How to Choose a Graduate Program That Makes Sense For You

With hundreds of degree options across various disciplines and colleges, choosing which graduate program you’ll pursue is no small task. Here are some questions to consider as you narrow your choices — along with advice from higher education professionals who regularly work with graduate students.

But First, How Can You Determine if Graduate School is for You?

If you’re wondering whether you should get a master’s degree, outline your goals:

• Are you hoping to unlock a career that requires or prefers an advanced degree?
• Are you looking to gain specialized skills or knowledge?
• Are you interested in expanding your professional network and potential opportunities?

A ‘yes’ answer to any of these could point you toward grad school. Earning a master's degree can speak to your dedication to a subject, according to Nick Botto, director of Career Services at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).

“At the academic and skill-based standpoint, a master's degree indicates an individual's interest in pushing their knowledge in a particular field to a new level,” he said.

If you’re wondering what you can do with a master’s degree, certain types of roles and industries tend to reward graduates, according to Brooke Brigham, a career engagement partner at SNHU. She noted the following examples:

• Business: Business analysts, operations leaders, product managers
• Creative fields and communications: Communication strategists, customer experience researchers, museum curators
• Education: Curriculum designers, higher education administrators, instructional coordinators
• Healthcare: Advanced practice registered nurses, healthcare administrators
• Human services: Advocacy leaders, nonprofit executives, program directors
• Public sector: Policy analysts, public administrators
• Tech: AI scientists, research and development professionals

“I think overall a master's degree signals depth and capability, especially for mid- to senior-level roles in specialized tracks,” Brigham said. It can be helpful to look at job listings that interest you to find out if a master’s degree would be beneficial, either to meet required credentials or build necessary skills.

How Do I Choose the Right Graduate Program?

The “right” graduate program varies from person to person, according to Dr. Nick Dominello, a senior dean of social sciences at SNHU with a PhD in Psychology. But some of the most important factors to consider include a program’s:

• Affordability
• Alignment with future goals
• Experiential learning opportunities
• Format (online, hybrid or in person)

Some programs also offer concentration options, allowing you to dig deeper into an area that interests you, further defining your professional path, Dominello noted. “Often, employers seek graduates who have specialized skills or knowledge, and concentrations afford an opportunity to distinguish oneself when competing in the job market,” he said.

And if you’re hoping to leverage a master’s degree in your career, choosing a graduate program that connects to what you want to do is essential.

“In terms of defining which (programs) have the highest return on investment, that ultimately comes down to the research that individuals are doing as it pertains to thinking about their post-grad desires after completing their degree program,” Botto said.

Read more: What Master’s Degree Should I Get?

Botto recommends weighing your salary potential and other outcomes against the time and resources that go into earning a graduate degree. It’s also important to note that a master’s degree doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get a job in the field, according to Botto. But it does have the potential to help you grow professionally.

“It is a tool that can be used to help open doors for individuals to achieve particular outcomes that they are looking to accomplish,” Botto said.

It can also introduce you to faculty and peers already working in your desired field.

“A master's degree puts you in an environment with others who are looking to grow in their knowledge base and therefore serves as a potential jumping off point for new connections and friendships and networks that can help you continue to grow and evolve your professional life,” Botto said.

Does it Matter Where You Get Your Master’s Degree?

It sure does. While many colleges and universities offer master’s degrees, not all will best serve you. Dominello likens the search for a grad school to deciding on a car to buy: Both are investments and warrant a pro/con list.

As you determine where you’ll get your master’s degree, Dominello said to prioritize:

• Accreditation: Is the school and your desired program properly accredited?
• Flexibility: Will the school offer the schedule and pacing you need?
• Specialty area: Does the school offer the program and/or concentration that will best help you reach your goals?

If you’re already balancing other responsibilities in your life, you might wonder whether online master’s degrees are respected by employers. Botto noted that employers are more interested in finding employees with the knowledge and skill set to help them reach their goals — and less about whether they earned their degree in person or online.

“Enrolling in an online graduate program is especially beneficial for those who need flexibility because they are currently working, taking care of a family, or both,” Dominello said. “Unlike the traditional model of higher education with set class schedules, the asynchronous nature of online learning allows students to complete their work when optimal for their lifestyle.”

Some online programs and traditional options also prioritize experiential learning opportunities, allowing you to get hands-on experience as a student that you can highlight on your resume and during interviews.

“It's going to give you really valuable context that you can bring to the classroom,” Botto said. “And it also can signal to employers that you are both interested in the academic experience and the ways in which those academic concepts are being applied in the workforce.”

Read more: Pursuing a Master’s Degree: What It’s Like to Be a Graduate Student

Can I Get a Master’s in a Different Field Than My Bachelor’s?

In most cases, you can. Whether you’re hoping to get a master’s degree for a career change or to grow your skill set in new ways, a master’s degree in a field different from your bachelor’s can be a strategic decision.

If you are opting for a master’s degree in a different field, Dominello recommends choosing a program that takes your previous experiences and future goals into account.

“I suggest looking for a program that provides opportunities to bridge your current knowledge and skills with practical skills that are applicable to your desired field,” he said.

Take Wanda Edwards '24MPH, for instance. A conversation with her SNHU academic advisor helped her decide to earn a Master of Public Health (MPH).

"She helped me to identify why I wanted to choose public health," Edwards said.

Her why? To unite her diverse career backgrounds — information technology and nursing — and take all she knew about the business and healthcare fields to help others.

"I wanted to ... take all those transferable skills and move (them) over to the public health arena so that I can really, really help the community, identifying ways to improve their life and reducing the social determinants of health," said Edwards, who traveled to SNHU's Commencement from her home in Florida.

If you are using your graduate degree to make the transition from one background to another, it's important to review master’s degree requirements. There may be some prerequisites you'll need to complete.

For instance, if you pursue a master’s in business but your bachelor’s degree was in a different discipline, you may need to take a few courses at the beginning of your program that introduce you to business foundations. This may or may not impact the cost of your master’s degree and extend your program’s timeline.

Additionally, programs like SNHU’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) may require you to be a registered nurse (RN) and earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) first, or participate in an accelerated program that allows you to earn both a BSN and MSN on a faster timeline.

At the end of the day, you’re in the driver’s seat when choosing a graduate program. Think about which graduate program will most benefit you and how you'll build the narrative you’ll share with employers.

Botto challenges you to answer this question: “How can I take my academic and professional knowledge and blend them together into a really impactful story that I can then ... carry with me through my professional journey?”

Rebecca LeBoeuf Blanchette '18 '22G is a writer at Southern New Hampshire University, where she fulfills her love of learning daily through conversations with professionals across a range of fields. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a minor in Professional Writing at SNHU’s campus in Manchester, New Hampshire, and followed her love of storytelling into the online Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing at SNHU. Connect with her on LinkedIn.