For students today, the necessity of a graduate degree is seemingly increasing. But it’s not the education these students are mainly after — it’s the connections.
As the overall unemployment rate for recent college graduates aged 22-27 climbed to 5.8% in March (up from 4.8% in January), the question of whether more degrees guarantee better job prospects is more complicated than ever.
According to Pew Research Center, 69% of adults with postgraduate degrees say their education was “very useful” in preparing them for a job or career. About four in five say their education led them to a long-term career rather than just a stepping stone. By contrast, just over half of bachelor’s degree holders said the same.
The numbers suggest a clear advantage for those pursuing graduate studies, but the reasons students seek additional degrees often go beyond academics. USC offers over 600 graduate programs, from MBAs to master’s degrees in sustainable engineering. Students increasingly cite networking and professional connections as crucial benefits of a graduate degree.
Nikka Makhani, a junior majoring in political science and minoring in sports media studies, finds graduate school to be essential for her chosen career path. As part of USC Gould’s Accelerated 3+3 Bachelor’s and JD Program, Makhani is graduating early and already on the path to a legal career.
“A graduate degree, for me, is definitely necessary to succeed in my field,” she said. “To be able to practice law, I need to obtain my degree and be taught skills in order to prepare for my bar exam at the end of the three years and become a practicing attorney.”
Not all fields place the same emphasis on additional necessary schooling. Adam Raslan, a senior computer science major, views graduate education differently.
“In my major, it doesn’t offer too much value,” Raslan said. “I think it can definitely be important if you haven’t had much work or internship experience.”
However, he noted that his friends in USC’s Progressive Degree Program (PDP), which lets undergraduates earn a master’s with just one extra year of study (or in four years), see it mostly as a way to enhance their employability through more internships and specialized coursework.
Stephen Liaskos, a junior majoring in business administration, sees graduate school as a means of differentiation.
“Everyone is increasingly having regular [business] undergrad degrees,” Liaskos said. “So to differentiate yourself, it sort [of] feels like you have to have something extra for the job market.
“The undergrad degree is becoming less special… grad school is the new undergrad.”
For recent graduates like Yilun Lu, who completed his master’s degree in communication management at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, the value of connections is already tangible.
“One of the most valuable experiences I got not just from the program, but from Annenberg itself, is the connections between peers and professors,” Lu said.
“Our professors aren’t just instructors…we rely on their advice when we get job offers or interviews,” he said. “That resource really helped me in finding my career path.”
Now working full time in marketing, Lu is grateful for the program and the connections he made through it.
“Connections grant you everything. Being surrounded by peers who share the same passion and goals helps you go wherever you want.”