Filipino Graduate School Decision: MA, MS, MBA, PhD

Filipino Graduate School Decision: MA, MS, MBA, PhD

PHL graduate school choices: Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MS), MBA, JD, MD, PhD. Significant cost + time. Here's when each makes sense.

Master's degrees overview

MA (Master of Arts)

• Humanities, social sciences, education
• Typical duration: 1.5-2 years full-time, 2-3 years part-time
• Cost: ₱60,000-₱500,000 total
• Path: research, teaching, advanced practice in field

MS (Master of Science)

• Sciences, engineering, technical fields
• Typical duration: 2 years full-time
• Cost: ₱100,000-₱600,000
• Path: research, technical leadership, academia

MBA

• Business administration
• Typical duration: 1-2 years full-time, 2-3 years part-time
• Cost: ₱200,000-₱2,500,000+ (top schools)
• Path: senior management, career switch, entrepreneurship

MEd / MAEd

• Education
• Typical duration: 1.5-2 years
• Cost: ₱40,000-₱200,000
• Path: principal, education administration, college teaching

When master's is worth it

Field requires it for advancement

• College/university teaching usually requires MA/MS minimum
• Senior research roles
• Specialised clinical roles (nurse practitioner, physical therapist specialist)
• Some senior management positions
• Government technical positions (HR analyst, policy analyst)

Career switch with foundation

• Engineer → MBA for management
• Teacher → MAEd for school leadership
• Practitioner → MS for research
• Government worker → MA Public Administration for policy roles

Specialty depth

When you need significantly deeper knowledge in subspecialty than bachelor's provided.

When master's is NOT worth it

Field rewards experience over credentials

• Software development
• Sales
• Most marketing roles
• Many BPO roles
• Operations management

In experience-driven fields, 2 years of work often beats 2 years of master's.

Cost exceeds projected benefit

If master's costs ₱500K + 2 years lost income but only adds ₱5K/month to salary, ROI is poor.

"I don't know what to do" defaults

Master's as a "buy time" option is expensive. Better: take 1 year, work, explore, then decide if master's serves a real goal.

Pure prestige seeking

Brand-name MBAs especially can be prestige plays without career justification.

Top PHL programmes

MBA

• AIM (Asian Institute of Management): top PHL MBA, ~₱2-3M, 16 months full-time
• UP (Diliman, Manila): excellent quality, ₱200K-₱500K, 2 years
• Ateneo: strong programme, ₱500K-₱1M, 1.5-2 years
• DLSU: solid, ₱300K-₱700K, 1.5-2 years
• IPMA, MAP, others: specialised programmes

MA / MS

• UP system: best research universities, ₱40K-₱150K
• DLSU, Ateneo: strong in many fields
• Specialised: e.g., UPLB for agriculture, IRRI for rice research

MAEd

• UP, PNU (Philippine Normal University), DLSU
• ₱40K-₱200K total

Top international programmes (for ambitious)

If you can afford or get full scholarship:

USA

• Top MBAs (Harvard, Stanford, Wharton): USD 200K+ total
• STEM master's: USD 50K-150K
• Heavy networking + career boost

UK

• Top MBAs (Oxford, Cambridge, LBS): GBP 80K+
• 1-year programmes (faster than US)

Singapore

• INSEAD, NUS, NTU
• Asia-relevant networking
• USD 50K-100K

Australia

• Skilled migration pathway
• USD 30K-70K
• Quality variable

Funding options

Scholarships

#### CHED Faculty Development

• For aspiring/current faculty
• Covers tuition + stipend
• Service obligation

#### DOST scholarships

• For STEM master's/PhD
• Local + foreign options
• Service obligation

#### Foreign scholarships

• Fulbright (USA): full coverage
• Chevening (UK): full coverage
• Australia Awards: full coverage
• Erasmus Mundus (EU): full coverage
• DAAD (Germany): partial-full

Highly competitive but transformative.

Employer sponsorship

• Some employers fund advanced degrees
• Often with bond (3-5 years post-degree commitment)
• Common for managers + technical professionals

Self-funded

• Personal savings
• Family support
• Loans (be cautious)

Working while studying

• Part-time programmes (3 years instead of 2)
• Maintains income
• Slower but sustainable

PhD considerations

When PhD makes sense

• Want academic career (university professor)
• Research-driven government/industry role
• Genuine intellectual passion

When PhD doesn't make sense

• Most industry careers
• Higher salary alone (PhD often doesn't pay vs master's)
• "Prestige" only

PhD reality

• 4-7 years full-time
• Stipend during study (in funded programmes)
• Highly demanding, mental health challenges common
• Limited academic job market post-graduation

Top PhD programmes

• UP (PHL's top research university)
• International (much better funding + opportunities)

Decision framework

Question 1: What's the specific goal?

Vague: "Better career" Specific: "Become hospital administrator within 5 years"

Specific goals reveal whether master's is the path.

Question 2: What credential does that goal require?

Talk to people in target role:

• "What credentials did you need?"
• "Did your master's make a difference in hiring?"
• "Would you do it again?"

Question 3: What's the alternative?

Compare master's to:

• Certifications (often faster, cheaper)
• Experience (often valuable)
• Internal promotion path
• Career switch via different mechanism

Question 4: Can you afford it?

Total cost = tuition + opportunity cost + interest if loaned.

If financial stretch, consider:

• Part-time + work
• Cheaper programme
• Delay until savings accumulated
• Scholarship application

Question 5: Is the timing right?

Consider:

• Family situation
• Health
• Career stage
• Mental readiness for academic rigour

Realistic outcomes

Master's (top PHL or strong international) typically yields

• 15-30% salary increase
• Access to senior roles
• Network expansion
• Improved hiring competitiveness

Master's (mid-tier PHL) typically yields

• 0-15% salary increase (often modest)
• Required-credential satisfaction (e.g., for college teaching)
• Personal growth + network

PhD typically yields

• Academic career access
• Modest salary impact in industry
• Significant time commitment

Where Super Tutor fits

Super Tutor covers undergraduate entrance + licensure exams. For graduate school applications, dedicated GRE/GMAT prep + research portfolio building matter.

What to read next

• Filipino MBA career path
• Choosing the right college in PHL