In the 2022-2023 academic year, 276,518 students completed a master's degree at a Spanish university, 51% in a public center and 49% in a private one, according to data from the Ministry of Universities. The same source indicates that the most in-demand master's degrees were those in Social and Legal Sciences, with 162,779 students enrolled last year. These are followed by Engineering and Architecture (51,137 students enrolled); Health Sciences (31,613); Arts and Humanities (20,408) and Sciences (10,581). Studying a master's degree helps you successfully enter the labor market. Nine out of ten people who have completed it find work. Nursing and Health is the area with the highest job placement rate (95%). On the other hand, Philosophy and History have the lowest index (83%), according to the results of the latest study “Job insertion of university graduates”, carried out by the Agència per a la Qualitat del Sistema Universitari de Catalunya (AQU Catalunya).
The data indicates that people with more training are more likely to find work, and achieve it in the field in which they have studied. The AQU survey also shows that 58% of people who have completed a master's degree and work full time have a gross salary of more than 2,000 euros per month. Taking a master's degree is a personal choice that responds to different motivations. Among these, wanting to improve training specialization or professional skills stands out. In general, it is not mandatory to complete a master's degree after completing undergraduate studies, but it is an essential requirement if you want to access a doctoral program or in the case of practicing a regulated profession that requires it, such as that of a lawyer or architect, among others.
Educaweb experts offer different reasons for embarking on increasing training with third cycle studies:
1. Acquire advanced training in a specific discipline that allows you to specialize professionally or academically.
2.Complement university studies in other areas of interest.
3. Expand the network of contacts and extend the network of relationships with colleagues, teachers and professionals in the sector, surely all of them active professionals who can be of great help for the future professional career.
4.Differentiate yourself in the labor market. Expanding knowledge in a field means, in turn, improving professional skills and differentiating yourself from the rest when applying for a job.
5.Reorient professional career. Acquiring new skills or learning about new areas of research with possibilities of professional application can open the way to other fields if you want to change jobs.
6.Make an investment for the future. Postgraduate studies allow you to increase your chances of obtaining a good job. Thus, the investment made is profitable with access to a job more suited to the interests and training received. In addition, some centers offer scholarships and aid, as well as subsidies and credits to access these studies.
7. Obtain a new perspective, in the sense of enriching preparation beyond the university academic world and obtaining more practical knowledge to approach the job market.
8.Access doctoral studies. In order to complete a doctorate, it is necessary to have previously completed an official master's degree.
9.Work in a regulated profession. If you wish to practice in a regulated profession, such as law, teaching in secondary education or general health psychology, it is essential to complete a qualifying master's degree.
10.Train by studying abroad. If during your undergraduate studies you have not had the opportunity to study abroad, taking a master's degree abroad is a good opportunity to live the experience, improve your knowledge of a foreign language and acquire new skills.
“Although it is not mandatory, a master's degree can be a differentiating element in the curriculum vitae when applying for a job,” considers Francisca Robles, psychologist and career counselor. Furthermore, it is indicative of the motivation and interest that the person has to update their knowledge and delve deeper into certain areas of the sector. “Studying a master's or postgraduate degree is further proof that a person has an active attitude towards planning their professional career and is committed to lifelong learning, training that has proven necessary throughout life,” he adds. Oak trees. The current third cycle offer is very wide and varied, and ranges from official master's degrees and continuing education courses, to specialization diplomas, university expert diplomas and doctoral programs, in face-to-face, blended and online modalities.
There are four sectors in which the demand for master's degrees has increased in recent years. One is digital professions, where changing consumer trends and the health crisis have forced brands to reach customers through other channels. Demand has also increased for engineering programs related to the Internet and information management, such as big data, data science, cybersecurity, software development and web applications, among others. A third area is project management and agile methods to apply new, more flexible methodologies in all sectors of activity: pharmaceutical, food, engineering, architecture or marketing.
The fourth area includes the application of technology in different sectors or functional areas such as SAP or BIM. The vast majority of master's degrees require that the student have a university degree that accredits access to it with a certain level of knowledge. In certain circumstances, experienced professionals without degrees may be qualified; In this case, they are granted a certificate of achievement instead of the master's degree. Most degree studies consist of 240 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) credits and last four years (although there are some with 180 credits and up to 360). Master's degrees, on the other hand, can have between 60 and 120 credits and require a period of one to two years to complete.
Five recommendations to take into account before
and during the registration process that, according to the
center, can be done in person or online. (It is impossible to establish a registration calendar, since each faculty or entity that organizes a master's degree establishes its own dates for registration and start of the course. It is best to check the dates on the master's website and follow the instructions to complete the procedures. However, we detail some important steps that should be taken into account):
1. LEARN ABOUT REGISTRATION DATES
When you have confirmation of admission, find out the dates and place of registration. In some master's degrees, registration is in person, at the faculty that teaches it, while in others it is online. In interuniversity and Erasmus Mundus, you must find out in which participating university the registration process is carried out.
2. REVIEW THE DOCUMENTATION
The organizer of each master's degree will specify the documentation required for registration. It is also important to find out the necessary documentation if you are entitled to any bonus or free tuition fee.
3. ASSIST ACADEMIC TUTORING
The master's coordination usually organizes individual or group tutoring to specify the subjects, the itineraries or to address other issues related to the master's studies. Find out when they take place and where.
4. MATRICÚLATE
If registration is in person, find out about the time, place and registration process. If it is online, consult the online registration manual of the center where you will take your master's degree.
5. KNOW THE PAYMENT METHODS
Tuition can be paid by direct debit or by credit or debit card. Ask if it must be made in a single payment, or the registration payment can be paid in installments (according to the established deadlines). Payment can also be made by taking out a loan. With the registration simulator you can check the amount of the same. Also see how to apply for a scholarship.
