The 10 Most Satisfying Graduate Degrees
A graduate degree is more than a ticket to high paying career. Whether it’s helping wildlife and the environment, finding a breakthrough medical cure, or developing a new technology that brings energy to a developing country, these are the top 10 most satisfying graduate degrees based on the career opportunities, skills and satisfaction they provide.
1. Teaching
Education is the keystone of a free society. As a leader in this industry, you would be shaping the minds and hearts of future doctors, scientists, and society’s other leaders and thinkers. Graduates of Educational Leadership programs find opportunities at public and private schools, state and federal education agencies, and institutions of higher education and learning. The next generation of groundbreaking researchers, innovators, and Nobel Prize winners are waiting.
2. Civil Engineering
Bridges, highways, airports, buildings—these are all things we use everyday. Civil Engineers design, build, and maintain these essential parts of our infrastructure. With a graduate degree in Civil Engineering, you would posses a wide range of structural knowledge and a deep understanding of the different materials and techniques used in their construction. Civil Engineers also use this knowledge and expertise to bring infrastructure to developing countries and help design and build cities that can withstand natural disasters.
3. Mechanical Engineering
With a graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering, you develop the ability, skills, and expertise to make monumental advancements for society as a whole by working toward advancing and improving renewable and alternative energies like wind and solar, or engineering new forms of sustainable energy. If you focus on bioengineering or nanotechnology, you could make significant discoveries and advancements in medicine or technology.
4. Biology
Doctors, veterinarians, pharmacists, and zoologists all have one thing in common: they studied biology. Not only that, but those who pursue a Masters in Biology can also go on to find breakthroughs in environmental science, making the the place we live that much better. Whether you’re finding a treatment for a rare form of cancer in humans or developing a new preventative medicine for animals, biology is the foundation of it all. The next breakthrough disease cure is out there—go find it.
5. Nursing
Nursing is the driving force behind the healthcare industry. Nurses are needed now, more than ever, as providing high quality health care has become one of the biggest challenges of our lifetime. With a graduate degree in Nursing, you would find yourself pushing the healthcare industry forward.
6. Physics
Motion, space, and time: those are the three forces that physicists study, focusing on each one individually and how they relate to matter, force, and energy. With a graduate degree in Physics, you would work to apply your knowledge and research to develop new sources of energy, advanced materials, and new medical technologies that, in turn, would advance society.
7. Kinesiology
There’s no doubt that we want to live longer and healthier, but as the general population ages, that becomes harder and harder to do. By studying Kinesiology, Exercise and Sport Science, or Health Promotion, Recreation and Sport Management, you study human motion and how it applies to the way we exercise and move in everyday life. Exploring the details and gaining a deeper understanding of the way we move will advance our knowledge and inform us of how to take care of our bodies so we can live longer, more active lives.
8. Sustainable Agricutlure / Food / Agroscience
By 2050, the global population is going to grow to an estimated 9 billion. As our population grows, and our resources continue to diminish, we need to improve the quality, development, efficiency, and use of our resources. When the population reaches 9 billion, we will likely continue to thrive because of key advances made in sustainable agriculture and agroscience. These advances will also contribute to the overall quality of human life.
9. Environmental Law
Climate change isn’t just affecting specific environments like rainforests. It’s a global phenomenon, and as time goes on, it’s becoming a larger and larger problem. With a graduate degree in Environmental Law, you will create dynamic policies and advocate for the environment, from plants to wildlife, to combat climate change. These policies will be presented as a societal level, raising awareness, provoking change, and finding solutions through research.
10. Energy
In addition to providing for the 7 billion people in the world, developing countries have a growing need for energy. There are sustainable energy solutions on the horizon, but we must work to use our current supply of fossil fuels efficiently, minimizing environmental impact, and find new sources for energy. Chemical, Civil, and Petroleum Engineers alike are working to create these sustainable energy systems.