OPINION: Why You Should Not Do a Masters (It’s Not What You’re Thinking)
By Hans Ngala
Let me set the record straight before I delve into this: I have a Masters degree which I earned from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. I graduated in 2023 and two years later, I think I can safely assess what impact my masters degree has had on my career so far. I’ll be honest to say that my masters has had little effect on my career. Does it mean a Masters degree is useless, absolutely not.
However, I will be honest and admit that when I went in for a masters degree, my expectations were pretty high about my job prospects post-graduation. How deadly wrong I was! I assumed that once I had graduated, I would earn a salary in the 500,000 to 700,000 CFA pay scale. This was certainly the case 30 or 40 years ago when Masters degree holders were few and far between. The population in Cameroon was relatively smaller too and it meant that those with Masters degrees could easily land jobs with international organizations or get promoted quickly within the ranks of whatever corporate body they worked for. Fast-forward to today and there’s a school on almost every street corner in Cameroon, dishing out masters degrees galore. Most of those aged 20 to 40 have a bachelor’s degree or a masters degree.
Wrong Reasons to Do a Masters
Many young Cameroonians hold non-research masters degrees, obtained out of frustration for the lack of jobs. These types of graduates pursue a masters because there is no job and they have nothing else in mind. This is the wrong reason to do a masters because you are robbed of that post-work experience (which most people have by the time they go in for a masters degree). The point of a masters degree should not be to help you fill a void in your life, but to help you fill a gap in your field, to address a burning research question and contribute to scholarship.
Secondly, don’t do a masters degree because you’re expecting a pay raise upon graduation. Like I said in my introduction, I was one of those who fell for this mindset. Globally, the job market has shifted drastically and while a master’s degree remains a theoretical, abstract and academic-based degree, it sharpens your critical thinking skills for sure, makes you a better analyst, helps you understand research and be an independent problem solver. These skills however, are largely abstract skills that do not translate to concrete skills in the real world. Unless you hope to become an academic researcher or university professor (after doing 4 to 5 more years to get a PhD), you may find that a masters doesn’t actually guarantee you a job in the real world.
The global economy has shifted drastically and people are more reliant on tech-based skills, cyber security, coding skills, AI-related algorithms, video production, photography and sound editing skills. All these are hands-on skills that you can learn within a few months, spending far less, rather than spending years of your life pursuing a masters degree in anthropology, sociology, literature or any other humanities frankly. The humanities definitely have their place, but you don’t need a masters degree in economics to start or run a business, you don’t need a masters degree in sociology to understand social issues in Cameroon.
A masters degree is not only mentally demanding, it also takes up your whole life and time. You have no social life and have to constantly be working on your research to ensure that it is top-notch and worthy of publication because it reflects poorly on you if there are issues with grammar, citations/plagiarism etc. On top of all this, it is quite expensive to do a masters degree in any school anywhere in the world. You may want to think clearly about WHY you’re doing this. If you are doing it just to get a job, my advise would be to drop it and spare yourself the disappointment and the heartache. Find a job and invest yourself in that instead.
Right Reasons to Do a Masters
Despite the challenges, there are still very valid reasons to pursue a Masters degree. For one, a Masters can serve as a gateway into academia and advanced research. If your long-term goal is to teach at a university, conduct field research, or contribute to scholarly knowledge, a Masters is often the first essential step in that direction. It equips you with the methodological foundation and the discipline of independent research that you will need for a PhD or for specialized roles in policy-making and think tanks or jobs within organizations like the United Nations, ECOWAS or the African Union.
Another good reason to pursue a Masters is for career specialization. Many undergraduate programs are broad in scope, giving you only a taste of different subjects without deep focus. A Masters allows you to hone in on a niche, building expertise that sets you apart from the average degree holder. For example, a Masters in International Relations with a focus on Peace and Security Studies can position you for specific roles in NGOs or international organizations that require advanced theoretical and policy knowledge.
Networking is another overlooked benefit of pursuing a Masters. Graduate schools often attract professionals from diverse backgrounds. By working alongside peers who are equally ambitious, you build long-lasting professional connections. Your professors also tend to be experts with industry or government contacts who can open doors for you. The informal opportunities that come through these networks, such as internships, collaborations, or consultancy projects—sometimes turn out to be more valuable than the degree itself.
A Masters degree also helps with credibility and recognition in fields where qualifications still matter. While tech-related jobs are skill-heavy, there are industries—such as diplomacy, public relations, development, public health, and international organizations—where academic qualifications are still a strong filter for recruitment. Having a Masters may not guarantee you a job, but it signals seriousness, perseverance, and intellectual rigor. Employers may see you as someone who is not only knowledgeable but also disciplined enough to complete an advanced academic program.
Lastly, a Masters can be personally fulfilling. The intellectual journey of deep reading, rigorous writing, and critical engagement with ideas can transform how you think about the world and contemporary issues. You become more analytical, self-driven, a multi-tasker and articulate. For some, this growth outweighs the financial or professional setbacks, making the sacrifice worthwhile.
In the end, whether or not to pursue a Masters degree depends entirely on your motivations and goals. If you’re chasing it for the wrong reasons e.g. lack of options, peer pressure, or hopes of quick wealth—you’ll likely be disappointed. But if you pursue it with clarity i.e. because you need it for your career advancement, you seek specialized knowledge, or you value the research experience—then it can be one of the most rewarding journeys you will ever take. The truth is that a Masters degree is neither a guarantee to employment nor a complete waste of time. It is a tool and like all tools, its value depends on how you use it or why you even need it to begin with.
