Master of Arts (M.A)
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Master of Arts (M.A)
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
If one develops an interest in the specific areas of education, human services, and journalism for potential careers, a Master of Arts may be helpful. Further, it gains advancement in the profession, hones one’s skills, and prepares one for life as a learner.
The Master of Arts is a degree program that allows for the pursuit of various subjects in the humanities, social sciences, and arts. MA degree programs provide training and knowledge in the skills necessary for employment in various professions, including education, art and design, language, journalism and communications, and human services. Thus, a growing number of employers favor hiring candidates with advanced degrees for ever-more-senior roles in their companies. Beyond the workplace, students may experience personal development and gain many valuable skills, like critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, that remain beneficial throughout life.
Earning your Master of Arts degree could be the key to exciting career pathways and opportunities for advancement. In deciding whether this might be right for you, you should ask yourself what really interests you in considering areas one can get an MA in, the advantages offered by a graduate degree, and the job outlook for graduates.
What is an MA (Master of Arts) degree?
The Master of Arts is a graduate degree degree that concentrates on a specific area within the liberal arts or the humanities, such as English, philosophy, art, or a foreign language. The time-frame for an MA is typically about two to three years. Aside from advanced course-loads in your area of study, which may involve seminars, discussions, and academic research and writing, your program may require the completion of a thesis or capstone project.
What can you do with a master’s degree in the arts?
Master of Arts degrees can prepare candidates for employment in a wide range of fields. Other similar master’s degrees, such as various Master of Science (MS) programs, the Master of Education (MEd) degree, and the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, however, equip students to pursue specific vocational or industrial pursuits. A Master of Arts can also set you on a clearly defined career path, but you are also likely to develop some real-world and widely applicable transferable skills for application in a wide array of other industries. For instance, the research, language, and critical-thinking skills usually acquired in a master’s program in Spanish could be put into practice in areas that include translation, interpretation, international relations, and many others.
Some common subjects that can lead to a Master of Arts degree include:
- Art history
- Journalism and mass communication
- Languages (classical languages, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, etc.)
- English
- Education and related topics, like educational psychology
- History
- Political science
- Sociology
- Philosophy
- Religion
- International affairs
- Comparative literature
Take a closer look at some common MA fields of study and where they might lead you in your career.
Education:
Persons sculpted by the Master of Arts often enter education as a profession. Indeed, a good number of teachers present and past have gone on to the MAT or Master’s in Education for more versatility in the careers. One can also do this with a BA in other subjects for a chance to go over into becoming a teacher. Typically, such graduates work as:
- Elementary and secondary school teachers
- Special education teachers
- Principals and school administrators
- School or career counselors
- Education coordinators at museums, zoos, and aquariums
- Educational consultants
- Corporate trainers
- Curriculum developers
Languages:
Acquiring an abstract master’s degree in a foreign language opens up avenues in every area where language barriers arise in communication. It can help secure jobs in the public as well as private sectors at the following places:
- Translator
- English as a foreign language teacher
- Foreign correspondent
- Civil service employee
- Intelligence specialist
- Linguist
- Drug enforcement agent
- Foreign service officer
- Health care interpreter
Journalism and communications:
An MA in Journalism or Communications gives an extra edge to advancement in the frontiers of journalism and new media, advertising, public relations, and mass media. Possible professions in these related areas include:
- Staff writer
- Editor
- Copywriter
- Broadcast journalist
- Political campaign manager
- Event manager
- Public relations manager
- Advertising manager
- Social media marketer
- TV or film producer
- Digital marketer
Human services:
If indeed you are interested in serving someone else, there is such a program as a Master of Arts that can set up towards a career in human services. Possible degree concentrations include sociology, social sciences, counseling, therapy, criminal justice, and human services. Possible career paths might include:
- Social worker
- Health care administrator
- Mental health counselor
- Researcher
- Education administrator
- Marriage and family therapist
- Case manager
- Community outreach worker
- Probation officer
- Occupational therapist
- Substance abuse counsellor
Advantages of an MA degree:
You might choose to earn a Master of Arts degree for a variety of reasons, including career advancement, specialized knowledge, and skills development.
Career advancement:
An advanced degree in the arts also enhances the professional lives of many individuals. You must move ahead through the ranks to get higher promotions or be appointed into a leadership or managerial position, and one way of achieving this is by obtaining a master’s degree, which brings you ahead of other applicants. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), graduate degree holders earn more than their counterparts with associate or bachelor’s degrees both on a weekly basis and on the employment front, considering that often, they can easily find openings in various sectors.
Specialized knowledge in a field:
You might wish to upgrade your knowledge in a given area, not aiming for any promotions but rather to become better at what you do. Some of the things that have become popular nowadays as far as technology and methods in your field are concerned may not have been known when you started work or received your bachelor’s degree. With an MA degree, you would be in a position to better contribute to your field, or you might offer your knowledge and experience as a consultant.