What You Need to Consider Before You Apply for a Masters

For obvious reasons, 2020 was not a good year for anyone. Now, having endured the heartache that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to our world for more than 12 months, any hopes for a rapid return to ‘normality’ have quickly faded, and amid the lockdowns, the isolation, the anxiety and the sadness, no-one could be blamed for wondering if this is really the best time to apply for a Masters degree. Even with the news of vaccine rollouts beginning in many countries, is it wise to invest your time, your energy, your money and your ambitions towards gaining a qualification in 2021-22?

The answer is "yes". And here are three very good reasons why.

Although it may feel like time has slowed to a crawl right now, the truth is that the world can’t and won’t stand still. The pandemic has changed the way we live and work. The economic, social and cultural fallout is already bringing to light problems that need to be solved and opportunities for positive change.

We need more treatments and vaccines, for COVID-19 and for whatever may come next. We need to better understand how to prevent the next pandemic and organise ourselves to react to new threats. We need to rebuild our economies, find ways to offer financial support and restore mental health. We need to create jobs, meaningfully address climate change, educate our children, reach for equality…the list goes on.

Whether you want to shift the direction of your career, make sure that the skills you have are relevant for the future, or be the one to transform the landscape of your specialism, there is so much value to be earned from taking the time to immerse yourself in a topic, and to learn from academics and researchers who are pushing the boundaries of knowledge. Studying for a Masters gives you the opportunity to connect with other people who are equally passionate about your subject of interest and who could be the leaders of tomorrow.

We’ve seen how international travel has been affected by the pandemic and continues to be either difficult or impossible for some. And then there’s the fact that even within many countries, there are restrictions on how far residents may legally travel while we work together to keep the incidence of any virus variants as low as possible.

It may feel frustrating, but the upside of the situation is that university staff have understood the need to make classes and resources available online and are working hard to innovate and deliver learning that you can access from your living room/bedroom/kitchen/wherever. And students themselves are finding so many new ways to bring the usual socialising events, including clubs and societies and Freshers’ Week activities to you. There are even livestreamed study sessions happening in university libraries, so you don’t have to feel like you are working solo.

As a result, even if you’re living in lockdown, studying for a Masters degree can actually be a great way to meet new, likeminded people, whether they live in the same country, or on the other side of the globe. If you feel like you can’t bear to trawl the channels again, looking for a series you haven’t yet binged, then studying with interesting new friends could be exactly what you need instead. And of course, as restrictions are lifted, face-to-face teaching will resume, giving you the option to meet in person.

Living through these difficult times is having a huge impact on our mental health. Stress, anxiety, sadness and loneliness can take their toll. In 2020, many people found that even things they had previously been passionate about seemed suddenly trivial or pointless compared to the events unfolding around them, and looking to the future seemed to bring only uncertainty.

Having a goal to strive towards, whether that’s working on your fitness, starting a business, or gaining a Masters degree could be a way to find some positivity and focus. During the pandemic, we have all had to learn or relearn the value of self-care, and spending time researching and becoming an expert in a topic you love could be one way to feel good. We may have had to pause doing a few of the things in life that we love the most, but luckily, studying for a Masters is still possible, so if you have an ambition, this could well be the right time to go for it.

Good luck!

Katy McNair completed her Masters degree at the University of Glasgow, which is currently ranked in the world’s top 100 universities.

Glasgow has nearly 300 Postgraduate Taught degrees to choose from, including part-time study options.