“What to do after M.Sc ?”
If you’re struggling with this question, you’ve come to the right place. This article will cover the best career options after M.Sc so you can make a better-informed decision regarding your career. The article will help you tackle any confusion.
But before that, let’s understand the importance of an M.Sc. To begin with, it is a very prestigious and highly employable domain. It sends a message to the employers that the graduate is capable of undertaking complex tasks and is well suited for leadership positions.
Scope after MSc is not limited and is employable because of the specific skill sets it imparts to the students. Some of those skill sets are mentioned below-
- Critical thinking
- Statistical
- Problem- Solving
- Mathematical aptitude
- Research
- Collaborative
So, without further ado, let’s begin:
M.Sc. Exclusive Career Options
1. Lecturer
Becoming a lecturer is one of the most popular career choices for M.Sc graduates. It’s an excellent field for someone who wants to specialize in their subject and impart their knowledge to others. If you have always had a knack for helping others, then it’s certainly the best career choice for you. On the other hand, if you want to enter the education sector and teaching has always fascinated you, becoming a lecturer would surely be an excellent career choice for you.
Academia opens the gate of creativity for an M.Sc graduate as they can take their knowledge a notch higher by indulging in writing research papers, carrying out extensive research and making a contribution to society.
More so, they can creatively impart their knowledge to students and shape the upcoming generation. Also, the working hours in this field are very comfortable.
It is one of the most admirable after MSc jobs owing to its flexible hours, high pay and better employment opportunities. The graduates can choose to work with either government or private colleges, depending on their interests.
What You’ll Do in This Field
As a lecturer, you’ll be responsible for teaching a group of students in your specialized subject. Your specialized subject depends on your M.Sc subject selection. Lecturers are responsible for guiding their students and making them acquainted with the various concepts of their subject.
They are responsible for creating the course material, curricula, and lesson plans to ensure that the students get the best learning experience possible. You will have to attend interviews, examine your students’ progress through exams, and interact with the students to ensure they don’t face any issues in understanding the study material.
In order to perform the duties better, the lecturer must possess certain skills, some of which are mentioned below-
- Stronghold of the subject
- Good teaching skills
- Motivation
- Speaking skills/ Communication
- Critical thinking
- Organizational skills
- Research
- Patience
How To Enter This Field
It would be best if you had a bachelor’s degree, preferably in mathematics, computer science, or statistics, to pursue a career in this field. As an M.Sc graduate, you’re eligible to pursue this role.
2. Researcher
One of the best career options after an M.Sc is a researcher. There’s a massive demand for research professionals as they help companies in solving highly complex business problems. You can become a researcher and start assisting companies too. On the other hand, you can contribute your research skills to the public sector and work at a university. In both cases, you’d get to dedicate your efforts to exploring the depths of your specialized subject. It’s surely an excellent career for those students who want to study their subject further.
A researcher’s core work is to get into the depth of the subject matter and find solutions to it. The researchers have a scientific way for approaching their problems, they identify the problem, gather relevant data, observe, and analyze the model. They publish their findings and facilitate the operations that allow for easy business decision-making.
What You’ll Do in This Field
As a researcher, you’ll be responsible for collecting and analyzing data for your research. You’ll have to use various techniques and technologies to generate valuable insights from the available data. Apart from finding insights, you’ll have to convey your insights to others (upper management, team members, etc.), so having strong communication skills is vital for this field. Researchers usually work in teams, and so, they need good collaborative skills too.
MSc scope is high, and it opens well-paid opportunities. With more published papers come more employability opportunities. The researchers are supposed to conduct fieldwork and use various tools required for carrying out the observations. They identify patterns and come up with conclusions and communicate the same to the relevant stakeholders.
Some of the skills required in the field of research are mentioned below-
- Stronghold of the subject matter
- Project Management
- Observational skills
- Analytical
- Writing
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Data handling
- Budget handling
How To Enter This Field
You can enter this field right after completing your M.Sc degree. As an M.Sc graduate, you’ll be eligible to pursue this field right away. You can pursue a research career in the private sector as well as in the public sector. Most of your working conditions would depend on your specialization subject.
Also Read: Top Career Options in India
Non-Science Careers
1. Manager
If you’re interested in pursuing leadership roles in companies, then following a management career would certainly be excellent for you. Management professionals are among the highest-paid professionals in India. So it’s undoubtedly a fantastic career choice.
The manager is responsible for bringing out the maximum productivity from their team as they are responsible for the team. They lead their team towards success, set goals for them, and give a helping hand to members who need maximum support.
A substantial degree in MSc would unlock the potential to land a leadership role for managers as the organization assumes they have the technical and sound mindset required from a leader.
What You’ll Do in This Field
Managers are responsible for the performance and organization of their department/team. They have to manage staff, plan, and evaluate their activities; also, managers have to recruit, select, orient, and train their staff members. It’s a dynamic role and requires strong interpersonal skills.
Managers have to create plans and set goals for their team to achieve while assisting them. Note that your responsibilities might change according to the industry you’re in.
MSc background is helpful in management because it imparts specific soft skills and hard skills that make for a competent manager.
Background in MSc plays a pivotal role in landing a high paying. Some the jobs after an MSc in management are many, such as-
- Data Management
- Finance Management
- Audit Management
- Risk Management
- Product Management
- Operations
How To Enter This field
To become a management professional after MSc, you’ll have to get a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. You can take a PG course in management as well. Taking the course will not only certify you as a skilled management professional, but it will also teach you the necessary skills you need to become one.
2. Digital Marketer
If you want a career that combines creativity and technical proficiency, digital marketing would be perfect. With the rise of online businesses and social media, the demand for digital marketers is increasing rapidly.
Digital marketing requires professionals to be analytical yet creative. Digital marketers can apply their knowledge to create strategies for products and services.
There are various job roles available in the digital marketing industry, such as-
- Brand Manager
- SEO Expert
- Paid Media Expert
- Client Service Manager
- Account Manager
- Content Manager
It is considered one of the high-paying MSc career options. The professionals can procure high salaries owing to their experience, skill sets and upskilling.
What You’ll Do in This Field
As a digital marketer, you’ll be responsible for managing the online presence of your company. You’ll have to create, optimize, and promote their online profiles. Digital marketers utilize various technologies and techniques to enhance their client’s reach on the internet.
As a digital marketer, you’ll perform SEO (search engine optimization), SEM (search engine marketing), social media promotions, PPC campaigns, etc. Digital marketers work with teams of specialists who assist them in performing their duties.
Some of the skills required for the digital marketing industry are mentioned below-
- Data Analysis
- Search Engine Optimisation
- CRM
- Communication
- Problem- solving
- Content Creation
How To Enter This Field
To become a digital marketing professional, you should learn about the necessary skills for this field, such as SEO, SEM, content marketing, PPC ad campaigns, copywriting, etc. You can take a PG course in digital marketing to learn these skills from industry-leading experts.
It will help you learn and practice these skills, along with the necessary technologies. A great thing about learning digital marketing is that you can become a freelance professional, which means you don’t necessarily have to pursue a conventional job.
You can also check out our free courses offered by upGrad in Management, Data Science, Machine Learning, Digital Marketing, and Technology. All of these courses have top-notch learning resources, weekly live lectures, industry assignments, and a certificate of course completion – all free of cost!
Tech-Focused Careers
1. Blockchain Developer
Blockchain is among the hottest industries. It is a relatively new technology but has a lot of advantages. That’s why the demand for blockchain professionals is through the roof.
Moreover, even though the need for blockchain developers is very high, there’s a massive shortage of talent in the industry. Due to these reasons, blockchain is among the best career options after M.Sc.
Blockchain helps in the traceability and verification of multiple transactions. Processed data can be traced and secure transactions can take place.
Blockchain is going to be relevant in the future as well as it impacts society at large. Incoming secured, traceable transactions new innovations can take place. The business partners can access the same information without compromising privacy.
MSc scope is high in this industry as it pays good and gives more employment opportunities. The average salary for a blockchain developer is 6.7 LPA and the salary ranges from 2.4 to 21.2 LPA (Source). The salary could be higher owing to a higher skill set, high experience, and other driving factors.
Job Description
A blockchain developer is responsible for the complete lifecycle of a blockchain application. This means they are responsible for the development, designing, testing, and execution of the product. Blockchain developers need to be proficient in programming languages as they have to handle various aspects of development.
Note that blockchain developers are of two categories, namely, core developers and software developers. While the core developers focus mainly on blockchain and the infrastructure, the software developers build an application on top of that infrastructure. Their necessary skills vary.
There are some of the skills that developers must possess. Some of them are mentioned below-
- Blockchain technology
- Analytical
- Smart contracts
- Programming languages
- Networking
How To Enter This Field
To become a blockchain developer, you should be an expert in blockchain and its related subjects. Moreover, it would be best to have a firm grasp of cryptography, data structures, smart contracts, etc. The best method to learn all of these skills would be to take a PG course in blockchain.
It will help you understand the skills we discussed before and additional ones such as Advanced JavaScript, Fabric, Composer, etc. As an M.Sc graduate, you’re eligible to enroll in this course.
2. Cybersecurity Expert
In the first quarter of 2020, India witnessed a 37% increase in cyberattacks compared to the last quarter of 2019. Cybersecurity is quite a new sector in India and is highly needed. Like all the roles we discussed in this article, the demand for cybersecurity professionals is very high. It is among the best career options after M.Sc.
Organisations have become data-centric; they possess critical information which they cannot afford to lose. They require this data to be protected from any external threats. The stored data could be of national importance, personal information, banking information and many more. That, if exposed, could lead to a breach of privacy.
Skilled cyber security engineers are hired in order to protect against the theft of data. They protect the system from possible threats. Cyber security engineers have become a big asset to the company.
It is a highly employable and high-paying industry. The average salary is 6.0 LPA and exceeds 18.0 LPA (Source). Additional skill sets and experience contribute to procuring a higher salary.
What You’ll Do in This Field
As a cybersecurity expert, you’ll have to consult your organization on digital security issues. You’ll be responsible for identifying weaknesses in their digital security implementations and helping them remove the same. On top of that, you would have to implement a more robust security system for their digital operations. Prominent roles in this field include ethical hackers and cybersecurity consultants.
Some of the skills that are required in order to accelerate career growth in cybersecurity are mentioned below-
- Scripting
- Controls and frameworks
- DevOps
- Cloud
- Network Security Control
- Penetration Testing
- Ethical Hacking
- Programming Languages
How To Enter This Field
You must have a bachelor’s degree to be eligible. As an M.Sc graduate, you’re eligible to pursue a role in this field. However, a degree might not be sufficient as you must be familiar with various concepts of cybersecurity. To learn them and additional skills, you can take a cybersecurity course. The course will help you learn multiple concepts such as data secrecy, application security, cryptography, etc.
3. Full-stack Developer
You can enter the tech sector and build solutions as a career by becoming a full-stack developer. As more and more companies are focusing on digitization, the demand for full-stack is on the rise. It’s among the most fantastic courses after M.Sc.
A full stack developer carries out the complex tasks of developing web applications. In today’s times, companies want to stay connected with their user base better. Their web applications represent their brand, and the businesses want them to make an impact. These applications have become a major tool for direct interaction with their user base where they can understand their customer’s grievances and demands and increase customer satisfaction.
The average salary for a full-stack developer is 6.5 LPA, and the salary exceeds 17.0 LPA (Source). The compensation could be higher due to skill sets, increased experience, and other factors.
What You’ll Do in This Field
Web development has two sections: Front-end development and back-end development. Front-end development focuses on the aspects that a user interacts with, while back-end development focuses on the background processes to make the solution function. A full-stack developer is proficient in both of these areas of web development.
Front-end and back-end development require expertise in different technologies, and as a full-stack developer, you’ll be familiar with all of them. Full-stack developers create web-based solutions for their clients. They are usually responsible for a team of developers who assist them in making the same.
Some of the skills required for a full-stack developer-
- Programming languages
- Version control
- NodeJS and ExressJS
- HTML and CSS
- Database management systems
- Soft skills
How To Enter This Field
You should have experience in web development and be familiar with its related technologies such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, APIs, etc. You can take a full-stack development course to learn these skills. As an M.Sc graduate, you’ll be eligible to enroll in the course.
The course will help you understand the necessary skills and practice them to become a proficient full-stack developer. You should know that the course doesn’t require you to have any coding experience.
Future Scope For M.Sc Graduates
As someone who’s navigated the post-M.Sc. Landscape, I can assure you there’s a wealth of career options after M.Sc. The future scope for M.Sc. graduates is bright and diverse. Whether you’ve specialized in a scientific discipline, technology, or any other field, your M.Sc. opens doors to exciting opportunities. From research positions in academia to roles in industry, there’s no shortage of paths to explore. Additionally, M.Sc. graduates are in demand across various sectors, including healthcare, biotechnology, finance, and environmental science. With the right skills and mindset, you can carve out a fulfilling career that aligns with your interests and aspirations. Keep an open mind, continue learning, and be proactive in seeking out opportunities. Your M.Sc. is just the beginning of a rewarding journey in your chosen field.
Conclusion
I hope you found our article on career options after M.Sc. helpful. The fields we covered are in high demand, so you can feel confident they’ll remain relevant for years.
Remember, choosing a career that aligns with your interests is crucial. We’d love to hear your thoughts on our suggestions.
To stay ahead:
- Consider upskilling with the latest technologies.
- Explore upGrad’s Data Science, Machine Learning, Digital Marketing, and MBA courses from LBS & Full Stack Development.
- Please take advantage of our limited-time free courses to upgrade your skills.
Can I teach after MSc?
Yes, MSC graduates can teach in both schools and colleges. In order to teach in schools, they need to complete their B.Ed and MSc and work as a PGT teacher. And in order to land a job as a lecturer, they need to clear the UGC NET exam after finishing their masters.
Does MSc have scope?
Yes, MSc does have a high scope. The graduates can land a high-paying job post their master's completion. There is a good number of employers, which is another factor behind its scope. The graduates can make a good career both nationally and internationally.
Do MSc students get placement?
Yes, MSc graduates do get placement. There are various companies that hire for MSc graduates, such as Infosys, Tata, Wipro, Microsoft, etc. While studying, the students should equally focus on gaining new skills.
Is MSc a professional degree?
A professional degree aims to make their students more employable. MSc graduates can land a good job, and that also makes for MSc a good professional degree.
What are the benefits of Msc?
MSc aims to impact certain skill sets that the employer sees in their recruits. MSc helps to gain the following skillsets- 1) Analytical, 2) Critical thinking, 3) Technical skills, 4) Leadership skills, 5) Problem-solving skills, MSc is useful for personal growth and networking opportunities and makes for a high-paying career.
Who is a digital marketer?
The job of a digital marketer is to create leads and raise brand recognition using a number of digital media. Websites, social media networks like Facebook and Instagram, search engines like Google and Yahoo, email marketing, mobile applications like WhatsApp and Telegram, online display adverts, and blogs are all examples of digital channels. A digital marketer must also employ quantitative data to uncover flaws and enhance performance across different channels. You might be in charge of all parts of a company's digital strategy or simply one in this position. A skilled digital marketer works in tandem with the rest of the marketing team, ensuring that all online activities support offline efforts.
What is the average salary of a Blockchain Developer in India?
Blockchain Developers are IT experts who deal with Blockchain technology and are in charge of activities like inventing Blockchain protocols, creating smart contracts, and so on. Blockchain developers may be divided into two categories: Blockchain Software Developer and Core Blockchain Developer. In India, the expected total compensation for a Blockchain Developer is ₹7,48,185 per year, with an average income of ₹6,87,052. Salaries can range from ₹3,20,331 to ₹17,52,699 a year depending upon your area of expertise, the company you work with, and the city that you reside in. When extra compensation and perks are taken into account, the average total salary for a Blockchain Developer in India is ₹7,48,185.
What is the average salary of a Cyber security expert in India?
Cybersecurity has grown increasingly vital in recent years, as the prevalence of technology has expanded, as have the threats and hazards connected with it. A cyber security expert is a professional with extensive knowledge and expertise in the field of cyber security who can provide advice and recommendations on how to mitigate risks and address them. In India, the expected total compensation for a Cybersecurity Expert is ₹24,84,206 per year, with an average income of ₹21,34,206 per year. In all, annual salaries range from ₹11,05,758 to ₹32,50,000.
