Is a master’s degree really worth it? An undergraduate's perspective. Proudly Sponsored Content

My name is Lucy, and I am a Junior at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, pursuing a major in Advertising and a minor in English. For the purpose of gaining field experience, I joined the Strategic Brand Communication team as the digital marketing intern. I am responsible for maintaining our social media presence by running our accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and I help with marketing projects.

My experience working with a master’s program

I began working with the Strategic Brand Communication master’s program during an in-house agency course. By working with SBC, I familiarized myself with the experience of earning a master’s and with what drives people to join a master’s program throughout their career. After the course ended and I joined the SBC team as an intern, I have learned about how getting a master’s can be beneficial to a person’s career.

My thoughts on pursuing a master’s degree

In full transparency, I had not thought about pursuing further education after my undergrad since it is not required to work in the ad industry. I thought that I would be fully set and prepared for a successful career. However, my role with the SBC program has been an eye opening experience, introducing me to the world of graduate programs and how pursuing one could be the best decision that a professional in this industry can make.

Through SBC, I have had the opportunity to talk with students about why they chose to pursue their master’s. I have read testimonials from SBC students about their journey to finding a master’s program that fits their needs and lifestyles. I gathered that since taking the step of looking into graduate programs, former and current students are happy with their decision to advance their career through further education. These testimonials have changed my perspective on whether or not a person should spend the time and money on graduate school.

Reasons why I, an undergraduate student, believe that pursuing an online master’s degree may be worth it

• Expand your knowledge beyond what you can learn at your workplace - 

  • As the ad industry rapidly changes, professionals have begun to notice that there are aspects of the industry that they cannot pick up at work or not substantially enough for career advancement. Education has been a major player in my life for the past 15 consecutive years, so I understand and appreciate that working professionals have the desire to return to school to level up their knowledge and skill set for the purpose of advancing their career.

  • When talking about the benefits of SBC’s online master’s program, one of our alumni, Julian Garcia, said, “It never stops working for you”. That quote stuck with me because I realized that earning a master’s degree is a long term investment in yourself and your professional career. 

• Flexibility is key for working professionals - 

  • As an undergraduate who is eager to begin working in the industry, one of the biggest things that deterred me from the idea of earning a master’s is the time commitment and the struggle of being in school while working full time. I have learned that this is a similar worry for people with schedules full of work commitments and family obligations. An online master’s program that meets asynchronously is a great way for professionals to remain focused on their work and families, while also taking the steps towards earning an MA.

• Networking, Networking, Networking! - 

  • Master’s programs allow students to form professional and educational relationships with professors and peers. In the SBC program, many professors have extensive experience working in the industry, making the student-professor relationships valuable to those aspiring to level up in the ad industry.

  • Similarly, online master’s programs are a great resource for students to connect with other working professionals in their field. Students know what the industry is like and can be a mentor, mentee, connection, and friend to other people within this competitive industry. SBC alumni have voiced that the community they have walked away with has been one of the most valuable assets gained from the master’s program. 

Key takeaways:

• Online master’s programs are attainable and flexible for people who have busy personal and professional lives. 
  

• Earning a master’s degree is a long term investment in the success of your career and the expansion of your knowledge of the industry. 

• A master’s program can open the door to a network of experienced industry professionals, from which you can gain insightful advice, mentors, and countless connections. 

Although I still have two more years to complete my undergrad degree, the connections I have made to experienced SBC students has pushed me to consider pursuing a master’s degree. I see myself in the shoes of the driven, determined, and hardworking professionals that have achieved an online master’s degree.

Paid Disclosure:

Disclosure: This episode of Breaking and Entering was made possible through a paid collaboration, which helped us produce and grow our show. While this partnership supports us, rest assured that our opinions and content remain independent and authentic. We value your support and are committed to providing valuable content to our listeners. Here is a link to the full disclosure: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Tp4Fw7p2aHthT8MVgW3WKDCdnO_T9i6eajQrpUBmyPY/edit