AN INTRODUCTION TO MASTERS DEGREES


The last decade has seen an explosion of interest in Masters degree programs around the world from students wishing to extend their skills in areas relevant to their career paths and to study abroad. Similarly, universities and colleges in almost all countries in the world have increased the number of programs of this kind that they offer.


Masters degrees tend to last anywhere between one and two years in duration, depending on where and how you study, and cover the entire range of academic and professional disciplines.


Masters degrees represent an opportunity for many students to gain specialist knowledge in a short period of time without having to pursue a more rigorous research program. For most students, this will be the last qualification for which they will study and therefore the skills and experience gained will have a direct impact on how they advance in their careers, whether they are staying in the same field or seeking a career switch.


Some subject areas such as development studies, economics, international relations, law and management are particularly popular, and the level of competition at the


best international universities is particularly stiff. Making a successful application to one of these graduate programs will involve an applicant demonstrating that they have an exemplary academic record, good scores in any of the required tests, such as GRE, GMAT, IELTS or TOEFL, excellent references and, in some cases, relevant work experience.


Choosing a Masters degree and a university to study at will very much depend on your own personal preferences. However, it is important to choose both a program and a university that are well recognized generally, through their overall reputation and specifically, through the quality of


the individual masters degree that you are interested in applying for. To do this, ensure that your research takes in as many sources as possible: university websites and program brochures are a good starting point, but finding out about the quality of academic staff, through their research interests and their publication records is even better.


Moreover, good graduate programs will offer you access to their alumni, former students whom have graduated and are now in the labour market. Finding out about alumni is an excellent way of really seeing the quality of both a university and a program – have students graduated and gone into a career field that interests you?


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