Increased competition leads to greater opportunities in postgraduate education.
Times of economic downturn usually spark an increase in university applications as people utilise their time on skills upgrades and to retrain before re-entering the workforce. QS looks at the implications of increased competition for postgraduate programmes.
Don't Despair
Competition for university places at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels is fierce - but don't despair! Increased competition means more universities are entering the fray, hoping to recruit multi-lingual, high-potential students. The result? More choice, better quality programmes, and increased return in terms of personal, professional and cultural development.
This applies to universities both at home and abroad. Peter MacDonald, Director of the QS World Grad School Tour, says every year the number of universities travelling with the QS World Grad School Tour is growing. "Students are offered a more diverse choice of taught and research based programmes at both the Masters and PhD level in a widening choice of countries and locations. It is definitely worth investigating all of your options when it comes to studying, either at home or abroad.''
"The benefits of a postgraduate qualification in and of itself are undeniable," adds MacDonald. "The addition of overseas study brings new qualities to the table, which is not only appreciated on a personal level, but also by employers."
Lauren Welch, Head of Advising for the US-UK Fulbright Commission in London, says studying abroad adds weight to a student's future job prospects. "Employers are looking to graduates to have international experience either by studying or working abroad. Now there are many more opportunities to study and work abroad, or stay on and work afterwards."
Another major benefit of a graduate qualification is an increase in salary. According to the QS International Recruiter Survey 2008, an annual survey involving 498 international employers in North America and Asia, the difference between an employee with a first degree and a graduate qualification can be as much as 71%. In financial terms, the premium paid to those entering employment with a Masters or PhD qualification was greater in all sectors than those entering employment with only an undergraduate degree. Employers within the pharmaceutical and healthcare professions rewarded their Masters employees better than any other sector.
There are added bonuses to studying abroad for your graduate degree as well. Not only will you add to your professional qualifications by studying for a Masters or PhD abroad, you'll be able to immerse yourself in a new culture and possibly learn a new language - extra skills that are going to make you stand out from the crowd when potential employers begin looking at your résumé.
So, despite tough economic times and increased competition for postgraduate programmes, the outlook is not all doom and gloom. Once upon a time students only had a select few graduate schools to choose from. Now the internationalization of graduate study means greater opportunities both at home and abroad.
Contributed by:
The QS World Grad School Tour
With the numbers of internationally mobile students seeking educational opportunities away from their home countries reaching the 2.6 million mark, the QS World Grad School Tour offers a unique opportunity for potential graduate candidates to meet admissions officers of the world's top universities face-to-face at venues around the world. Candidates can register for free at http://www.topgradschool.com/
Your GoStudy Team
