Master's Degree in Chemistry
The cost of education is increasing very rapidly and students are graduating with lots of loans to repay. Although a master's degree is obviously important to several students, many of them still consider the disadvantage involved in collecting another loan that must be repaid after graduation.
The Advantages of Getting the Master's Degree in Chemistry
Although the cost of acquiring a master's degree is usually high, financial experts still do not condemn it because it is a qualification that grants one the opportunity of getting more benefits in the workforce. Students with master's degree in chemistry earn higher than those with just a bachelor's or associate's degree. Hence, a master's degree qualification may even be an avenue by which an indebted student can get money to settle all his debts. Colleges and industries frequently seek experts with master's degree for employment.
Best Schools to Attend for Master's Degree in Chemistry
The US News and World Report has presented a top ten list of schools that offer the best graduate programs in chemistry. These top ten schools were listed in 2010 but the quality of their programs are still among the best today. These schools include:
- California institute of technology
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- University of California, Berkeley
- Harvard University
- Stanford University
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- Northwestern University
- Scripps Research Institute
- University of Wisconsin, Madison and
- Columbia University.
It is not surprising to see the list being dominated by ivy-league schools. These schools are actually very expensive to obtain a Master's degree but students are not expected to give up their quest of having a master's degree because of this. If you cannot afford the cost of attending these top ten schools, you are encouraged to attend other quality schools such as the University of Texas in Austin, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and the University of California in Los Angeles. These schools occupy the list of top twenty graduate programs in chemistry and it is also prepared by the US News and World Reports.
Questions to Ask when looking for a Good Graduate School for Your Master's Program in Chemistry
There are vital questions that every potential master's degree student should ask while seeking admission. Some of these questions include:
How long does it take to graduate?
The duration of a master's degree program depends on the number of courses taken per semester. It also depends on the credit loads of each of the courses since this will influence the hours spent in class. Some schools are also not consistent in implementing their programs so students in such schools usually spend more time before graduating.
What amount of teaching requirement is involved?
Some master's program require a great load of teaching work for the students to perform. Unfortunately, many masters’ students return for their studies after several years of graduating from college. Hence, many of them are unable to teach well. It is therefore important to know the amount of teaching required before enrolling for a master's program.
What are the job prospects for graduating students from that school?
You can determine your job prospects by finding out where graduates from the school are working. Schools that do well are usually on top of the list of most employers.
