Graduate school students often collaborate to conduct research.
People go back to school after completing a bachelor's degree for a variety of reasons. They may want to get advanced training in their fields, land better jobs, start completely new careers, further their understanding of a subject or escape 9-to-5 environments for a while. Graduate schools tailor their program offerings to these and other goals.
Career Preparation
According to the 2007 QS Postgraduate Applicant survey, the top reason people decide to go to grad school is to improve their career prospects, with 67 percent of survey respondents selecting this as their reason for applying. They may want to obtain more knowledge about their chosen profession before entering the workforce full-time, or they may need to have a master's degree or a Ph.D. to get the kind of job they want. Graduate schools aim to provide these students with the training they need to land a job in their field that will lead to a prosperous career.
Research
The primary purpose of graduate school is to conduct research. Graduate students are expected to participate in projects, experiments and studies, either by assisting a professor in his research or by conducting their own original research. Students may be required to complete a thesis or dissertation, which are papers on a research topic. This research is used to further understanding of specific subjects in the field.
Professional Development
Nearly 5 million American workers were laid off during the 2008-2009 recession, causing many people with several years or even decades of work experience to apply to grad school. Because of this, many schools have seen significant increases in the number of applications they have received over the past several years. For example, the number of applications to Texas Christian University's business school increased by 42 percent in 2009 over the previous year's figures. These applicants have decided to pursue advanced degrees because they want to earn a raise or promotion at new jobs, want to ride out the recession by taking a break from work or have decided to pursue completely new fields in which they have little or no training. Graduate schools provide these students with classes on their subject matters of choice and encourage them to present papers at industry conferences and to publish their research in academic journals to gain accolades that will advance their careers.
Industry Enhancement
Graduate school programs seek to enhance their industries by not only conducting research in the subjects, but by developing professional relationships with key industry players. Thirty-seven percent of survey respondents to the 2007 QS Postgraduate Applicant survey cited "building a professional network" as a significant reason for deciding to attend grad school. To accomplish this, schools may invite executives to speak to students, develop mentorship or internship programs with local companies or connect professors with media outlets to give expert opinions on relevant news stories. They aim to elevate the profile of their industries in an effort to improve their own reputations and to make it easier for their students to obtain jobs after graduation.
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