How to Decide Which Graduate Program is Right for You

Guest Blogger, Jean Drasgow Director of Career Services at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
 
Once you’ve felt the urge to advance your education, the next step is to figure out what type of program will best fit your lifestyle and long-term goals. Today, students have options. Deciding which option is best for you can be tough as they all come with some unique advantages.
 
Technology has been a game changer, allowing the classroom to come to the student. Not only could you (at least theoretically) take Master’s degree classes in your pajamas, online graduate programs offer great versatility and can be a great choice for those who need to also work full-time jobs or raise their families. While online programs do not require students to uproot their lives and move to a college town, a potential downside could be a limited opportunity for personal networking and relationship building (unless this is built into the program).

Students looking for a graduate program that will take them to a new career pathway may find a Professional Science Master’s program (PSM) as an excellent option. PSM programs generally equip students with advanced training in an area of science while simultaneously developing business acumen. Free of a formal research thesis requirement, PSM students reap the benefits of practical training through specialized professional seminars and internships.
 
Traditional Graduate Programs are the best options if you expect that you may someday wish to earn a doctoral degree. With most Master’s and Ph.D. programs emphasizing campus-based research and scholarship, students generally form rich, personal relationships with peers and mentors in their discipline. Acceptance into a traditional graduate program often brings a tuition waiver and small stipend as you are trained to serve as a graduate research and/or teaching assistant.
 
The University of Illinois is part of the AgCareers.com University Partners program and offers information on all of the above options in a host of disciplines.  If you are considering an advanced degree, please explore the links above that describe several program options. A summary of these offerings can be found via http://academics.aces.illinois.edu/future-students/grad.”