[dinelo]

Hi Miriam

Hope you are keeping well
Well I find myself in a bit of a dilemma and hopefully you will be able to assist
I have a BBS degree (Level however its an overall pass result
I completed this 10 years ago and I am now in my mid 30's
I work in a finance department as an accounts assistant and do a lot of everyday tasks
I always toyed with the idea of teaching however I applied previously and was unsuccessful

So now I find myself in a position where I may be eligible for a Masters Course in Business (Taught), I have no idea what it involves study wise to be honest and know that it allows 6 additional points in relation to the HDip..

I guess I'm at a crossroads, I don't know whether I would be capable academically of such a qualification, I am of average intelligence and the only other option available to me is the Accountancy route it seems and I have tried these exams and unfortunately did not pass. I'm not sure if being an accountant is my real aspiration to be honest

I'd love to get a bit of advice

Could you tell me what would a masters involve?

Is a masters graded in Pass/Honours or is it an overall result of Pass or fail?

What other avenues are available upon completion of a Masters?, Where could I go to after?..what options are available upon completion of an MBS?

Please Please Please offer some information as I am beginning to tear my hair out over it all now..

I don't want to find myself in my 40's still unsure what to do with my career ??..

Thank you so much
Dinelo

[Minitonka]

If you are not sure what the course would involve, then you should get that information from the college's website, whichever one it is. If you still feel unsure about doing the masters, consider getting some professional individual career guidance. Go to the Golden Pages at www.goldenpages.ie and type in "Career Guidance" and the area you live in. If you are outside of the main cities, then type in the one nearest to you. You would probably get the broadest selection of counsellors in the Dublin and Cork regions. Check out if they are members of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors (www.igc.ie) and also shop around before you decide who to go to. Make sure they will do an INTEREST INVENTORY and a PERSONALITY PROFILE for you as part of the assessment, as they both would be very important. If they have a website, have a good read to see what they actually do as part of the assessment. It is difficult to say what opportunities a masters would give you in detail, but you could possibly lecture at third level or get a better paid job related to your experience (if the job situation was normal!).

[dinelo]

Hi, Thanks for the prompt reply..I actually posted this originally in August but never got a reply and started the MBS in Sept, I getting on ok with it, Reckoned it was the only way I could improve upon my qualifications. Not sure if it is the right choice but reckoned if I could get an honours masters that it would have to be better than a pass degree qualification. I went to see a career counsellor over 12 months ago but didn't really provide many options so time will tell if I have made the right choice. Hopefully by having the masters and experience I will have more employment options open to me and maybe find a more challenging job..Thanks