Pursuing a master’s degree is always a good way to push your career forward. Thanks to online degrees and distance learning programs, full-time professionals can still pursue a master’s degree of their choice while maintaining their jobs.
Before you decide to return to school and earn a master’s degree, however, there are some big decisions to make. Among those decisions is deciding whether you want to pursue a degree in a field that you love or a degree that best benefits your career. So, which should you choose: passion or career?
The Right Balance
The answer to that question is both. On one hand, you have so many options to choose from. Top universities such as the University of Cincinnati are opening more online programs. These accredited programs cover subjects that range from business administration to a comprehensive online behavioral analysis program.
The key here is finding the right balance between a field you love and a degree that helps your career the most. You don’t always have to go for an MBA to succeed. The online behavioral analysis degree mentioned earlier, for instance, is a great degree to pursue if you want to become a better marketer.
The BA program helps you learn more about conducting empirical research, master industry theories, and even understand the standards of behavioural analysis. All of these skills can be applied in marketing because they allow you to process data about your consumers in a more objective and proven way.
Making It Work
If you’re still not sure about which degree to pursue, you can also take some time to review the program syllabus. What are the classes you will need to take to earn the degree? Who are the lecturers? Details like these will help you understand the program and what you can achieve by taking it.
You can even get a clear picture of how the degree (and the new skills you master) can be useful by reviewing the background of the program’s lecturers. You should be able to get a clearer picture of the industries they are in.
Lastly, you have the ability to take it a step further and review some of the books and course materials even before enrolling. Some universities let you learn the details of their courses beforehand, including the updated curriculum and the books used along the way.
A Necessary Jump
If you are really passionate about something, making a jump to another field is also an option worth considering. Who says you can’t have a bright career in the field you love so much? As a matter of fact, those who made such a jump in the past ended up being happier and more successful.
Passion translates to better performance at work; many companies actually prefer passionate people to fill key positions. You always have Career Camel to help you find suitable positions to apply for once you completed your master’s degree, so why worry?
It is possible to balance between passion and career when choosing a master’s degree to pursue. If you really have to choose one or the other, always go for passion; there will be plenty of opportunities to explore once you complete the course.
Are you considering carrying on at university to get a master’s degree?
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