J Daugherty
Enthusiast
Curious what the current professional feeling is towards Mississippi State's online Geosciences/meteorology program. I am considering pursuing the program. I have already gone to the effort to be admitted. I also have other non-meteorology options I am weighing. I am a degreed professional with a job in my field. I am very interested in the subject, have been for a long time, and see this as a way a 9-5 stiff could learn about the field while keeping my current job and location. Part of the reason I am going back to school is to challenge myself at this juncture, and I might pursue something interesting regardless of prospects, Weather I find very interesting. But at least one thing I am considering is whether each program I am looking at provides a potential career Plan B. Would this degree provide a legit career foothold if I wanted a change.
In terms of where I want to head, I wouldn't mind being a traditional meteorologist, or some sort of similar analyst. I am willing to, whether through MSU or otherwise, take any science/math classes left out of MSU's class structure. I'm not sure I want to be on TV or if it suits my skills. So at this time do traditional meteorologist employers (NWS etc) employ MSU grads, or is it more of a broadcaster thing? [If it's a broadcaster thing, I don't have much of a journalism background (one semester on the school paper) nor is it probably suited to me.] Do meteorology grad schools accept MSU grads? Would taking MSU's MS degree at the end help, or is that just more down the same street with the same limits? Would a MS elsewhere help? Would anyone hire a MSU grad with advanced degrees beyond that to be an academic teaching the subject?
Also, having already worked my way up through the "apprentice" type levels of my current profession, what type of work does a BS and/or MS grad typically get, what hours, what locations? Is it something where I'd likely end up night shift in Billings for modest salary, or can a good student with good grades get a job that pays pretty well in a big city? I don't mind working hard to break in but I already have a big city job that ays me x and am trying to get a sense of where I might stand if I pursued this and stepped out into this field's job market, and with a MSU degree.
I kind of see myself as a life long learner. I might do it even if the prospects aren't great just to be learning about the weather. But to the extent career ends up a consideration, I wondered what y'all think.
In terms of where I want to head, I wouldn't mind being a traditional meteorologist, or some sort of similar analyst. I am willing to, whether through MSU or otherwise, take any science/math classes left out of MSU's class structure. I'm not sure I want to be on TV or if it suits my skills. So at this time do traditional meteorologist employers (NWS etc) employ MSU grads, or is it more of a broadcaster thing? [If it's a broadcaster thing, I don't have much of a journalism background (one semester on the school paper) nor is it probably suited to me.] Do meteorology grad schools accept MSU grads? Would taking MSU's MS degree at the end help, or is that just more down the same street with the same limits? Would a MS elsewhere help? Would anyone hire a MSU grad with advanced degrees beyond that to be an academic teaching the subject?
Also, having already worked my way up through the "apprentice" type levels of my current profession, what type of work does a BS and/or MS grad typically get, what hours, what locations? Is it something where I'd likely end up night shift in Billings for modest salary, or can a good student with good grades get a job that pays pretty well in a big city? I don't mind working hard to break in but I already have a big city job that ays me x and am trying to get a sense of where I might stand if I pursued this and stepped out into this field's job market, and with a MSU degree.
I kind of see myself as a life long learner. I might do it even if the prospects aren't great just to be learning about the weather. But to the extent career ends up a consideration, I wondered what y'all think.