Make the most of postgraduate programmes

STUDYING for a postgraduate degree while working requires enormous commitment, discipline — and cash. So it is vital to first assess whether what you are doing is worth the time, effort and money.

Timing is key. Alvin Liew, the acting chief financial officer of private university Monash South Africa, says the “right moment” to embark on such a programme is usually when you wish to move from an early-stage executive level to middle or senior management.

He has the following advice on choosing and completing a postgraduate programme:

Your qualification must fit your career. “It’s important to carefully consider the applicability and value add the postgraduate education will bring to their chosen line of career,” he says;

When it comes to the cost of the programme, you need to calculate the return on your investment. Calculate the incremental increases you are likely to enjoy in the three to five years after you complete the course. Ideally, the accumulated increases over that period should be more than you spent on the course. Factor in any opportunities you may miss if you take time off to attend to the course to assess the true return on investment; and

Are the skills you will be acquiring scarce? Having scarce skills will make you more employable.