There are more than 1,000 universities in the United States that offer graduate degrees, so plenty of time is needed to conduct thorough research about potential graduate schools and programs. You should begin your search approximately 18 to 24 months prior to the academic year in which you hope to enroll at a U.S. college or university.
Study and learning are more self-directed at the graduate level than the undergraduate level. You must have obtained or are about to obtain an undergraduate degree to apply for a graduate degree.
Graduate education is characterized by in-depth training and specialized instruction. The two main graduate degrees in the United States are the
master’s degree and the
doctoral degree. Both degrees involve a combination of research and coursework.
- Master's Degree
- Typically results in a Master of Arts (MA) or Master of Science (MS)
- Two-year course of study
- Need an undergraduate degree, and usually some selected pre-requisite courses, although usually your undergraduate major is flexible
- Many programs will require the GRE
- Receiving a Master’s will require completing a thesis or a capstone project, or taking an exam
- Doctoral Degree
- Typically results in a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD)
- Between four and six-year course of study
- Need a graduate degree, and usually some selected pre-requisite courses, although usually your graduate major is flexible
- Some programs allow you to enter directly into a PhD from your undergraduate degree. These programs will require you to write a thesis or pass a Master’s level exam in order to obtain a Master’s degree in pursuit of your PhD
- Many programs will require the GRE
- Receiving a PhD will require writing a dissertation based on original research and defending it in front of a faculty committee.
- Post-Doctoral Fellowship
After completing a PhD, a student can apply for post-doctoral fellowships. These are paid research positions, typically on a one year contract. The university professor, consortium, department, or laboratory that sponsors the post-doctoral fellowship may require research in a very specific area or may allow you to explore your own research further.
Resources
As you review these resources it’s important to
keep your interests and priorities in mind. Ask yourself questions about where you envision spending your years of graduate education. What kind of community would you like to live in? How important to you is campus life? What research environment are you looking for?
As you narrow your search, create a plan to fund your education. Go to
STEP 2:
Funding your Studies, for more information.
