Author: Emily Listmann / Source: wikiHow
Earning a master’s degree is a huge accomplishment and can open up new opportunities for your career. Most master’s degree programs require 1.5 to 2 years of study, but you may take longer if you’re also working. Before you can earn a master’s degree, you need to choose a program, submit your application, and decide how to pay for it. Then, you can complete your coursework to succeed academically.
- 1 Map out your career goals. The program you choose should match your career path and provide opportunities for employment in the location you want to work. Otherwise, your new degree may not pay off like you’d like.[1] Once you know the job you want, you can research the type of master’s degree that best fits your goals.[2]
- For example, you might decide that you’d like to go into a career in teaching and eventually become a high school principal. Alternatively, you may want to open your own business and want to improve your credentials to make your enterprise more desirable to investors.
- Keep in mind that if you need a state certification to work in a specific area, you should attend a school that will provide you with the appropriate certification.
- Talking to a career counselor at your school or a local university might help you decide which degree is right for you.
- It’s also helpful to talk to a mentor who has the career you want. Ask them about their educational background and what is currently expected in the field.
- 2 Check the prerequisites for the program you want to attend. All master’s degree programs will require you to first earn a bachelor’s degree. Some master’s degree programs do not require you to have a bachelor’s degree in the same subject, but other programs will. Check each program for its required prerequisites, as they can vary.
- Programs in the liberal arts and humanities are more likely to allow you to work toward a master’s degree with any bachelor’s degree.
- Typically, programs in math, science, computer science, engineering, and healthcare require you to have a bachelor’s degree in the same or a similar field as the master’s degree you are seeking.[3]
- If you don’t have a degree in the same subject, your school may allow you take make-up credits while you earn your master’s degree.
- 3 Take the necessary entrance exams 1 year in advance. Graduate programs have a different set of entrance exams, which you’ll need to take to gain admission to your program. It is important to plan ahead and take the test well before you will be applying to the graduate program. This will help to ensure that the results will be available when you need them and also provide you with enough time if you need to retake the test. You can find testing information online or through your college or university’s testing center. You’ll need to take one of the following exams, depending on the program you choose:[4]
- The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is commonly required for admission to most graduate programs.
- 4 Consider if you want to attend an online, in-person, or hybrid program. Online programs allow you to attend classes with your preferred college or university from anywhere. In-person classes allow you to attend seminars alongside your cohorts and participate in class discussions. Hybrid programs offer a mix between online and in-person classes.[5]
- Online classes might be best for you if you’re currently working or need something you can fit around your schedule. However, some online classes, such as those that require labs, may require you to complete part of the coursework in person.
- In-person classes might help you if you learn better in a typical classroom environment.
- A hybrid program might work well for you if you’d like to attend a program in-person but enjoy the flexibility of attending online.
- 5 Research the schools you’re considering attending. Review the school’s website to learn more about the program, and do an Internet search to gather outside information, as well as recent news stories. Check that the school is accredited by visiting…
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