Looking for a graduate program? Try looking close to home
Written by Patricia Sampley Krupnikoff
It’s hard to imagine the future sometimes. Current college seniors may be thinking of job hunting, resumes, and interviews in order to secure a position upon college graduation. After all, isn’t that what most college students have spent their lives preparing to do: find gainful employment after years of education? However, one possible pathway to consider is actually to head back to school.
That’s right: graduate school!
While paying for college costs enough these days, it’s challenging to think about attaining yet another degree. For some professions, finding a job with a Bachelor’s degree is sufficient preparation. Conversely, other careers may require more training and expertise, such as Law, Medicine, Psychology or Education. Even if you are starting right after graduation or jumping back into “school mode” with a few years out of the classroom, grad schools offer an array of options to enhance skills. This is what my youngest daughter, that current college senior, is contemplating for life after next May. After four years of undergrad study, she is reviewing all the possibilities. Ironically, I recall being in her exact place as a senior in college. Similarly, those who just graduated this past May might be thinking the same thing. Luckily, right here in Connecticut, graduate programs exist for students who want everything from continuing their studies, improving their professional skills or even totally switching careers.
Back in the 90s, when I finished my undergrad studies in California, I came East looking for a graduate school. Then, I had to consider: should I major in English again? Maybe Communications or Journalism? Or focus on Education? Although I was fortunate enough to have my parents’ support to attend college in my undergraduate years, it was clear that for graduate school, I was absolutely on my own to search, apply and finance everything. In today’s world, the same premise still exists: doing the research for the right graduate program takes time and analysis, especially if you are the one paying all the costs. A more recent graduate school student, a former neighbor of mine in Farmington, who recently moved to Simsbury, concurs: “I would say the biggest thing is to figure out what you want to do, then research what schools have that grad program.” Just like looking at undergrad colleges, the same process is important in finding the right graduate school program.
Start with Goal Setting and an Honest Timeline
To begin the search for a graduate program, my former neighbor’s point is most important: a prospective grad student must evaluate the expected outcomes. At first, after finishing her undergrad degree at Quinnipiac University, she thought she wanted to pursue law school, yet that experience did not satisfy her, “I realized law school was not for me.” Eventually, she returned to her original area of study in Criminal Justice. After completing her master’s degree in 2023, she is now working as a crime analyst. Luckily, she still found a grad program that worked for her in the end, but her point is significant about setting goals early.
Additionally, if you don’t really know what you wish to accomplish in the first place, then attending graduate school may not be a productive experience either. However, if you are simply adding to your undergrad degree, then it may not take as long to determine that sense of purpose. No matter what, exploring the final outcome is an important first step. This is what my youngest daughter is checking as she formulates her future plans. In all, because of the time and cost, starting with the end will save time, money, and effort later.
Furthermore, because a prospective graduate student is taking away potential earning time, it must be worthwhile in the long term. While attending medical school or law school infers that one must be fully devoted to full-time studies, not all other programs require that same expectation.
Therefore, setting specific goals must be at the heart of going to graduate school. For example, my youngest daughter is a lifelong athlete, who combined her interest in sports with studying finance.
With the current rise of multiple sports in society, we are seeing more participants and fans emerge, creating more jobs. Nearby University of New Haven is one such graduate school to consider. As Assistant Professor of Practice of Sport Management J.W. Stewart puts it, “Graduate school is a commitment: time, money, and hard work. But the return on investment for our University of New Haven Sport Management grad students is clear: they are better than ready to succeed in the competitive sport management industry.” Though one may be taking time away from earning a salary, the pay out later can prove beneficial financially.
As well, Stewart is right about how to view a graduate school experience: expect this to take time. Even though there are many programs that are marketed as “Accelerated” or promise completion in one year, the student must actually make that happen. So, if you are trying to work 40 hours a week and attend graduate school, but expect to finish in a short time, it may not be successful.
Establishing a timeline for completion and financial support sincerely helps. Most programs today anticipate this in graduate students. Dr. Erica Brilhart, Executive Director of Graduate & Professional Studies at the University of Hartford, describes, “The University of Hartford is pleased to offer more than 60 graduate programs that align with the career goals and lifestyles of our students. Knowing that many of our students are also maintaining successful careers and managing busy personal lives, our programs are available in multiple modalities, including online and part-time programs.” Once you find the right timeframe, finding the right program and correlating curriculum comes next.
Finding the Right Fit for Learning
Previously, only “true” scholars attended graduate school in the past. Once more students attended undergraduate programs, the pathway began to include graduate school for more than just doctors and lawyers. With everything to study from Engineering to Music Education, there are also more options available that relate to how one learns best. Once a prospective graduate student determines a timeline, then it’s easier to explore those varying modalities. Dr. Brilhart continues to emphasize the options in today’s graduate programs have transformed, but she notes that these options may have specific requirements. She mentions a program for studying Special Education at University of Hartford is “100% online” which is meant to support those already in the education field; however, she also references programs where classes must be taken on campus: “Physical Therapy is 100% in person.” Amongst learning needs, these considerations can help one find the right graduate program.
Even still, as a result of the Pandemic in 2020, learning online has become one of the main gateways to earning an advanced degree. When my older daughter wanted to continue her work in early childhood education upon graduating from Mitchell College in New London, she looked closely at scheduling and the time of day graduate classes were held. If you don’t learn well at night yet the programs are only offered then, it may not be the best fit. For her learning needs, taking an online class she could complete each morning at her own pace and convenience worked much better, which is what she found at Post University in Waterbury. This flexibility helped her attend full-time, even while living on campus for a year, before finishing online part-time the following semester. Without the online option offered by Post, she may not have found the right fit to earn her Master’s degree in Education.
Look for Industry Connections
If a graduate degree will promote your current field of study or a job you already have, then checking a potential graduate school’s list of industry connections is yet another point to review. In the fields of business, science, and technology, this can be one towards that “better job” you want in the future. Networking is nothing new and making connections can be a big advantage in a graduate school experience. According to Dr. Ceyda Mumcu, Professor and Chair of Sport, Tourism, and Hospitality Management as well as Coordinator for the MS in Sport Management at the Pompea College of Business at the University of New Haven, “We have a strong alumni base both in pro sports and college sports, as well as in sport marketing and media. It is a close-knit group that supports our current students via mentorship, internships, professional development, and job placement. Having a strong network and industry experience are keys to success in the industry.
We target both of these heavily through program-funded extracurricular initiatives such as nationwide competitions, volunteer work experiences, industry engagements, SBV partnership, NY Mets partnership, and more.” With these connections, grad students can follow one of a few options, Dr. Memcu elaborates: “We offer MS Sport Management with three concentrations. MS SMGT – general concentration 30 credits; MS SMGT – college athletic administration concentration 30 credits; MS SMGT – business analytics concentration (STEM certified) 36 credits.” This way, students make connections in the direction they are studying and build professional relationships along the way. Other fields have similar programs, but looking closely at the partnerships and business alliances that are already in place makes the choice worthwhile.
Finding the Right Instructors
Everyone learns in different ways and with different goals in mind. However, one key component in all of education normally comes down to meeting and connecting with the right professor. Finding programs with professors who offer the most of their own educational background, experience in the field, and/or expertise adds to selecting the right graduate program. When Assistant Professor of Practice of Sport Management, J.W. Stewart, was asked about what he likes best about instructing at the graduate level, he replied thoughtfully: “What I enjoy most about teaching in our University of New Haven Sport Management program are the experiential education opportunities we make available to our grad students. Students learn best by doing and that is true inside and outside of the classroom.” Stewart certainly spends a lot of time with these students in building their skills, connecting them to industry professionals and supporting their expected graduation plans. After all, curating these relationships is a skill all by itself. Currently, my youngest daughter is looking for a grad program where she will find instructors with solid experience in their respective fields, supported by awards or accolades in the industry. During lectures or discussions in the classroom, she wants to hear from these professors particularly. Checking the student to professor ratios and/or class sizes is another way to determine if the program works. Even if the class is online and/or a hybrid model, knowing how many students are in classes helps to see how much time a future professor will have for each student, which can make a difference.
Campus Tours, Virtual Overviews, Open Houses or Personal Visits
While graduate programs may offer many options for learning, getting onto a specific campus shows what a university has to offer. Talking to current students, staff and faculty is a way to determine if the program connects to your goals, timeline for completion, budget, and industry connections. Sometimes, one doesn’t have to go too far. Even if you are already learning in an undergrad program, there may be discounts for continuing in the same school after earning an undergrad degree. As well, going to an open house may illustrate everything mentioned so far: how do students interact with professors? What is the timeline for completion and is it realistic for your finances? What about learning modalities? Are there online classes? Are all the classes held in person? At what time? Will the courses offered support career goals? Many of these very questions can be answered by dutiful graduate advisors in the admissions offices of most universities. Just looking at a grad school online may not suffice to answer all those questions though: going to the campus in person can prove highly beneficial when making a final choice.
Earning a graduate degree has largely become a career advantage for most professions, with a strong return on investment (ROI) that can provide benefits in the future. Making a thorough review of possible programs, many that exist in multiple modalities right here in CT, can increase one’s knowledge on the subject, add to a resume and enhance networking options. Whether you want to learn in person, online or a combination of both, getting out to these campuses and talking specifically to advisors about the curriculum, professors, and industry connections can make your graduate experience worthwhile in the end, just as my older daughter experienced already. Only time will tell where my younger daughter goes, but by starting now, she has given herself enough time until next May comes to make a careful decision. Start looking at graduate programs now, right here in Connecticut! VL
