How niche, industry specific programs are shaping the future of the graduate education market

According to the Education Advisory Board’s Academic Affairs Forum, more students are enrolling in master’s degrees than any other level. In fact, experts predict that master’s degrees will comprise nearly 30 percent of all awarded degrees by the year 2022.

Where is this growth coming from?

One factor fueling EAB’s dramatic prediction is an increase in the development of specialized programs in core professional fields, such as non-MBA business degrees (i.e. marketing and communications) or master’s of laws (LLM) programs.

The expanding popularity of graduate programs that cater to niche, rapidly changing industries is also contributing to the growth of the master’s degree. EAB’s study predicts increasing market demand for programs designed to bolster careers in cybersecurity, data analytics and health informatics.

Niche programs currently on the market

Brandeis University’s division of Graduate Professional Studies has been offering innovative, online graduate programs for more than a decade. Designed specifically for students who are working full-time, GPS’s part-time, online programs are led by experts in the field and offer exclusive insights into some of today’s most dynamic industries.

GPS allows students to take up to two courses before applying for a master’s degree, providing them with an opportunity to explore their program of interest as well as the GPS online learning format. Courses are also available for professional development. A selection of courses offered this fall includes:

View the full fall course schedule here. For more information about Brandeis University’s online professional master’s degrees, please visit www.brandeis.edu/gps.