Do you need a degree?

I don’t have an MFA, although I’ve toyed with the idea of a master’s degree in English. I have a couple of friends who have or are pursuing an MFA and I admire the way they can analyze books and generate craft projects for writers’ groups. The first item in this post talks a little about the degree.
Why Writers Love to Hate the M.F.A. | The Passive Voice | A Lawyer’s Thoughts on Authors, Self-Publishing and Traditional Publishing
http://www.thepassivevoice.com/04/2015/why-writers-love-to-hate-the-m-f-a-why-writers-love-to-hate-the-m-f-a/