Career advancement, credibility: What a graduate degree at SDSU is worth

This paid piece is sponsored by South Dakota State University.

A graduate degree can act as a key to professional advancement, new career opportunities or just a better understanding of oneself and the world.

South Dakota State University offers 55 graduate programs and 29 graduate-level certificates in a wide variety of areas.

Makayla Griffin is one of about 1,600 graduate students at SDSU. Griffin is in the first year of her graduate educational administration program. She needed a graduate degree not only to advance her career but also to gain the connections and leadership skills necessary to become a school principal or a district superintendent.

“In the world we live in today, getting more education is more power,” Griffin said.

Choosing SDSU though? It was a “no-brainer,” she said. “It just felt right to stay in Brookings for two more years.”

As an SDSU alum, Griffin already had made important connections with faculty and education professionals across South Dakota. Her graduate courses have revealed more about the intricacies of K-12 education than she previously was aware.

“Relationships forged with advisers and mentors are the most valuable aspects of graduate studies,” said Victor Taylor, vice provost for graduate education and continuing and distance studies.

“When students select SDSU for graduate study, they join a highly supportive, student success-oriented community led by experts in their field,” he said.

“Some of the largest graduate programs at SDSU are in the health-related fields, engineering, agriculture, food and environmental sciences.”

There’s a demand at the national level for professional master’s program graduates in data science, nursing, public health, mass communication and education — which are all offered online at SDSU and can be completed in 12 to 18 months.

Professional master’s degrees are designed for students looking to advance their careers or reskill for a career change.

Obtaining a graduate degree is “critical in a highly competitive, global knowledge economy,” Taylor said.

“If an in-career professional works in data analytics or an information technology field, for instance, earning a master’s degree in data science, computer science or business analytics may be required to move up in their organization.”

Elise Heesch was set to graduate from SDSU with an advertising major a year early, but she decided to stay and earn a graduate degree in communication and media studies.

The second-year graduate student plans to use her degree to become more marketable in a range of fields, including marketing, advertising or communications.

“Communication is at the basis of any message no matter what industry,” Heesch said.

When Heesch isn’t studying or teaching a class, she’s working for her media design clients through her personal business. She finds a balance between gaining real-world experience and continuing her education with the work.

“Overall, I think grad school is important to have that extra degree to prove that you’re willing to go the extra mile and have a few extra years of work,” Heesch said. “It broadens your horizons, gives you more credibility with your craft or profession and makes you a more educated person in the end.”

To learn more about graduate and professional programs at SDSU, click here.