5
apey_grapey said:
Do you like law? You mentioned what you're not crazy about (statistics), but didn't say what you actually like. What is your motivation that drives you towards a JD? I think you have to think about what you want to do, and not just what you don't want to do.

Some practical questions: what are your realistic job prospects, including salary range, with/without the JD? Are they vastly different?
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I do like law, but I would prefer to work in the finance field. In Australia, 90% of people who study law don't get their practising certificate, and there is currently an oversupply of law students. There may be some benefit in being able to combine law and economics but at this point many of the graduate jobs do not require a law degree. I really like economics in general, and this year at university I'm not studying any statistics so I think it will be much more enjoyable.

However, there is a prestige value in having a law degree. I'm still undecided as to whether a potentially $100k degree would pay for itself in the future!

Thank you very much for your comment, you've made me realise that I have to really sit down and think about what my passions are rather than just thinking about what I don't like. I really appreciate it!
 
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#7
i just want to give you a better picture of why i said working for a year of two.
my degrees were in architecture and i had no idea how little architects make. if i knew how hard we had to work, and how little we make, i would have gone to a very different direction. i had no idea money was so important to ones life...i was naive and stupid that i thought money was no importance. it took me 13 years to get to a point that i made okay living...not struggling.
and to make me feel worse....those architects who renovate bathrooms or corridors for a living make a lot more than someone doing some actual great architectural work....employee levels, not employers per se. and interiors make more than architects do buildings which takes more knowledge and experience. sorry i am ranting...but you can see you need to find out more before investing more of your time and money into something you might regret down the road.
 
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#8
Why not look at fields where you can use your qualifications first, before more schooling. I too had no idea what kinds of jobs were out there. There is so much breadth in the jobs skills that employers need, I wouldn't pigeon hole yourself into getting something everyone is doing.

Sometimes it is about marketing yourself and what you bring, rather than the letters on the page. With economics and stats and commercial law, have you considered that this could be a good jumping point into management stream? You could look at an MBA for post grad. Perhaps look at going to Canada for a year, or France. Being bi-lingual is an asset in both countries.
 
#9
shiba said:
Why not look at fields where you can use your qualifications first, before more schooling. I too had no idea what kinds of jobs were out there. There is so much breadth in the jobs skills that employers need, I wouldn't pigeon hole yourself into getting something everyone is doing.

Sometimes it is about marketing yourself and what you bring, rather than the letters on the page. With economics and stats and commercial law, have you considered that this could be a good jumping point into management stream? You could look at an MBA for post grad. Perhaps look at going to Canada for a year, or France. Being bi-lingual is an asset in both countries.
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Thank you, shiba! At this point, I'm going to apply for the JD as well as graduate jobs and see what happens. I definitely agree with you in terms of how much value a JD would add. I have just returned from six months study in Paris, and ideally if I went back to university I would do another exchange there!
 
#10
I know nothing about any of these fields. But I've got a friend in Australia who has focused on corporate law and now works for an international company to seal deals abroad. Gets to travel a lot and definitely has to understand international finance. Maybe you can find a niche like that?
 
#11
Only you can decide what is important enough to you to do every day for a good chunk of the rest of your life. I will say this though - law is a demanding program. I did my masters in law part time and it almost killed me. If you have any ability to do it full time, and that is what you want to do, get ‘Er done.
 
#12
I also want to get postgradraduate degree in Economics. Currently I work on my dissertation. I hope postgrad degree will help me to get a better job and I'm sure that higher education is the key to a successful career and a brighter future.
 
#13
Hi - I am in Australia and working as a lawyer. I did postgrad law.

If I were you, I would just do the JD full time. Once you start working, it is not that easy to go back to studying particularly full time. Law is demanding as one of the other poster mentioned. I would strongly suggest you do law as a full time course. Get it done and then start your career.

The exception to the above is, if you get a really great job that you are excited about then start working. Otherwise, I don't really see the point in working for a year or 2 and then going back to uni. Overall, it just draws out the period before you can really establish your career. The other thing is if you end goal is finance and not law, I would think again about doing a JD. I am well aware that JD is highly regarded and most law grads don't become lawyers but if you have no intention whatsoever to practice law, I wonder whether a JD is the best program for you... e.g. master of finance?
 
#14
Thank you everyone for your kind and helpful replies! I have submitted my JD application but have also applied for several graduate position; whichever one comes through will be the one I take!

Parisluxury, you raise a good point regarding full time study. I have heard from several people that it is difficult to get back into studying full time after having a job, so hopefully I get accepted into a JD program straight away! If not, I am also applying for a Master of International Business as well as a Master of Commerce so I have a backup plan. Would you mind telling me how you found postgrad law and what branch of law you are working in at the moment? As part of my undergrad degree I am majoring in business law but am not quite sure how similar it is to studying a law degree. Thank you!
 
#15
wemakesparksfly said:
Thank you everyone for your kind and helpful replies! I have submitted my JD application but have also applied for several graduate position; whichever one comes through will be the one I take!

Parisluxury, you raise a good point regarding full time study. I have heard from several people that it is difficult to get back into studying full time after having a job, so hopefully I get accepted into a JD program straight away! If not, I am also applying for a Master of International Business as well as a Master of Commerce so I have a backup plan. Would you mind telling me how you found postgrad law and what branch of law you are working in at the moment? As part of my undergrad degree I am majoring in business law but am not quite sure how similar it is to studying a law degree. Thank you!
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I found postgrad law great ie I enjoyed it a lot more than my undergrad (B Ec) and I got better marks as well. I work in-house at a financial institution. I did law more than 10 years ago... your post kind of reminded me when I was around your age. It is not easy to figure what to do once you graduate. Anyway I wish you the very best! I hope you get into your JD program!!
 
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