If a search on the Internet has led to sites that claim a master’s degree can
be had in two to four years, it may seem that there is a shortcut to excellence.
In countries outside the United States, there has been some lifting in the
strict rules which govern the successful completion of degrees in academic
excellence. It might also be an Internet scam.
The four-year standard for a bachelor’s degree in any field of education was
recognized long ago. Assessment was made that an average workload for a
full-time student consisted of a minimum of ten hours per week per subject. This
consisted of classroom attendance, which can vary from two – six hours per week,
studying the materials given as assignments, and course-related tasks.
Consider the minimum requirements for full-time students. Most colleges and
universities require a student have at least 12 credit hours per semester to be
considered full-time. This designation of hours does not pertain to the length
of classroom periods individually. An example would be a student with 18 credit
hours, which consists of an average of six college classes, equates to 18 hours
per week in the classroom, as most college courses average three hours per week.
This total of 18 hours does not include homework, studying, projects and papers,
or any extra work a student may need to complete to get extra credit.
Additionally, some math and science degrees require more work than other
non-analytical subjects, and the time needed to complete these additional
assignments can lead to as much as an extra year to earn the normal four-year
bachelor’s degree.
A master’s degree goes beyond the four-year study period to delve deeper into
the areas of education a student needs to be proficient in. There is often a
thesis paper as well as oral exams at the conclusion of the educational
period.
One contingency to keep in mind in allotting the time needed to achieve a
master’s degree is the particular college in attendance. If the selected school
does not offer the courses needed to fulfill the specific degree a student is
trying to earn, additional classes at other universities may be the only option
in achieving the student’s desired degree. If the progressive research to be
conducted in a particular class at the main college is not supported, as much as
eight years is possible to complete all the requirements of the particular focus
on education.
When it comes to getting information for decisions that impact our lives over
the long run, it is best to assume that any claim to shortcuts around the normal
method of doing things, especially in the educational or career field, is
probably not worth considering.