We wrangled together some recent articles on the subject of graduate school for you that might impact your decision.
1. "The Master’s as the New Bachelor’s" by Laura Pappano's:
I graduated from college last year, and at the top of my class (I am only tooting my horn to make a point), yet still found myself working the same types of jobs I could have worked straight out of high school. Pappano makes the same observations:
"Call it credential inflation. Once derided as the consolation prize for failing to finish a Ph.D. or just a way to kill time waiting out economic downturns, the master’s is now the fastest-growing degree. The number awarded, about 657,000 in 2009, has more than doubled.... Nearly 2 in 25 people age 25+ have a master’s, about the same proportion that had a bachelor’s or higher in 1960."
--statistics from Debra W. Stewart, president of the Council of Graduate Schools
Today there are a plethora of masters courses including a masters in 'Fire Science & Administration' and 'Skeletal and Dental Bioarchaeology.' Each of these applied degrees tries to market the individual for future employment by teaching them skills that the market wants. In addition, these programs offer career counseling which includes CV-writing services, and mock interview preps, along with other networking resources that bring students and future employers together. Maybe it's a signalling cue, a shortcut if you will, to employers.
"Given two otherwise equal résumés, the master’s wins. A master’s degree doesn’t guarantee that someone will be much more successful. It says that this person is committed and dedicated to the work and has committed to the deep dive. It gives you further assurance that this is something they have thought about and want.”
--Laura Georgianna, in charge of employee development at Welch Allyn
