5 Sections in this article
Graduate Education
Master’s Degree | MSc – Master of Science
MBA – Master of Business Administration
PhD Degree
If you have completed your undergraduate education and are looking forward to starting a career, you may opt for a graduate degree.
A graduate degree is recommended as it provides specialized knowledge and expertise in the subject area of study.
Graduate Education
Definition
Graduate degrees comprise of Master’s and Doctorate degrees.
No matter which degree you choose to pursue, you need to have an undergraduate degree in place. Graduate degrees are different from undergraduate degrees as they provide in-depth study and specialized education in a specific subject. Furthermore, the duration of graduate degrees is less than that of undergraduate degrees. Typically, a graduate degree requires 2-3 years of full time study.
Who Can Offer Graduate Degrees?
Graduate degrees are advanced academic disciplines in accredited academic institutions that provide higher, specialized education to students, covering various subjects.
However, it is mandatory for students to successfully complete an undergraduate degree program before applying for a graduate degree. Only regionally accredited universities can provide programs for graduate degrees.
Why Graduate Degrees?
There are quite a few reasons that mark the importance of a graduate degree.
A graduate degree makes an individual marketable. He/she can obtain jobs across industries. Although a graduate degree is not an obligatory qualification for finding a job, most companies emphasize on the degree for promoting an employee to a higher position. A graduate degree also promises higher salary compensation.
The median annual salary fetched with a Master’s Degree is $64,000, whereas that of obtained with a Doctorate is $92,000. The salaries may, however, be higher or lower, depending on the industry of work.
It is advisable to acquire a graduate degree whether you wish to begin a new career or enhance your career graph.
Master’s Degree
Definition
A Master’s degree is a Post-Graduate degree title that is awarded to students who have successfully completed study pertaining to a certain field or a professional education.
The academic degree acknowledges that the student has undergone the necessary educational rigor in his/her chosen field of study. Thus, such students are often held with high regard, for they possess specialized knowledge about applied topics, their critical analysis and application in the professional domain. A Master’s degree certifies that the student is adept to carry out individual study and function independently in his/her chosen field.
Masters’ Degree in the Academic Institutions
A Master’s degree is also referred to as a Magister or as Cognate.
Interestingly, there has recently been a rise in demand of Master’s degrees. More and more students are enrolling for this degree in the U.S. The three most common titles for Master’s degrees are:
- Master of Science (MSc)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Master of Arts (M.A.)
- Master of Music (M.M. or M.Mus.)
- Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)
- Master of Communication (M.C.)
- Master of Corporate Communication (M.C.C)
These degrees may be research based, study based or a mixture of both.
A Master’s degree requires at least one to two years of dedicated full time study in a given field of specialization.
All Master’s degrees require students to successfully complete three years of undergraduate studies before applying for the degree. However, the duration of the academic degree varies from country to country.
MSc – Master of Science
Definition
An MSc degree is an abbreviation for Master’s in Science – It is a higher level of education of a BSc degree.
MSc is an academic degree that is awarded to those students who have successfully completed higher studies in a specific field of study of science or in a professional domain.
Students who enroll for an MSc degree acquire advanced knowledge and skills in a specialized field of study in science. Moreover, they learn to apply the knowledge and skills attained in analyzing and evaluating the professional field. They learn to utilize scientific processes to solve complex issues at an independent level.
MSc Program of Study
A Master’s of Science degree involves science subjects – such as Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics – in understanding scientific issues.
In addition, an MSc degree is applied to natural science subjects like anthropology, architecture, biology, environmental studies, etc. It is sometimes applied to social sciences as well.
An MSc degree can be research based, application based or as a combination of the two. However, all MSc degrees delve in issues related to scientific understanding and application.
The academic degree requires students to enroll and complete at least two years of full time study at a university or an academic institution. However, the duration of the course may vary as different universities have different laws in force. The students who wish to enroll for the post graduate program need to complete a minimum of three years of undergraduate study.
Scope of studying
An MSc degree prepares students to pursue a PhD degree; doctoral studies in science related subjects.
MBA – Master of Business Administration
Definition
An MBA degree stands for Master’s in Business Administration.
It is the most sought after degree across the world, for it is always in demand on the job market.
An MBA is a Graduate Degree. The academic degree enables students to understand the various aspects of initiating, managing and running a business successfully. It exposes them to various areas of business such as accounting, finance, marketing, sales, operations, human resources, etc. Simply put, it is a scientific approach to managing a business by understanding the basics involved and applying the business tools learned.
MBA Education Program
A student can either study and master general businesses subjects or specialize in a certain area of business study in an MBA degree. Thus, students have more options to choose their field of work.
An MBA degree can be obtained by enrolling for and successfully completing a full time two years’ course at a university or an institution. It can also be acquired by enrolling for part time, executive and distance learning MBA programs as well.
It is recommended to check the credentials of a university/institution where you wish to pursue an MBA degree. The college/university should ideally be registered in Associate of Advanced Collegiate Schools of Business. However, there are many other accreditation agencies, like International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education that rate the standard of MBA colleges as well.
Although there are different eligibility criteria across different countries, obtaining a high GMAT (Graduate Management Aptitude Test) is quite common. Work experience, recommendation letters, SOP’s and academic transcripts help in the admission process as well.
PhD Degree
Definition
A PhD degree is the highest Graduate Academic Degree that a student can acquire. PhD or Ph.D. stands for a Doctor of Philosophy or a Doctorate of Philosophy.
The academic degree is also referred to as a professional degree as it empowers students to teach the subject in which he/she has acquired a doctorate.
A PhD degree is the most detailed academic discipline that one can pursue in any given field. It requires immense amounts studying and researching, for in the end a student who successfully completes the PhD degree puts forward his/her unique perspective towards a certain subject in the field of study.
A PhD degree is also referred to as a terminal degree. However, a terminal degree is often categorized as a terminal research degree and a terminal professional degree.
Different types of Doctorates
- Research Doctorate: A research PhD or doctorate is an academic degree that is awarded to a student whose work (research and findings) can be published in an academic journal. The research work can be referred to by peers, students and teachers. PhD in Philosophy is one of the most popular research doctorates in the U.S.
- Higher Doctorate: There is a higher degree than the research doctorate degree. This academic degree is mostly prevalent in the Scandinavian countries and is awarded to those students whose work has been of exceptional standard.
- Professional Doctorate: A professional doctorate is awarded to students who are involved in a profession rather than scholarly studies.
- Honorary Doctorate: It is awarded for felicitating individuals who have made remarkable contribution to a field.