How A Masters in Arts can change your life
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Tan Jyy Wei, who recently completed the Master of Communications and Media Studies programme at Monash University Malaysia, shares some of the unexpected personal skills and values you can gain from the programme.
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Some time ago, during a job interview for an editor’s position, the hiring manager asked me: “So, why did you decide to take up a Masters of Communications and Media Studies in Monash Malaysia?”
The answer was pretty straightforward, along the lines of “wanting to elevate my career and professional prospects” and “the university and degree is recognised worldwide.”
However, the encounter actually instigated me to look deeper into the completion of the master’s programme, and made me realise that there is more than just career advancements and knowledge gain from my postgraduate experience. In fact, a Master of Arts of any sort is actually more socially-centric, nurturing a broader set of personal and social skills in addition to the theory and practice of the discipline of choice.
These are some of the unexpected personal skills and values you can gain from the experience:
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is the ability to make good decisions, and take appropriate action to solve problems – definitely a skill you develop during your academic journey.
Take, for example, the ongoing topic of old and new media – of how digital media platforms are killing printed forms. The consensus would strongly argue that point, but when looking at the matter through an academic viewpoint – specifically through Jay Bolter and Richard Grusin’s remediation theory – one comes to realise that it should not be seen as an either or situation. Rather, why not look into ways in which they can both work hand in hand – rather than being in a competition – to better the publishing industry as a whole.
Undergoing a master’s program – especially one that integrates theoretical ideas and practical practices – sharpens one’s ability to objectively identify issues and solve problems creatively. It prompts you to unpack issues from an academic point of view, and provide the tools to work on yourself and change outmoded values or responses.
Time Management and Organisation
Things can get confusing and overwhelming when you’re dealing with multiple responsibilities and priorities, such as academic and work deadlines or meetings. In order to successfully navigate and tackle those tasks before you, you would have to practice proper time management and organisational strategies – and chances are that by the time you complete your master’s, you would become pretty good at implementing these strategies, or at least be more familiar and understand the value of these skills.
You learn to plan out how you’re spending your time, and see the importance of certain things such as grace periods, because some projects will take longer than anticipated, or medical emergencies might happen. You also understand that, occasionally, you also need to give your mind and body a break and come to terms that procrastination is the bane of human existence.
Proper organisation can help you manage all of these and hopefully prevent you from turning into a non-functioning pile of worry and anxiety.
Resilience and Patience
Completing a master’s programme teaches you resilience in the face of adversity. Yes, challenges are part and parcel in life, but undertaking a postgraduate degree comes with its own set of problems, ranging from financial responsibilities to submitting assignments and completing work projects concurrently. The good news is, the more you deal with adversities, the better you are at overcoming them.
Pursuing a postgraduate degree puts you in an environment when you learn how to better respond to stress and challenges, creating the confidence to overcome hurdles and deal with the things that don’t go our way.
Building More
Meaningful Connections
It is no secret that taking up a master’s programme would open doors to new relationships. You will be met with opportunities and chances to network with other scholars as well as working professionals, and build relationships across your field. However, apart from that, it will also give you a better perspective of the kind of individuals and relationships you want to invest in and foster.
In a way, you realise the people who are there to really support and help you through challenges, or are just talk and no action. So, while you are expanding your network, you also get a better idea of the kinds of relationships and connections you are in. And since time and effort is money – as per the point above – the experiences could be a means of filtering destructive or redundant relationships out of your life.
Personal Accomplishment
Obtaining a master’s degree is something that is viewed as a challenge by many – and rightfully so, with the amount of time, effort, money and tears invested into completing it. So, while your individual identity consists of far more than your education level or career, a postgraduate degree is definitely an achievement you should be proud of.
Plus, being able to look back on an achievement of this magnitude is a great way to motivate you whenever you get stuck in a rut in life. It is a reminder that you are more than capable of overcoming any task that you set your mind to. So, it not only gives you a greater sense of confidence in your academic prowess, but also in your ability to handle and overcome large, difficult tasks. That is a huge reward in and of itself.
For more information on the Master of Arts program, please visit
www.monash.edu.my/sass.