Published on COBIS, by Dr Bethany Kelly, Director of Programmes, Faculty of Education, University of Buckingham
Getting a Master's degree is a good opportunity to improve your abilities
1. It's an investment in yourself. Some would go so far as to suggest that completing a Master's can result in an increased wage across your career. However, it is not that kind of investment that I am thinking of. It's more about you, the kind of person you are and what you want out of life. Spending the time (and money) on taking part in a Master's programme is worth it if you want to develop yourself and the way that you think. It doesn't have to bankrupt you. I was able to pay my Master in installments and many courses enable you to do this. Some also allow you to access a Master's loan which helps with the financial impact.
2. You acquire a new set of skills. In particular, I think it is incredibly useful in developing critical thinking skills and also the ability to write critically as a reflective practitioner. You are also required to engage with a wide range of arguments and be prepared to be critical of them, to synthesise arguments, and perhaps most importantly to begin to develop your own critical voice.
3. You can study something you are genuinely interested in. Lots of people have different areas of interest, challenges they face, or problems they want to solve. These are often a product of your work and experience. A Master's is a great way to investigate them and even become an expert on a topic.
Getting a Master's degree leads the way to career progression
4. It opens doors for you. People do really take notice of your qualifications. Lots of people add their qualifications on places like Twitter and LinkedIn. When applying for higher-level posts, you can easily use your experiences of completing a Master's to demonstrate your abilities.
5. It could take your career in a new direction. It did for me and has certainly developed careers for many teachers I know. Not least, it could lead to the ability to apply for more senior posts with increased confidence.
6. It can enhance your current work. When I completed my Master's, I was working as a Deputy Head and it led to a number of new initiatives. You encounter so many different perspectives, it challenges and shakes up your way of thinking. A fresh challenge can stop you from becoming stale. Ideas are always changing in Education; new research is always coming into effect and sometimes it's easy to fall behind and not be aware of new ideas. This is why doing a Master's can be so important, to keep you fresh and up to date.
Getting a Master's degree is a life booster
7.Push yourself to the next level. Learning never stops. We are continuously trying to get that message across to our students, so it's good to be practicing what we preach.
8. You connect with people outside of your comfort zone. Engaging with a Master's programme enables you to connect with a whole new group of people, potentially from all over the world.
9. It could lead to more. It should lead to more and that is what is so exciting about taking your first steps on the research road. There are a number of different options once you have done a Master's, not least the possibility of a Doctorate. This is another big leap, but an entirely possible one. There are lots of ways of working in Education and completing a Master's might take you in a different direction.
10. It is a great feeling when that certificate arrives. It is a chance to celebrate all that work you did and what you have accomplished. Depending on the kind of person you are (and this will be a big factor in the research you undertake) this could be a head/heart decision. It certainly was for me, but I am so glad that I did it.
Teachers do not stop learning at any stage in their working lives. Tailored for educators at different career stages, the University of Buckingham offers several master's degree and teacher training programmes. Visit our programme page and learn how to take a leap in our career!
作者：贝瑟尼·凯莉 白金汉大学教育学院课程主任，发表于英国国际学校理事会
攻读硕士学位是提升自身能力的好机会
1. 攻读硕士学位是一种自我投资。从整个职业生涯的角度来说，有些人认为硕士学位拥有者的薪资更加可观。然而，我所指的投资是自我价值的发掘。不妨问问自己，你是什么样的人，以及你想如何丰富自己的人生？如果你想要探索自身，挖掘自身思维的高度及广度，花费在攻读硕士学位的时间和金钱才能真正发挥出它们的价值。况且，攻读硕士不会使你入不敷出。我分期支付了我的硕士学位课程，事实上有很多课程都允许你这样做。有些课程还允许你申请硕士贷款，从而减轻财政压力。
2. 攻读硕士课程将使你获得一套新的技能。特别对培养批判性思考，和作为一个反思性实践者的写作能力，我认为硕士课程是大有裨益的。你需要接触广泛的论点并准备好对它们进行批判。最重要的是，综合论点，你要发出自己的声音。
3. 不同的人有不同的兴趣领域，而人们在自己领域中面临的挑战或想要克服的障碍往往是工作和生活的产物。硕士课程使你可以专注于自己真正感兴趣的领域，去研究和解决问题，从而成为某一特定领域的专家。
攻读硕士学位引路职业升迁
4. 硕士学位为你打开了职业生涯的大门。诚然，雇主们的确会更加青睐硕士学位拥有者，因此很多人会在推特和领英等社交网站添加自己的学术背景。在应聘更高级别的职位时，你也可以轻松利用你完成硕士学业的经历来证明你的实力。
5. 硕士学位还可以将你的职业生涯带入一个新的方向。对于我自身以及我身边的许多教师来说，我们的事业通过硕士学业得到了极大的发展。最重要的是，拥有硕士学位可以让你在应聘高级职位时信心倍增。
6. 此外，攻读硕士课程也可以为你当前的工作助力。当我在攻读硕士学位的同时，我还在担任着副校长一职。我的硕士课程的确为我在工作中做出新决策贡献良多。攻读硕士的一大益处就在于它可以使你的观念保持新鲜。教育观念总是在更迭换代，新的研究总是会生效，有时我们很容易落伍从而不了解新观念。当你吸收了诸多不同的观点，过往陈旧的思维方式将会受到挑战并被更新。因此作为一项新挑战，攻读硕士学位也可以防止你落后于时代的步伐。
7. 攻读硕士学位将把将你推到一个更高的人生层级。学习是一项终身事业，我们一直在努力将这一理念传授给我们的学生，让他们在以后的人生中真正实践我们所宣扬和信奉的内容。
8. 硕士学位还使你有机会与自己舒适圈外的人建立联系，因为你可以认识一群来自世界各地的新朋友并分享经验。
9. 硕士学位可以为你带来更多机会——探索人生可能性的机会。获得这种机会才是你在研究道路上迈出第一步的激动人心之处。当你完成了硕士学业，许多不同的选择将会摆在你面前。获取博士学位不再遥不可及，而这又将是另一个使梦想成真的巨大飞跃。此外，教育领域的工作方式远不止课堂教学这一种，硕士毕业后，你也有机会朝不同方向发展自己的职业生涯。
10.硕士学位还为我带来了自我价值的肯定。学位授予是一个庆祝你所有工作和你所取得成就的高光时刻。去探索你是什么样的人（这将是你进行研究的一个重要因素），攻读硕士可能是一个头脑和心灵博弈的决定，对我来说绝对是这样，但我依旧非常高兴自己选择了这段旅程。
教师们在他们职业生涯的任何阶段都不会停止学习。针对不同职业阶段的教育工作者，白金汉大学有多门硕士学位和教师培训课程。访问课程页面，更多了解如何实现职业飞跃！