Opinions about local graduate programs

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

I'm considering a masters' program for marketing or business. In particular, the Emerson Integrated Marketing Communications looks promising. Anyone have an opinion? In particular, HR professionals or hiring managers for senior and director-level marketing and communications types of people? 

Comments

[smoterh.livejournal.com]

Do you already have experience in marketing? If so how much? What are your goals? Although I have an MBA with track in marketing I really would discourage your from spending 40k on a program like this, frankly because nobody cares. Online/integrated marketing changes so fast that you lose ground by not reading blogs everyday, not to mention by becoming an academic. If you really need to have the piece of paper, find the cheapest option available, probably in-state tution at UMass, but even that's not necessary.

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

The job listings I've seen for senior or manager-level positions have all required master's degrees in marketing or business or communications, so I think "nobody cares" is hardly accurate. That's corroborated by the fact that in the past 5 years I've had two different managers, both of them younger than I am but with master's degrees.

I've been in marketing/communications/tech writing for 12 years now; I've worked in Linux software, social media, B2C customer research, and education finance. My goal is to get a communications job with the word "senior" or "manager" in the title and similarly grander paycheck.