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Thursday 6 November 2014

Accelerated Masters Degree Programs: How Do They Work?

Accelerated master's degrees are a condensed program that allows to you to complete a master's degree in about half the time. Continue reading to find more information on accelerated master's programs, how long they take and fields of study.

What is an Accelerated Master's Degree?
An accelerated master's degree program, also referred to as 4+1 degree programs or combined bachelor's/master's programs, is designed to allow students to complete requirements for a bachelor's and master's degree simultaneously. Students typically begin satisfying requirements for graduate-level work at the beginning of their third year of study, although some programs allow students to start as early as their second year. Accelerated master's degree programs are available on campus, online or through a combination of the two.

How Long Does it Take?

Accelerated master's programs typically take five years to complete, less than the 6-7 years it takes to earn separate bachelor's and master's degrees. Some programs take less than five years to complete, however. For example, an accelerated master's degree in nursing usually takes 3-4 years to complete, notes the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov).

Even though accelerated master's programs can be completed quickly, these programs still require students to complete the same amount of coursework given in traditional programs, just in a shorter period of time. Credits for required courses normally cannot be double counted toward both degrees.

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Wednesday 5 November 2014

Environmental Engineering Master's Degree

As an environmental engineer, you help preserve the Earth and raise awareness of environmental issues. Find out the interdisciplinary training provided by master's degree programs in environmental engineering. Also see the employment outlook and potential salary. Schools offering Energy Management degrees can also be found in these popular choices.

What Graduate Degree Options Are Available in Environmental Engineering?

You can earn a Master of Science (M.S.) or Master of Engineering (M.Eng) at the graduate level. You might also find master's degree programs that combine environmental engineering with civil engineering. Another option would be to enroll in a 5-year professional degree program that awards both a bachelor's and master's degree. Master's degree programs usually take 2-3 years to finish and can be found online.
What Will I Learn?

Curricula in environmental engineering master's degree programs are typically interdisciplinary and may include training in physics, chemistry and biology. Within environmental engineering, you could specialize in areas such as geotechnology, transportation, high-performance structures, air pollution control or water treatment. You could also specialize in solid waste management or hazardous waste management. The following are examples of classes you could take:

  •     Chemical treatment processes
  •     Atmospheric dispersion
  •     Solid waste engineering
  •     Public health elements
  •     Statistics for environmental engineering
  •     Continuum mechanics
  •     Composite materials mechanics
  •     Energy flow and wave propagation

What Is the Job Like?

Environmental engineers develop solutions for environmental problems by drawing on skills in a variety of engineering disciplines. As an environmental engineer, you could work on problems like air pollution, recycling, waste water management, global warming or public health. You could also work on problems like acid rain, ozone shrinkage or car pollution. Many environmental engineers help organizations comply with environmental and public health standards.

How Is the Job Market?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projected an employment growth rate of 31% for environmental engineers between 2008 and 2018 (www.bls.gov). According to the BLS, this growth will likely be driven by an increased emphasis on preventing environmental problems and the subsequent need to meet new environmental standards. The BLS reported environmental engineers earned a median annual salary of $78,740 as of May 2010.

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Tuesday 4 November 2014

Master's Degree or PhD?

Graduate school requires a lot of hard work, a lot of time and a lot more money. So it’s important to consider these issues when deciding whether or not to pursue a graduate degree, and just what level of degree you want to attain.

General Definitions

A general master’s degree can either be a Master of Arts (MA) or Master of Science (MS), depending on the area of study. There are also many field-specific master’s degrees, such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Engineering (M.Eng).

The PhD, which stands for Doctor of Philosophy, is a common doctorate earned in many of the arts, sciences and humanities. Field-specific doctorate degrees can be earned in fields like education, music and psychology.

Different Work Loads

The PhD is the highest degree you can earn, so it follows that it demands the most work. In most cases, you complete a master’s degree before going on to a PhD. Unlike a master’s degree, a PhD usually requires a series of comprehensive written or oral exams. “For a PhD, almost without exception, students must pass comprehensive exams to demonstrate their understanding of the coursework and to qualify to move forward,” says Jane Hamblin, JD, former director of program development at the Council on Graduate Schools. Almost all PhD programs also have an extensive independent research and writing requirement, called the dissertation. Some master’s degree programs require a thesis paper, but it’s less intensive than a dissertation.

Time and Money Matters

You can typically finish a master’s degree in one to three years, whereas a PhD takes four or more years.

But the master’s degree isn’t necessarily less expensive, even though it doesn’t take as long to complete. In fact, because of financial aid (or lack thereof), master’s programs can actually be comparable in cost to a PhD program.

“Most master’s programs don’t have financial support as much as PhD programs do,” explains David Santogrossi, PhD, associate dean of liberal arts at Purdue University. PhD students often receive grants, fellowships, scholarships and paid teaching positions that master’s degree students do not. So in the end, the amount of money spent getting a master’s degree may actually total more than the amount spent getting a doctorate.

Knowledge Benefits

With a master’s degree, you’ll study a specific field in broad terms. With a PhD, you delve much deeper into a certain component of that field. “People who really want to spend their lives studying a specific facet of something – want to get as much training as possible and find out as much as they can – go for a PhD,” Santogrossi says.

Career Benefits

While an advanced degree doesn’t guarantee career success, for many fields those letters after your name can take you to the next level. “The advanced degree provides greater income, greater mobility in work and more independence in the workplace,” Hamblin says. It can also introduce you to valuable professional contacts.

For many fields, such as psychology, social work and therapy, you’ll need a master’s degree for licensing. Earning a PhD can take you even further. “If you want to work with the greatest autonomy without having to answer to someone else, you get a PhD,” Santogrossi says. To hold certain positions, you’re required to have a PhD, such as a professor or researcher at a four-year college.

Help with Your Decision

To help make your decision, Santogrossi advises students to “take advantage of the zillions of resources already available to you.” This means talking to faculty members, recent grads and other professionals in your field of interest. Also, contact professional associations to find out what degrees you need to excel in your area of interest.




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