Why and When to Earn Graduate Degrees
Higher Education Articles November 14, 2015Students can attend graduate school after a bachelor’s degree. Graduate degrees are doctoral or master’s degrees. Students can earn these degrees in one to ten or more years of study.
Graduate Schools Overview
A graduate degree is often an avenue for students to increase their responsibility or earnings from their current jobs. However, others seeking graduate degrees may be motivated to enhance their subject knowledge without aspiring for any specific career. The student aspires for a graduate degree on the basis of his or her individual goals.
When to Earn Graduate Degrees
If the student’s main motivation is a higher salary, he or she will benefit from pursuing a graduate degree in business. A higher degree level can ensure a higher earning potential in many careers in the business world. A graduate education is also necessary for some high-demand careers, such as professors, medical doctors, or pharmacists; hence, graduate schooling should be a top consideration when you start your college career.
A more advanced education could be the prime motivation for many students to enroll in graduate school. Such advanced education often leads to career enhancement for the student.
Their educational and career goals should help students decide whether or not to pursue a graduate degree. The most important necessity is to have a concrete goal in mind before seeking admission to graduate school.
Master’s Programs
A Master of Arts (M.A.) may be in some graduate degrees, often in subjects such as philosophy, English or history. Schools also offer the Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree, related to a specific subject within art, such as creative writing or painting. A Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) in a field such as accounting or marketing may be sought by business students. Students with an aptitude for science may pursue a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in subjects such as microbiology, computer engineering, or chemistry.
Graduate study, while not offered at all colleges, is offered at all universities. Students would do well to find out beforehand about the competitive schools that offer the degree subject of their preference. The Princeton review and the annual rankings of the U.S. News & World Report would prove to be useful resources.
Doctoral Programs
The highest graduate degree that schools offer are doctoral degrees that are available to students in most subjects and train students to seek careers as professional researchers or physicians. Prospective licensed healthcare physicians must have a doctoral degree that entails four years of study beyond a bachelor’s degree augmented by the completion of internship and residency programs.
If a doctoral degree is in a subject like philosophy or English, a student may need five or more years beyond a bachelor’s degree to complete the relevant coursework. A doctoral degree may often lead to a university-level career as a professional researcher and professor.
