Differences between an Executive Masters Programs & a Masters
- An executive master's is an option for students who have spent some time in the work force.student image by Kurhan from Fotolia.com
A master's degree is a graduate-level degree that can be earned in any number of disciplines. A master's typically requires two years of additional education beyond a bachelor's degree. Some people go into the work force after earning a bachelor's, but they may decide to return to college later in life to pursue graduate education. For those students, an executive master's is often the best fit. The most common executive master's degrees are in business administration, but the degree is also offered in a number of other fields, including technology and leadership. A traditional master's is available in almost any field of study. - An executive master's program is available to working professionals who are usually mid-level managers looking to get ahead in their field by earning a graduate degree. Executive master's candidates have usually worked in the field for a few years and bring that real world experience to the classroom. A standard master's degree student may have spent some time working in a chosen career but is usually a younger student who is continuing on with her education soon after finishing up an undergraduate degree. Some executive master's programs require a certain number of years of work experience prior to accepting students into the program.
- Executive master's program classes are offered at times that will allow for students to attend school after working at a day job. Night, weekend or online classes are quite common, as many of executive master's students do not leave their jobs while pursuing the higher degree. Master's program students are essentially full-time students, attending classes during the day like any other student on campus. They might have a job to assist in paying for college, but their primary day job is student.
- The nature of executive master's programs does not lend itself to the typical book work that goes into a master's degree program. Master's students learn through lecture, but they also learn through group projects and research about their field of study. Executive master's students are usually in time-intensive sessions either on multiple weekends or at night in which the background and experience of each class member changes the nature of the discussion. The course work in an executive master's program is specifically designed to use the experience of working professionals to enhance the businesses in which they work through collaboration and critical thinking. A traditional master's program works to develop the same skills, but the curriculum is based on what other people and organizations have done and how that might apply to the students' future job experiences.
