Maybe graduation lurks right around the corner and you’re wondering about your next move.
Maybe you’ve worked hard for several years but see all the postings for your dream gig listing “Master’s degree” as a required qualification.
Whether you’re looking to gain specialized knowledge, prepare for a PhD down the road, or put yourself in position to land an upper-level job, a Master’s degree can be the right move to achieving your goals.
Some of the best Master's degrees for the future create a trajectory to high-paying jobs in in-demand sectors (think: flourishing fields like computer science or healthcare). Still, while plenty of S.T.E.M.-related jobs promise a return on your investment in graduate education, an advanced degree can offer a stepping stone to any dream career.
Applying for a Master’s means preparing to invest time, energy, and money, so you want to make sure the degree you're considering aligns with your goals. No matter how you envision your own future, employment trends can inform the next step you take.
What is the best Master’s degree for the future?
The best Master's degrees for the future improve your employability while enhancing your knowledge in a sector that will be in high demand in the coming years. With great job prospects predicted in fields like computer and information research science and healthcare in the next 5-15 years, a Master’s degree can set you apart for higher-level (and higher-paying) positions.
Take nursing, for instance. Nurses at all levels will continue to be in high demand, but a particular need for those with Master’s-level training or higher makes graduate study a smart choice.
Programs like Transdisciplinary Design that create a collaborative environment for students from different disciplines to take on complex real-world, people-centered problems are also in high demand. A multidisciplinary approach to your graduate education lets you study a topic from a multitude of perspectives, giving you the holistic knowledge—and collaboration skills—so sought-after in today’s workplace.
9 top Master’s degrees for the future
Ready to set yourself apart and enhance your expertise? These future-focused degrees check all the boxes:
1. Master’s Degree in Transdisciplinary Design
A degree in Transdisciplinary Design can lead you down many paths.
The best Master’s degree programs for the future bring together knowledge and expertise from different disciplines to prepare students for the ever-changing nature of the world they’ll inhabit. Designers and non-designers both have a home in this program, which brings togethers students of the arts, sciences, humanities, and more.
Transdisciplinary Design takes a new approach to understanding life in urban settings, using design as a lens to observe. Completing a graduate program in Transdisciplinary Design prepares you to solve the big issues facing communities of the future.
Whether you’re eager for a career in energy or transportation, healthcare or housing, the skills you gain in this program let you take the first step to a successful career. It’s also a great program for those looking to pursue further study and research.
Recommended program: Master of Arts in Transdisciplinary Design
2. Master’s Degree in Computer Science and IT
A degree in Computer Science or IT equals one of the top graduate degrees for the future if you’re looking for a return on your investment. These are some of today’s best-paying Master’s degrees, and experts in the industry will undoubtedly remain in high demand.
At the same time, the field is extremely competitive, so a graduate degree will give you an edge when you’re on the job hunt. You can find computer science and IT gigs in just about every sector out there, setting you up for a career in a place you love.
From nonprofits and government agencies to technology hubs and beyond, many entities will seek out your expertise.
Recommended program: MSc Computing Science
3. Master’s Degree in Nursing
Nurses are *always* in high demand.
From higher earnings and more job opportunities to the chance to gain advanced knowledge and take on leadership roles, there’s plenty of upside to earning a Master’s degree in Nursing. Considering the increasing need for nurses (and healthcare workers in general), a Nursing Master’s is also one of the most useful degrees for the future.
Earning a graduate degree sets you up as a qualified candidate for higher-level positions and opens the door to teaching roles. An advanced degree also lets you dive deeper into specialized areas that interest you. All the while, you’ll know you’re earning a degree that lets you fill an essential need in society.
Recommended program: Middlesex University Postgraduate Degree Programmes
4. Master’s Degree in Health Sciences
Interested in a career in healthcare but not sure where to start? This is hands-down one of the best Master’s degree programs for the future. You’ll get to explore a broad range of topics, perfect for if you know you want to work in healthcare but aren’t sure you want to pursue a specialized degree like Nursing.
Healthcare is one of the fastest-growing fields. People are living longer than ever before while healthcare technology rapidly evolves and international public health topics make headlines every day. A graduate degree in healthcare opens the door to higher-level career opportunities that position you to make a big impact.
Recommended program: M.Sc. in Health Sciences: International Public Health
5. Master’s Degree in Environmental Studies
Do you have a vision for our future? This might be the degree for you.
A Master’s in Environmental Studies is one of the top Master's degrees for the future if you’re passionate about the environment. From energy-efficient policies to habitat preservation, Environmental Studies encompasses a wide range of future-focused goals.
A graduate degree prepares you for roles in research, teaching, policy advocacy, and more. You can pursue a career in a variety of fields beyond just science and sustainability, too, with work for environmental experts available in sectors like resource management, urban planning, and education.
No matter what path you choose, your graduate degree will have you ready to tackle some of the biggest global challenges of the coming years.
Recommended program: MSc Natural Resource and Environmental Management
6. Master’s Degree in Business
What is the best Master’s degree for the future? A Business degree ranks close to the top if you want to enhance your marketability in your chosen field, all while building a professional network and honing your intercultural communication skills. A Master’s abroad can give your career a real boost if you’re looking to work in international business.
An MBA is ideal if you want to build business leadership skills, but MBAs aren’t the only advanced Business degrees out there. You can also find specialized, technical programs, or programs that focus on academic research in subjects like Finance, Actuarial Science, Accounting, or Economics.
Recommended program: Master of Business Administration in Sales & Marketing
7. Master’s Degree in Economics
Fields requiring an advanced degree in Economics are projected to grow.
Look no further than Economics if you want to pursue a degree in a field that impacts just about every industry. Studying at the graduate level allows you to hone advanced skills in the fundamentals of economics while you bolster your knowledge of financial trends.
A broad understanding of the global economy and the ability to analyze financial data at an advanced level will open doors to many potential careers. This is one degree that’s definitely worth the investment; overall projected job growth and high-paying roles for those with a graduate degree under their belt makes a Master’s in Economics one of the top graduate degrees for the future.
Recommended program: Economic Data Analysis (EDA)
8. Master’s Degree in Development Studies
A graduate degree in development studies sets you up to work on a variety of global issues, making this Master’s one of the best graduate degrees to pursue for those interested in an international humanitarian career.
Your studies will explore the causes of unequal global development and concrete steps that can lead to a more equitable world order. Along the way, you’ll develop a background that prepares you to work in a wide array of positions.
From roles at NGOs and government organizations to work as a journalist, diplomat, or academic researcher, a graduate degree will open the doors to a range of opportunities in the field of international development.
Recommended program: Mente Argentina: Master's and Graduate Degrees Program in Buenos Aires
9. Master’s Degree in International Policy and Diplomacy
Are you a people person who wants to affect how the world works?
A globalized world calls for knowledgeable professionals with intercultural communication abilities. If you’re hoping for a career abroad or with an international organization, a Master’s in the field of international policy and diplomacy is one of the best graduate degrees to pursue.
Graduate study will prepare you for jobs in global organizations or government, law or security, business, and beyond. You’ll learn the intricacies of conducting negotiations between representatives from different nations.
You’ll also gain transferable skills like interpersonal skills, communication skills, and research and analytical skills that you can draw on in your future career, no matter where it takes you.
Recommended program: DAAD Study Scholarship
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Are you pursuing one of the most useful degrees for the future?
Before gathering letters of recommendation and polishing your writing samples, ask yourself if that Master’s program on your radar will improve your job prospects, enhance your networks, and fit your budget. Answering yes to all of the above? A Master’s degree may be in your future.
This article was written with help from Istituto Europeo di Design (IED). IED is an international network of education of Design, Fashion, Visual Arts and Management. They have been in operation for more than 50 years, and have educated more than 200,000 students in that time. Many graduates of IED are now working in the creative industry.
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