There are so many great reasons to go back to school and to earn another degree, or even your first degree. You don’t have to go to university or college right out of high school, and you don’t need to specialize with a master’s right after your bachelor’s. There are so many paths ahead of you, and waiting to understand what direction you want to take with your life is one of the best ways forward.
There are always going to change that wasn’t taken, but the fact is you can go back and build yourself back up again and again. A great way to do this is to work in the real world, learn more about yourself and what you want, and then go back and specialize.
It is this specialization that is key. Taking an undergraduate can be as simple as choosing the subject that you are most interested in. However, when you are choosing a graduate degree, you need to find one to teach you the skills and give you the foundation you need to really direct your career where you want to go.
Your options are likely a lot more open than you may think. For example, you could steer your career into data analysis from any undergraduate degree with this business analytics degree.
Always check to see if there is an option that you can take. Just as there is a business analytics degree that you can take with an undergraduate degree as the prerequisite, there are also degrees that require a background specifically in computer science or math.
The beautiful thing about today is that you are not limited. You can complete an online degree from a top choice university anywhere in the world, and if you follow this guide, you can do it while continuing to work full-time and juggling your other responsibilities:
Choose the Best Degree for Your Career
To start, you need to choose the right degree. If you go through a few courses only to hate what you are learning and find no value in it, you have wasted your time and money. The right research is essential, both to help you find the right degree for your career and to find the right version of that degree.
If you are looking to further or specialize your degree, for example, a good way to start is by finding your dream job on job listing sites. You won’t be able to apply to these right off the bat, of course, but they should come with a list of requirements and qualifications that you will need in order to apply.
Focus on the skills and knowledge qualifications, and make a list. This is the content that your degree should include.
Another option is to expand your value. If you work in business management, for example, transitioning into data analysis can help you really establish yourself as an expert both for an employer and if you are looking to start your own business. The best part is that the business analytics degree can be taken with any undergraduate degree, so you can learn the foundation and build on your skills from there as a manager, data analyst, or business owner.
1. Career-Focused
If you are working and earning a degree, chances are you want that degree to work for your career. Theoretical or more research-focused degrees will lead you to a very different career path – one in either think tanks or academics. This doesn’t mean that you cannot work in the field with these kinds of degrees, but they are not designed for those working in private industries.
You can think of a degree in two ways:
- Designed to help you become an expert in a certain role
- Designed to help you become an expert in a topic
For most, you will want to find a degree in the first category. This is a business analytics degree over a degree in digital humanities. The coursework will be more focused on the skills you will need in the workplace rather than working to give you a great understanding of the topic as a whole from different viewpoints.
It’s better for your career and gives you more value for your money.
2. Designed for Working Professionals
Just because a degree is online does not mean that it is good for working professionals. If there are mandatory log-in times, then this is not a work-friendly degree. You need to be able to log on when you have time and enjoy access from home, work, or a café.
3. Great for Value
Great value for money is a must when it comes to working and completing a degree. While you can always take a loan, it is in your best interest to pay off your degree as you go. By taking your time, doing one course at a time, and working, you can work to pay off your tuition and keep any loan repayments to an absolute minimum.
4. Well-Regarded by Alumni
If your degree is well regarded by the alumni who took it, then the chances are that the degree is worthwhile.
5. Accredited
Accreditation isn’t always essential, but if you are looking to complete a degree like a business analytics degree, it is better to have accreditation than not. This isn’t so essential in humanities disciplines, but when there are hard skills you expect to learn, accreditation can assure you that you are receiving a quality education. Be familiar with the accrediting bodies in your subject. In our example of a business analytics degree, the accrediting body will be the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
Improve Your Health and Routines
Ensuring that a degree is right for your goals is a great start, but knowing you need to complete that business analytics degree for your future is very different from being physically capable of doing it. This is particularly true if your job is busy and varied to begin with.
That is why, between applying and starting that business analytics degree, or whatever degree you have chosen, you will want to use these tips to improve your health and your routines:
1. Go to Bed and Wake Up at the Same Time
To start, you need to get a handle on your sleep cycle. Unless you work in shifts, the best way to do that is by just going to bed and waking up eight or nine hours later. Consistency is the key because only when you do it every night can your body’s natural internal clock help you get a better, deeper night’s sleep on a regular basis.
A good night’s rest is infinitely more valuable than ten cups of coffee. If you want to work all day, then study at night, a good night’s rest on a consistent basis is a must.
There are other ways to improve your sleep; for example, by getting blackout curtains or using a sound machine. The reason you will want to start early is so you can try out different approaches to find the right one that works for you.
2. Get in the Habit of Eating Healthy
Unhealthy foods are hard to process and don’t provide us with a consistent, healthy source of energy. They also cause withdrawals, so start cutting out unhealthy snacks and replacing them as you need early on. In terms of feeling better, this is one of the best tips you can follow.
3. Exercise Regularly
Exercising helps you manage your energy levels, keeps you awake and alert, and helps you stay healthy. It’s also a great stress buster, but you absolutely need to start this step today. The early days where you are building up muscle can be very exhausting and takes a while for your body to become adjusted and for you to feel the benefits of exercise instead of the aches and pains.
4. Find the right Break Routine for You
Another routine you need to figure out is your break routine. There are many different kinds, but at the end of the day, it is how you work. This could be by working hard for thirty minutes, and then taking a ten-minute break, or working for an hour and then breaking for fifteen minutes. The brain needs these breaks to keep working hard and actually working better.
Start using this method at work, so you can figure out how to use breaks to make your workflow more productive.
Make Study and Revision Second-Nature
Study and revision are a crucial part of any degree, and the fact is you will get more value if you can retain what you learn throughout your career. The best way to do this is by making the revision and study feel like second nature.
1. Work on a Personal Project
This could be done by working on a personal project. For example, in that business analytics degree, you learn a programming language called Python. You can work to create a program or even game with Python on your own time and naturally become more proficient as you go.
2. Rewrite Notes
We all learn in our own unique ways. By rewriting your notes and by taking the time to explain concepts in ways you best understand, you can make it easier to revise and commit that information to memory.
Combine this with regular revision. Read and review on the commute, or use text-to-talk to listen to your notes while driving or biking to work. By combining tasks like this, you can stay focused and take the stress out of revision.
Do note, however, that this only works for theoretical information. For practical skills, working and practicing on a personal project is best.
3. Use What You Learn at Work
The final way to make what you learn feel like a second-nature is to start using it at work. This could be by making suggestions to the team, or if that role you want to go for doesn’t exist at your workplace, taking up the mantle.
The best part about this suggestion is that you can take real-life problems that you come across at work back to your professors. This way, you practice what you learn in that business analytics degree and get actionable advice and help from your faculty. As a bonus, you will be showing your employers the value of your new skills right off from the bat and can claim work experience by the time you graduate.
Stay Calm and Steady to Succeed on Your Schedule
It’s natural to want to speed through your degree so that you can finally get back to only focussing on your work. Many try, but you need to be very, very organized and dedicated in order to do so successfully. For most, trying to rush through a degree while working full time and dealing with all of life’s other responsibilities is a nightmare of a hassle. They either end up burning out, or not doing well in either their degree, or work, or both.
You cannot allow your work to suffer, and you want to get the most out of your degree so that you can really make a difference in your career. To do it all and be successful, you need to stay calm and know your limits.
This could mean taking just one course at a time, or whatever the minimum number of credits your institution requires you to take. By spreading out what you learn like this, you can retain the information better, really develop your skills, and even pay off your tuition as you go. It’s the best situation for those who are working and looking to complete a degree, and the best part? It usually only takes around two years to earn that data analytics degree, anyway.
Care for yourself, spread out your courses and credits, and use all the tips in this guide. Together, you will see your goals through.
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