We ask high school students - at age 18 - what they want to be when they grow up. Picking a major that can determine the trajectory of your career at such a young age can be limiting.
That's why many college graduates find themselves drawn to new areas years (sometimes even decades) after they have earned their bachelor's degree. Sometimes exposure to a different industry attracts their interest; sometimes a job simply requires more study in a particular field.
It’s not uncommon for a college grad to look back on the major they chose as a freshman or sophomore - and perhaps the career they have now - and wonder: do I want to continue on this path or forge a new one? And if I do want to head in a different direction, can I?
Fortunately, for many subject areas, you can pursue a master’s degree with an unrelated bachelor’s degree, and in some cases, it may even help you to have degrees in different disciplines!
Consider a few of the master’s degrees that you can obtain even if you don’t have a related bachelor’s.
Teacher certification requirements vary by state, but a master’s degree in education opens the door for would-be teachers with unrelated bachelor’s degrees. Furthermore, a master’s degree in education can make you competitive for leadership positions.
Depending on their focus, graduates of these programs can seek jobs like:
Even if you’re still working toward a credential or certification for your state’s public school system, you may be able to get experience in a private school in the meantime. Doing so may help you decide whether to make the leap into a master’s program, as well as make you more competitive for jobs after you graduate.
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
While many MBA students previously studied business, finance or economics, plenty come from other backgrounds like STEM fields or the humanities. Specific MBA programs tend to vary in the proportions of their students’ backgrounds, but the bottom line is: it’s not just possible to get an MBA with an unrelated degree — it’s quite common.
If you’re thinking about a total career pivot, an MBA can prepare you for roles like:
If you’re already in some sort of management — in spite of an unrelated undergraduate degree — an MBA can make you eligible for a promotion or pay raise.
As the awareness of mental health continues to grow culturally, so does the need for therapists. Many practices today even have waiting lists due to growing demand.
It isn’t too late to become a therapist — even if you didn’t take a single psychology course in undergrad. A master’s degree in counseling psychology will prepare you to serve clients with a variety of backgrounds, though you may decide to focus on a particular population, such as married couples.
Careers with a master’s in counseling psychology may look like:
Licensure requirements vary by state (there are many more types of licensed counselors than those listed above). Beyond diplomas, most states require a number of hours of supervised practice and a state-administered exam.
You needn’t have majored in English or written a novel to be accepted into a MFA program in creative writing. In fact, beyond whatever undergraduate degree you have under your belt, you’ll likely only need to offer a sample of your work.
Depending on what you focus on in your program, a creative writing master’s degree may help you break into roles like:
Of course, creative fields are notoriously competitive, and a degree is no guarantee of success. But, not only can a master’s degree help you sharpen your skills and network with other writers, it will help you produce your own body of work.
Master of Arts in Humanities
The humanities range from history to languages to the arts, so perhaps it’s unsurprising that a graduate degree in humanities would not require any particular bachelor’s degree. Yet, in your graduate program, you’ll be able to focus on a single area — whether that’s within the realm of literature or history or culture — and bring that expertise to your future jobs.
Graduates of humanities programs tend to go on to jobs with an academic bent, for example:
Furthermore, should you decide to continue your education, a master’s in humanities will pave the way toward a multitude of PhD programs.
Whatever your career aspirations may be, set aside any assumptions that it’s too late to pursue your goals. Not only are you likely eligible for a host of graduate programs, your background — both educationally and personally — will bring something different and special to the table. Drawing knowledge, skills and expertise from multiple fields could serve you well.
Here at Mount Saint Mary’s University Los Angeles, we help students chart new paths toward their goals. Many of our graduate degree programs are accessible to college grads, regardless of field of study.
If you’re beginning to consider graduate school, we’d love to answer your questions about how to choose a graduate program, how to apply or what you can expect post-graduation.
If you are ready to discuss your career goals, connect with one of our admission counselors!