Learning and acquiring knowledge has been human nature ever since. Early man used to write on caves when there was no proper language. Relaying messages has been around from the very existence of human beings. However, there is no end to knowledge and getting an education on what interests you the most. With the advancement in education and greater learning opportunities, today we have innumerable avenues open right in front of us that never existed. As education took a leap towards advancement, the world progressed immensely as well.
We should consider ourselves to be fortunate and thank our fate to be born in the 21st century. We would have been completing our master’s degree program in 12 years if we were the generation of medieval times.
What is a post-graduate degree?
Students are encouraged to select their career path, since the early high school days. These days’ people are well aware of their career objectives before they even go for their graduation program. After graduation, post-graduation follows to fulfil the dreams of many. As much as completing the bachelor’s degree program is considered to be the biggest achievement in our life, it does not mean that it is the end of the academic journey.
A postgraduate degree encompasses a range of programs that are done after the completion of an undergraduate degree. Few of the postgraduate degrees have the criteria of some prerequisite courses in the undergraduate program. Others might not be like that. For example, a post masters fnp will require a registered licensed nurse.
There are 4 types of ways in which you can acquire a post-graduate degree:
– Taught courses
– Research degrees
– Professional courses
– Online courses
Postgraduate degrees are taken usually to move ahead into academics and research, or to acquire a specialisation, or to shift the career path completely. Almost all the master’s degree programs require a thesis, in order to complete and acquire a degree. Generally, Masters Courses are of 1- or 2-years duration. Some postgraduate degrees require practical work experience in an organisation or a firm.
Why Masters?
Doing a postgraduate degree is an interesting study in the field of your interest. However, there are many valid reasons for undertaking a postgraduate degree course, apart from doing something that interests you. There is a chance that you might end up doing a postgraduate degree, to aid a career change. Now there are many options of attaining a degree that is available, in order to facilitate the many objectives, that one person might be holding. You can also avail the option of receiving education and training online, for a particular postgraduate degree program. This is the age of distant learning and it has brought the world of education together at one platform. Following are a few recent benefits of entering into the postgraduate degree program:
- To improve the employment prospects due to the saturated market
- To develop a personal interest in one field
- For the most waited progress in the current career path
- To achieve a higher qualification
- To meet the requirements of a current employer
The postgraduate degree has a lot to be dealt with, and at the same time pays back in numerous ways. Studying for a postgraduate degree takes a lot of time and energy, and it comes with a hefty amount of work. But it always pays in the end in the following ways:
Higher career prospects:
Getting a higher qualification in any specific field definitely brings you at a higher level than the people with just a bachelor’s degree or diploma in the same field. Getting a postgraduate degree means that you have better chances to land in a dream organisation. There is a lot of demand for postgraduates, in the hiring landscape. According to a survey by CareerBuilder, 27% of the companies are hiring postgraduates for the positions where bachelor’s degree holders used to be hired. Job scenarios have changed drastically with greater competition within the industry and as well as the students.
Higher Paycheques:
If you are still wondering what you will do by having a postgraduate degree, you might be unaware of the market state that we are living in. The greater the qualification, the better job prospects would be. Apart from job security, everyone seeks a good number of figures on their paycheques. When it comes to having a higher level of degree there are greater chances of you ending up into a job with a comparatively higher salary.
The path towards a career change
A post-graduate degree not only opens up avenues to better job prospects, but it also offers an option of changing your track completely. If in case you are a law student and pursued your undergraduate program in law, you can easily switch to the master’s program of any other field like master’s in business administration or masters in commerce etc. By the virtue of postgraduate education, you will come out as a polished and a refined expert in the area of your study. The postgraduate degree is a road that you have travelled for the doors that opens up to new possibilities and better working opportunities within your selected field.
Way to develop connections
Once you are just a student in the university acquiring the basic degree program, you are just another face in the swamp of students pursuing their career. The postgraduate program offers the chance to build a larger network within the institute and outside in the corporate world. This is mainly because of the time to time interaction with faculty, senior members, and corporate heads, For the purpose of research projects, seminars, and workshops you can further expand the network. This eventually helps in making ways for internships or future job prospects; and spending time with like-minded people that benefits in building a quality lifestyle.
Intellectual thoughts
Master’s degree qualification is not only done to acquire better job prospects, but it also helps in expanding our vision and enables you to dig deeper. There is a lot of research and advanced studies involved in order to achieve a postgraduate qualification, thereby increasing the intellectual thoughts and areas of interest. The group discussions in class broaden the horizon of thoughts. Healthy participation creates a good impression as well as helps you in learning more, by advancing your ideas. You do not need to be necessarily right.
The Takeaway:
So, if you are opting for a post-graduate degree program, do make sure that you are selecting the right program in order to make the most of your decision. Apart from that, you should analyse the curriculum, the mode of study, duration of the course, the teaching faculty, and overall outcome are few of the factors that should not be neglected in your selection. Postgraduate not only provides learning in-depth by gaining a deep understanding of their selected area of majors. Whether you want yourself to stand out among your competitors in the job interview or pursue a different career in your academia, continue to research and study in-depth about the subject you love the most; make sure that you have made the right choice at the right time. Also, note that this time of yours is of utmost necessity.
You could also consider taking courses online. If you are in the armed forces, you have plenty of options for pursuing your education. Military personnel can go to a top online school and obtain their degree while continuing their active duty assignment.