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Graduate School: Is it for You?

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View of six doors, ranging in color from blue to green. The fifth half-open door symbolizes the possibilities of grad school.

A Graduate Degree Could Open Up Doors For You

Graduate School: Some Quick Stats

More people than ever are enrolling in graduate degrees. That is true. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, a nonprofit and nongovernmental organization, enrollment in graduate programs increased by 3.6% in Fall of 2020. During the Spring 2021 semester, enrollment continued to rise to 4.4%. In fact, this growth far outpaced that predicted by the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES).

Several sources attribute much of this growth to online graduate enrollment, which amped up during the pandemic. In fact, Education and Beyond (EAB) reports that “from 2019 to 2020, enrollment in online graduate programs grew by 63%.” There was also a median increase in the number of students in online programs. Rather than the big online giants getting these gains, smaller universities with respected, accredited online programs created much of this growth. One of the online programs experiencing the most growth was the MBA. And, for the first time ever, in 2020-2021, online MBA students surpassed in-person MBA students.

So more people than ever are enrolling in graduate programs. It is also clear that online master’s degrees are gaining in credibility. We at Global Campus believe in the quality of Michigan Tech’s online graduate programs. But we also recognize that people pursue advanced education for various reasons.

Therefore, we collated a few resources to help you determine if graduate school is right for you.

General Benefits of Graduate Programs

Considering the Pros and Cons: These two articles from US News and the Harvard Business Review (HBR) discuss some of the strongest and weakest reasons for attending graduate school. Although they differ on the drawbacks, both articles agree that an advanced education can diversify your career options and increase your marketability. Career-consulting firm BetterUp also lists six crucial questions you should ask yourself before considering graduate school.

Exploring the Top Reasons: “The Top Ten Reasons to Go to Grad School” summarizes common motivations for pursuing master’s degrees. These include investing in your future, getting noticed in the job market, and exploring your passions. This article also stresses how graduate programs help students gain important professional development skills. In fact, several of Michigan Tech’s graduate programs, such as the TechMBA and the Online Manufacturing Certificate, incorporate professional development and leadership skills in their curriculum.

Other Benefits of Advanced Degrees

Motivations differ, but below are a few of the other reasons people pursue advanced degrees.

Acquiring Increased Earnings and Greater Job Stability

Master’s programs obviously differ. Still, the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) has repeatedly shown how graduate degrees may increase your earnings and lower your chances of unemployment. When it comes to engineering, there are other advantages to pursuing advanced degrees in certain fields. For instance, the median annual income for aerospace engineers with a bachelor’s degree is $118,600. This salary rises to $134 to $143k for those with master’s degrees. And this is just one example.

Accessing In-Demand Careers

A graduate degree may allow you to take advantage of career trends. For instance, in its future jobs forecast, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicted that the need for statisticians will grow by 33% by 2026. (For perspective, the average job growth is about 7%.) Michigan Tech’s Online MS in Applied Statistics is an innovative degree meeting the need for professional, trained statisticians. Similarly, managing and securing the flood of data produced by the healthcare industry has created new employment opportunities. Tech’s MS in Health Informatics can prepare you for a career managing and securing health data and much, much more.

Meeting Employer Needs

Master’s degrees are also becoming necessary for certain in-demand jobs. As early as 2016, Fast Company reported on how employers were pumping up their education requirements for new hires. This trend has continued. According to some estimates, as much as 27% of employers prefer master’s degrees for certain positions.

Gaining Certifications

And then there is the relationship between advanced degrees and certification. The American Society of Civil Engineers offers board certifications (in certain fields). It offers certifications to those who have achieved at least a master’s degree, a P.E. license (or foreign equivalent), and 8 years of post-licensure progressive engineering experience. Michigan Tech’s own College of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering can help you take one of these first steps. That is, the CEGE offers an Online MS with a specialization in Water Resources Engineering. This field is available for board certification.

Graduate School: Let Us Help You Decide

These are just a few reasons and resources that were selected from the internet’s vast sea of information. There might be other factors influencing why you would enroll in graduate certificates or degree programs. And this blog also just skimmed the surface of the versatile online certificates and degrees offered by Michigan Tech.

If you need help choosing an online graduate program, deciding between a graduate certificate or master’s degree, or figuring out the application process, reach out to a representative from the Michigan Tech Graduate School or an expert from Global Campus. We’re here to help you open the door to new interests, educational pathways, and career opportunities.

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Online Learning: Not New, but Definitely Improved

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The hands of a student working at a computer, working on an online course.

Online Learning Has A Long History

A few weeks ago, this author made a Global Campus Facebook post about one of Michigan Tech’s online programs. Almost immediately, one of my husband’s friends sarcastically piped in: “What is this place? University of P—-ix?” At first, his comment confused me. Surely he knew that Michigan Tech, which began as a brick-and-mortar mining school, is obviously very different from that other for-profit online university. But his words also annoyed me. His tone implied that online learning is new, less credible, and less effective than traditional learning. These claims are all untrue.

Online Learning: From Correspondence Courses to MOOCs

Online learning is definitely not new; it has its roots in early distance education. In fact, you could trace its origins all the way back to 1728 when a struggling teacher, Caleb, offered to teach shorthand to students by exchanging letters. Over 150 years later, in 1892, the University of Chicago offered its first correspondence course. Then came radio-broadcasted, televised, and even phone-based courses. Admittedly, some of these first distance courses were “canned” and quite text-heavy. They involved little creativity, self-pacing, or instructor interaction. These instructor-focused courses had the goal of transmitting as much information as possible.

Both synchronous and asynchronous online learning sped up in the 1990s. Huge players such as Michigan State, CAL-Campus, and the UK’s Open University blazed the way. Michigan Tech also stepped in; its current Online Hybrid Electric Vehicle Engineering Certificate, in fact, is based on a 1990’s distance-learning course initially developed by Tech, General Motors, and AVL. This is just one of the online automotive programs offered by Tech.

Improvements in online learning were enhanced by e-learning and learning management systems, such as Blackboard (1997). WebCT, YouTube, and MOOCS further transformed online education. Theories of online learning and best practices for designing and teaching online courses also improved both teaching and learning experiences. For instance, Michigan Tech’s own William G. Jackson Center for Teaching and Learning offers resources for designing, teaching, and reviewing online courses. Combined, these changes helped to make online education more accessible, interactive, and student-focused.

The Pandemic: Forcing a Shift

The pandemic made universities offer hybrid and online options. Students, teachers, and employers suddenly experienced the benefits of online learning. The result: more visibility and credibility for online courses. According to a recent New America poll, the belief in the quality of online learning actually increased by 16% during the pandemic.

A CNN survey also confirmed that 83 percent of the hiring executives said that an accredited online degree is as credible as one earned through a traditional on-campus program. Michigan Tech, continuously accredited since 1928, and which offers over 40 online certificates and degrees, is obviously a smart choice for your online education. And we’re working hard to develop new online programs, such as the recent TechMBA® and the Public Policy Certificate.

Other Benefits of Online Learning

The reputation of online learning probably suffers from the designs of early distance courses. These mainly consisted of students working through massive mail-ordered materials and contacting their instructors only periodically. Things have definitely changed since then.

That is, research has shown that online learning is as good as and, for some students, better than face-to-face instruction. In a recently published systematic review of thirty-two studies that analyzed both online teaching and learning, the authors found no significant difference in reduced effectiveness for online courses. The study did recognize, though, that for online courses and programs to succeed, courses needed to be well-designed, provide very structured online discussions, and incorporate interactive content and timely instructor feedback.

Others have commended online courses for enhancing learning and retention. The Research Institute of America puts this increase at 25-60% more. Why? For many students, the structure, multimedia content, frequent discussions, and flexibility of online courses maintain their attention. Involved students are then more likely to keep going and not drop their programs. IBM even found that in online courses with multimedia content, students learn five times more material than those in traditional face-to-face classes. There is also the freedom of working at your own pace. That is, for those students who feel bored or rushed in a traditional classroom setting, online courses allow them to move slowly through some challenging materials while skimming easier ones.

Young woman reading a book and taking notes at a desk, in front of a window in an open online setting. This image demonstrates that online learning can happen anywhere.

We need to bring people to learning rather than learning to people.

Elliot Masie

Rich Classroom Communities, Greener Learning

Online courses also offer the opportunity to learn from students with a plethora of perspectives, interpretations, and solutions. And, from the author’s own research and experience, online courses often have this benefit: richer, more engaging discussions that include more learners, especially those who might not be as vocal in the face-to-face classroom.

And for those concerned about the environment, online learning is also the greener option. According to the Open University, students in online courses “consume 90% less energy and release 85% less CO2” than those in traditional in-person courses.

Time Management is the Key to Success

Despite its various benefits, online learning is not the easier option. Students must work hard, make a plan, and dedicate time to study. They must be self-motivated and organized. They must stay connected with other students and regularly interact with their instructors. Thankfully, Michigan Tech has several resources and even a self-paced course, which can help students tackle the challenges and receive the benefits of online programs.

As someone who has been both a student in and teacher of online courses, I’d advise that earlier guy, as well as others, to give online learning a try. Instead of having something to lose, you have a lot to gain: the flexibility and freedom to work in your own space and at your own pace; and the opportunity to learn what you love while fulfilling personal and professional goals. If you think that online learning is right for you, check out Michigan Tech’s online certificates and degrees.

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