Stand out with a specialized master's degree

While we used to view the undergraduate degree as a career guarantee, most professions now use it as a minimum standard for employment. Yet with many industries seeking graduate degree holders for even entry-level positions, going to grad school seems like the obvious (and common) next step. 

While we used to view the undergraduate degree as a career guarantee, most professions now use it as a minimum standard for employment. Yet with many industries seeking graduate degree holders for even entry-level positions, going to grad school seems like the obvious (and common) next step.

How can you stay ahead, when everyone seems to have a similar game plan? 

The key — according to Forbes — is specialization. Increasingly, what are known as "specialized master’s degree" have become a nexus for higher ed, industry, and the rising professional:

The current trend among students, employers, and business schools is to prefer highly specialized master’s programs such as the MS in Finance or Supply Chain Management that create specialists with technical acumen rather than generalists.

ASU's W. P. Carey School of Business has responded to the market with a number of specialized master’s degrees:

• The Master of Accountancy (MACC) develops expertise in advanced accounting topics and fulfills course requirements for the CPA exam in many states.
• The Master of Science in Business Analytics (MS-BA) combines the latest developments in industry with a strong foundation in research and cross-disciplinary application to help you tackle the challenges of Big Data.
• The Master of Science in Finance (MS-FIN) explores corporate finance, asset and portfolio management, and statistics and modeling tools.
• The Master of Science in Global Logistics (MS-GL) provides specialized knowledge to understand multicultural perspectives and solve global operations challenges.
• The Master of Science in Information Systems Management (MS-ISM) deepens your problem-solving and leadership skills. Choose a focus in big data, tech consulting, or cloud to add greater depth to your degree and align your degree to your career goals.
• The Master of Science in Innovation and Venture Design (MS-IVD) is a studio-based, student-centric program, where each student will be responsible as the entrepreneur, working with a small founding team — to make things happen.
• The Master of Science in Management (MiM) provides an overview of key business principles, exploring leadership concepts in-depth, and concludes with a real-world consulting project.
• The Master of Real Estate Development (MRED) prepares you to lead real development projects that are environmentally respectful, socially responsible, and artfully designed.
• The Master of Taxation (MTax) develops highly technical and demanding skills and prepares you for a career in the private and public sector.

In as little as nine months, you can earn a master's degree from a top-ranked business school and put your career in overdrive, whether you're looking to enhance current skills or make a career change. W. P. Carey offers flexible online options for many of our degree programs.

Take the next step

Find out more about the competitive edge you can gain with a specialized master’s degree from the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.