Thinking About Advancing Your Master's Degree Online?

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by Cesar Lester

Thinking About Advancing Your Master's Degree Online?

A lot of people have thought about earning their masters degree, but all of those excuses seem to crop up and get in the way. Which excuses are those? You know the ones Ц I don't have the time, I don't have the money, and sometimes even the dreaded "it's probably not worth it". Well first thing first Ц is it worth it to earn your master's degree? The answer to that question is a resounding yes. Over a twenty-five year career a person who has their master's degree will earn up to $225 000 more than a person who only ever received a bachelor's degree. Is that $225 000 Ц almost a quarter million Ц worth it to you? If not, than you probably didn't do too well at math. Not only will having your master's enable you to earn more, it will get you the job you want quickly. A person with their master's is believed to have a high level of commitment, as well as being considered an expert in their industry. It's this expertise and commitment that modern day employers love to see in prospective employees.

What exactly is a master's degree? Essentially it is a specialized program that gives you more focused knowledge and expertise in whichever career field you choose. Generally speaking it will take one or two years to actually finish your master's and receive your diploma, up to as many as four years if you choose to study part-time. Keep in mind that the one or two years it takes to complete your master's degree is in addition to all the previous education you need to get the credits you need to pursue a master's degree.

There are a few different types of master degree programs, but most of them have fairly similar requirements. Usually you will need to do at least 30 graduate hours of credit in something related to whatever you've pursuing. For example, if you're pursuing a Masters of Arts you're going to need to have at least 30 graduate hours in social sciences. If you decide on a Masters of Science, the degree will require at least 30 graduate hours based in science. Whatever you choose you're going to have to study Ц pretty obvious, isn't it?

If you don't think you have the time to pursue that extra quarter million dollars that you can have with a master's degree Ц think again. Technology these days is a lot more accessible than it used to be, and because of that the ability to pursue an online education has never been easier. Once you have been able to gain admission into the program of you're choice all you'll need is an Internet connection and you'll be ready to go. This means that you can begin to earn your degree no matter where you are Ц in New York City, or even if you were in the middle of nowhere Ц location is no longer an excuse. You don't have to relocate; you just have to pay for admission to the program and for the Internet connection.

аHistorical Quote

A certain degree of ceremony is a necessary outwork of manners, as well as of religion; it keeps the forward and petulant at a proper distance, and is a very small restraint to the sensible and to the well-bred part of the world.

—Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl Chesterfield (1694–1773)

These upgrades in technology also mean that time is no longer a reason to not pursue a master's degree. Thanks to the set-up of an online program you don't have to plan your life around your classes Ц you can plan your classes around your life. Some programs have streaming video and audio that you can download at any point, while others just send you links to various pieces of information.

Don't make the mistake of believing that this doesn't mean you'll have to work though Ц you still will. Earning a master's degree is hard no matter which way you choose to do it Ц in class or online. You will have to do projects, you will have to write essays, and yes, you will have to take tests. How you do these things depends on the program you take, but always remember that you get what you put into these programs. The harder you're willing to work Ц the better you'll do.

Will businesses take an online master's degree seriously? They definitely will Ц and most of the diplomas you get from an online course don't even say that the course was online, so you don't have to worry about that. No more excuses.

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Please note: All personal opinions expressed in the "Thinking About Advancing Your Master's Degree Online?" article belong to the contributing author and are not necessarily shared by SloanSemester.org.

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