8 Reasons to Pursue a Graduate Degree

Graduate school provides you with hands-on learning experience in your field, which can potentially help you stand out amongst your peers. The courses at this degree level can help refine your soft skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, leadership and analytical skills as you participate in group projects and in-depth discussions during your coursework.

Graduate courses may also be more self-directed than undergraduate courses, which means you’ll need to learn how to set goals, complete tasks and objectives and organize your schedule. This can help foster life skills such as time-management, persistence and self-discipline.

Students who are already working and decide to apply for graduate school may do so to further develop their skills in their field of study. A master’s degree can build on your undergraduate major by giving you the opportunity to learn more specialized knowledge or expand your technical abilities in your chosen field. Acquiring new skills can help demonstrate your commitment to your current area of expertise or allow you to pivot and focus on a more niche discipline.

Graduate schools are great places to expand your network, particularly with other professionals and students who are also in your industry. Since graduate classes are generally smaller and focus on collaborative projects, you can develop valuable relationships with your professors and classmates.

Pursuing a master’s degree can expose you to instructors who are industry professionals, capable of integrating real-world observations and lessons into their classrooms. They have a solid understanding of the working world and are knowledgeable on the latest industry trends. They can also share their experiences and offer insight into what skills and competencies students should focus on developing for their individual goals.

When you earn your master’s degree, you’ll have the opportunity to acquire a set of skills that can help you become more proficient in your chosen field and build your resume.

In some industries, you may be required to obtain certain industry certifications to pursue higher-level or specialty roles. In accounting, for example, to be eligible for the CPA Exam you must have earned a certain number of credit hours, which typically involves pursuing your education beyond an undergraduate degree. A master’s in accounting program online may help you meet these requirements, with some schools having CPA Exam prep elements built directly into their program’s curriculum.

Graduate degrees can help you prepare to transition into a new industry if you're looking for a career with better growth potential, seeking a change of pace or just following your passion. Whether you want to learn new skills or build on existing ones, pursuing a postgraduate education is one way for you to take your education goals to the next level and position yourself to start working toward a future you want.

If you want to advance your career in the company or industry you’re currently in, a master’s degree may help you develop the skills you need to pursue higher-level positions. In fact, some organizations even provide education benefits to their employees where they reimburse part or all of their tuition costs.

While an undergraduate program may focus on the broader strokes of a topic or industry, allowing graduates to consider a selection of different careers, graduate degree programs tend to focus on a niche knowledge base or specialty within an industry. As part of your curriculum, you’ll have opportunities to explore what’s happening in today’s market as well as the software, hardware and skills needed to get the job done.