"How long is this going to take?" That’s one of the most common questions people have when they are thinking about getting a grad degree. Disrupting your life for a few months is one thing, while an unexpectedly long slog is quite another. The key is to know and to plan.

Below are some insights on what to expect as you begin your graduate school efforts, with the goal of helping you manage your time and your mental well-being in the process. The most important thing to remember is that—whether you want to take it fast or slow—you have options to make grad school work for your life.

The Basic Criteria

你需要多少学时才能毕业?

大多数 graduate degree programs are around 40 credit hours to complete.

任何一门课程都有3到4个学分. 取决于学位科目的复杂程度和先决条件, you will likely need to take around 10 to 15 courses to complete your master’s degree. As you compare schools, consider each program’s specified curricula and the number of credit hours that will be required of you.

完成这些学分需要多长时间?

On average, students take about 18 to 24 months to complete a master’s degree.

Some programs are geared so that a full-time student can finish in a little over a year. On the other hand, some students prefer to go at a slower pace and choose to take several years to complete their studies.

这张图表描述了获得硕士学位需要多长时间

什么是正常的? 好吧, that really depends on what works for you, according to George Pomeroy, graduate admissions advisor at Franklin University. “大多数 people want to move quickly. They just want to get their degree done, and that’s typically due to a specific driver like a promotion or a career opportunity. Those students are looking for programs that enable them to get in and get out, so they can get to that opportunity.”

选择硕士项目最重要的是什么? 比较特点、好处和成本，找到适合你的学校.

Factors That Define the Time You’ll Need

There are many ways you can influence the total amount of time it takes to complete your master’s degree. The timeline is within your control.

Full Time vs Part Time

当然, the biggest impact on your time to completion will be how quickly you choose to take your coursework. 大多数研究生已经进入了工作世界——许多人都有工作, 家庭, 还有各种各样的校外活动. 因此，他们可能会发现全日制学校的工作量太大了.

If that sounds like you, know there are plenty of opportunities to take graduate programs at a part-time pace. In fact, some schools have 专门为有工作的成年人准备的节目.

图形描述了获得硕士学位的路径

你会发现有很多形式可供你选择:在线, 教室里只有, and even hybrid classrooms, with students attending both in-person and 在线. Consider these options as ways you can actively manage the time you spend in the classroom, 在车里, and in your own home.

有时, it’s important to focus less on what you need to do and more on what you want to do. 让人觉得你在这件事上有选择的余地! How do you best learn: full or part-time? What is your preference as a student: getting in-person attention or logging in 在线? 你想要多快或多慢地解决每一个具有挑战性的问题?

你会发现大多数硕士课程都可以根据你的喜好量身定制.

转移信用s

Transfer credit can be a time saver in the course of earning a graduate degree.

如果你已经在另一所学校修过研究生课程, any applicable credit may help shorten the time you spend on your current degree. 虽然有些硕士课程不接受其他课程的转学， other schools have more accepting policies.

最好的办法是询问招生顾问.

Scheduling Options

一些研究生课程在日程安排方面几乎没有选择, 而另一些则提供了更多的灵活性和选择.

学期, 三学期制, 晚上的讲座, and weekday assignments will all have their pros and cons when it comes to fitting into your life. 一些研究生课程可以帮助你在更短的时间内完成课程. “例如,波默罗伊说, “we have an accelerated course schedule available where a student can start and finish a class in just 6 weeks. Using this schedule, a student can complete two courses in a 12-week period, essentially full-time. 但他们一次只专注于一门课程. For some people, this is an appealing way to complete a degree with both focus and speed.”

程序 Requirements

取决于所选的学位和所选的课程, 研究生课程可能要求学生满足额外的要求.

有时, a person will need to achieve certain prerequisite coursework before they can begin their master’s studies. 会计 and computer science, 例如, 通常具有必须完成的先决条件, 这会增加你获得学位所需的时间. The important thing is to understand these needs in advance so you can plan for them in terms of time and cost.

Major Life Events

无论你是否在学校，生活都会给你带来麻烦. There might be challenges with your job, home, kids, aging parents, or your personal health. 当一些困难的事情发生时，很难同时兼顾所有事情.

Examples may include:

计划活动: It might be a wedding and honeymoon. Maybe you are planning a move into a new home or your family is finally taking that European vacation.
Unplanned Events: Perhaps a parent has a sudden health issue and needs assistance or there may be a death in the family.
Changes in Work/Life Balance当前位置你可能有一个工作相关的机会，需要经常出差.

无论如何, most master’s programs will enable to you to stop for a while and come back to where you left off. 这会增加你获得学位所需的总时间, but taking a break might be the only way for you to manage such an extremely busy moment in your life.

在那些时候, 城堡内说, 成功的学生是那些被真实事物所激励的学生, something that matters deeply. “Understand what is motivating you. Is it a job that’s pushing you? 换工作是为了稳定吗? 如果你深刻理解你为什么要获得这个学位, 当事情变得困难时，这将使你能够深入挖掘.”

比平均水平更快完成学位的建议

如果你想加速获得学位，那没问题. But you should keep a few tips in mind so you can move forward with the best chance for success.

Get Better at Time Management

攻读硕士课程的学生平均年龄在30岁出头. That means that most will know themselves and their time management habits pretty well. 如果时间管理不是你的强项, 然后你需要找出一个适合你的学习系统. 研究生院的时间安排可能是巨大的，令人难以承受的. Use apps, calendars, study partners, and other ideas to help you stay on track. Without good time management skills, it’ll be next to impossible to finish your degree quickly.

Know Your Learning Style

如果你想快速完成你的学位, 把自己置于对你最有利的学习环境中.

你喜欢通过互动讲座还是单独阅读来学习?
Do you process information best via listening, watching, taking notes, group studying, or tutoring?
你是一个快速学习的人，还是当你花更多的时间做得更好?
Are you a good multi-tasker, or, do you prefer to focus on one thing at a time?
Do you prefer an in-person class experience, or would you rather go at your own pace 在线?
Knowing what works for you—and, in turn, choosing the right program—will help you to thrive.

Do the Work; Put in the Time

研究生课程不同于本科学习, 部分原因是工作的数量和强度. 不可能落后太多而赶上. 如果你想按时完成你的学位, 你需要做好投入工作的准备，跟上课程进度.

不管你是在快车道还是慢车道, 重要的是你的方向是正确的. With some smart planning, you can find all the best ways to finish your degree in the time that suits you.