If you are interested in obtaining a graduate degree, you may have some questions about what your options exactly are. Since a graduate degree will costs you a considerable amount of money in tuition, fees, and possibly room and board, you will want to be sure you are getting the education that you actually want and need. There are basically two types of graduate degrees: those that give you professional skills, and those that prepare you for academic and research purposes.

Professional Skills Graduate Degrees

Graduate programs such as medicine, law, counseling, or business training give students very specific training to work in their chosen fields. These degree programs can last anywhere from two to four academic years, and usually include intensive internships or apprenticeships. Usually, a graduate of one of these professional degree programs will take a certification exam at the end of their studies in order to obtain licensure to be able to practice in a chosen state. Competition for professional graduate programs is sometimes quite fierce; so be sure that you have maintained a high undergraduate G.P.A. and have scored well on all entrance exams. There are a limited number of both professional degree-granting institutions, and the number of available student spots, so prepare as early as possible.

Academic Graduate Programs

Another type of graduate degree is the type that is intended to give the students academic and research skills necessary to contribute to their field of study. Many graduates of these programs continue on to work in various academic institutions as either lecturers or researchers. Before you decide to enter a program such as advanced study in a liberal arts program, ask yourself if you are going to want to complete such tasks as designing research studies and writing academic papers-two of the most common tasks associated with a career academic,

Sometimes teachers in secondary education will also obtain an advanced degree in their field in order to improve their classroom instruction and content area knowledge base. While many holders of these types of graduate degrees do not experience a large improvement in their salaries; they often enjoy the intellectual satisfaction of gaining further knowledge. Not every university will offer advanced graduate degrees, so be sure that you research several universities until you find one that has the instruction you need to meet your academic and career goals.