Question

Topic: Career/Training

Should Copywriters Get A Masters Degree?

Posted by anika.azim on 10/9/2014 at 7:59 AM ET 125 Points
I am a Junior Copywriter at an Advertising Agency. I have been working in Advertising for less than a year. I currently live in Dhaka, Bangladesh. I'll be moving to the United States next year, since I've recently got my Green Card. I have an BA in Marketing from a Bangladeshi University. I've been advised by my family members in the States to apply for a Masters Degree since a Bangladeshi Degree won't be of much use in the States. But I'm not entirely sure what kind of qualifications are needed to work in Creative departments of corporations/agencies,in the United States. I'm not entirely sure about sticking to creative for the rest of my career. I might consider moving to a marketing position later in my career. From what I've read, Copywriters usually don't get Masters Degrees, an Undergrad Degree is enough. But since my foreign degree won't be of much value in the States, should I perhaps pursue an MS in Marketing or an MBA?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by mgoodman on 10/9/2014 at 9:00 AM Accepted
    Given your longer-term projection, an MBA certainly won't hurt, and it could be a nice way to offset any bias against, or depreciation of, your Bangladeshi undergraduate degree. But for a copywriting job I can't imagine anyone will care about your formal education. An employer probably won't look beyond your portfolio. If you are a talented copywriter, that's the only credential you'll need.
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 10/9/2014 at 9:28 AM Accepted
    If your aim for the next few years is to write ads: do that. Write great ads. Write them well, write them with sporty and with intent, and work your face off.

    Send your best stuff out to creative directors at shops you admire and ask for real briefs and for comment on your work. You need to know how you can make your book better. Follow the pulse of the advertising community across the United States; read the industry press; become a student of advertising.

  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 10/9/2014 at 9:30 AM Member
    That ought to read: write them with spirit and with intent. My apologies.
  • Posted by Peter (henna gaijin) on 10/9/2014 at 12:18 PM Accepted
    Congrads on the green card! I know so many people trying to find work in the US, and the Visa is always the largest hurdle to get over.

    You are correct that your degree may not be given much value in the States. An added challenge you may have with continuing in a copywriter position in the US is people may question your ability to write well in the American version of English if you speak with any accent. So it may be hard for you to come here and find work in copywriting right away.

    Getting a masters degree in the US would be a way to fix the school issue, as most look just at your final degree/school.

    You are also correct that most copywriters do not have masters degrees. Masters degrees are more for people who are going in to marketing management or the like (and perhaps highly specialized fields, like marketing research).

    So if you go for a masters degree, you may want to look at different areas of marketing to aim for than copy-writing.
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