Reasons to Consider Further Study After a Degree

By Alexandra Jane

Once you’ve completed your degree the big question is often “where next?” With today’s society offering a host of career options and travel opportunities it can be incredibly difficult to work out what you want to do with your future.

Further study is a sensible option for many, and can be a brilliant decision for a whole host of reasons. Here are just a few of the reasons why you should consider going back to study after completing your undergraduate degree.

You may not get a better chance to work doing something you love

As soon as you graduate and step blinking into the real world of work, you will realize that companies will try to get as much work out of you as they can for the smallest return possible.

While studying, all of the work you’re doing is for yourself, allowing you to pursue a subject you love. Every essay works towards expanding your own knowledge and skillset, you’re your tutors’ marks providing you with constructive criticism to help you improve.

Continuing to study provides you with extraordinary flexibility

Even if you have several hours of contact time a day (which is, let’s be honest, highly unlikely), the degree of flexibility you have while studying is almost unparalleled in the working world. Being able to chose where you work and when is a huge privilege that goes largely unappreciated.

One degree is often not enough for certain careers

In a modern society where a growing number of us have degrees, a university education is no longer enough to make you stand out from the crowd. Especially in science subjects, but increasingly also in the social sciences, a master’s or even a PhD is required to obtain research work in certain fields.

Postdoc work is some of the most interesting work, and you may find it difficult to progress beyond low-level assistant work in research without such a qualification.

Postgraduate study can help you find a clear career goal

Even if you manage to secure a job from the small pool of grad opportunities, after a few months you may feel a sense of stagnation, where you’re not sure how you’ll ever progress past your current stage, especially if you’re unable to move up the career ladder with only an undergraduate degree.

Completing a master’s, PhD or other qualification gives your work a clear, focused goal where you’re undoubtedly moving upwards towards a higher level of achievement.

You get more time to decide what to do

Becoming a perpetual student may simply be a way of delaying the transition into “real” life, but in actual fact it’s a very smart move to carry on studying if you don’t know quite what you want to do.

Another year (or more!) of studying is a productive use of your time while you work out exactly where it is you want to go career-wise.

Boost your earning potential

One of the great advantages is that, in the long term, further qualifications will almost undoubtedly lead to greater earning potential. In order to beat out the competition for that highly-paid job, you need to go above and beyond, and an extra qualification will demonstrate this dedication.

Furthermore, almost everyone who takes on a PhD does so on a funded basis, meaning that not only are you studying and furthering your own knowledge and employability – you’re actually being paid to do so.

Alexandra Jane writes for Inspiring Interns, which help career starters and interns succeed in the workplace. To browse their graduate jobs, including mobile jobs, visit their website.