While job vacancies are few and far between and job seekers are in abundance, those who want to gain an edge over their competitors are looking towards advanced degree programs.
A wide variety of advanced degree programs are available for study both on-campus and online. The online advanced degree program is advantageous because it provides students with the opportunity to achieve their goals on their own time schedule, while continuing to keep their careers. The online advanced degree program is ideal for students unable to attend on-campus classes on a regular basis. Fortunately, the range of online advanced degree programs increases with each coming year.
The popularity of the advanced degree program has increased to new heights in the past decade. In excess of 600,000 advanced degree programs were awarded in 2006-2007 - an increase of 44 percent over the number awarded a decade earlier, with women making up the majority of advanced degree program enrollees.
The online advanced degree program is often favored over the traditional advanced degree program due to its flexible nature: students can schedule their studies around their lives, rather than trying to fit work and home life around their studies. This makes the advanced degree program ideal for mature students.
Students can study for their advanced degree program wherever they are in the world. They simply connect up to the Internet and have instant access to course materials, online lectures, and tutor support. Many online advanced degree programs can be completed in less time than traditional advanced degree programs, making them of special benefit to those who want fast career progression.
Incentives for students wishing to study online advanced degree programs in the fields of STEM (sciences, technology, engineering and math) are becoming increasingly available. An online advanced degree program in one of these four subjects can aid students to become highly skilled professionals able to contribute to their country's economy. STEM advanced degree program majors may find work in nano-technology or renewable energy industries.
Students wishing to pursue STEM advanced degree programs will benefit from the wide range of both general and specialized subject fields. Popular online advanced degree programs include bioethics, environmental engineering, and cyber security. Qualified graduates in the field of STEM are in high demand in industry. However, relatively few American students choose to study STEM fields in comparison with students from other countries. The most popular advanced degree programs in the USA include education, business studies and health sciences. Degrees in math and statistics were among the least popular advanced degree programs in the year 2006-2007, while degrees covering the protective services saw the largest increase in growth during this specific time period.
The range of scholarships and fellowships available can offset the cost of STEM advanced degree program tuition. Financial support for students on STEM advanced degree programs is available from the education providers themselves and from private and non-profit organizations. Fellowships and scholarships targeted at women and minorities are available in industries currently dominated by men. These include the STEM industries.
Students wishing to pursue advance degree programs in STEM subjects would be wise to look towards the scholarships and fellowships offered by NASA, the American Society for Microbiology, the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Departments of Energy - just a few of the organizations that provide financial help to STEM students.
