A master’s degree is an advanced degree that is awarded upon the completion of specialized study programs or a certain amount of professional work. A master’s degree aims to provide students with highly specialized knowledge about a particular subject and develop skills that will enable them to independently and austerely solve various problems. A master’s degree gives you a definitive edge over others as a job applicant. To recruiters, you reflect a dedication to acquire knowledge and develop a deep understanding in your particular field, and an inquisitive personality capable of dealing with a variety of complex situations, thus becoming more attractive as a prospective employee. A person’s social and communication skills are rapidly developed due to the large amount of interaction that is carried out with others during the course of study and research.

As the number of people pursuing master’s degrees increases, a number of colleges are now offering online master’s degrees in a variety of disciplines. An online master degree can be completed in as little as 18 months for professionals who have a certain amount of work experience, while the standard programs can be completed in 2 years. Online master’s degrees include Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MSc or MS), Master of Law (LLM), Master of Information Technology (MIT) and Master of Business Administration (MBA). With the increasing number of disciplines now offered to specialize in, online master’s degrees are available in virtually any discipline. The most popular master’s degrees are MBA degrees, which enable people to expand their abilities and give them a deep insight into organizational and resource management. An MBA degree prepares individual to fit into a managerial role relatively easily. The online master degree in IT is also becoming increasingly popular as the industry moves towards implementation of computer systems in more and more areas of production.

For professionals in the health industry, an online master degree in Public Health (MPH) or Health Information Systems (MIS) opens up loads of new opportunities to become part of the highly admired health administration sector. Master’s degrees are also available for nurses and bio-technology professionals, offering them the opportunity to move up the ladder in their respective fields. Having most or all of the classes available online is an extra plus for working professionals, allowing them to take classes from the comfort of home at anytime, 24/7. Online education is also student-centered, and allows students to have more face time with their teachers. Through email, students can get in touch with their course instructors at any time, and using various discussion boards, students can freely interact with students not only from around the country but from all around the world. This interaction goes a long way in establishing useful contacts in the industry.

In today’s time, we cannot follow the old concept of starting work straight after school, and holding the same position till retirement. That concept simply does not work anymore, education and training that enables you to maximize your output and performance needs to be undertaken and with the rapid development in science & technology, constantly improving your skills and education is more of a need now than ever before. Online Master’s degree programs aim to develop transferable skills that will help you better adapt to the continually evolving environment. The potential income gain by completing an online master degree is also highly attractive, and statistics indicate that master’s degree holders earn between 20% and 45% more than bachelor’s degree holders. Beyond a higher income and professional development, master’s degrees play a vital role in the improvement of quality of life and national development.

Other Useful Resources