Sometimes college students major in liberal arts with the notion that they will eventually find some more specialized field they click with. If, however, a student was not able to find a particular niche and went on to graduate with a liberal arts degree, a master’s degree in something more specific is an excellent way to round out an education. Here are four of the more well paying options available:
Master in Business Administration
Graduates who are looking to make serious money in the corporate world need look no further than a good M.B.A. Liberal arts graduates will find their exposure to a wide number of academic disciplines is helpful in the business world. Buzz phrases such as “thinking outside the box” or “synergy oriented” may be cheesy, but the need for business people who can actually look at things differently rather than simply recite management strategies they learned from a textbook is immense.
This is a good degree to consider for students who are driven, enjoy challenges, who work well in a team, and who have some leadership skills. Do well in an M.B.A. program and expect recruiters from a wide variety of businesses to be calling.
Master in Clinical Psychology
Many colleges offer master’s programs in psychology even if it was not a major or minor in undergraduate studies.(1) As long as the basic psychology courses were taken as an undergrad, acceptance into a master’s program should not be a problem.
As to the “clinical” part, most U.S. programs focus on counseling and treatment instead of research, so graduates with these degrees usually go into practice as therapists. This is a great degree for somebody look to help others while at the same time earning a good living. Immense patience and the ability to listen well are definitely required for this career.
Master of Fine Arts
While the fine arts might call to mind painting or music, there are plenty of opportunities available in the world of art for those who are good writers or want to get involved in publishing. Most M.F.A. degrees specify a certain area of the arts(e.g., film, dance, non-fiction writing, etc.), so there is no need to learn about famous 19th century dancers if the purpose of the degree is to get into the writing field.
Writing or communicating well will always be a prized quality in any business. From books to business proposals, being able to write well can give a student with an M.F.A. an enormous number of good paying career options. Getting accepted into an M.F.A. program for writing will generally require some good quality writing samples or a portfolio.(2)
Master in Public Administration
Consider this a M.B.A. for learning the business side of the non-corporate world. M.P.A. students are taught policies and practices of public sector fields like education, transportation, and environmental practices.
For those looking for the challenge of business without the corporate dog-eat-dog mentality, this may be a better fit than an M.B.A. An M.P.A. will provide plenty of opportunities for the liberal arts graduate looking for something just a bit out of the ordinary.
Frances Coakley is a clinical psychologist and guest author at The Best Master’s Degrees, a site with guides and information on top-rated master’s degree programs online.
