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Do You Need a Second Master鈥檚 Degree?

Written by 糖心vlog官网观看 Staff 鈥 Updated on

Choosing to earn a second master's degree may be useful when you're interested in starting a new career. Learn more about what it takes and whether it's right for your goals.

[Featured image] A woman in a yellow top sits at home researching second master's degrees on her laptop.

Education can be a powerful tool when you鈥檇 like to advance your career or pursue a new one entirely. While many people choose to earn one degree at each level鈥产补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚, 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚, and beyond鈥攖here are some who pursue a second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree in an effort to strengthen their subject knowledge, develop new skills, and earn a credential that may be useful for their career goals.听

In this article, we鈥檒l go over the reasons to earn a second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree, the benefits of doing so, and other educational options worth considering when another graduate program may not be the best fit for your goals.听

What is a second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree?

A second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree is a graduate degree you earn in a related or completely different subject than your first 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree. There鈥檚 no exact timeline for when to earn a second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree: Some students may choose to jump straight from one 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 program to another, while others enter the workforce for a period of time before deciding to go back to school.听

There鈥檚 also no one reason to earn a second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree, but it can be particularly useful for those interested in making a career change, which more people in the United States have become interested in exploring since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020 []. Successfully changing careers may entail additional education and skills development, and getting a second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree provides an extended opportunity to learn important subject knowledge, build in-demand skills, and network.听

Second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree requirements

Unlike a second 产补肠丑别濒辞谤鈥檚 degree, which often takes less time to complete because you don鈥檛 need to work through any general education requirements, a second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree tends to involve the same amount of coursework and time as your first 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree.听

Depending on the program, you鈥檒l need to complete between 30 and 60 credit hours to qualify for graduation. In that case, 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degrees take around two years to complete when you鈥檙e able to attend full time, though a range of online 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degrees now offer self-pacing and greater flexibility so you can either speed up or slow down as needed.听

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Can you get a double 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚?

Yes, you can earn a double 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree if you enroll in a dual degree program. These programs allow you to pursue two graduate degrees in two fields simultaneously. You will graduate with both 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degrees at the same time. In order to earn a double 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚, you鈥檒l need to apply to research universities offering dual degree programs and gain admission to both programs.听

Reasons to earn a second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree

People pursue second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degrees for a few different reasons. Let鈥檚 go over three of the more common ones below.听

Deepen your knowledge.

Whether you鈥檝e become interested in a new subject or you want to further your knowledge鈥攊n a new way鈥攁bout something you鈥檝e previously studied, a formal 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree program can be a more in-depth way to gain both theoretical and practical knowledge.听

Change careers.听

You don鈥檛 need a 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree to change careers, but some people like the formal knowledge they gain from a 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 program and the credential they can add to their resume when applying for jobs. A second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree may signal to potential employers that you鈥檝e committed to your new career path by seeking out additional education to help you make the pivot.听

Stay competitive as a candidate.

Holding a 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree can be a lucrative way to stand out from other candidates, especially when you feature that kind of education on your resume. Having two 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degrees shows that you鈥檝e taken extra steps to gain advanced knowledge and can add to the overall story you tell about your career on your resume.听

Benefits of earning a second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree

Although it takes time and money to earn a second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree, there are benefits that may come with this extra education.听

Subject knowledge

Often certificate programs emphasize practical skills, but if you鈥檙e curious about the 鈥渨hy鈥 behind certain practices, then a 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree may be a good opportunity for you. Not only will you gain practical skills, but you can expect to learn about the theory behind your field.听聽

Skills development

As we mentioned, you will develop important practical skills when earning your second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree, but the advanced nature of study also emphasizes important workplace skills, like critical thinking and problem-solving. These skills remain in demand from employees at all levels, according to the World Economic Forum [].

Formal credential

Even if you already have a 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree, earning a second can be a useful credential to feature on your resume and add to the overall story you鈥檙e telling as a professional. Whether you鈥檙e interested in exploring a complementary subject or moving in an entirely new direction, a second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree can be a useful educational 鈥渞efresh.鈥澛

Networking

Master鈥檚 degree programs often provide opportunities to network with your peers and interact with important faculty members. In both instances, you鈥檒l get a chance to expand your professional network.听

Applying to a second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree program

When you apply to a second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 program, you can expect to submit many of the same materials you did when you applied to your first. This can include:聽

As part of your letter of intent (sometimes called a personal statement), you鈥檒l want to explain your interest in pursuing a second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree. If you鈥檝e chosen a complementary subject, explain how it builds on what you鈥檝e previously learned. If it differs from what you鈥檝e already studied, spend time explaining how you developed the interest, what you hope to do in your new field, and what you鈥檝e done (if anything) to build skills, experience, or knowledge in the area. In both cases, it鈥檚 important to explain your goals in earning a second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree.

On 糖心vlog官网观看, many 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 programs feature performance-based admission, meaning you don鈥檛 need to submit a formal application with the materials we鈥檝e noted above. Instead, you鈥檒l take and pass three pathway courses in a foundational subject in order to gain full admission. What鈥檚 more, the credits you receive as part of those three courses will count toward your full program requirements.

Do you need a second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree?

The answer to that question depends on your larger goals as well as your resources. Compared to other types of education, such as massive open online courses (MOOCs) and Professional Certificates, second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degrees require a greater investment of both your time and money.听

As a starting point, answer the following three questions:聽聽

  • What is your goal? In other words, what is the outcome you鈥檇 like to achieve with this type of education? Besides a second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree, what other types of education are available for achieving a similar outcome? Compare those options to ensure that earning another 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree makes sense for you.

  • What kinds of education are standard within the profession or industry? This question is especially important when you want to pivot careers. Try to conduct some research into your new field to get a sense of the kind of education many people have. Zippia can be a great resource for this point of comparison. Is a 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree necessary to achieve the job you鈥檇 like to hold?聽

  • How much time and money do you have to dedicate to your education? Consider your schedule and resources, including what it will cost to earn another 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree, to assess whether it鈥檚 a worthwhile option for your career goals. Also, if you鈥檙e set on earning a second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree, does it make sense to attend an in-person program, or would you benefit from the flexibility of an online degree?聽

It鈥檚 also worth noting that in the US, when it comes to financing your education through federal student loans, there are limits on the amount you can borrow for your graduate education: $138,500 []. If you have already borrowed a significant amount for your first 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree and plan to take out loans to finance your second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree, then you鈥檒l want to calculate how much you鈥檝e already borrowed and compare it to the amount you may need.听

Explore your second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree on 糖心vlog官网观看

Earn your second 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degree through one of 糖心vlog官网观看鈥檚 esteemed university partners, many of which offer performance-based admission so you don鈥檛 need to submit a formal application but can instead show what you know by taking and passing a set number of courses.

What鈥檚 more, online 尘补蝉迟别谤鈥檚 degrees offered via 糖心vlog官网观看 feature flexible, self-paced learning and ways to connect with peers around the world and are often more affordable than what you might find from an in-person program.听

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Article sources

1.听

Zippia. 鈥, https://www.zippia.com/advice/career-change-statistics/.鈥 Accessed January 10, 2025.

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This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.