Thinking About a Master's?

When the economy begins to go south, graduate program applications skyrocket. There could be two reasons for this 1) people lose their jobs, so they decide that rather than fighting for a new one, they'll advance their education for a while, or 2) a master's makes people more competitive and valuable to their current or prospective employers.

I'd say it's pretty obvious which one of those we're going to discuss today.

A master's degree (or other advanced degree) does just what it implies: mastery. These degrees are usually more specific and specialized than an undergraduate degree. For those of you looking to get a let-up on the competition, a master's in a field relevant to your career may be just the thing you need to not only boost your credentials, but also to advance your know-how.

According to Wikipedia (an excellent source of information no matter what your professors in school may have said), there are approximately 75 master's degree programs to choose from. You could get a Master of Sacred Music, Customs Administration, or European Law if any of those fit you fancy, or you could go for a more general degree such as an MBA or an MPA. Whether you decide to get a discipline-specific degree, or one that may help in a variety a fields, you are probably setting yourself up to make some more money and increase your job security.

MSN, in conjunction with CareerBuilder, published some interesting findings here which show the base-line salary increases for those who have master's versus only a bachelor's.

Not all jobs highly value another degree, but in all cases, careers are built by continual training and skills-improvement. Whether for you that comes from a week-long seminar, a master's degree, or an apprenticeship, by sharpening your skills, you can become an invaluable asset to your team.

Contributing: Chris Giovarelli
Image: Rore D.