A master’s degree is the first level of graduate study. To apply for a master’s degree you usually must already hold an undergraduate degree (a bachelor’s degree).
A master’s degree typically requires a year and one-half to two years of full-time study.
To earn a master’s degree you usually need to complete from 36 to 54 semester credits of study (or 60 to 90 quarter-credits). This equals 12 to 18 college courses. Most master’s degrees are awarded by public or state universities.
TIP: The most popular online master’s degree is the master’s in business administration (MBA). Many managers today earn the MBA to qualify for competitive management positions in areas as diverse as technology management and healthcare records administration.
When to Seek a Master’s DegreeWhen You ….
• Already hold a bachelor’s degree
• Know that your chosen career will require a master’s degree
• Need a graduate degree to qualify for a higher salary grade
TIP: Some careers may require a specific type of master’s degree. For example, if your goal is to become a public school principal, your state Board of Education will require, at minimum, a master’s degree in education—and that degree will need to include some very specific courses. Check with your state licensing board before enrolling in any master’s degree in accounting, education, nursing, counseling and engineering, in particular.
TIP: You don’t have to hold a bachelor’s degree in the same major area you wish to study at the master’s level. Example: You may hold a bachelor’s degree in sociology but decide to earn a master’s in management.
Most master’s in management programs will accept you with any type of bachelor’s degree. Some master’s program may require you to take specific undergraduate prerequisite courses to help qualify for advanced graduate-level study in a new area. Check course prerequisites carefully before enrolling in any master’s degree online.
Show Me an Online Master’s DegreeEvery college will have its own degree plan that includes both required courses, courses that you must take, and elective courses—courses that you can elect or choose to take to earn an online master’s degree.
If you decide to major in a special area, such as business or psychology, most of your courses will be about business and psychology. Master’s degrees often focus on a single specialty area. For example, you may earn a master’s in addiction studies and counseling or a master’s in technology management.
The ability to focus on one niche makes the master’s a good credential if you want focus your career in a high-demand niche area. Below is the sample curriculum (plan of required study) for a master’s degree in education with an emphasis on new learning and literacies from the University of Illinois Online. Different colleges will require different programs of study. Compare degree requirements at different schools carefully when selecting the best online master’s degree for your situation.
University of Illinois Online
Online Master's of Education with Emphasis in New Learning and New LiteraciesThe degree involves taking eight courses, in sequence, plus doing two capstone projects over the course of the two-year program.
Courses are:
1. New Learning (4 credit hours)
2. Historical and Social Barriers to Education (4)
3. Knowledge, Learning and Pedagogy (4)
4. Psychology of Learning in Education (4)
5. Trends and Issues in Language Arts (4)
6. Using New Media to Address Learner Differences (4)
7. e-Learning Ecologies (4)
8. Assessment For Learning (4)
The Capstone Projects are two credit hours each. Each project requires a student, working with a team, to write a 10 - 20 page "learning element," which includes both a lesson plan and a review of how the lesson worked out in practice.)
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