Masters Degree

Like the foundation of a house, a well-rounded education is the corner stone of success. This has always been the case. However, it rings even truer today than ever before. A college education has become indispensable in the last 50 years. Before then, a high school education was considered a reasonable start for a lifelong career. Fifty years before that, the ability to simply read and write was held to the same esteem. Truly, as society advances so does the level of education required to be successful in it. Therefore in today’s world it is not enough to just have a Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree. More often than not, a Master’s degree is necessary to be competitive on the job market.

A Gateway To A Successful Career

A Master’s degree is a part of the larger world of post-graduate education. Education at this level is much more focused and field specific. It involves a much more intensive course of study. Graduate level work is not easy. Graduate students have to be much more mature, focused, and self-motivated than undergraduate students. The length of a Master’s program varies depending on the field. However, a majority of them are no longer than two years. Unlike a bachelor’s, all work in a Master’s course of study is focused on the field related coursework. There are no basic level courses to attend because these requirements were satisfied in the bachelor’s degree. Internship and fellowship work is often combined with classroom time. This helps give the student a chance to experience the work of their chosen career. It also provides them valuable networking opportunities.

A Master’s degree is the first full level on the graduate level and many career fields require one. A few examples of these are doctors, lawyers, architects, and pharmacists. Other careers may not specifically require a Master’s, but are unofficially necessary. This is especially true in the arts. A perfect example is the field of History where a Master’s is required for teaching, or museum work. In fact, many education certification programs require some graduate level work.

There are many requirements for entrance into a Master’s program. Many of these depend on the course chosen, and the school that offers it. However, there are a few basic requirements for all of them. The first is the completion of a Bachelor’s degree. Sometimes this degree is a part of the same field, but not always. To be competitive with other applicants, prospective students should aim to have 3.0 GPA or higher.

Additionally, the application package should include competitive scores on the GRE. The Graduate Record Examination is test that covers much of the knowledge a college-educated person should have gained in a bachelor’s program. Most schools also require recommendation letters from undergraduate instructors. The graduate school application process is about the “bigger picture”. This means that admissions departments are looking at the applicants entire portfolio; education, professional experience, personal activities, and intellect.