Is Grad School Right for Your Field?

Each industry is different. To reach the peak of the medical field, many years of training and working towards advanced degrees must be fulfilled. But, in the creative world, are the same expectations necessary?

Ainsley Wagoner writes on Stemmings.com that "perhaps the grad school assumption is a thing of the past." Wagoner is a graphic designer who planned on going to graduate school all of her life, until she realized that her field experience and capabilities likely outweighed her academic progress.

"A master’s degree and much more is required to be a certified architect. But as a UI designer, this isn’t the case," she says, explaining that her employer and any other potential employers are far more interested in her actual skills. "Can I draw/design/build the thing they need, or can I figure it out quickly? Great. Let’s get to work," she says.

This is not to undermine graduate school or the knowledge gained through it;  it's a perspective from a young professional who finds herself effectively learning in the design community rather than in a classroom.

What do you think? Have you found traditional education or independent field learning more beneficial? Share your comments below.