Tips for Choosing a Master’s Program

Carrie Anderson, CPRP, Roseville Parks and Recreation

So you’ve decided to get your master’s degree, congratulations! Whether you are looking to expand your knowledge base, looking for that next step in your career, or you are just looking for that degree to check the box; deciding to go for a master’s degree is a big step. You are about to commit a lot of time, effort, and brain cells to enhance your resume and yourself. In 2014, I decided that I was going to be a “box checker” and wanted to earn a master’s degree. I graduated in 2017 with an executive public administrative master’s degree from the University of South Dakota. Here are a few things I learned on my journey towards an online master’s degree.

Online vs. In Person

As we have seen with the COVID pandemic, some people prefer working from home, while others crave interaction with other humans at the office. We all have different preferences and choosing whether to attend classes in person or online is another personal preference. For me, the online option was a no-brainer: • Online programs gave me more program and school choices • I despise driving at night/leaving the house, especially in the winter • After interacting with humans all day,

I had my fill (I’m an introvert).

• I felt confident in my self-motivation to meet deadlines

Master’s Degree Programs

There are a variety of master’s degree programs on the menu for parks and recreation professionals and they can all be excellent choices depending in your goals and preferences. Recreation management, public administration, leadership, business, marketing, finance, the list can go on. I earned my undergrad in recreation and leisure studies; therefore, I wanted to expand my knowledge and chose public administration as my program focus.

Choosing an Online School

A lot goes into choosing a grad school. What program do you want a master’s degree in? Have you or do you plan to take the Graduation Record Examination (GRE)? How much is tuition? Does the program end with a capstone or thesis? Is the school a brick and mortar school or online only? The University of South Dakota checked off my boxes: no GRE needed, affordable, classes applied to my career path and interests, flexible capstone project, a recognized university, and offered a public administrative program for professionals.

Financial Support

Make a plan on how you plan to pay for grad school. Student loans may not be available for part-time grad school, but there are other options. Check with your employer for tuition assistance. I was fortunate to have my grad school paid almost completely through my employer. If your budget is tight, many grad schools have flexible plans to spread out your schooling over a number of years.

Mastering Time Management

What most people don’t know about being a full-time employee and a grad student, is that you also earn an imaginary master of time management degree. Life doesn’t stop just because you are enrolled in grad school. My experience entailed a lot of sacrifices, early mornings, and late nights of reading, writing, and more reading. There’s also a lot of discussion boards, citing references, research, and papers to be written. With all the juggling going on in work, life, and school, I became pretty good at time management. I took one or two classes a semester and that pace worked well for me.

FROM Box Checker to Lifelong learner

As I mentioned before, I enrolled in grad school as more of a “box checker.” I wanted the piece of paper to say I have a master’s. It turns out, grad school impacted me as a professional more than I expected. I applied what I was learning to my everyday responsibilities at work and it paid off. I became a better recreation professional by broadening my understanding of concepts and philosophies. I started to see the bigger picture and inspired me to think more about what I wanted to accomplish in my career. Continuing education, no matter the platform or source, is important in my personal and professional growth. Taking the step to enroll in an online master’s program in 2014 was the right time and choice for me. Although it was a time and energy commitment, the online option to earn a Master’s made it an attainable and flexible way to expand my education and grow professionally.

What most people don’t know about being a full-time employee and a grad student, is that you also earn an imaginary Master of Time Management degree.