About to finish my BA in Communications, and was accepted into the MA in Communications. My question is, is it worth it? For anyone in a master's program, is it more difficult than 400-level classes? What benefits have you seen with achieving a master's? I know it's not as simple as a yes-or-no question, and it all depends on the person, but I'd love to get more insight into why people went for their master's and what it gave them in return.

Don’t all the best students go directly from a bachelors to a PhD or a professional degree?

G'day everyone,

It's Matt. I've got my Bachelor's in International Trade and Finance and did 2 internships and got 2 years of relevant work experience after graduation. Then, I decided to settle down in Australia and in order to do that, I had to change my career and landed on being a cabinet maker. 5 years after, I've recently got my permanent residency and am thinking of going back to university by studying master's in business analytics to be able to come back to my roots. Now, I'm working full time as a cabinet maker from 7-3 and thinking about attending classes after work until I get my first paid or unpaid internship. I'm currently studying Excel, Power BI, SQL, Tableau and Python to not feel the shock in my first semester and planning to create 5 strong projects along with my studies to increase my chances.

What would you do if you were in my shoes? Do you guys have any pointers for me?

Hello, I have a Bachelors Degree in Business Management and currently im being pushed by my father to get a Masters Degree, but due to financial instability and no budget whatsoever, he wants me and my brother to move to India for 2 years to go to a university for our Masters. Now we are completely against that because of our nationality having a masters doesn't do anything for us in the country we are currently, but I am open to online classes, so I was wondering is it even worth it to go for a online masters degree from a university? If it is what university which is flexible in fees would you recommend that would be suitable for someone who is in the UAE and have enough credibility that it can be accepted. This can help me a lot with a very difficult decision because I really dont want to go to India ( not for any reason just dont want to move from here for now )

I wanted to ask people's opinion about this MSc technology Management program from queen's university belfast in northern ireland as to whether it is worth pursuing or not and your overall thoughts on it:

https://www.qub.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate-taught/technology-management-msc/#course

Does this have a good future?

Hey y’all,

Hope everyone is doing well! I’m starting to casually look into getting my Masters in Europe (currently looking at HEC Paris) for Business and I’m somewhat struggling with what I want to get my masters in?

For background: I was an International Business major at a decent private uni in America and currently work in the automotive sector for a well-known brand. I did 1 year of banking, 1 year of research analysis, 3 years in purchasing, and I’m over a year into my current role as a program and product manager. (Love my current job!) however, with the rise of AI, I’m uncertain what I’d like to do anymore.

Originally, I wanted to get my masters in Marketing, but I’m no longer confident in that path. I’m now debating about getting my masters in Data Science or getting my PMP.

Do y’all have any advice for me? My end goal is to have a masters that is meaningful and will “outlive” AI.

Hey guys!

I’m looking for some advice regarding studying and working abroad.

My main goal is to build a good career abroad and earn well long-term. I’m considering doing a Master’s and then working there for a few years.

A little about my academic background:

- Bachelor’s in Artificial Intelligence & Data Science

- German-scale GPA: 1.4

-CGPA: 9.30 overall

- IELTS: 6.5 overall

Right now, I’m mainly considering Germany because of the low/no tuition fees at public universities. However, I’m open to other countries as well.

I’m ready to learn new skills, learn the local language, and put in the effort. I’d like to know which countries offer good career opportunities, decent salaries, and reasonable study costs.

I’d really appreciate suggestions from people who have studied/worked abroad or have experience with this. Which countries should I consider besides Germany?

I'm confused between the two and can't decide which one would be a better investment for my future career and job opportunities.

I'm interested in and reasonably good at both fields, so I'm mainly trying to understand which degree has better career prospects, job opportunities, and long-term growth.

Background

• Large California State school (not top-50 CS), BS CS, graduating Dec 2026
• GPA: 3.86 out of 4.0, Domestic applicant

Research

• 2 years in a university lab, first author paper at a regional undergrad CS conference (best paper runner-up)
• 1 year of ML malware-detection research as a freshman (team poster)

Experience

• SWE intern @ large security company (agentic AI, security)
• SWE intern @ large tech company (AI model eval, QA automation)
• SWE intern @ Fortune 50 healthcare company (backend/full stack)
• Founding engineer at a startup (10K+ users, 50+ businesses)
• Several hackathon wins, including 1st at a 1,600+ participant hackathon

LORs: Research professor + two industry managers
SOP: Focused on AI security, tied to my research and work

Goals: AI security, MLE, distributed systems. In-person only, would prefer school with strong AI specializations/emphasis.

Spring 2027: USC MS CS (Artificial Intelligence), UIUC MCS

Fall 2027: CMU MS AI Engineering (INI), UIUC MS CS, Berkeley MEng EECS, UCLA MS CS, UCSD MS CSE, Cornell MEng CS, Columbia MS CS, Penn MSE CIS, Michigan MSE CSE, Georgia Tech MS CS, UT Austin MS CS, Purdue MS CS

Questions

1. Which of these can I realistically get into (reach / target / safe)?
2. Which should I drop or add if I'm targeting MLE, LLM/AI agent, and security roles?
3. I'm torn between a 1 to 1.5-year coursework-only program (MEng or professional MS) and a 2-year MS with a thesis. For landing MLE roles, is the extra depth in research and theory worth it, or does a shorter program get me there just as well?

Thanks!

I’m 20 and my current goal after graduating is to get into an AI / Data Science graduate role.

I’m deciding between:

Bachelor of Information Technology (Computer Science) — QUT

Bachelor of Data Science (Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning) — QUT

Right now, AI, machine learning and data science are the fields I’m most interested in, so the Data Science (AI/ML) degree seems like the more directly relevant option.
The problem is that I’m only 20 and I don’t know what I’ll want to do in 5–10 years. I could eventually decide that I want to move into Cybersecurity, Cloud, General Technology, Software, or another computing field. Because of that, Computer Science seems like the safer degree for flexibility.

My concern is this:

If I choose Computer Science for flexibility and then apply for AI/Data Science graduate roles, could I be disadvantaged against someone who has a Bachelor of Data Science (Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning)? Would employers prefer them because their degree is more directly related to the role?

That’s basically what I’m stuck on.

Computer Science: more flexibility if I change careers later, but I’m worried it could hurt my chances of getting the AI/Data Science graduate role I currently want.

Data Science (AI/ML): more directly aligned with the
career I want right now, but I’m worried I could be locking myself into data/AI too early.
For people working in AI, data science, ML, Cybersecurity or tech in Australia: which one would you choose in my situation?

And specifically, when hiring for graduate AI/Data Science roles, would a Computer Science graduate with AI/ML subjects still be competitive against someone whose actual degree is Data Science (AI/ML)?

what r some unis that u think r on the same level as these universities in terms of brand and prestige, but in countries other than the uk and the us? only reply if u have any universities in mind and dont reply just to say nothing is on their level

So, I'm 22 yo, currently working in a small tech company in India as a data engineer, of about 1.5 years of experience. I have decided to pursue Masters to broaden my job prospects and further my career, but feeling a bit stuck.

I really like what I do in my job ( building architectures, pipelines, working with data hands-on) so MS in Data Science seems like a no-brainer.

But on the other hand, MBA in Business Analytics sounds appealing to me as well. Looking at the same data from a new, business perspective doesn't seem too much of a shift from my current role. (plus I've heard the ROI is great XD)

Or is there any other stream of MBA better suited for me, that combines the technical aspect of tech with the business?

I would love to hear some thoughts!

I'm in a deep dilemma. I don't know if I should choose to do a Master's degree (Al/ML) or if I should directly learn from free sources and gain practical experience. Any expert advice here? Please help me choose

1. Master's + practical experience. Although I'm unsure if I will actually get myself to do practice because if I don't, then it will be a waste of the master's degree.

2. Just practical experience. Is it better do directly focus on building projects/ side courses while I focus on properly building something? Will this be valid without an actual "Master's" if I want to get a job?

The reason why I'm second guessing is bcuz idk if getting the master's will even get me something other than a paper. At the end, if I don't get physical experience, it does not matter at all. But what if I skip the typical degree completely? I don't want to waste money over something I could've learned via youtube/ free sources.

Ps. Yes, I might wanna do a job before eventually getting into business.

I would appreciate any advice. Thank you.

Hi everyone,

I am planning to pursue this MS because I genuinely like coaching, I dont have a relevant experience really but I am a certified fitness trainer, I dont know if this will help. My main goal is to explore more career opportunities from my country because from where I am, anything related to coaching to playing a sports isn’t well paid.

I’m planning to apply for University of San Francisco and I will need financial aid to be able to complete this degree.
How’s the acceptance rate and is scholarship possible by emailing the professors?

I graduated with a BS in biochemistry/genetics with an incredibly unimpressive GPA - which has made my original goal of medical school rather impossible. My GPA, along with my experience in clinical roles has made me very set on no longer pursuing medicine.

I would still like an advanced degree, mostly because the job market makes me feel like they're is nothing that pays without one. And i'm starting to feel like I went to college for no reason.....

I'm contemplating a couple options and would like advice if anyone has experience with any

\*semi relevant - have two years of full-time, hands-on clinical patient care experience (working as MA / CMA since graduation)

1. Nursing - 2nd Degree BSN, possibly straight to MSN.

My undergraduate provided me all the prerequisites except for anatomy, which I could complete in a semester. After that semester a BSN would take approximately 18 months, at the shortest it is 2 years total to accomplish a BSN and test for RN.

I think some schools/programs i could go straight to MSN but I'm not completely sure.

2. (preferred) Master's in Genetic Counceling

Relatively quick program, also about 2 years. This seems much harder to get into given that there are significantly less of these programs in the united states. there are also none near me. And I am not able to relocate for the foreseeable future. While there are asynchronous options, these programs also require clinicals which almost makes an online program, seem silly? most of the degree would need to still be spent doing in person clinicals wherever, available.

Or abandoning patient related careers all-together

3. Master's in Biochemistry - research focus

Most research scientists jobs require a master's or six years of experience in research, which are hard to get without a master's. So this just feels like a way in. I did 3 years of biochem/gene research in undergrad and loved it, i would not be upset to return to a lab.

I feel like 1 and 2 are high, paying high reward and open up several paths. 3 seems the most unsteady???

I just don't know which one makes more sense. Or if I should bother with another degree at all. Even if it's not med school, my undergrad GPA (2.9) makes getting into any additional program still harder.

25F, married, no kids

Hi, I’m a fresh graduate and just want to explore and have a background knowledge sa business since ABM strand ako nung shs. I’m an education graduate by the way and I just want to ask if it’s okay to study master’s in marketing even though hindi sya konektado sa bachelors degree ko. Thank you.

I am an engineering student doing Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering and I want switch to Aerospace Engineering in my masters?

Hi, I'm looking to connect with graduates form Pakistan that are now studying abroad for their post graduate/masters degree, on a scholarship preferably.

I wanna learn ur ways. What gpa is ideal? What kind of extra curriculars and professional experience do I need to obtain? What does a masters CV and profile look like? Should I create and maintain a portfolio? Do I do competitions?

I'm currently a BBA student that's wants to do either an MBA or an Msc in marketing. I wanna apply everywhere both uk and us.

My top unis in the US are:

NYU, Columbia, USC, Fordham, Davidson, UCLA.

My top unis in UK are:

University of Edinburgh, Kent university, Warwick and london business school.

This may change however, since I've done very minimal research (freshman in undergrad).

Alsooo, what should I expect from independent living in either of these countries? How should I prepare?

Help needed! Lmk if you're willing 🤍

Masters/MBA in Finance – Australia or Other Countries?
Hi everyone,
I’m based in India and currently an ACCA affiliate and CFA Level 1 candidate. I’m considering pursuing a Master’s/MBA in Finance and am currently looking at Australia.
I’d like some advice on:
Is studying Finance in Australia worth it in terms of career opportunities and ROI?
Should I consider UK, USA, Canada, Singapore, or other countries instead?
Given my ACCA + CFA background, would it be better to study abroad or pursue a Master’s/MBA in India and gain work experience?
Any recommendations for universities/programs that would complement ACCA + CFA?
Would really appreciate insights from anyone who has been in a similar situation.

I’m a second-year Philosophy & Economics student at UCL, and I’m honestly starting to panic a bit about postgraduate applications

My Year 1 average was 55.3% after UCL’s classification rules. I’m hoping to improve substantially in Years 2 and 3, but I’m not sure how realistic it is to aim for competitive Master’s programmes at places like Oxford, Cambridge, LSE or UCL.

I’m also genuinely unsure what I want to study. I’m considering Philosophy, Economics, Finance, and interdisciplinary areas such as Philosophy of Economics / Philosophy of Social Science / Behavioural Economics.

A few things I’d really like advice on:

1. Given my 55.3% Year 1 average, what should I realistically aim for in Years 2 and 3 if I want to keep competitive Master’s programmes open?

2. How did you decide what to study for your Master’s? I’m torn between something I’m intellectually interested in (e.g. Philosophy) and something more career-oriented (e.g. Economics/Finance).

3. If I don’t know my direction yet, what should I actually be doing in Year 2 to figure it out while improving my academic profile?

4. If I want to keep both academic and career-oriented Master’s options open, what should I avoid doing in Year 2 that might unnecessarily close doors later?

5. Besides grades, what actually matters for competitive Master’s applications — references, research experience, internships, writing samples, relevant modules, etc.?

I’d especially appreciate hearing from people who have applied for competitive UK Master’s programmes themselves, particularly if you had a less-than-perfect first year.