You should always make sure to take the time to explore all available options and seek advice from others before choosing a career path. Most importantly, you must make the career choice you believe is right for yourself, as only you know what will make you truly happy. Deciding to enroll in a graduate or professional degree program is one of the most important decisions you will make in the course of your professional career. However, embarking upon graduate study before you know what you want to do could be a mistake. If you decide to pursue graduate study, you will be making a major commitment of time and money.
Some graduate degrees are academic and others are professional in orientation.
Academic degrees focus on original research, whereas professional degrees stress practical application of knowledge required for practicing in the profession. Master's degrees may take one to three years to earn and generally require a thesis project. Doctorates generally take four more years to complete and require original research and completion of a dissertation. Those who intend to pursue doctorates may elect to earn a master's degree first, then proceed to select a different university, or somewhat different program of study, for their doctoral work. For the majority of University of California alumni graduate school is inevitable, but when you decide to pursue that advanced degree may be more important than what advanced degree to pursue.