Five Online Masters Degrees To Further Your Career

• Imagine for a moment that you’ve finally entered a new phase of your career or perhaps you’ve decided to dive into an entirely new entrepreneurial adventure.
• Either way, a master’s degree can give you a significant advantage on your new path. And with technology making it easier and more convenient to complete your studies online, you don’t have to worry about going to a physical school.

Online colleges are a great help in this regard. Getting a degree online is practical, convenient, less costly than traditional colleges, and just as valuable as a degree program you’d complete at any physical school. When you’re looking toward advancing your career, starting something new, or attaining that long-sought-after promotion, an online master’s degree might just be the way to go. Consider one of the following programs to help you take your career to the next level.

1. Business Administration
   Business Administration is a popular field of study, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) can open a lot of doors in a variety of industries. These degrees teach the basic tenets of running a business, including innovation and leadership. MBA students can also expect to learn how to be an entrepreneur throughout their studies.

   

   Some MBAs require taking the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), but others do not. In an MBA program, there’s plenty of critical thinking and strategizing, with a focus on developing strong leadership skills. Communication and teamwork are also significant, essential components of a business degree. The field of business administration is growing, with the average annual salary around $90,000 per year. This, of course, largely depends on the sector in which you’re employed and other dynamic factors. Typical careers in business administration include sales management, business consultation, market research analysis, financial analysis, and human resources.

2. Organizational Management
   Organizational management is sort of a broad topic covering several different business fields. If you’re interested in examining the inner functions of an organization and developing a plan to make it run more efficiently then organizational management might be the ideal career for you. A big part of organizational management is evaluating how management inside of an organization operates effectively. Using a combination of analysis and strategy, organizational managers create a plan to enhance the organization’s operation and create a better environment for employees.

   

   There’s also a strong focus on ethics and social responsibility involved in this field. There are plenty of career options available at both the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels. Project managers, training managers, consultants, performance evaluation, and directing employee benefits/services/initiatives are all essential careers in the organizational management field. One of the more lucrative roles in this field is as a training and development manager, which has a strong outlook over the next decade and offers a median salary of $115, 640 per year. Other fields will vary—and getting the degree never guarantees a position—but organizational leadership is a sturdy, in-demand field that should not be overlooked.

3. Human Resource Management
   One of the most valuable online master’s degree programs is probably in human resources management. HR is a versatile career field with a good outlook and plenty of upward mobility. Getting into the master’s level program at many colleges requires passing the General Record Exam (GRE) before being admitted to the program. This isn’t always a requirement at some online colleges, so keep an eye out for that if you choose to pursue a Master of Arts in HR Management.

   

   As part of the degree program, prospective HR managers learn how different issues affect human resources, how to strategically plan resolutions to those issues, and ultimately find ways to help the business accomplish its goals. They also deal with recruiting, retention, promotions, employee engagement, and training initiatives for the entire organization. Attracting and retaining talent is a big part of the job. Payroll managers, labor relations, and recruiters all operate in the field of HR management. And according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field is ripe for strong future growth and has a wide array of salary ranges, with the median sitting at $122,000 as of May 2020.

4. Accountancy
   Financial matters are important at any business. For any business, accounting helps track income and expenditures. But it’s more than just numbers; it’s about understanding cash flow and creating a better overall financial position for a company. As an accountant, you’ll solve problems and become a superb communicator. It is not as boring a job as the movies make it seem. If you’re looking for something exciting about accounting, look no further than being employed by the FBI to help solve white-collar crimes. Want to be a Chief Financial Officer (CFO)? It starts with being an accountant.

   

   The field is so versatile and can be a fruitful career for just about anyone. From small businesses to big corporations, accountants play an essential role that can make or break a business. Accountants also act as auditors across a variety of fields and disciplines. Getting a master’s degree is helpful for becoming a certified public accountant (CPA), which is one of the highest industry standards for accountancy. Master’s work helps reduce some of the supervised work requirements for the certification, essentially decreasing the time required to acquire the certification.

5. Technology Management
   Technology is one of the driving forces of our economy, society, and just about everything we use these days. Technology is a vast field. Business and tech skills are both vital in the field, but communication is one of the most essential aspects of technology management. A master’s degree program is sort of like an intensive boot camp for taking on a supervisory role in the technology sector.

   

   Technology managers assess how businesses successfully (or unsuccessfully) implement and use technology within their organizations. If you enjoy puzzles, strategizing, learning and training others on new technology, and analyzing ethical/social responsibility within the bounds of your organization, then this may be the ideal career for you. Some careers in this field include computer information systems, computer analyst, IT management, systems administration, and technology design among many others.