There’s no doubt that, whatever your passion, taking your studies to a postgraduate level can give you an in-depth knowledge and advanced understanding of your chosen subject.
However, those aren’t the only reasons to earn a master’s. From new career prospects to essential soft skills, there are many benefits that a postgraduate degree can bring.
Master’s programmes help students gain the higher-level, sector-specific skills that are increasingly in-demand across a competitive global workplace. For example, data published by the UK government revealed that the annual median salary for postgraduates was £42,000 compared with £34,000 for graduates and £25,000 for non-graduates.
Plus, our online, part-time courses are designed so that you can earn your degree while continuing to work – meaning you can apply the lessons you learn immediately to your career. As your capabilities develop, you’ll be able to go for more senior positions and rise to the associated challenges with confidence.
Earning a master’s also signifies a commitment to learning and development that employers recognise as a benefit to their company, which is something many are prepared to pay for as well.
Develop transferrable skills
The World Economic Forum’s The Future of Jobs Report predicts that 50% of all employees will need reskilling by 2025, as adoption of technology increases. Critical thinking and problem-solving top the list of skills employers believe will grow in prominence over the next five years – the very skills that form the foundation of postgraduate learning.
At master’s-level study, you’ll be challenged to take autonomy over your learning and spend time researching your own ideas and areas of interest. In addition to this, many of the self-management capabilities you gain by studying your master’s online are emerging as important skills for the future, such as active learning and learning strategies, time management, and flexibility.
Build your professional networks
As an online master’s student, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to connect and engage with a global cohort of like-minded classmates who, like you, are seeking to move up to the next level in their career. Many will have already experienced the workplace and will bring unique cultural insights and different corporate perspectives.
You’ll also be learning from staff who have extensive industry knowledge and contacts in the private, public, and third sector organisations. When you graduate, you’ll become part of the University of Central Lancashire’s international alumni community, a network of around 180,000 people.
Widen your career scope
If you’ve established a career without a traditional undergraduate degree or similar academic qualifications, a master’s offers a chance to formally validate the knowledge and skills you’ve earned over time. This can be particularly useful if you plan on looking for fresh opportunities in a different organisation, as your work experience coupled with your degree can make you an extremely valuable hire.
Depending on the course, postgraduate study can also be an opportunity to change your career direction more drastically, within a field that brings you more satisfaction.
For example, by researching current industry trends and employer needs, you could focus your dissertation on a topic likely to be of interest to a future employer and deepen your knowledge in that specific area of the field.
Regardless of what your motivations are for exploring master’s-level study, investing in your own development is always a great decision.
If you’d like to learn more about the part-time, online master’s courses that we offer, why not get in touch with one of our expert Course Advisers by completing the form below?
They’ll be able to tell you more about the programmes we offer, how your online learning will be conducted, and the different forms of support you’ll receive throughout your journey.
