Both the master’s degree and doctoral degree involve a combination of research and coursework, and in-depth training. This is why having a graduate degree puts you in the top tier of employment – not only will it be easier to get jobs, there’s also a better chance of career advancement since it helps you stand out in a crowded undergraduate market.
If you intend to find employment in the US, having a graduate degree makes it easier for you to get a job there under the employment based (EB) visa.
Here are some popular subjects if you’re considering graduate studies:
Business Graduate
American universities, like American firms, cast such a long shadow on the international business stage that they reach beyond the textbook. This is why business degrees draw a great number of students to the USA, with elite business schools like Columbia, Wharton, and Stanford leading the way.
If you’re studying business – any of the ‘FAME’ subjects (finance, accounting, management and economics) – it’s a safe bet that studying for a Master’s degree is a reliable step towards career success. One of the reasons for the degree’s success is its versatility, as many jobs out there are ‘business’ related. Skills like time management, critical thinking, strategic planning, and project management are essential for business success.
One of the most popular degrees is the Master of Business Administration (MBA) – while they’re typically much more expensive (average cost is $40,000) than other master’s degrees, they lead to the most dramatic salary increases (post-MBA average salaries are comfortably over US$100,000).
However, the decision to take an MBA shouldn’t be taken lightly – unless you have the cash and time to burn – but it largely depends on these factors:
If you’re looking to climb the corporate ladder, an MBA can be a welcome career refresher as it offers an advantage in potentially many future job applications, and a solid return on investment can be expected.
If you’re looking to step into entrepreneurship but don’t have the genius or a winning idea, an MBA could give you what you need – and it’s not just what you learn, but also the professional connections you’ll need to succeed in business.
STEM Graduate
The idea of pursuing graduate study is nothing new, especially for students studying science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). In fact, in many STEM fields, the Master’s has already become the new Bachelor’s degree, with entry (and licensure) in certain fields often dependent upon advanced degrees.
The fact that most of the biggest tech companies are from the US is a big factor in the quality of STEM education in the country; plus, it has some of the highest-ranked institutions in the world, like MIT and CalTech.
Having a graduate degree doesn’t necessarily mean a life in academia. Many STEM doctoral graduates move directly into research laboratories at Fortune 500 companies; others move into policy-making and other nonprofit sectors of the economy.
STEM graduates are in demand everywhere, and a graduate degree helps you land high-paying jobs, and enter positions of greater leadership within organisations while giving you faster career advancement even if you have no work experience. As graduate study has become more common, employers are used to the idea of hiring Ph.D. graduates for a variety of roles.
Professional or Doctoral Degrees
A doctoral degree prepares you for a particular career that often needs licensure or accreditation. These include law degrees (JDs in the US or LLBs in the UK) and medical degrees (MDs), in addition to pharmacy (PharmD), veterinary medicine (VMD), dentistry (DDS), and more.
A professional degree programme requires at least 6 academic years of college education in order to obtain the licenses, often requiring students to complete internships or projects before graduation. The US and the UK are two of the most popular options for students, and both have excellent medical school programmes with different pathways to graduation.
American university students need a bachelor’s degree prior to medical school, which is a graduate program. Undergraduate students will have to apply to medical schools during their final years of their studies, and take the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test). The path to becoming a doctor in the US can take (on average) between 8 and 10 years: 4 years in an undergraduate degree, and 4-6 years for medical school and a residency.
In the UK, students study medicine at the undergraduate level, where they they spend 4-6 years studying core science subjects and clinical tasks. At the point they earn their bachelor’s and enter the workforce, they are considered to be junior doctors. After this, UK medical students take 2 “foundation years” in a professional environment, meaning that becoming a doctor in the UK takes at least 6 years.
