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I'm currently considering working on either an MBA or a Doctor of Strategic Leadership. Just looking for some opinions on which way is more practical for a mid career AGR officer preparing for retirement and movement into a strategic type or managerial position. I'm just looking for some personal experieces that might guide me in my decision.
Posted in these groups: 
Education
Retirement
Education Retirement
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
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I assume the term non-research doctoral degree refers to an applied doctoral degree vs. a PhD. The MBA seems pretty useful although many in the business world have one. The doctorate may differentiate you from the MBAs, but then you compete with the more senior leaders. In my experience, the senior leaders have a network that they have developed over many years - and if you have been on active duty and not able to develop a network or participate in one, then you are an outsider. The network trumps any degree you have.
If you have a network, I'd go for the applied doctorate especially if that is your passion. I picked up a Masters in Business when I was a Major as well. After I left the military I started my doctorate in business with a concentration in organizational leadership - my passion. I'm currently working on my dissertation.
So, I suppose it depends on what you are after and where you are in your career and potential job possibilities. Let me know if you want to discuss this further. Best of luck with the decision.
If you have a network, I'd go for the applied doctorate especially if that is your passion. I picked up a Masters in Business when I was a Major as well. After I left the military I started my doctorate in business with a concentration in organizational leadership - my passion. I'm currently working on my dissertation.
So, I suppose it depends on what you are after and where you are in your career and potential job possibilities. Let me know if you want to discuss this further. Best of luck with the decision.
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LTC Curtis Madsen
Excellent insight! I'm looking at Regent University's Doctor of Strategic Leadership and Walden University's Doctor of Business Administration, which I didn't mention in my post. I'm still about 7 years away from my AGR retirement, but if I choose the doctoral I can complete before I retire. I'm posting from my phone, so it's a little intensive to try and type everything I'm wanting to communicate. I would very much like to discuss this further when I have a keyboard in front of me.
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SPC Paul Jennings, J.D.
LTC Curtis Madsen - My wife is actually doing the Regent DSL program starting next fall. It's a good program, but it is more geared towards federal employment than anything else it seems. However, if you are considering federal service, the best thing you can do now is to knock out DAU courses. If you can get a level 2 DAU certification in Life-cycle logistics, contracting, or project management it will give you a big bump in hiring. If you are really motivated and get a level 3 certification, it's almost a guarantee for entry into a GS-13 position.
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I have my MBA, so I may be biased. If you are looking for private sector jobs with a traditional Fortune 500 company, the MBA is going to be the most understood degree. Employers know what they get when they hire an MBA.
What do you ultimately want to do for work? What companies would be ideal for you? Do you know which city/state you would want to work in? All of these play a major factor.
What do you ultimately want to do for work? What companies would be ideal for you? Do you know which city/state you would want to work in? All of these play a major factor.
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More practical? If that's your most important criterion, then my recommendation would be to get the MBA. The MBA will open many more doors for you in the private sector. The DSL sends a much more narrow message to prospective employers (a higher level of expertise within a specific domain). That will almost certainly screen you out of many jobs that are looking for a masters-level of education (but not higher) or with a broader skill set (than just strategic planning and/or leadership).
I'd recommend asking the university to specify where their DSL graduates place within industry. If they can't give you a clear answer, that's problematic (the graduate program I teach into can tell you that precisely). If they can provide that information (like corporate strategic planning, workforce development, consulting, etc.), and those jobs don't interest you, then that should be a clear signal for you to look elsewhere.
If you think you'd eventually want to move into an academic setting, then a PhD (rather than a DSL) would be more appropriate. That's a completely separate discussion though. Since you didn't mention that, I'll hold off on those details.
I'd recommend asking the university to specify where their DSL graduates place within industry. If they can't give you a clear answer, that's problematic (the graduate program I teach into can tell you that precisely). If they can provide that information (like corporate strategic planning, workforce development, consulting, etc.), and those jobs don't interest you, then that should be a clear signal for you to look elsewhere.
If you think you'd eventually want to move into an academic setting, then a PhD (rather than a DSL) would be more appropriate. That's a completely separate discussion though. Since you didn't mention that, I'll hold off on those details.
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LTC Curtis Madsen
Please see my post to LtCol Parker's post. I may reach out to you as well! These discussions I'm sure will help me out tremendously.
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LTC Curtis Madsen
Kevin,
Just wanted to ask you advice about my educational goals. When we previously chatted, I'd mentioned to you that I was planning on attending college again to earn an MBA. I currently have one year of tuition money left from the military, which after that will come out of my pocket. I'm looking at Boise State U and U of Miami, but unsure which direction I should go. U Miami is going to cost me more money to attend, since it's a private school and they do not include books in tuition. BSU is considerably cheaper and the tuition does include books. I think U Miami is more recognizable, but not sure if that'll be important or not.
I'm going to retire from the Army in 2022 and should be 52 when I do. Since my goal is to make as much money as I can after I retire to build my nest egg and having an MBA might make me more marketable, should I increase my debt in favor of the MBA? And if I do should I go with the cheaper school, since I still have a student loan from my time at Indiana State University? BSU charges $36,750, which I would be on the hook for around half that after military pays their part. U Miami is $79,000, but I'm getting 40% off tuition and military covers a majority of what's left over.
I'm concerned that I won't get a solid return on my investment, so just looking for some advice. I don't want to work past my full retirement age (I think 67), so I'm considering my options.
I usually leave holes in my messages, so please let me know if you need clarification or details on anything I've posted.
Just wanted to ask you advice about my educational goals. When we previously chatted, I'd mentioned to you that I was planning on attending college again to earn an MBA. I currently have one year of tuition money left from the military, which after that will come out of my pocket. I'm looking at Boise State U and U of Miami, but unsure which direction I should go. U Miami is going to cost me more money to attend, since it's a private school and they do not include books in tuition. BSU is considerably cheaper and the tuition does include books. I think U Miami is more recognizable, but not sure if that'll be important or not.
I'm going to retire from the Army in 2022 and should be 52 when I do. Since my goal is to make as much money as I can after I retire to build my nest egg and having an MBA might make me more marketable, should I increase my debt in favor of the MBA? And if I do should I go with the cheaper school, since I still have a student loan from my time at Indiana State University? BSU charges $36,750, which I would be on the hook for around half that after military pays their part. U Miami is $79,000, but I'm getting 40% off tuition and military covers a majority of what's left over.
I'm concerned that I won't get a solid return on my investment, so just looking for some advice. I don't want to work past my full retirement age (I think 67), so I'm considering my options.
I usually leave holes in my messages, so please let me know if you need clarification or details on anything I've posted.
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LTC Kevin B.
LTC Curtis Madsen - This is a tough one. You present somewhat conflicting goals, and you leave open some questions.
You mentioned that you don't want to work past 67, so that shortens your window to leverage this potential investment in yourself. However, 15 years is still sufficient time for a good payback. You also mentioned that you'll want to earn as much as possible. Thus, you will probably need the MBA in order to increase your earning potential so that you can achieve that goal. One thing that may tip the balance would be whether or not you have the ability and the desire to transfer the benefits to someone else. If not, then I'd recommend going ahead and getting the MBA.
Regarding Boise State versus Miami, I wouldn't focus on cost; I'd focus on value. Both are AACSB-accredited, so that is a wash. Miami has a better academic reputation, and their ranking is higher. After that if might depend on where you want to live. Miami probably has a larger and more dispersed alumni base. You could view the cost difference as the price of upgrading the MBA to a more reputable institution with a larger and more dispersed alumni base. Boise State might be more beneficial if you want to live in the Pacific NW or the Intermountain area, but Miami would probably be better anywhere else.
You mentioned that you don't want to work past 67, so that shortens your window to leverage this potential investment in yourself. However, 15 years is still sufficient time for a good payback. You also mentioned that you'll want to earn as much as possible. Thus, you will probably need the MBA in order to increase your earning potential so that you can achieve that goal. One thing that may tip the balance would be whether or not you have the ability and the desire to transfer the benefits to someone else. If not, then I'd recommend going ahead and getting the MBA.
Regarding Boise State versus Miami, I wouldn't focus on cost; I'd focus on value. Both are AACSB-accredited, so that is a wash. Miami has a better academic reputation, and their ranking is higher. After that if might depend on where you want to live. Miami probably has a larger and more dispersed alumni base. You could view the cost difference as the price of upgrading the MBA to a more reputable institution with a larger and more dispersed alumni base. Boise State might be more beneficial if you want to live in the Pacific NW or the Intermountain area, but Miami would probably be better anywhere else.
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