For a host of reasons, more people are choosing to develop skills and obtain knowledge through online training. One of those reasons is that online courses offer an appealing level of flexibility. No longer do you have to be based near campus or have to come up with excuses for being late to lecture. Instead, students are now choosing to learn in their own time by enrolling onto online degree courses.
This is especially true for graduates seeking a second degree. The decision to enter the workplace and start earning against continued study can be a tough choice to make. For some grads, opting for a postgraduate degree may be worthwhile – but not all. However, those that are torn between the job market and a postgraduate degree can now get the best of both worlds.
Students have always been able to study part-time and do both, but only needing access to a computer and the internet to earn a second degree means they now have more options in terms of living arrangements, which then has a knock-on effect to employment options. For those considering an online master’s degree, this is for you. Below you will find out the benefits and what to expect from a degree delivered in this way.
Most places in the world such as the UK and Australia do not offer funding for postgraduate degrees. Although bachelor’s degrees can be obtained with financial support to be repaid later, the same is not available for master’s programmes. This usually makes students consider their options meticulously. Do they really want to give up employment and plunge into more debt in the hope they will land a better job?
The solution is to do both. Many students choose to find part-time employment in industries that resemble their old student job and then continue with education on a part-time basis, funded by their employment. Logistics can become a concern when trying to orchestrate this setup. Securing a place at a university with the course you want, along with securing employment in the same place can be difficult. To some extent, you do not have control of either outcome. Getting accepted at the university and getting the job in a nearby vicinity are not completely in your hands.
An online master’s degree makes this conundrum simpler. An online postgraduate degree, like those taught inside bricks and mortar, can also be done on a part-time basis or at the learner’s pace and time. This doesn’t just make balancing work life and university possible, but it makes the logistics of making it happen easier too. No longer do you have to find work in the same location as the university to fund the degree and make it happen. You can complete the degree from anywhere in the world and continue to work in any job you secure. Online degrees may have lots of benefits, but they certainly help out those wanting to study with funding problems.
Unlike your undergraduate days where self-directed study was talked about, but you still had peers and professors around you on a daily basis, an online master’s degree is a different kettle of fish. University is known for its independent learning and the accountability that it puts on students to stand on their own two feet. However, this is intensified with an online master’s degree. Learners must be able to manage their time even better and be motivated to succeed with an improved level of discipline. The good news is that your undergraduate degree will have trained you well to achieve this. It takes a dedicated and motivated personality to get it right, but there are other ways to ensure you make it to graduation day.
Students are more likely to succeed in something they are passionate or interested in. There are so many different types of online master’s degrees in different industries, meaning there is almost certainly going to be one or more postgraduate course options. Carefully considering what area of your field you would like to specialise in will go a long way to helping you achieve and stay motivated.
Most workers do not have the freedom to choose their own working hours, but you do with an online course. This does not mean you should do a bit here and a bit there each week. Instead, you should treat the course as a job and dedicate set working hours to it each week. Making a set study schedule will help you stay disciplined during the entirety of the course.
Online postgraduate degrees are more flexible and do have an array of benefits, including helping students come up with better ways to fund them. They appeal to a certain type of personality who is driven to succeed autonomously but you can do things before and after enrolling to help you stay on track. Expect it to be difficult, but the end result can be more than worth it.
