# I am done with my master's degree! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 5, 2011, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-done-with-my-masters-degree/566447 "2011-01-05T03:09:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-done-with-my-masters-degree/566447/21 "2011-01-06T21:12:16Z")
Congratulations!! ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-done-with-my-masters-degree/566447/22 "2011-01-06T21:14:38Z")
Go on with your bad self! ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-done-with-my-masters-degree/566447/23 "2011-01-06T21:22:17Z")
\*\*I am done with my master’s degree! \*\* Good. Now go get your own degree and tell your master to go to Hell. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-done-with-my-masters-degree/566447/24 "2011-01-06T21:41:31Z")
Conga-rats, **Kyla**! Now go set the world on fire. Or something. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-done-with-my-masters-degree/566447/25 "2011-01-07T01:46:11Z")
Congratulations **Kyla** :). ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-done-with-my-masters-degree/566447/26 "2011-01-07T01:51:13Z")
Congrats to you! ---
**Author:** ![auRa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@auRa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auRa)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-done-with-my-masters-degree/566447/27 "2011-01-07T08:43:21Z")
Quick question: do Master’s degrees in the States involve writing a Master’s thesis? Because if they don’t, someone should have told me a _long_ time ago so I could have come over. -auRa, knee-deep in electronic word-of-mouth and political marketing- ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-done-with-my-masters-degree/566447/28 "2011-01-07T09:08:36Z")
> [@auRa](#): > > Quick question: do Master’s degrees in the States involve writing a Master’s thesis? > > Because if they don’t, someone should have told me a _long_ time ago so I could have come over. > > -auRa, knee-deep in electronic word-of-mouth and political marketing- It depends on what school and program you’re in. I did not have to write a thesis, but my master’s degree is in a professional, and not academic, discipline. (ie, in preparation for a job outside of academia.) Professional policy analysts mostly write memos and backgrounders, so that’s what I did in grad school. Memos and backgrounders are supposed to be short, clear, and to the point. There was no reason to write a thesis, since it’s really unlikely that a potential employer would want something along those lines. The longest paper I had a part in in grad school was a 30 page original analysis of anti-human trafficking policy in the Philippines, but I was only one of five people working on it. Anyway, thank you all, again! Also, I had a job interview today! Keep your fingers crossed for me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-done-with-my-masters-degree/566447.md?page=1)