{"id":12003,"date":"2019-11-25T16:11:19","date_gmt":"2019-11-25T23:11:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/?p=12003"},"modified":"2019-12-02T13:38:34","modified_gmt":"2019-12-02T20:38:34","slug":"graduate-degrees-vs-certificates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/graduate-degrees-vs-certificates\/","title":{"rendered":"Graduate Degrees vs. Certificates | Which is Right for You?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Considering going back to school for an advanced degree? You\u2019re not alone. <\/span>The National Center for Education Statistics<\/span><\/a> estimates nearly 3 million students were enrolled in post baccalaureate degree programs in Fall 2017.<\/span><\/p>\n

But the decision to enroll in graduate courses isn\u2019t easy. Grad school is expensive and time-consuming. And with the numerous degree options available (MS, MBA, MFA to name a few), how can you be sure you\u2019re making the best personal and financial decision for your future?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While a master\u2019s degree may seem like the natural next step in your academic journey, an increasing number of students are choosing to enroll in graduate certificate programs over full-fledged degree programs.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s the difference between a certificate and a degree?<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cA graduate degree program, such as one leading to a master’s degree, usually requires 10 to 12 graduate-level courses and may have a research component requiring independent and original research and the defense of a thesis. A student with a master’s degree becomes proficient in advanced knowledge of theoretical and applied topics spanning a whole discipline,\u201d explains Dr. Costas Tsatsoulis, Vice Chancellor of Research & Dean of Graduate Studies at <\/span>Missouri University of Science and Technology<\/span><\/a> (Missouri S&T).<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s also important to note that admission into a graduate degree program may require the applicant to submit standardized test scores including the <\/span>GRE<\/span><\/a> or <\/span>GMAT<\/span><\/a>. Graduate certificates usually don\u2019t require these tests for admission.<\/span><\/p>\n

Graduate certificates often zero in on a certain topic instead of providing a student with a broad scope of instruction in their area of study. At Missouri S&T, Psychological Science and Engineering Management are two of the areas from which a student can select a graduate certificate program.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA certificate usually requires four to five graduate-level courses focusing on a limited area of expertise in an engineering or scientific discipline. A student completing a certificate has developed expertise in an important subset of a discipline, gaining depth in a specific disciplinary topic,\u201d says Tastsoulis.<\/span><\/p>\n

Graduate degree vs. graduate certificate\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

So what are some factors you should consider when determining which pathway (degree vs. certificate) is right for you?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStudents should consider their career goals,\u201d says Dr. Elaine Turner, Dean of the<\/span> College of Agricultural and Life Sciences<\/span><\/a> at <\/span>University of Florida.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Students pursue advanced degrees for a variety of reasons. Identify your exact reasoning for going back to school. Are you making a career change? Interested in updating your knowledge in a specific area? Working towards a promotion? Your answer may affect your decision.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes, advancing in a career may require the completion of a master’s degree. In other cases, adding specific knowledge and skills, such as in geospatial analysis or urban pest management, may allow career advancement through completion of a certificate program,\u201d adds Turner.<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s also the possibility that graduate courses completed as part of a certificate program may be transferred into a degree program later. Check with your school and program for clarification on these requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n

Test the waters<\/b><\/p>\n

Certificate programs can help you decide if you\u2019re ready to commit to a degree program in a non-threatening way.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOne reason a student may wish to pursue a certificate may be to determine if graduate studies are really what they want to pursue. In a way it is getting one\u2019s feet wet: the student does not make the financial and time commitment for a multi-year graduate degree, but can quickly determine if pursuing such a degree is what they want to do,\u201d says Tsatsoulis.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you complete a certificate program and decide a master\u2019s degree is not for you, you will have the security of walking away with a certificate as a credential.<\/span><\/p>\n

Discuss the benefits with your employer<\/b><\/p>\n

Will getting a master\u2019s degree outweigh the benefits of getting a certificate? There\u2019s no harm in asking your boss and coworkers for their input.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTalk to your employer to see how additional education would be of benefit. Talk with people who have a career you are interested in to find out their background and ideas for how you can best prepare. Current students can visit their career center to explore options,\u201d says Turner.<\/span><\/p>\n

Research financial assistance<\/b><\/p>\n

Before filling out your application to any program, make sure you\u2019ve done your research. Certificate programs aren\u2019t usually eligible for financial aid, so be prepared to pay out of pocket. Some employers offer tuition assistance to help defray the costs of continuing education. Make sure to review your employer\u2019s policy on professional development and education benefits.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are also plenty of <\/span>scholarships<\/span><\/a>, loans, and depending on the program, assistantships available for degree-seeking students. Opportunities for financial assistance will vary by school, so check with your program\u2019s department for more information.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Considering going back to school for an advanced degree? You\u2019re not alone. The National Center for Education Statistics estimates nearly 3 million students were enrolled in post baccalaureate degree programs in Fall 2017. But the decision to enroll in graduate courses isn\u2019t easy. Grad school is expensive and time-consuming. And with the numerous degree options<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":6269,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,5],"tags":[1428,434,3586,1644,1052,3588,3587],"class_list":{"0":"post-12003","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-colleges","8":"category-grad-schools","9":"tag-choosing-a-graduate-program","10":"tag-grad-school","11":"tag-graduate-certificate","12":"tag-masters-program","13":"tag-masters-degree","14":"tag-missouri-st","15":"tag-university-of-florida","16":"ad_tags-graduate-certificate","17":"ad_tags-graduate-school"},"better_featured_image":{"id":6269,"alt_text":"grad student studying","caption":"Shot of a graduate student working late on a computer in an office","description":"","media_type":"image","media_details":{"width":2048,"height":1295,"file":"s3:\/\/pcom-wp-media\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/10124202\/iStock-818435778.jpg","sizes":{},"image_meta":{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0","keywords":[]}},"post":180,"source_url":"https:\/\/wp-media.petersons.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/10124202\/iStock-818435778.jpg"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nGraduate Degrees vs. Certificates | Which is Right for You? - Peterson's<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Considering going back to school for an advanced degree? 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