Which Graduate Degree Is Right For Me?

Deciding on which graduate school to choose from based on their programs offered can sometimes be an overwhelming and confusing experience. First of all, you need to know which degree you want to pursue and / or are suited for you. Most grad school offers the choice of a master’s degree, or a doctorate degree. Depending on the field of study, going for a master’s will require between one and three years of grad school work along with a thesis.
A doctorate degree on the other hand, which is the highest degree offered in any colleges and universities – again depending on the field of study – can take anywhere from three to seven years.

So which one is right for you? Well, the first question you need to ask yourself is, “ What are my career goals?” Because for too many careers and / or companies, both large and small, a doctorate degree is of little to no use at all, whereas having a master’s would be a more desirable choice as it applies to most companies’ requirement.
Despite the fact that some master’s degree in the liberal arts are pretty general, and not really skill specific, when it comes to employment, the person holding a master’s degree will have quite an edge on someone with only a bachelor’s, everything else being equal. However, if you’re planning to become a tenured professor at college or university, you’ll want to go for the doctorate degree because only a handful of schools will hire a professor without one, or who’s not in the process of completing one. And there are many fields, such as physics and chemistry; you’ll need a PhD to compete for all but slightly above entry level jobs.

A PhD is also a necessity for many jobs with governmental establishments, research companies, thinks tanks, etc., in such fields as mathematics or economics. You’ll want to research opportunities and demands in the careers and areas that interest you to see what’s expected, and whether a master’s or a doctorate is a more desirable option.

A master’s degree in English or history may not do very much for your career prospects than a bachelor’s degree, while PhD in either discipline might open all sorts of avenues for you. And don’t believe the hoopla about PhD’s being overrated. We’ve all heard horror stories of individuals who’ve spent years earning a PhD only to wind up operating burger stand for a living because they couldn’t acquire work. Well, that may have happened to a few individuals, but there’s probably a lot more to the story that we’re not hearing. Generally, a PhD is a very valuable degree to have and getting one will usually result in a drastically higher annual income, even if you have no plans to teach at the university level.

One more thing to keep in mind when pondering which degree to seek is the time commitment. A PhD can take up to seven years to earn, and you won’t reap the benefits until you’ve actually got the degree in hand. A master’s can be attained in three years or less. Another aspect is your educational background. You don’t necessarily have to have a bachelor’s degree in a particular subject to study for a master’s in that subject. Many educational institutions have two distinct paths in their master’s degree programs – one for incoming scholars with a bachelor’s degree in the discipline, and another one for those searching to swap careers with little understanding of the subject. Of course, the subsequent one will take longer to finish, but it’s a nice option to have. Whether you decide to pursue a master’s or doctorate, it’s essential to be truthful with yourself if you’re up to the undertaking.

As opposed to college level work, which centers around textbooks and traditional exams, graduate school will demand a massive amount of time spent doing research and writing scholarly papers and dissertations, and exams will be quite a bit more open ended and require a great deal more writing. Not everyone is cut out for routine like this, and you shouldn’t mislead yourself about whether you’re up to years of demanding independent analysis and writing. It’s better not to attempt it than to squander away your years and thousands of dollars by giving up in the end because you’re not suited to work. But if you believe you’re up to it, and then by all means proceed ahead, as the end rewards will be well worth it.

If you’re not sure as to which degree you should go for then it’s best if you apply for the doctoral program. If accepted into the doctoral program, you’ll have access to a lot more financial aid than if accepted into the master’s. If for some reason you’re not accepted into PhD program, you can then petition the department to approve you for master’s study. If you do well at that, later you can reapply for consideration for the PhD program. If you think grad school will help you get the career you want, and you’re up to work, and you can find some programs that interest you – then decide which degree most suited for you, and begin the process of narrowing down possible schools and start your application process.