Master of Arts Degree
In many American states, teachers are usually required to hold a master of arts degree in order to be completely certified as college teachers. (1) Yet, a certification in teaching is not the only reason why teachers pursue a masters of arts degree. A masters degree in art is also a good stepping stone if you have dreams of someday landing a dean-level job position.
Even in the non-teaching field, you will find that in order to move up the so-called corporate ladder, a master of art degree is quite essential. Of course, this will depend on the nature of the job that you are currently holding because there are certain positions where your master of arts degree will not really matter when you are being considered for a possible promotion. (2)
Nevertheless, a masters degree in art will always look good in a resume and if you feel that having a master of art degree can help you land a better job or put you in a better position to negotiate for a more appropriate salary range, then pursuing the degree is something that you should necessarily look into.
Actually, a masters of arts degree is one of two highly popular post-graduate courses, the other one being the masters degree in science. If your interest leans more on humanities and the arts, then a master of arts degree may be the more suitable post-graduate program for you.
A typical masters degree in art takes about two years to finish if you pursue the course on a full-time basis. Being conferred a master of arts degree will usually require you to produce a thesis apart from successfully passing the so-called comprehensive examination. In some master of art degree programs, you are required to either pass the comprehensive examination or produce a thesis. In other cases, however, you are required to meet the two requirements. (3)
If your busy work schedule keeps you from pursuing higher education, a more modern and relatively easier way to earn a master of arts degree is finding a graduate school that has an online operation. Compared to the traditional onsite set-up, getting the desired post-graduate degree online is often more convenient because you need not really attend classes regularly. After several actual meetings, you are on your own and can complete a course according to your own pace. (3)
Literary Citations & Article References:
1) https://www.excelsior.edu/portal/page?_pageid=57,45426&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
3) http://distancelearn.about.com/od/onlinecourses/a/prosandconsedMA.htm