A master's degree is an ideal way to hone your expertise and professional credentials. A master's degree demonstrates a willingness to work hard and take risks, and most can be completed in two years or less.
Online master's degrees are useful for those who want to expand their credentials without being tied to a classroom. Candidates can complete their master's on their own schedule from a home office or while traveling. Online degrees are more accessible to students juggling work, family, and other circumstances.
What Is a Master's Degree?
In 2018, the number of U.S. residents 25 and older whose highest earned degree was a master's degree reached 21 million. This makes a master's one of the most popular degree types in the country.
Why Get a Master's Degree?
Many professions in fields like medicine and law require a master's degree. Recent bachelor's graduates can pursue a master's immediately if they have a clear plan in mind, but there is no time limit on earning a master's degree. Students undergoing career shifts or who work full time may prefer online master's programs.
Seasoned professionals may benefit from master's degrees as well. For example, an MFA student may pursue their degree to workshop a novel outside of their day job. Likewise, a high school teacher might earn an M.Ed. to stay current on the newest ideas in education.
Other reasons to enroll in an online master's degree include the following:
Prospective Ph.D. students often need master's degrees.
Certain professions require candidates to hold master's degrees.
Professionals can expand their existing qualifications with a master's.
Master's students can improve their creative skills and work toward publication or artistic expertise.
Can You Get a Master's Degree Online?
Anyone can enroll in an online master's program, and more and more master's students are choosing distance education. As of 2018, 39.8% of graduate students were enrolled in some form of distance education.
As students continue using online coursework to complete their degrees, demand for online courses is likely to increase.
Universities can deliver online programs through several methods, offering greater flexibility to students. Synchronous classes may take place through video conferencing during regularly scheduled meeting times. Asynchronous courses do not use set login times, permitting students to complete assignments on their own schedule between work, family, and other routines.
Learners can often complete online programs at their own pace. Accelerated programs, such as Eastern Washington University's one-year online MBA, let learners expedite their degrees. Part-time degrees may take 2-3 years to complete, granting students greater flexibility in their schedules.
Employers generally view online degrees as equal to on-campus degrees, and in most cases, it is impossible to determine whether a graduate earned their degree online or in person.
To ensure that distance learning offers the same quality as traditional education, the U.S. Department of Education updated distance education regulations in 2016, noting that over 5 million students were enrolled in some form of distance learning. At both institutional and professional levels, online master's degrees from accredited institutions are just as regulated, valid, and useful as traditional degrees.
Online Master's Degree Programs
The following information is based on a general program and meant to guide prospective students interested in pursuing an online master's degree. Some factors may vary from program to program.
Choosing an Online Graduate Program
Many factors can help prospective students find the best program for their needs. These key factors include:
Schedule and availability
Financial aid
Program length
Credit requirements
Faculty specialization
Licensing requirements
Internship or practicum requirements
Prerequisite courses, tests, or degrees
Program Requirements
Online master's degrees are structured like traditional graduate degrees. Students take core curriculum classes to supplement research, art, and/or comprehensive exams. With some minor variations, online programs mirror in-person ones.
Program Length Most online master's degrees take two years, though some run longer. Accelerated programs typically require 1-1.5 years of study.
Courses A majority of required credits are part of a core curriculum covering the essential material in a program. Elective credits can supplement a particular specialization or advance a broader academic interest in related subjects.
Thesis Master's theses vary depending on program type. A thesis for an MS in psychology might be an extensive group research project, for example, while an MA in literature might entail a 50-page literary analysis.
Comprehensive Exam Comprehensive exams, or comps, are a common alternative to a written thesis. These exams typically comprise extensive essays, which students must complete in a specific time frame. Comps may also entail an oral presentation or defense of a research project.
In-Person Requirements Some online master's degrees require a certain amount of in-person participation for lab work, teaching practicums, or internships.
Accreditation for Distance Education
Schools earn regional or national accreditation when they meet a set of quality standards determined by a third-party agency. Specific programs and departments can also obtain subject-specific accreditation. Prospective students can search for accredited online master's programs using the Distance Education Accrediting Commission'sDirectory of Accredited Institutions.
Program Admission
Prospective online master's students should start applying to their top schools in late fall and winter if they want to gain admission before the fall term. Some programs use rolling admissions, which allows students to apply and begin their studies at any time.
Most graduate programs request the following from applicants:
Bachelor's degree transcripts
Letters of recommendation
Letter of intent or cover letter
GRE or GMAT test scores
A minimum high school or bachelor's GPA
How Much Does an Online Master's Degree Cost?
Tuition, residency, and university funding can all contribute to the cost of an online master's degree. For example, in the 2018-2019 academic year, the average cost of a degree from a private nonprofit institution was $25,929, while degrees from public schools cost on average $19,314.
Public universities tend to charge in-state students significantly lower tuition rates. Learners can also seek funding through scholarships, assistantships, or other financial aid resources.
Financial Aid
Higher education requires a large financial investment, so learners should assess the financial aid opportunities available to them through their schools, public or private loan programs, and other resources.
Most universities offer financial aid packages to graduate students. These may include scholarships, research fellowships, or teaching assistantships, which often provide stipends or waivers. Students can search through various scholarship options here.
Students can also peruse these tips for procuring financial aid, which touches on publicly funded grants and student loans.
Visit the link below to learn more about various financial aid options available to graduate students.
Salary and Career Outlook
Many professionals advance their careers and salaries through a master's degree. For example, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, statisticians with a master's degree earned an annual median salary of $80,000 or more as of 2019. Those with a bachelor's degree earned $40,000-$59,000.
Making up just 1.6% of the workforce, employees with master's degrees earned a median annual salary of $76,180 as of 2019, second only to those with doctoral degrees. The pool of workers with master's degrees is projected to grow, but the degree still helps professionals stand out in the job market. For some, a master's degree coupled with a doctorate can lead to their dream job.
Frequently Asked Questions
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