A master's degree is an option that gains ground, year after year, among students and professionals who seek to continue specializing. Only in the 2021-2022 academic year, according to data from the Ministry of Universities, which include those of Catalonia, 258,991 people chose to carry out this type of training. These are the most common reasons why so many people opt for this type of study.
After finishing their university degree, it is common for students to enroll in a master's degree, with the idea of standing out in the tough competition to find their first job. "In general, they seek to stand out and differentiate themselves from the rest of the graduates and/or professionals," explains Sara Torres, director of the Employability and Entrepreneurship Unit at the European University. "At the same time, of course, they want to broaden their training and, in some cases, specialize it."
Carrying out a master's degree requires time, will and, many times, a significant outlay of money. For this reason, there is a general perception that master's students have something special. "It is not only the degree that it offers, but also the message behind it: knowledge, motivation, effort to continue learning, etc.", says Jesús Guodemar, director of Admissions at Camilo José Cela University.
In practice, young people who have gone through this formative experience recognize that their main motivation was work. “I had in mind that further specialization would help me find new and better opportunities,” recalls Felipe Malter, a graduate of the EAE Business School Master's in Communication and Corporate Social Responsibility.
"At that time I couldn't find any academic offer in Argentina that suited what I was looking for and I decided to come to Spain to study, so doing a master's degree was also a great opportunity to have an international experience that greatly enriched me." However, the master's degree is not an automatic pass to the coveted job position.
"I did it to broaden my knowledge and thus have more chances of accessing better working conditions, although it wasn't like that later," explains María Selas who, after completing a master's degree in Digital Marketing, continues studying. "What is most valued is experience and if you are a young person who has just entered the world of work, it is difficult for you."
"I don't think the title itself is the main differentiating factor," says Felipe Malter. "I think there should be more of a combination between the theoretical knowledge acquired, intrapersonal skills and previous experiences, which help you position yourself as a suitable candidate to access better job opportunities."
Given the excess supply, access to certain job opportunities has become more and more demanding. "In general, it is not mandatory to take a master's degree after completing a degree, but it is an essential requirement if you want to access a doctoral program or in the case of practicing a profession that requires it," says Jesús Guodemar.
Currently, in Spain, there are 14 professions in which, without a master's degree, there is no possibility of practicing. “They are the so-called qualifying masters, essential to work as: general health psychologist, civil engineer, canals and ports; mining, industrial, aeronautical, agronomist, forestry; naval and oceanic and telecommunications”, lists Guodemar. “A master's degree is also required to be able to practice the profession of architect; teacher of secondary education and baccalaureate, vocational training and language teaching; merchant marine captain; lawyer and court solicitor.
It is another of the great motivations of master's students. “I had been working in corporate social responsibility for a couple of years and felt that it was necessary to acquire greater technical knowledge on sustainability issues, which would allow me to know and understand the subject in depth,” says Felipe Malter. "The master's degree allowed me to specialize in a booming topic."
"Postgraduate training provides state-of-the-art knowledge in order to adapt the basic training in the degree to a present in constant innovation and development", explains Félix Suárez, director of the School of Postgraduate and Permanent Training of the Francisco de Victory. "In the same way, practicing professionals must be aware of current trends in their field of knowledge so as not to lose opportunities for personal and professional growth."
Most of the students who enrolled in the 2021-2022 academic year in a master's degree in Spain (more than 92,000) were young people between the ages of 25 and 30. However, the number of students in the 31 to 40 age range registered more than 53,000 enrollments last year. "There are professionals who, after years of career, decide to take a new evolutionary step and update themselves," says Sara Torres. "In this way, they seek to apply for new job opportunities or internal promotion within their current company, both at a hierarchical and economic level."
People who reach this level of studies are very clear that the added value of the master's degree is not only focused on the subject programme. "Another advantage is that you always expand your network of contacts," explains Jesús Guodemar. “It is true that for this you must get involved, relate more and make the most of that year. Most of the professionals who work in this field are active academics or professionals in their field who can help you at any time”.
Among the variety of profiles that usually fill the classrooms, students can find opportunities that would otherwise be more difficult to access. "In the master's degree, I obtained links with companies and institutions with which I later had the opportunity to do professional internships," recalls Felipe Malter.
There is a sector that accesses these studies for more personal reasons, such as "the desire to know, the acquisition of new knowledge or intellectual restlessness in other areas that they have not been able to develop throughout their career," explains Félix Suárez. "They are professionals who have carried out their profession for a long period of time and have the curiosity and desire to continue learning and exploring new training options."
