Why is Getting a Master’s Degree Important?

By Siddharth Shah, Graduate Assistant, University Marketing & Communications

A master’s degree is a specialized academic program designed to improve your professional skills in the field of your choice. Depending on the course you choose, your master’s program time commitment might span anywhere from one to three years. You can anticipate taking classes and tests during your master’s program, as well as engaging in research and, in some situations, submitting a thesis or dissertation.

Depending on your institution, you may be able to teach, which can help reduce the cost of your tuition while also providing you with valuable experience.

A bachelor’s degree is still very relevant today, but it is no longer considered as a mark of extraordinary academic skill due to the problem of “degree inflation.” Many people feel that in order to stand out from your peers and achieve goal in your career, it is thought that you need at least a master’s degree or some kind of advanced degree or certification.

Your master’s level coursework will, in most situations, be more specialized and difficult than your bachelor’s level coursework. In general, rather than lectures in which you are passively studying, your lessons will be organized as discussion-heavy seminars.

An internship or practicum, in which you are placed at a site where you can acquire skills firsthand, may also be required as part of a service-oriented master’s degree. If you’re getting your master’s in social work, for example, you might spend more time in a setting where you’re learning how to provide some sort of therapy and case management rather than just reading about it and discussing it in class.

A master’s degree gives you a competitive advantage in the job market and are frequently, but not always, required for professions. They’re frequently required if you want to pursue a doctoral degree. If you want to change careers, returning to school for a master’s degree can help you gain experience and make that transition easier.

Similarly, if your chosen job path has little to do with what you studied as an undergraduate, you’ll almost certainly require a master’s degree to obtain the necessary education. In this situation, pursuing a master’s degree rather than returning to school for another bachelor’s degree makes significantly more sense, as full-time bachelor’s degrees take four years to finish.

Master’s degree programs combine discipline-specific, advanced coursework with transferable skills such as critical thinking, analytic abilities, and time management.

Earning a master’s degree demonstrates perseverance, tenacity, intellectual prowess, and the capacity to deal with difficult situations, all of which are desirable attributes in managers and directors.

Employees who have exhibited long-term success in a position that needs tenacity, discipline, leadership, and the ability to work effectively with others will be in line for advancement within their company.

Siddharth Shah is currently pursuing his Master of Information Systems at the Monte Ahuja College of Business at CSU. The specialized STEM degree program is designed to prepare students for careers as information professionals. Shah is from Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.