What would be good Master degrees if I'm interested in design, economics, technology, and communication?
What I'm looking for can be anything from fields of studies (which I may not know exist), or specific schools or curriculums (such as Stanford's MBA with a membership in their D-School).
The types of design I'm most interested in are interface design and information graphics, and I am interested in the art of communication, especially in the fields of presentation, which I enjoy doing very much, and
marketing-related. I love gadgets and the internet, and consider myself a logical problem solver but an empathic communicator. Business has always been an interest but as I already partly studied it I might be more lenient towards economics than MBA.
As you can see, my interests are wildly different. I need career advice.
I'm willing to tip more if the answer inspires me to pursue a degree you suggested. Also, advice for places where I can get more info on the various degrees would be greatly appreciated and considered.
Thanks very much in advance to everyone for offering their help.
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M$10 Answers
There is a great national organization to help get a feel for the breadth of Communication Studies, the National Communication Association (website address provided in sources). Check out "Communication Currents" (left side of the web page) The drop-down menu from "Comm Program" has a listing of famous communication program graduates that gives another perspective of potential career paths. There is also an Excel spreadsheet - the Communication Program database - at the site that shows schools offering the course of study and contact information.
The degree has served me well. I have trained companies in intercultural communication, developed and delivered training for grand juries, and found the concepts taught in the program useful in developing my own real estate related business.
Good luck with your search for a new direction, no matter which path you choose!
CSUS advising tracks: http://www.al.csus.edu/coms/advising/AdvisingTracks.html
National Communication Association: http://www.natcom.org/nca/Template2.asp?sid=9
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I received my Master's there and continued on another three years and left on a leave of absence when I was "ABD (All But Dissertation)." The department was extremely interdisciplinary and had (and still has) some of the best minds in fields ranging from computation, neuroscience, linguistics, psychology, sociology, etc.
The Department's ties to the Salk Institute as well as to other departments both at UCSD and elsewhere made the learning experience incredible. Don Norman may no longer be there, but it is my understanding that the feel is still the same.
There are many other good programs across the country from MIT's Media Lab to dozens of cogsci departments which have sprung up since and I've included a link to a search site on grad schools below.
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It's quicker (and cheaper) than an MBA, and it can build on your existing training while teaching you something new. Check it out at the referenced link. I wrote off grad school until I found this program. Great people, smart professors, and a professional atmosphere.
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I went to San Jose State and loved the program. After graduating, I was able to do many of the things you are looking for in high-tech companies.
Just a thought...
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Industry today tends to be extremely specialized, and the use or perceived utility of generalists or multiple-specialists is relatively low. Nothing stops you from pursuing these things academically, but they may not put you at great advantage in the workplace. Remember that as impressive as your schooling may be, a low-level HR person may have to see the value in it before you get any traction at all. That is also not always true, but it certainly can be.
With such a broad cross-section, your only likely degree tracks are going to be either a master's in Liberal Studies, like this one from Hamline University http://www.hamline.edu/gls/ or a custom degree program like this one from University of Northern Washington http://www.unw.edu/Programs.htm. These allow you to take a very wide cross-section in courses while completing a degree. The draw-back is that you cannot be easily classified (pigeon-holed) in the way an MBA/CIS/CS degree can be, so HR people may or may not know what to do with you. The balance you have to decide between therefore is your academic interests versus your career opportunities. It's not exactly a this or that balance, but you may end up compromising one or the other.
Otherwise, pick a degree that can incorporate two, and then take supplementary classes and perhaps pursue a certificate (many professional bodies list these) in others to prove your worth/experience in it without having it rolled directly into your degree.
My own search for multidisciplinary degrees, my current two Master's, wife's PhD and advising of college students, and working in education guiding students through the many levels of college.
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http://itp.nyu.edu/itp/
Clay Shirkey is on the staff, and it is run by the wonderful Red Burns:
http://itp.nyu.edu/itp/people.php?id=89&group=Faculty&page=B
Check out the projects: http://itp.nyu.edu/sigs/
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As for a degree ... finance could open up some Wall Street type options, and would be able to dovetail off of industry analyses, if you take that up -- though you'd likely not get to incorporate the UI design interests into that one.
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