Studying a particular subject, such as theories and patterns of intercultural communication, in great depth and thinking, researching, and writing critically on what others have discovered can provide excitement, challenge, and serious work. Some communications majors have loved this aspect of their academic work and want to continue that activity.
Others go on to graduate school for purely practical reasons; they have examined employment prospects in their field of study, and all indications are that a graduate degree is requisite. If you have earned a B.A. in communications as a stepping stone to a career in law or the foreign service, going on for further training becomes mandatory. As a B.A.-level speech pathologist, you realize you cannot become state certified without a master's degree. A review of jobs in different areas will suggest that at least a masters degree in the media, in editing, writing, or publishing can be a good source of what degree level the fields are hiring. Ask your college career office for some alumni names, and give them a telephone call. Prepare some questions on specific job prospects in their field at each degree level. A thorough examination of the marketplace and a conversation with employers and professors will give you a sense of the scope of employment for a bachelor s degree, masters degree, or doctorate.
College teaching will require and advanced degree. Ad-vertising might demand specialization in an additional field (computers, graphic design, and so forth). Editing and publishing and other fields may well put a premium on the advanced degree because the market is over-supplied and the employer can afford to make this demand.
CONSIDER YOUR MOTIVES
The answer to the question of "Why graduate school?" is a personal one for each applicant. Nevertheless, it is important to consider your motives carefully. Graduate school involves additional time out of the employment market, a high level of critical evaluation, significant autonomy as you pursue your studies, and considerable financial expenditure. For some students in doctoral programs, there may be additional life choice issues, such as relationships, marriage, and parenthood, that may present real challenges while in a program of study. You would be well advised to consider the following questions as you think about your decision to continue your studies.
Are You Postponing Some Tough Decisions by Going to School?
Graduate school is not a place to go to avoid life's problems. There is intense competition for graduate school slots and for the fellowships, scholarships, and financial aid available. This competition means extensive interviewing, resume submission, and essay writing that rivals corporate recruitment. Likewise, the graduate school process is a mentored one in which faculty stay aware of and involved in the academic progress of their students and continually challenge the quality of their work. Many graduate students are called upon to participate in teaching and professional writing and research as well.
In other words, this is no place to hide from the spotlight. Graduate students work very hard and much is demanded of them individually. If you elect to go to graduate school to avoid the stresses and strains of the "real world," you will find no safe place in higher academics. Vivid accounts, both fictional and nonfictional, have depicted quite accurately the personal and professional demands of graduate school work.
The selection of graduate studies as a career option should be a positive choice-something you want to do. It shouldn't be selected as an escape from other, less attractive or more challenging options, nor should it be selected as the option of last resort (i.e., "I can't do anything else; I'd better just stay in school."). If you're in some doubt about the strength of your reasoning about continuing in school, discuss the issues with a career counselor. Together you can clarify your reasoning, and you'll get some sound feedback on what you're about to undertake.
On the other hand, staying on in graduate school because of a particularly poor employment market and a lack of jobs at entry-level positions has proved to be an effective "stalling" strategy. If you can afford it, pursuing a graduate degree immediately after your undergraduate education gives you a year or two to "wait out" a difficult economic climate, while at the same time acquiring a potentially valuable credential.
Have You Done Some "Hands-On" Reality Testing?
There are experiential options available to give some reality to your decisionmaking process about graduate school. Internships or work in the field can give you a good idea about employment demands, conditions, and atmosphere.
Perhaps, as a communications major, you're considering going on to law school. An internship or summer job in a law firm will put you in contact with practicing attorneys and may help to define for you exactly what attorneys do. Even with the experience of only one law firm, you have a stronger concept of the pace of the job, interaction with colleagues, subject matter, and opportunities for specialization. Talking to people and asking questions is invaluable as an exercise to help you better understand the objective of your graduate study.
For communications majors especially, the opportunity to do this kind of reality testing is invaluable. It demonstrates far more authoritatively than any other method what your real-world skills are, how they can be put to use, and what aspect of your academic preparation you rely on. It has been well documented that communications majors do well in occupations once they identify them. Internships and co-op experiences speed that process up and prevent the frustrating and expensive process of investigation many graduates begin only after graduation.
There are several important factors in coming to a sound decision about the right graduate program for you. You'll want to begin by locating institutions that offer appropriate programs, examining each of these programs and their requirements, undertaking the application process by reviewing catalogs and obtaining application materials, visiting campuses if possible, arranging for letters of recommendation, writing your application statement, and, finally, following up on your applications.
