More jobs will require graduate degrees to suit employer needs
Future workforce demands recently reported by the Bureau of Labor Statics underscore a rising trend among employers to hire candidates with education credentials that surpass a bachelor's degree.
Between 2012 and 2022, the bureau forecasts nearly 2.4 million jobs will require a graduate degree or higher, a statistic that will mean increased career and salary growth potential over the next several years for those who add an advanced degree to their resumes. That is why Benedictine is always evolving its graduate programs and offers multiple class schedules and formats to help adults with busy schedules make their pursuit of an advanced degree possible.
Chief among the areas where hiring managers will look for future employees with at least a master's degree include the health care sector, financial services industry, and education and managerial-related positions.
For individuals looking to break into or advance in the health care field, Benedictine offers Master of Science (M.S.) in Nutrition and Wellness, M.S. in Clinical Exercise Physiology, M.S. in Clinical Psychology, M.S. in Nursing and Master of Public Health programs. Employment of health care occupations is projected to grow 19 percent from 2014 to 2024 - much faster than the average for all occupations - adding 2.3 million new jobs (more than any other group of occupations), according to the bureau.
In the arena of business and finance, employment is expected to grow 8 percent from 2014 to 2024, adding 632,400 new jobs with increased regulatory requirements driving the demand for accountants and auditors who prepare and examine financial documents.
These are positions for which Benedictine offers advanced training and increased salary potential through its Master of Business Administration, M.S. in Accountancy, M.S. in Business Analytics, M.S. in Finance and M.S. in Taxation programs.
Benedictine also offers the Master of Education in Reading and Literacy, M.S. in Science Content and Process and Master of Arts in Linguistics for educators; the M.S. in Management and Organizational Behavior for individuals looking to excel in a management role (with a projected job growth of 505,400 new jobs); and the M.S. in Science in Management Information Systems for those looking to grow their skills in the computing and information technology field, which is expected to add 88,500 new jobs.
Doctoral degrees include the internationally recognized and renowned Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Organization Development and the Ph.D./D.B.A. (Doctor of Business Administration) in Values-Driven Leadership for high-level managers and executives, and the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Higher Education and Organizational Change program for administrators in higher education.
Over the years, Benedictine has enhanced its program offerings through the addition of dual degree programs, 4+1 (four-year bachelor's and one-year master's degree) programs and accelerated graduate programs with online and on-ground components. The accelerated programs help students and career professionals earn the credentials they need in shorter and more convenient timeframes so they can more easily attend classes while balancing full-time work and family responsibilities.
Today, Benedictine graduates can be found leading in global organizations such as CNN Worldwide, Turner Broadcasting System Inc., Abbott Laboratories, Kraft Food Groups Inc., Motorola, McDonald's Corp., other Fortune 500 organizations such as Boeing Co., General Electric Co. and General Motors Co., and working in the executive ranks of some of the largest corporations and banks in the country.
You will also find Benedictine graduates at Rush University Medical Center and other top-rated medical facilities, teaching on the faculty at Yale, or serving as University presidents and administrators at major colleges and universities around the country.
Benedictine's graduate programs have gained recognition among U.S. News & World Report, which named Benedictine to its list of "Best Online Graduate Nursing Programs" for 2016 and Graduateprograms.com, which ranked the University's online M.B.A. and Public Health graduate programs among the best in the nation in 2015.
The University's Ed.D. program was also named one of the best online doctoral programs in the nation by Nonprofit Colleges Online in 2015.
For more information and to inquire about applying to a graduate program at Benedictine, visit ben.edu/graduate, or contact ben.edu/admissions or (630) 829-6300.