# Are there any jobs that require a graduate degree in any field as a primary qualification? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 28, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180 "2013-03-28T15:26:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/1 "2013-03-28T15:26:05Z")
There was a previous [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-655876.html) about jobs that require a bachelor’s degree in any field as a primary qualification, and beyond that employers are generally looking for raw talent rather than a specific course of study/major. Is there any equivalent at the Master’s or Doctoral level? Are there any jobs for which the general way to qualify is by having a master’s degree _in any field_ and by convincing the hiring manager that you have the skills necessary? e.g. Hiring Manager: “This job requires a doctoral degree in any field and passing our skills evaluation. I see you have a PhD in Chemistry, now we just need to make sure you have the necessary skills. You’re up against John, who is an MD, Bill, with a JD, and Bob, who has a PhD in English Literature. The interview will be in room 3.” One thought would be teaching jobs, but then I was under the impression that they are looking for a degree in the discipline that you want to teach or a closely allied discipline, especially at higher levels. I know that there are programs in the US where a person with a Bachelor’s degree in any field can obtain a provisional school teacher’s license provided that they eventually obtain a master’s degree, but does this have to be in education itself or a specific teaching discipline or in anything? Can you literally become an elementary school teacher with a BS in Math and an MFA in Flute or would you be expected to engage in further graduate study more typical to an elementary school teacher? Can a person with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a PhD in math easily become a _chemistry_ professor at a university because having Chemistry knowledge and a PhD in some field is considered sufficient? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/2 "2013-03-28T15:32:13Z")
Flip through the ads in any _Science News_ or _Nature_ magazine. Research grants, professors, engineers, scientists, it’s all clearly specified. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/3 "2013-03-28T15:36:21Z")
If the question is about jobs where ‘Any master’s is okay’ as opposed to a master’s (or PhD) in a relevant field for the job, then I’d be surprised if such a thing were common. The higher you go in education the more specialized the learning is\*, so I can’t really think of a job where it’s important that you got high enough to earn a postgrad degree but not relevant what you were studying. ETA footnote\*: The process of higher education is one of learning more and more about less and less. Few reach the apex of this progression and know everything about nothing. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/4 "2013-03-28T15:49:02Z")
If there are any such jobs, they’ll be with the US government. ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/5 "2013-03-28T16:02:20Z")
When I was looking for a job, every job related to education required a Master’s. Even if the job was just a secretarial position in a school. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/6 "2013-03-28T16:18:56Z")
Many quantitative analysis jobs offered at large finance companies expect a PhD, usually in mathematics or physics. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/7 "2013-03-28T16:30:49Z")
At least before my mother retired, librarian. I don’t know if that has changed. Some schools started to offer a bachelors degree in LS. Used to be it was only a Masters program. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Lurker\_Above](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Lurker\_Above](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lurker_Above)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/8 "2013-03-28T17:47:17Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > Is there any equivalent at the Master’s or Doctoral level? Are there any jobs for which the general way to qualify is by having a master’s degree _in any field_ and by convincing the hiring manager that you have the skills necessary? I have a relative who is a manager at a large canadian company. She told me that policy at her employer is that promotions above a certain level in her department require a masters or better. The issue came up in discussion because they are reviewing the policy since some executives thought that ‘too many’ people were getting a quickie MBA and they wanted to modify the policy so MDAs don’t count for promotional purposes. I think it’s a crazy requirement since they have a range of master degrees from french lit to science, plus the boatload of MBAs. There just doesn’t seem to be any common skillset that they’re screening for. And my relative can’t promote the people she wants because they don’t have the degree. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/9 "2013-03-28T18:07:41Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > At least before my mother retired, librarian. I don’t know if that has changed. Some schools started to offer a bachelors degree in LS. Used to be it was only a Masters program. Yes, but that’s specifically a masters’ in library science. Not just any old masters’ you happen to have come across. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/10 "2013-03-28T19:03:54Z")
I’m pretty sure General officers and maybe Colonels have “any master’s degree” as a de facto qualification. At least in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/11 "2013-03-28T19:49:17Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Yes, but that’s specifically a masters’ in library science. Not just any old masters’ you happen to have come across. Thats what I meant. I suppose I wasn’t that clear. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/12 "2013-03-28T19:53:49Z")
I’ve never seen any, and I doubt they exist for getting hired (as opposed to getting promoted.) I can see that a company might hire someone with just about any bachelor’s degree assuming the person would have to be trained. But why pay more for someone with a graduate degree if you were going to do that. And, as you get more specialized, you forget about all the stuff outside your field you had to take as an undergrad. ---
**Author:** ![AnthonyElite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@AnthonyElite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnthonyElite)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/13 "2013-03-28T20:41:43Z")
Unless you are grandfathered in, being a **CPA** requires you to have your **Master’s** in accounting, or have the equivalency of a masters. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2013, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/14 "2013-03-28T21:09:15Z")
Community college teacher - master’s University professor - doctorate with the occasional rare master’s degree ---
**Author:** ![moejoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@moejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejoe)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2013, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/15 "2013-03-29T01:41:32Z")
At the university where I work many of the upper level admin positions require a master’s, but they don’t specify field of study. ---
**Author:** ![ataraxy22](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ataraxy22/32/307_2.png) [@ataraxy22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ataraxy22)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2013, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/16 "2013-03-29T03:03:12Z")
patent examiner ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2013, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/17 "2013-03-29T04:01:30Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > I’ve never seen any, and I doubt they exist for getting hired (as opposed to getting promoted.) I can see that a company might hire someone with just about any bachelor’s degree assuming the person would have to be trained. But why pay more for someone with a graduate degree if you were going to do that… For skills that are generally associated with graduate degrees, or for the discipline that it takes just to get through a graduate program. One of the questions implied in my OP is whether or not these skills exist or are recognized by employers in and of themselves. > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Community college teacher - master’s > University professor - doctorate with the occasional rare master’s degree This is common with respect to US schools and I would consider it common knowledge that it is so, but what about the field? To what extent is it common, normal, or even reasonably possible to become a History teacher at a community college when you have have a bachelor’s in English and an MBA but happen to have a passion for and know a lot about history? ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2013, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/18 "2013-03-29T21:29:34Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > This is common with respect to US schools and I would consider it common knowledge that it is so, but what about the field? To what extent is it common, normal, or even reasonably possible to become a History teacher at a community college when you have have a bachelor’s in English and an MBA but happen to have a passion for and know a lot about history? I don’t know how common it is exactly: I suspect it’s not common, but my college buddy’s dad taught comparative religions at a local community college because he was a recognized local expert, and he qualified with his master’s degree in chemistry. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/19 "2013-03-31T07:29:58Z")
Lawyers in the great majority of U.S. states need to have graduated from an accredited law school with a Juris Doctor degree or its equivalent, and then pass the state bar exam, before being admitted to the bar. Medical doctors face a roughly equivalent process, plus a residency. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180/20 "2013-03-31T11:56:23Z")
My understanding is that most community colleges require any master’s degree + 18 hours in a relevant field. So, in theory, you can have an M.A. in Psychlogy and teach French Lit, but only if you also happened to take six graduate-level courses in French Lit. This allows for some flexibility–a person with an M.A. in Material Science would probably be able to teach Chemistry, for example, and I imagine a person with an M.A. in Engineering would be able to teach math–but it’s really not a matter of “Just an advanced degree, any advanced degree”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-jobs-that-require-a-graduate-degree-in-any-field-as-a-primary-qualification/654180.md?page=2)