When choosing your Masters subject, fit is critical. Your choice of study may determine the course of your life and, more importantly, the quality of it as well. This prompted Access Masters to compile a list of some of the most popular Masters degrees. Below the short introduction for each programme there is a link leading to the full article on the respective subject.
Business Management and Organisation
As the name implies, the study of management is an analysis of leadership roles, whether managing people or projects. In both, successful interactions with other people are essential to job success. When managing people, key characteristics like empathy, fairness, optimism, and patience are important. When managing tasks, it is vital to be organised, reliable, and able to make independent decisions. A management role is both a leadership role, in that you must be able to make people and projects work well for you, and a subordinate role, in that you will likely have to be accountable to someone else for ultimate outcomes and the actions of others. You will need to be able to take criticism well and practise good judgment. The management environment is typically more structured than others. Policies and procedures are important, both to be fair to all employees and to be able to exert more control over process or project results.
Read: Masters in Management and Organisation
Engineering
A very attractive side to studying a Masters in Engineering is that it opens up possibilities for different careers in various industries. Perhaps this can be explained with the idea that engineers are able to find solutions for many of society’s needs when it comes to machines, structures or buildings. As a Masters graduate in the field you will not only gain theoretical insights, but you will also access valuable practical training. You will acquire universal skills allowing you to be versatile in your career search, as well as more specialised technical skills corresponding to your sub-discipline. Some examples of programmes to consider include Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Transport Engineering, Maritime Engineering, and quite a few more.
Read: Masters in Engineering
Finance &Accounting
Finance and accounting, at first glance, may seem like they would be suited to the same personalities, but this is only partially true. Both require an affinity for tracking and crunching numbers, of course, and they both also suit detail-oriented, highly organized, and very trustworthy people. But accounting jobs tend to focus on a smaller picture than those in finance. For example, accounting involves the reporting and analysis of transactions that have already occurred, whereas finance must be more forward-looking, anticipating risk, financial trends, and future earnings or losses.
Read: Masters in Finance and Accounting
Humanities
Humanities may be a difficult scholarly field to pinpoint because it shares some similarities with Social Sciences programmes. In broad terms, doing a Masters in Humanities means that you will focus on aspects of our human culture and the ways in which we have been expressing it throughout history. Think of Language Studies, Literature, History, Writing – these are disciplines which are all about expression. Although they require years of experience, learning, and practice, a Masters programme will pave your way to comprehending them. Because of the somewhat overlapping nature of these areas, you will learn to be flexible and will gain a cultural understanding on a broader level. Masters graduates in Humanities also learn to approach content critically. They are problem solvers and out-of-the-box thinkers.
Read: Masters in Humanities
Information Technologies
The growing reliance of nearly all businesses on information technologies creates a perpetual cycle of demand for IT professionals. For a business of any significant size to function – much less compete – in today’s world, it must utilise the latest and greatest information technologies. Every day, a new computer product or Internet technology is introduced to revolutionise the way data are stored, processed, and shared among co-workers, peers, businesses, and governments – both internally and globally. As modern technology steamrolls further ahead, the gap between those “in the know” and those endlessly confused by technology of any sort widens. Knowledge of information technology is an extremely valuable asset to possess.
Read: Masters in Information Technologies
International Business and Strategy
A Masters in International Business is one of the most popular Masters programmes. These programmes were started in 2000 as an alternative to the MBA, and been on the rise since then. The motive behind starting this type of Masters is to teach various interdisciplinary principles of business management with an international focus, and for those candidates who do not have professional experience. The global aspect of this programme places it on a par with MBA programmes.
Read: Masters in Business Strategy
International Relations
As the name of the programme suggests, international relations is the study of the complex and important relationships that exist between two or more countries. As such, a person best suited for this degree will excel at communication, especially on an interpersonal level. An artful mix of tact and strategic thinking will need to guide relationships, with improved diplomatic relations the ultimate goal. A heaping dose of patience would serve you well, too, since relationship building on an international scale usually happens in small measures over a long period of time.
Read: Masters in International Relations
Law and Legal Studies
A typical law student exhibits an affinity for learning and analysis, with advanced critical thinking skills. Always searching for factual evidence, a person studying law tends to be sceptical, to question opinions, and to call out broad assumptions. He or she is typically very independent and disciplined. A successful lawyer is used to deadlines, and never misses one. They tend to avoid high levels of risk, and exhibit what’s called tier-level thinking. Similar to a chess player, a lawyer can think ahead about a situation and both consider and plan for multiple options for outcomes. Obviously, a lawyer is an advocate for his or her client, and must be an excellent communicator. If this sounds like you, you may have a great career as a lawyer ahead of you.
Read: Masters in Law and Legal Studies
Marketing and Communication
A competitive nature will serve you well if you decide to pursue a Masters degree in Marketing. The key to marketing a product, service, or brand successfully is a desire to make it stand out from the competition, to “win” at attracting buyers. That’s why sales and marketing functions are often paired together. They are closely related, but marketing requires a bit more creativity to perform the job well.
Read: Masters in Marketing and Communication
Mathematics
Whether we are good at it or not, we all get acquainted to the study of Mathematics early on in our lives. It is only natural that those who pursue an academic degree in the field feel comfortable around calculations and numerical problems with multiple steps. Even if you already have a knack for numbers, enrolling in a Masters programme in this field will further develop your logical argumentation, analytical thinking, and abstraction. Mathematicians are able to break down complex problems into simpler and smaller equations to reach a final solution – a skill which is applicable in a professional context as well as in our everyday lives.
Read: Masters in Mathematics
Medicine and Nursing
Medicine Studies are concerned with the examination, treatment, and prevention of diseases of human beings and other organisms. If you have already decided to pursue a Masters degree in this advanced discipline, you are probably well aware of the long-term commitment and learning process necessary to practise medicine. People, who are passionate about this scientific field, will have to gain extremely important hands-on skills. Depending on the specialisation, the required abilities and experience will differ. For most positions, excellent interpersonal skills such as communication, strong will, and quick thinking are also essential. Some Masters specialisations to choose from include General Medical Practice, Anaesthesiology, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine, Public Health, and of course many more. To move forward, the scholarly and professional field of medicine also requires a heavy amount of research into known and lesser-known areas.
Read: Masters in Medicine and Nursing
Science
Depending on where you browse for information on university degrees, the classification of Science programmes will somewhat differ or overlap with other disciplines. In general, the field encompasses studies such as biology, chemistry, and physics – sciences which form the basis of so many branches of our daily lives and careers. As a graduate in this subject area, you will excel at problem solving and will acquire the necessary research competencies and multidisciplinary knowledge. As you can imagine, mistakes in such an advanced professional field can be costly and dangerous. At the same time, practitioners need to be able to deal with new and unexpected situations at all times so as to limit the risks involved in their work. Masters programmes in Science teach students how to cope in similar contexts by investigating and evaluating complex scientific data through a critical lens.
Read: Masters in Science
Social Sciences
As the term suggests, social sciences engage students with the complex relationships between societies and the individuals that comprise them. It is only natural that we perceive cultures and communicate between each other in vastly different ways. Through social sciences, we can explore and study these fascinating variations in depth. As a Masters student in this field, you will develop a critical understanding of current social problems by examining them in a historical, philosophical, or political context. You will broaden your perspectives on the world and you will also gain valuable analytical insights and communication skills. It would not be an overstatement to say that Social Sciences are essential for our collective drive for progress.
