The added value of taking a master's degree, explained in the first person

Aina Fuster: I have been able to access a field that, without this knowledge, I surely would not have accessed

Aina Fuster, 31, graduated from the UOC master's degree in Digital Health in 2021. Fuster admits that, upon finishing her Pharmacy degree, she was not at all clear about where she wanted to go. At that time, she was working full-time in a community pharmacy and that summer the interoperability of electronic prescriptions began to function, which allowed for checking patient prescriptions from other autonomous communities. "I started to think about how it was possible that this interoperability had not been possible before, but at the same time, many doubts arose as to how it could be technologically possible," she recalls. At that moment, Fuster realized that, very soon, digital transformation would be a key issue. That is why she decided to look for a master's degree that would help her understand it a little better. "It had to be one that would allow me to combine it with my full-time job and shifts, so I looked directly at the UOC," she explains.

Regarding whether her employment situation has improved as a result of taking a master's degree, Fuster emphasizes that, in her case, "it is not that it has improved, but rather that I have been able to access a field that, surely, without this knowledge, I would not have accessed." Although she currently continues to work some hours at the community pharmacy so as not to lose that more clinical part, the young woman has focused on research in primary care. Fuster is, however, among the 71% of people surveyed by AQU Catalunya who state that they would take the same master's degree again: "For me, it has been the basis for projecting myself toward a different career path than the one I had before."

"The master's degree," continues Fuster, "has initially provided me with more academic knowledge, which I appreciate in that it has created a framework for me to understand digital transformation, not only from technology, but from clinical practice, research, and implementation." The now also doctor cites "the ability to evaluate projects with criteria" as one of the skills that the master's degree gave her. And the fact is, "precisely with the explosive emergence of AI, we are reaching a point where it is difficult for us to apply common sense, logical reasoning, and analytical sense."

If Fuster had to give advice to a young person who has just graduated or to a professional already in the workforce who is considering taking a master's degree in the short term, the first thing he would tell them is not to have "degree fever." And he explains: "Once you have already graduated, what should drive you to do a master's degree (with the personal and financial effort it entails) must be the expansion of knowledge and specialization in something that interests you."

Blai Brull : “You have to look closely at the content, the faculty, and the internships, because there are many master's degrees”

While studying for his Journalism degree, 25-year-old Blai Brull discovered the world of corporate and institutional communication, which caught his attention significantly. "So much so that I decided to specialize once I graduated," he admits. He did so twice over, with a Master's in Strategic Communication from the URV in 2023 and in Communication and Politics at the UdG, which he is about to finish. Brull states that he has noticed how companies value resumes with master's degrees and specializations more. However, the young man points out that "it is not essential to enter the labor market, by any means, although in my case it did help me get my first job".The assessment of their time in the master's degree is very positive. First, because it has provided them “with many more professional tools and much more knowledge”. Second, because they have been able to delve into many topics that the undergraduate degree treats very superficially or does not treat directly, and finally, because it has allowed them “to meet many interesting professionals who help you shape your path”. In Brull's opinion, “although they specialize, master's degrees are quite general, and they are so precisely to better adapt us to the current labor market”. Regarding the global environment that a master's degree usually fosters, as part of the faculty and student body is made up of international profiles, Brull especially appreciates “having learned firsthand about things from their places of origin and how they study there, which helps you have a more open mind”.Brull states that he, personally, would give two pieces of advice to those who are considering a master's degree in the short term. The first, "that they should not be in a hurry to do it, it does not have to be right after finishing their degree". And second, that they should do it "when they know for sure what they want to specialize in, and often this is after having experienced the working world". Finally, he would also recommend "that they look closely at the contents, the faculty, and the internships offered, because there are many master's degrees".Faustine Gabard: “Changes are so rapid that training helps to gain perspective”

“I have always been clear that I wanted to continue my education. Knowledge is key to being able to make decisions, knowing how to search when you don't know, and surrounding yourself with people who make us grow as individuals and professionals.” This is how 27-year-old Faustine Gabard, a 2025 UVic-UCC EMBA graduate, expresses herself regarding the reasons why, while she was studying for her Business Administration degree at the same university, she was sure she wanted to continue studying. Even though she did not know exactly which master's degree she would pursue. This is, she points out, “the main reason why I did not take it immediately after finishing my degree.” Gabard chose to work first: “And later on, decide on the master's degree that best fit my needs and those of the company where I work.”Regarding the skills that the EMBA has provided her with, the young woman—who will be a mother for the first time this September—highlights one. The fact is that, in the real estate sector, where she develops her profession, she has to deal with very diverse people, both local and international, with highly changing situations, "and the art of negotiating and adapting is very important." This happens first, she points out, by knowing oneself: "The master's degree had a mentoring part that has helped me to do introspective work on my personality and my values." Gabard also maintains that, now, she is aware that "knowing oneself helps to better manage a team, the company, and relationships in general".On the other hand, he points out that the master's degree provides a level of professionalization that allows the individual to mature, and that is because “a master's student usually already has an interesting professional path, but changes are so rapid that training helps to gain perspective”. The master's degree, he continues, “allows one to go a step further, but it is true that one must want to extract all the juice from it and have the desire to keep learning throughout their life in order to be able to adapt to the new challenges presented by the labor market, which, currently, is fragile, anxious, non-linear and incomprehensible”.Pau Folch: “The master's degree forced me to prioritize tasks and manage my time more efficiently”

Pau Folch, 24, was not sure he wanted to pursue a master's degree until the third year of the Chemical Engineering degree he was studying at the UB. "I saw it as a good opportunity to obtain a differentiating factor when looking for a job, while at the same time deepening my knowledge," explains Folch, who also clarifies: "At that time I was not ruling out the possibility of doing a PhD in the future either." Once he decided to pursue a master's degree, he was clear that it had to be in Chemical Engineering. "I hesitated between the one at the UPC and the one at the UB and, finally, I opted for the one at the UB because it has a shorter duration and a structure that seemed more practical to me," he recalls half a year after graduating.Folch's professional improvement since having completed the master's degree has been evident. “The master's degree allowed me to enter the job market in a position for which this qualification was required and with a higher salary,” he explains. In fact, the company contacted him while he was starting his master's thesis (TFM). “Initially, they offered me a junior position, but, after the selection process, they proposed a higher category for which it was necessary to have a master's degree,” he remarks.

Regarding his time in the master's degree, the young man highlights: “Compared to the undergraduate degree, the subjects seemed less demanding from a conceptual point of view, but the workload was much higher”. This, he notes, forced him to organize himself better, to prioritize tasks and to manage his time more efficiently. Furthermore, in the laboratory subject, each student had to assume the leadership of their team in one of the practical sessions, an experience that allowed him to “develop coordination, organization and decision-making skills”. Folch also cites knowledge of programming in Visual Basic to automate functions and routines in Excel as key.If he were to meet someone who is considering doing a master's degree in the short term, the first thing Folch would ask them is to wonder why they want to do it. If their goal is to pursue a doctorate, Folch describes the option as “very coherent”. If, on the other hand, what they are looking for is to improve their job or salary prospects, he recommends “evaluating the opportunity cost of dedicating this time to studies instead of joining the labor market”. And if their interest is to delve into a specific field, “it is important to carefully review the teaching plan to ensure that it adjusts to what is really being sought”. The decision, in any case, “should respond to each person's personal and professional goals”, he concludes.