Whether you’ve recently completed an undergraduate degree and are thinking of staying on at college for further studies, or are considering going “back to school” to increase your job prospects, you will find many great degrees to choose from when you search grad-school options. A higher degree can help you to find a new job and stand out from your competition. It can also help you to get promoted, increase your salary and challenge yourself.
However, it is also important to keep in mind that, as costs studies are rising in many fields and many industries are seeing a decline, you need to invest your time and money. Here are some top graduate degree fields you should consider for long-term job opportunities and career stability.
Business
These days, more and more people are becoming entrepreneurs in order to create their own opportunities, work on their own schedules, and become more financially independent. However, with the increase in the number of self-employed people across all types of industries, comes more competition to boot.
If you want to give yourself a greater chance of success when you launch your own venture, it pays to enroll in a specific business-based degree. For example, there are top MBA programs available at university campuses across the country, as well as numerous options for those who prefer to choose an online MBA with no GMAT needed.
Helpfully, you can often pursue your MBA degree while you’re still working in your current job or developing your new business idea. Part-time, online and hybrid programs are increasingly flexible. Depending on your needs and interests, you can study a range of topics such as general business management, finance, marketing, accounting, entrepreneurship, international business and human resources to name a few.
A degree in business can be used to further your career within existing firms just as easily. Companies are always on the lookout for suitably qualified business candidates, who can take on management roles at many levels. Naturally, many firms prefer candidates with specific business degrees.
Economics
Economics is another area you may want to consider studying. For many years, FAME studies (finance, accountancy, management, and economics) have been a popular choice for people interested in running or managing a business. However, more recently, economics, in particular, has become increasingly relevant due to the rise of Big Data.
People who study economics will become very adept at analyzing and using big data sets to complete tasks and conduct research that enables organizations to make better management decisions. For example, when you know how to work with large reams of information you will be equipped to study potential target markets to find the best customers and segments. Firms can use data to learn what makes their current customer base tick, how to increases their purchases and how to best acquire new customers while retaining old ones.
Essentially, working with big data will also make it easier to study the results of sales, marketing, operational, and other strategies, to determine areas for improvement and potential strategies. It can enable firms to more accurately forecast sales, and pick which products or services will become bestsellers.
People who study economics will also learn such helpful things as how the banking sector works from a macro and micro perspective, how to optimize investments and deal with finances, differences among international markets, and how political and economic changes can affect business dealings.
Physician Assistants 
If healthcare is the arena you are keen to join and move up in, it pays to think about becoming a physician assistant. Often simply called PAs, these types of medical assistants are supervised by doctors and other practitioners in hospitals, clinics, and other institutions.
Physician assistants are charged with carrying out both preventative healthcare services and clinical diagnostic work. They can complete a variety of reasonably simple medical tasks, such as taking patient records, running tests, speaking with patients, and prescribing medications. Doing these jobs frees up time for physicians, and can help streamline operations (and reduce wait times) for patients.
Due to the aging of the population as well as the increase in chronic diseases, the demand for doctors and various types of health specialists will only grow in future. As such, more and more qualified physician assistants will be needed in the healthcare sector over coming years to help take the burden off practitioners. In fact, according to reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, PAs will be one of the fastest-growing health professions in future.
Enrolling in a PA-based degree will not only teach you the fundamental medical skills and knowledge you need to build a career in this area, but also to develop your ability to work within teams. Physician assistants work closely not only with the practitioner supervising them but also with a variety of other medical personnel within a clinic or hospital. For example, they learn to interact with nurses, counselors, lab technicians, occupational therapists, and administrators.
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