Many students, taking note of the intensely competitive job market, are committing to continuing their education by pursuing graduate degrees.
According a research by the Council of Graduate Schools, applications have increased by 8.3 percent between 2008 and 2009, The State News reports.
One university in Michigan has seen its advanced degree applications rise from 5 to 7 percent in just a few years, according to The State News. The dean of their graduate school, Karen Klomparens, notes that present students are actually lingering longer in their programs, which can prevent new entries.
Speaking to the media outlet, Klomparens said, "when I talk to graduate students and faculty, one of the reasons they give me was that last year the job market was not very good. The students decided to stay in their department and do a really good job on their thesis or dissertation."
Many older adults with families have been applying to graduate programs at the school, and have shown particular interest in online courses in teaching and social work.
In the next decade, the U.S. Department of Labor has projected that having some form of postsecondary education will be required for almost 90 percent of high-wage jobs in burgeoning fields.
