6 reasons to do a second Master’s degree

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How much does one person have to study to get ahead in life?! You studied hard and completed your bachelor’s degree(unless either learning came easy to you or you spent your college days in a haze :)). Then, you realised that a bachelor’s degree just isn’t enough and did a master’s degree. And now I am here giving you reasons to do a second master’s degree!

When does the learning end?!

Photo by Yogendra Singh on Unsplash.

The answer to this question is – NEVER. You may not need to do a second master’s degree, but you always need to keep learning or you will be left behind. One of my professors used to say – “learning is growing”. Thinking back, everything this professor said was for our benefit, and most of us were too naive to recognise it. Hindsight is twenty-twenty, and today, I look back and appreciate all the staff who put in the effort to impart knowledge to us.   

I apologise for going off on a tangent, but I wanted all of us to think back and appreciate the teachers who gave a damn!

Back to the blog topic – When I first did my degrees, I barely knew what my interests were, let alone where life would take me. There are, of course, some of us here who have everything worked out, mapped and dated; that is surely not me, and I am guessing, not most people.

So, here are SIX reasons why you should consider getting a second master’s degree:

Get yourself that 2nd Master’s degree. Photo by MD Duran on Unsplash.

Aligning your qualifications with life

Let’s say you have a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s in accounting but somehow ended up with a career in marketing. No idea how it happened, but it happened to you. So, now you have a successful career in marketing but don’t have a formal qualification to back you up. What impact will it have on your career, maybe nothing, or perhaps you will miss out on your next promotion? Besides, it is nice to understand the theories behind what you do every day. It might lead you to enlightenment and make you a marketing guru.

Adding value to what you are doing

So, you have been a nurse for more than 20 years. You did your BSc in general nursing, and then a master’s in critical care. You have worked hard and now you are a nursing manager. While you are still a nurse, your job description has changed. Now you are less a nurse and more a manager. Getting a master’s degree that aligns with your current job profile adds knowledge to what you are doing and adds value to your organisation and yourself.

Change is the only constant

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash.

Business is so dynamic. The way we do things can change overnight and multiple times a year. Technology is constantly evolving. Marketing strategies are constantly changing. You need to stay current, or you will become obsolete. While it is beneficial and even required to do short courses to keep your knowledge updated, a master’s degree from a reputed college is still a MASTER’S DEGREE! Not only will a degree add knowledge, but it will also keep your qualifications updated.  

Staying competitive

Every year hundreds of thousands of students graduate with a master’s degree. I am sure many of these bright-eyed and bushy-tailed youngsters have also joined your organisations. In addition, there is an increasing number of experienced and highly qualified professionals, constantly on the lookout for greener pastures. They are your competition, the people looking to cut the line in front of you. A new master’s degree will keep your knowledge up to date and your qualification current and relevant. And when it’s time for that new job or promotion, it will make all the difference.

Career change

What you are doing is not what you wanted to do, and you are not happy at all. No job satisfaction! A second master’s degree will make you a more desirable prospect to hire. Not only will it add a more current qualification to your resume, thereby adding value to your work experience, but it will also showcase your work ethos. It shows that you are dedicated to your career and are willing to work on developing it.

Networking

Networking Online. Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash.

It is said that your college friends are friends for life – Not relevant here, but the point I am making is the opportunity to network at university can seldom be matched anywhere else. You will have access to not only your coursemates but also to the alumni network of the college and the university. There is a loyalty that exists between the college/university alumni that are seldom found in professional circles.

So, which master’s programme is right for you? Not a question I can answer via a blog post, I’m afraid, but if you want to find out, you can get in touch with our team of admission advisers who can have a look at your profile and give you some advice.

Explore the number of specialised master’s degree programmes Robert Kennedy College offers through exclusive partnerships with top British universities. Or, if you have already made up your mind, click here to apply.

Unable to focus when studying? Here are 3 tips that may help you focus!

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With age comes wisdom. By and large, the saying holds true, with a few exceptions – I am sure many of us know someone in our lives who hasn’t learnt from their mistakes. But this blog is not about introspection, or learning from one’s mistakes, or even about changing the past. It is about learning to focus when studying.

However, when I thought about writing this blog, it got me thinking about my childhood and the student I was; it got me introspecting. I remember sitting in my study and trying to focus on my textbook, and I remember all I needed was the slightest distraction to get completely distracted. Even when I read, I was just going through the motions and not really focusing or even trying to understand what I was trying to study.

It got so bad that even my parents realised I wasn’t focusing on what I was studying, and I remember the day before some exams, my mother would come to the study and offer to read the textbook for me. I don’t think I have ever thanked my parents for all the support they have given me, so thank you, mom and dad, for all you have done for me.

There goes my focus! Let’s get back on topic, shall we?

FOCUS! Photo by Stefan Cosma on Unsplash

What is focus?

In the simplest terms, focus is the ability to do a task without getting distracted.

Focus (or attention span), like most other human habits, can be trained and developed. The easiest things to develop are bad habits as it is usually fast and easy. But focus/concentration/attention span – whatever you want to call it, will take hard work and dedication.

“The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus.”

Bruce Lee

Our mind is, after all, a muscle, and so is trainable. The following are 3 simple tips that should get you started on the path of training your focus.

1. Take responsibility

Don’t wait for a sign from heaven to take responsibility for your life! Photo by Austin Chan on Unsplash

Human beings like to deflect responsibility. If we take on the responsibility of a particular task, like, let’s say, studying a particular subject at a specific time, then the responsibility of completing the said task is in our hands. There may have been several reasons that distracted you and prevented you from completing the task… wrong! You allowed yourself to be distracted, and you failed to complete the task. So, stop making excuses and get back in the driver’s seat of your life!

A good way to understand what I am trying to say here is by imagining yourself on a long road trip, and you find yourself in the backseat of the car. For most of us, it is just a matter of time before we fall asleep. Now, keeping all conditions the same, only you find yourself in the driver’s seat, you will find yourself more focused, alert, and determined to drive the car to the best of your ability.

So, take responsibility, get on the driver’s seat, and you will find yourself able to focus a lot better.

2. Practice

Attention is a muscle, and like every other muscle, it needs to be trained and worked out to develop. Malcolm Gladwell, the author of Outliers, wrote that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert in anything. He said 10,000 hours of “deliberate practice” are needed to become world-class in any field.

We have many distractions around us that prevent us from focusing on the task at hand, and more often than not, we give in to those distractions. We do it so often that in the end, we become experts in ‘getting distracted’.

So, how do you go about training attention?

Let’s start with a simple exercise. Let’s start with a 10-minute exercise. Go to your study, just with a notebook and a sheet of paper to note down all your distractions. Leave all distractions (mobile phones, storybooks, food, etc.) outside. To start with, choose your favourite subject and take study material only for that subject and only what you will be able to cover in 10-minutes.

Time yourself. 10-minutes, that all it takes. Photo by Aron Visuals on Unsplash

Start reading the study material actively, making notes and asking questions to better understand the subject. In the middle of this active study session, if anything distracting pops into your mind, make a note of it immediately in the distraction sheet, and return to your studies immediately. And once the 10-minutes is done, stop. Close your study material and leave the study.

Gradually try increasing the number of these 10-minute slots, rather than increasing the duration of study. If you find yourself unable to focus during these slots and cannot refocus, stop the session early and walk away. 

You will find you can cover as much in 10 minutes of focused effort as what you would usually have covered in an hour previously.

3. Health and rewards

We have covered most of this in detail in our earlier blogs, and I will link them here – eat healthily and exercise your body. To keep motivated, reward yourself, even in small ways. On completing tasks, realise that you have, and acknowledge this fact! Stand up and dance like nobody’s watching!

I hope these tips will help in getting you started on focusing on your tasks better. We would love to hear from you about what helped you with improving your focus.

If you are ready to start your online studies, chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on all the 100% online master’s degree programmes we offer and the application process.

Age is just a number! It is never too late to learn.

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I went all the way from kindergarten to MBA without a break. I am sure there are a lot of you out there who might have done the same. Looking back, I began to realise that I did not value the education I got. I don’t think it was even the education I wanted.  

Kindergarten to University

On the other hand, I know that a vast majority of people in this world are not as blessed as I was and don’t even have access to basic education. Whatever the reason people miss out on an education – social, cultural, economic, familial responsibility, geographical, political, etc., it is never too late to get an education, especially if you are driven for success.

Human beings have started to live longer lives now than at any time in our history – the miracle of modern technology. We try our best to shorten our lives – global warming, deforestation, polluting the planet, genetically modifying food (there are both pros and cons here), hunting animal species to extension, wars, etc. Still, we find ways to work around these self-created issues and extend our lives. This means gone are the days when you could retire at 60 and hope to live out the rest of your days in peace and happiness. Today, you will most likely run out of money.

Celebrating RKC 2018 Graduates @ York St John University

I have started this blog by listing three points that I feel are relevant to why mature students go back to school:

  1. Got yourself a degree that is not in line with your dreams or career growth path
  2. Did not get the education that you think you deserved (due to reasons out of your control at that time)
  3. Need to stay relevant and competitive in today’s work environment by adding value to yourself

Once you have decided to go back to school, there are several points you have to consider. Ask yourself:

  1. Which programme works for you? Which will add the most value to you?
  2. What certificate do you want to get – bachelor/master’s degree, professional certification, etc.?
  3. Do you want to study full-time, part-time, or online?
  4. From which university do you want your degree and why?
  5. Work-Family-Education balance, can you do it and how?
  6. How much do you want to spend? Can you make space for the programme in your budget?

So, you have decided on your budget, the programme, the university, worked out a study plan and budgeted for the additional expense. But now, there are a few more challenges or fears that have cropped up, and you are not alone. The following are four challenges/fears that most mature students face and suggestions for overcoming them.

  1. Learning to learn again: While it might be a few years since you last studied, you haven’t been wasting your time. You have been learning your job and gaining confidence and proficiency in it. Use this confidence to get back in the groove of learning; it is like riding a bike, you never forget. And the fact that you are back to learning as a mature student speaks volumes for your motivation. Also, you won’t be the only mature student – work together as a group to overcome your fears. 
  2. Fear of assignments: Assignments can be daunting. Researching, referencing, planning, writing, and submitting a 5000-words assignment on time can scare anyone, especially if you have never done it before or if it has been many years since you last had to do it. The fact is, like any skill, assignment writing can be learnt. Maybe do a short course on how to research and write an assignment before joining the programme, or if that is not an option, you can find plenty of “how-to” videos online. Ask your professors for help and pro-tips – that is one reason they are there, to help. Ask your fellow students how they do it. But at the end of the day, the only way to gain proficiency in any skill is to do it.
  3. Work-Family-Education balance: In my opinion, this is the one point that will constantly be a bother. You start with a plan, but like Field Marshal Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke said, “no plan survives first contact with the enemy”. So, keep an eye on the situation and evolve your plans accordingly. Life is change, adapt or get left behind.
  4. Don’t have the skills:  This may or may not be accurate, but if you think like this, then what you don’t have is confidence. Remember, all skills can be learnt, which is why you are here to learn. You have work and life experience, which typical on-campus, fresh-out-of-school students might not have. Use it, you will find you are more skilled than you think. And always remember, this was your choice, you are already more motivated than most to do well.  
Gregory Foster, one of RKC’s mature students who graduated from the University of Cumbria with an MBA in Leadership and Sustainability, received the university’s Postgraduate Student of the Year prize in 2018

Don’t forget your motivation for choosing to learn again. Choosing to become a mature student. 

If you have chosen to learn, then Chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on all the management and business law programmes we offer (Bachelor and Master’s degrees) and the application process. I hope to one day be able to feature your story on our blog!