What to Expect
Our graduate degrees are advanced programs of study focused on a particular academic discipline or profession. An academic master’s degree will prepare you for career advancement or for even more advanced study at the doctoral level, while a professional master’s degree is centered on expanding your skills and knowledge for a specific profession.
Compared to undergraduate studies, graduate school is more focused on you as a growing scholar and/or professional in a given field, and the expectations regarding the quality and quantity of your performance are greater. In graduate school you can expect:
- Focused studies in a specific discipline with fewer if any elective choices
- Rigorous evaluation of your work by professors and peers
- More rigorous checkpoints such as qualifying exams and an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Smaller classes with much student interaction and individual attention
- Work experience through internships, teaching, and/or research
- Production of original research is often required
