Benefits of a Post-Master's Certificate

A post-master's certificate opens up even more doors to students who have taken the time and put forth the effort to earn their master's degree. Only about 9% of the American population holds a master's degree and far fewer than that hold a post-master's certificate. By taking the extra year or so to earn a post-master's certificate, you can set yourself apart in the job market even more than with a master's degree alone. Post-master's certificates are particularly useful for setting yourself apart for jobs which require a minimum of a master's degree.

In 2009 people with master’s degrees earned an average of $1,257 per week. That's over $600 per week more than people with just a high school diploma. By taking the time to earn a post-master's certificate, you can increase your earning potential even more by qualifying yourself for specialized, high-level work within your chosen field. Post-master's certificates can also help you stay current on technological and information advances within your field. This application makes post-master's certificates particularly vital to people who work in ever developing fields such as information technology, computer science, and health care.

Types of Post-Master's Certificates

Post-master's certificates can be earned in virtually any area of study in which you can earn a master's degree. However, post-master's certificates are more common in some areas than others. Here are a number of post-master's certificates that can currently be earned online:

Post-Master's Certificate in...

• Business Administration
• Computer Engineering
• Computer Information Systems
• Counseling
• Counselor Education
• Curriculum & Instruction
• E-Business and Technology
• Education
• Family Psychology
• Finance
• Gerontology
• Health Administration Informatics
• Instructional Design
• Kinesiology
• Management Information Systems
• Nursing
• Occupational Safety & Health
• Project Management
• Telecommunications Management

Most Popular Post-Master's Certificates

By far some of the most popular post-master's certificates to earn are certificates in different nursing specializations. A number of different certificates are available to help nurses with their master's degrees further specialize upon their areas of interest and qualify themselves for higher level nursing positions. Nurses with post-master's certificates tend to earn more money and be promoted higher than nurses with lesser degrees.

Post-master's certificates in different areas of education are also quite common. For example, if you received a master's degree in order to become a counselor, you can earn a post-master's certificate to help you train others to be counselors as well. Post-master's certificates in engineering and computer specialties are also quite common because they allow people in those professions to stay current on changing technologies and further specialize their knowledge of their field.

How to Earn a Post-Master's Certificate

A post-master's certificate is often referred to as a 'sixth year' program - it is like tacking on an additional year to your master's studies. In most cases a post-master's certificate can be earned in about a year of full-time study. A number of private and public graduate institutions offer post-master's certificate programs to their current students as well as new students.