Can’t Choose a Specialization for Your Master’s Degree? Five Ways to Overcome This Dilemma.

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Choosing a specialization for your Master’s degree is a significant decision that can shape your future career and personal development. However, with numerous options available, this choice can often feel overwhelming. If you find yourself stuck in this dilemma, here are five practical ways to help you make an informed decision:

1. Self-Assessment: Understanding Your Interests and Strengths

Before diving into specific specializations, take the time to reflect on your interests and strengths. This self-assessment can provide valuable insights into which areas might be the best fit for you.

List subjects or activities that genuinely excite you. Photo Credit: Canva.com
  • Interest Inventory: List subjects or activities that genuinely excite you. Consider what topics you enjoy reading about, discussing, or engaging with in your free time.
  • Strengths Analysis: Identify your core strengths. Are you more analytical or creative? Do you excel in research or hands-on projects? Understanding your natural talents can guide you towards a specialization that aligns with your abilities.
  • Values Clarification: Reflect on your personal values and what you want from your career. Do you prioritize job stability, innovation, social impact, or high earning potential?

2. Research: Exploring Potential Specializations

Once you have a clearer understanding of your interests and strengths, the next step is to research potential specializations. This research will provide you with a better idea of what each specialization entails and how it aligns with your goals.

Reach out to alumni or read their success stories.
  • Program Descriptions: Look at the curriculum and course descriptions of different specializations. Pay attention to the subjects covered, the skills you will develop, and the type of projects you might work on.
  • Career Outcomes: Investigate the career paths associated with each specialization. Look at job titles, industries, and potential employers. Consider the demand for professionals in that field and the long-term career prospects.
  • Alumni Success Stories: Reach out to alumni or read about their experiences. Their career trajectories can offer insights into the real-world applications of the specialization.

3. Networking: Connecting with Professionals and Peers

Networking is an invaluable tool when trying to make a decision about your Master’s specialization. Talking to professionals and peers can provide first-hand information and advice.

Participate in industry events, seminars and conferences. Photo credit: Canva.com
  • Informational Interviews: Schedule interviews with professionals working in fields you are interested in. Ask them about their educational background, how they chose their specialization, and what their day-to-day work entails.
  • Attend Industry Events: Participate in conferences, seminars, and workshops related to potential specializations. These events can offer a wealth of information and networking opportunities.
  • Join Online Communities: Engage with online forums and social media groups related to your areas of interest. These communities can provide support, advice, and insider knowledge.
Engage in online forums. Photo credit: Canva.com

4. Practical Experience: Gaining Hands-On Knowledge

Sometimes, the best way to understand whether a specialization is right for you is to gain practical experience in that field.

  • Internships and Part-Time Jobs: Seek internships or part-time positions related to your potential specializations. These experiences can give you a taste of the work environment and help you assess your fit.
  • Volunteering: Volunteering for projects or organizations in your areas of interest can provide similar insights and also enhance your resume.
  • Shadowing Professionals: Arrange to shadow professionals in your desired fields. This can give you a realistic view of what a career in that specialization looks like.
Volunteer in area of your interest. Photo credit: Canva.com

5. Academic Guidance: Consulting with Advisors and Faculty

Leverage the knowledge and experience of academic advisors and faculty members. Their insights can be crucial in helping you make an informed decision.

Leverage the knowledge and experience of academic advisors and faculty members. Their insights can be crucial in helping you make an informed decision. Photo Credit: Canva.com
  • Advisors: Schedule meetings with academic advisors to discuss your interests and goals. They can provide guidance on which specializations align with your aspirations and help you understand the requirements and opportunities within each program.
  • Faculty: Talk to faculty members who teach in potential specializations. They can offer detailed information about the curriculum, research opportunities, and career prospects.
  • Workshops and Seminars: Attend workshops and seminars hosted by your institution. These events often cover different specializations and can help clarify your options.

Choosing a specialization for your Master’s degree is a pivotal decision that requires careful consideration and planning. By conducting a thorough self-assessment, researching your options, networking with professionals, gaining practical experience, and seeking academic guidance, you can overcome the dilemma and make an informed choice that aligns with your personal and professional goals. Remember, the journey to finding the right specialization is a process, and it’s okay to take your time to ensure you make the best decision for your future.

Can you travel and study at the same time? Here are 6 ways to help you do it!

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The popularity of online studies has been on the rise in recent years, and we have seen so much right here at Robert Kennedy College. With practically our whole student population being in full-time employment, we know the flexibility afforded by online delivery is amongst one of the highest-ranking reasons why people study online. 

I understand how critical it is to have the possibility of being able to access, learn and review course content anytime, from anywhere in the world. Working professionals like yourself have a demanding job and may be required to travel frequently for work.  

Now while it might look pretty simple and easy to study online on the surface, it is actually not quite so. I like to compare this to a duck’s swimming – when you see a duck advancing through water, you probably think calm and grace. Our eyes behold a view of effortless and smooth progression on water. However, under the surface, the duck is paddling frantically to propel itself forward.  

A duck seemingly advancing with no effort through the water 

I do not intend to scare you with this analogy. I want to focus on the duck’s efforts and skills that keep it advancing (keeping afloat is apparently the easy part, for biological reasons, ducks weighing less than the water they displace due to their uropygial gland and air-trapping feathers). Similarly, you can advance smoothly through your studies with the help of planning, foresight, prioritization skills and grit – especially when you are travelling.  

So, here are some tips that will help you stay afloat while planning your studies on the go: 

Plan ahead  

I personally can’t get enough of planning. I sometimes re-plan my plans (ha-ha) just to be sure of how my schedule and week/month looks like. Yes, planning is the key to be able to travel stress-free and balance the commitment of a university course module with the disruption caused by travelling. While you may not always be able to choose your travel times when travelling for work, do take your study calendar into account and redesign your plans accordingly. 

Plan travel around assignments 

Give yourself enough time at each step of your travel plan. To begin with, make sure you do not plan your 15-hour flight across continents a day before your assignment submission. Be wary and give yourself ample time to recover from jetlag. Reversely, if you have little control over your travel plans, advance your deadlines and submit earlier, or look into the administrative processes that may help you get an extension if done in time. 

Arrange your meetings in a way that you have some relaxing peaceful time segments during that day. This will allow you enough time to catch up with your course material and focus on the assignments due. There might be some occasions when you will have to prioritize studies and must skip that social evening with work associates and miss a drink. Reward yourself later when your work is done.  

You can download course material on RKC’s iOS and Android apps

Organize Internet access 

Most of your study materials normally require the internet to access them. You want to avoid situations where you have time to spare but no internet access nor offline materials. Know when you would be in limited connectivity zones and download the necessary course materials ahead of travel. RKC’s iOS and Android apps can help with that. 

As a student, you can also get internet access through the Eduroam network, something most Universities in the world are a part of. You use your home institution’s credentials to login to any “eduroam” WiFi you find (typically in and around University campuses, University and sometimes public libraries). Have a look at the eduroam map before travelling to know if you have this option.

Have reliable technology and back-ups 

While you are travelling you are completely reliant on your laptop, tablet, or phone. Always have your chargers, spare power banks and hard drives to backup data so that you do not lose your work. With the pervasiveness and ease of use of cloud back-ups today, “I lost my laptop/my disk died/etc.” is the equivalent of the “dog ate my homework” of yesteryear. 

Mind the zone 

While our online course materials can be accessed at all times, you may have to be careful of the different time-zones you are travelling to and how it will affect your deadlines (they don’t – your deadlines are always Zürich time!). What a different time zone will affect is when you must submit – so work that out in advance and anticipate the deadline rather than miss it. Another impact of travelling to a different time zone is that last minute questions may receive delayed responses with respect to when you were back home. 

Keep track of your progress 

It is easy to lose track of time when you are travelling and have so many things to manage. In order to make sure you do not fall back on coursework, keep close checks on your schedules and deadlines. While travelling breaks away from the 9 to 5 schedule (or 7 to 7 for the unlucky few) and could offer more flexibility in terms of the time of day you can study, it is helpful to chalk it out. 

Do not fret if you face any technical issues while travelling. Simply reach out to our student care team and they will be happy to help.  

It may feel overwhelming at times to balance work, study and travel. But with adequate preparation ahead of time you can enjoy smooth sailing; gracefully swimming like a duck towards your goals (with more or less frantic paddling). With these simple yet vital study tips, you can certainly ace study and travel together. Please share with us any tips or tricks that you might have up your sleeve from your personal experience.  

P.S: An easy way to connect with us on the go is to download our OnlineCampus Mobile App, which helps you prepare your “offline study packs”.

Advantages of pursuing Master’s from RKC

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You may be at that realm of your career, where you want to take the next big leap. Whilst you prepare yourself for that next step, there will be few aspects of going back to studies for higher education that might worry you. You have a full time job that you cannot interrupt; cannot put your life on hold; or be away from your family and finances are limited. Thankfully in the 21st century, we have solution to all your concerns – Online education! Distance education is the solution to the exacting need for education of those who cannot commit to classical student life.

 

 

British education is known around the world for its high quality and many people dream about graduating from a UK university. Nowadays, this dream is much easier to fulfil than you may think. But it is crucial that you attach yourself with a University not only with good repute but the one that also meets all your parameters. While there are numerous universities offering Online programmes, RKC is unique in providing Swiss quality education at the comfort of your homes. Let me enumerate the advantages of doing Master’s with Robert Kennedy College here to aide your decision making:

  1. Worldwide RecognitionThe College pioneered Swiss quality online learning with the programs offered being recognised globally. The Master’s courses are held in partnership with the University of Cumbria, University of Salford and York St John University and are recognised worldwide, accredited and respected.

         

2. State of The Art Technology                                                                                                                                                            

In our commitment to providing state of the art services to students, we use cutting-edge software that is tailor made for online course delivery. OnlineCampus is an all-encompassing interactive and easy-to-use software which makes studying online a truly enjoyable experience.

3. Flexible, from Anywhere                     

Monday morning hellos

A week of exchanges and meeting new people

You are not required to be online at a specific time. The                introductory module familiarises you with the programme design, requirements and resources, as well as with the way online interaction, learning and grading will take place.You take up the course at your own pace from comfort of your home or while travelling for work.

4. One Week Residency 

The one-week residency represents a unique opportunity for students to combine their online learning experience with a traditional classroom environment. You have the unique opportunity to build a global network of business professionals.

5. Master’s without Bachelor’s

We welcome applications from students who may not have formal/traditional entry criteria but who have relevant experience or the ability to pursue the course successfully. Contact our advisor today for your eligibility evaluation.

 

6. Multiple Intake dates

With offering of several intake dates in the year, you have the          freedom to decide when you would like to start your Master’s.

 

 

 

Let us know if you have any questions, we are here to help!

 

 

Congratulations to New UoC Graduates!

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It has been an exciting week in Cumbria! Last week, the 3-day Graduation ceremony at Cumbria saw over 2000 students graduating from a wide variety of courses. It’s been an incredible week for all at the University of Cumbria. Each and every graduate would go on to achieve amazing things in their lives and careers.

 

 

Proud Moment!

The long awaited Walk..

 

 

Cheers!

 

Proud family and friends gathered around to cheer the recent graduates, brimming with joy and pride! Their long and enduring hours of tirelessly studying towards their goals, ultimately manifesting into the reality of the degrees and diplomas in their hand! There were bouquets of flowers that some carried into the arena. But mostly, there was an arena full of pride that emulated from grandparents, parents, siblings and cousins as diplomas were handed out.

              

Truly Diverse and an amazing Social Network of Graduates from all over the World

                  

 

We’ve been so happy to see our students graduate. However, they all started with the same step – applying to university.

Are you willing to take the ‘Risk’?

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Every business faces risk. These risks present potential threat to the success of the business. Risk is defined as a probability or threat of damage, injury, liability, loss, or any other negative occurrence that is caused by external or internal vulnerabilities, and that may be avoided through preemptive action. 

What I found interesting, is the next part of the definition of Risk here: Risk is not an uncertainty (where neither the probability nor the mode of occurrence is known), a peril (cause of loss), or a hazard (something that makes the occurrence of a peril more likely or more severe).

So Risk is not an uncertainty and it can be avoided with preemptive action. This is where Risk Management in business comes into play!

What is Risk Management?
risk man·age·ment
noun
(in business) the forecasting and evaluation of financial risks together with the identification of procedures to avoid or minimize their impact.

 

Risk management is a proactive process for resolving problems before they occur. It focuses on identifying what could go wrong, evaluating which risks should be dealt with and implementing strategies to deal with those risks. Businesses that have identified the risks will be better prepared and have a more cost-effective way of dealing with them. Risk management is the practice of using processes, methods and tools for managing these risks.

 

A risk management process is pretty simple and involves following steps:

  • Identification of the risks (there are several kinds of risks: strategic, compliance, financial and operational) surrounding the business  activities
  • assessing the likelihood of an event occurring
  • planning the framework to respond to these events
  • implementation of the plan of action as necessary
  • monitoring the effectiveness of your risk management approaches and controls

 

There is another interesting aspect of Risk Management : Apart from assessing the effect of the negative; It’s also about managing the positive outcome of risk: opportunity. More and more businesses are now focusing on harnessing the ‘opportunity’ for their strategic success.

Our Online MBA Risk Management caters to the demand of specialised risk managers in the global business arena. It explores the range of concepts and functions of risk management and associated practices within the business sector. Download the catalogue to learn more about the programme and the enrolment process

 

Future of Healthcare professionals

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HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY – STA·TUS QUO

Demand for healthcare services has unobtrusively risen over a period of time now and this growth will continue into the future. The demand for services translates into ever-increasing demand for healthcare workers – including nurses, physicians, allied health professionals, technologists and coders, leaders, and support personnel. Like any other industry, it’s an upward trend in the long term, for the healthcare sector employment. However, the healthcare industry does not seem to be prepared enough to cater to this increasing workforce demand. Increasing demand has been accompanied by a growing number of unfilled jobs, a serious challenge that can be perceived in the federal labor data and on the digital job boards of hospitals and health systems, where hundreds and even thousands of open jobs are posted. Both growth trends and growth challenges will continue into 2018 and beyond.

WHERE IS THE FUTURE?

The amount of money that is projected to be spent on healthcare in the future, is cogent indicator of rising demand for healthcare services and healthcare workers. More than doubling from 2010 to 2025, when it reaches beyond $55 trillion, expenditures include payments for all healthcare costs, including pharmaceuticals, equipment and technology. However, labor constitutes the single greatest cost for most healthcare organisations.

This growing trend, has translated into a flurry of jobs openings in the healthcare sector. Even in 2017, despite the continued debate over the future of healthcare policy, the healthcare industry has added an average of 24,000 jobs each month. That’s vigorous growth in any industry. Employment growth is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. While healthcare job growth will ebb and flow in the future, the trajectory of growth has been consistently upward.

HOW CAN YOU FIT IN THE DEMAND SUPPLY GAP?

While job openings have ascended steadily over the years, the job hires remained relatively static. Traditionally openings have outpaced job hires in healthcare and the gap between openings and hires has been widening rapidly since 2014. This swelling gap – which represents a cumulative number of unfilled jobs – shows the challenges that healthcare providers face in finding enough practitioners and support personnel to fill today’s job openings. Other data reveals that the problem of high demand for healthcare workers, and low supply of those workers, may continue well into the future. The statistics on the projected future job openings  provides the healthcare providers the crucial insight on the demand for healthcare services and healthcare professionals. These are the jobs that healthcare providers will need to fill in the future.

At Robert Kennedy College, we offer Online MBA International Healthcare Management Programme, in exclusive partnership with University of Cumbria, UK. Recognise the workforce shortage in the healthcare sector and be there where there are abundant jobs. The MBA IHM could prove be the key to your success and better future. Click here to receive the course catalogue and get a chance for free trial offers.

Achieving the perfect Work-Life-Study Balance

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If you are looking either to advance in or to switch careers; online education can help fastrack your career goals. An online student today, typically is a 34 year old, employed in high demanding jobs.

Juggling a career with education is a challenge.

Today, given the flexibility of online education, it’s no surprise that – it’s those very working professionals who are drawn to the virtual classroom.

 

Apart from making the decision about the choice of the University and choice of the course that you want to pursue, another major decision that most of our prospective students face is time-management and achieving that perfect work-life-study balance. Apart from money, time is the biggest commitment that you are going to make towards your Online Education. You may already be running deadlines at your workplace and at the same time have to keep up pace with Online lectures and ensure timely submission of assignments. Studying while working will require some sacrifices, particularly in your social life.
 
Finding this balance is becoming harder, not easier. ‘Healthy mind in a healthy body’ is one of the most popular slogans we have always heard; more so because it is so sensible. Both the mind and the body’s health is optimised by balancing your work life with your personal life. So here are few quick pointers that will help you maintain the most crucial balance of – work-life-study:
  • Make lists – Be organised and make lists of things to be done at work, study and home.
  • Set Goals – Set achievable goals and targets for yourself.
  • Manage your time – Plan your whole work/study week and what you have to accomplish really helps.
  • Do not Procrastinate – Do not leave things to last minute.
  • Do not succumb to pressures – There will always be work pressure. Studying will only add to the already sweltering pressures. Keep your calm. Remember that you are only a human and it is only so much you can do in a 24hour day. Divide ample time to your personal life as well after work and study.

 

Pursue your goal for higher education with Robert Kennedy College Online Masters’ Programme. Download the catalogue.

 

Neil Robinson – MSc Project Management Graduate and Winner of 2017 PMI Education Foundation Student Paper of the year award

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Neil Robinson found the Online MSc Project Management programme, as a golden opportunity to steer his Project Management career in a new direction. He says, “The MSc Project Management programme is opening up options and possibilities for me which were previously out of reach as a pure practitioner. As evidenced by the LIAP experience, with the right education, research, academic writing skills and dedication, the world really is your oyster to pursue whatever directions your heart desires, creating and opening your own doors along the way.”

We asked Neil, what is LIAP and what inspired him to write this award winning paper:

“Since leaving my homeland (Australia) twenty years ago I have been fortunate in that my life’s work as a Project Manager has immersed me in an incredible kaleidoscope of diverse cultural experiences. Whilst working in a predominantly blue chip corporate environment, I was increasingly drawn to the case studies of “social good” projects in developing countries and the work of philanthropic bodies such as the PMI Education Foundation. The academic paper “Life is a Project: Project Management as an Enabling Life Skill” was researched and written to coherently document and share with the widest possible audience the LIAP concept, pilot observations and an exploration of the potential benefits of Project Management as an everyday life skill with reference to relevant academic studies and theories of cultural transition. The driving inspiration behind this work is to connect with and motivate an audience of like-minded others who believe in the value of “social good” projects and to inspire them to take action to help “open doors” for others.

How was his experience studying Online with Robert Kennedy College:

“As a mature-age student with substantial practical experience in the field managing Global Projects, the opportunity to return to academic studies at Masters level at RKC (Salford Business School) has been transformational. The academic writing skills I’ve attained through the programme’s learning, assessment and feedback processes have opened doors to forums, audiences, and opportunities which were previously inaccessible.The online learning format of this course, whilst presenting its own unique challenges, has given me the flexibility to study the course materials, whenever I want, wherever I want, accommodating the realities of today’s busy and unpredictable demands. With this format you need to learn to overcome self-doubt and forge ahead with a belief in your own capabilities and interpretation of the task at hand. Self-discipline and time management skills are also critical.”

 

So how did this Masters help Neil in his career development?

“As touched on previously, the academic writing skills I’ve acquired have granted me access to whole new world of opportunities. Moreover, the course content thus far has been incredibly enlightening and relevant in terms of providing theoretical and strategic perspectives to the cross-cultural, international business contexts in which I’ve been managing projects as a practitioner all these years.I’d love the opportunity to take my project management career into the field of meaningful International Development or humanitarian work, preferably in a cross-cultural or developing country environment. This is an aspiration which I know is also dependent on the attainment of a Masters level qualification.”

Any words of wisdom for our future students Neil?

“The moral of this story is that Education really can “open doors” and with programmes like this, it’s never too late to “follow the dream”. As a mature age student, without an undergraduate degree, I harboured secret doubts about my own ability to study, research and write academically at this level. But so far, so good. I have to say thank you to RKC and Salford University for providing me with this life changing opportunity. I now see myself continuing to study, research, and write indefinitely as a means of saying what I want to say to the world, and being heard, in this project called Life. My advice to your prospective students? Don’t think it’s going to be easy, it’s not. But if you’re motivated, reasonably intelligent and capable, disciplined, able to work independently and serious about committing the time and effort….just do it! ”

 

Congratulations to MALIC 2017 Graduates!

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Congratulations to the students of Robert Kennedy College who graduated in early November in the stunning setting of York Minster with a Masters degree in Leading Innovation and Change, a programme in RKC’s exclusive partnership with York St John University.

Students graduated alongside an array of leading figures in the charity sector, conservation, psychology, business, sport, music, television and the Deaf community, who were awarded honorary degrees. Recipients included children’s campaigner Baroness Floella Benjamin OBE, actress Dame Penelope Wilton, and Steve Rowe, Chief Executive of Marks & Spencer. Also recognised were the Yorkshire Rows, the oldest all-female crew to row across the Atlantic who started learning to row at the Guy Fawkes Boat Club in York.

Professor Karen Stanton, Vice Chancellor of York St John University, said: “This year’s honorary graduates are an especially motivational group of people.”

The graduation ceremony was streamed live from York Minster (in the video above, take a look at the ‘view’ our graduates get when they take to the stage to receive their degrees). Some students, for this special occasion, wore their national costume under their graduation gowns.

There were different entry points for the guests and the graduating students. While the guests entered the Minster by the Great West Door (facing Deansgate), the graduating students entered by the South Door (near the Roman Column and the statue of Constantine). At the appropriate time, they were directed onto the stage where their award was conferred with a handshake, and as the new graduates they joined the academic procession at the end of the ceremony. Both the students and the guests then came together for refreshments and visited a series of exhibitions at Holgate.

 

At this formal graduation ceremony, 16 students from Robert Kennedy College came together from around the world.                          (RKC announcement begins at 26:50). It was a truly diverse group with students from countries like Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, Singapore, Ghana, Mexico, Jordan, Cyprus, Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden and Guatemala. They depicted the truly global student community that Robert Kennedy College produces year after year. You too can be a proud graduate and part of this global community by enrolling into our Online Masters programme. Don’t take our word for it, have a look at the group of happy RKC graduates for yourself: