6 Top reasons to study a postgraduate degree

1. Expand your career opportunities

Unlock new career opportunities when you add a postgraduate degree to your resume. By expanding your skillset with a specialisation or gaining skills in a new area, you can increase your capability, understanding, and value.

Whether you use your new skills to level up your existing career or move in a new direction, a postgraduate degree automatically makes you a stronger applicant to prospective employers.

2. Increase your earning potential

Broadening your career opportunities typically goes hand in hand with a pay rise. If you’re looking to increase your income, postgraduate studies can be a great move.

A survey in 2023 has found that postgraduate coursework students earned a median salary A$25,600 higher than the median salary of undergraduates¹.

Postgraduate study can increase your earning potential in several ways, from upskilling or specialising to become an expert in your area or filling any in-demand skills gaps to impress your employer.

Having a postgraduate degree can also unlock higher paying opportunities elsewhere by exposing you to new industry networks, boosting your credibility and giving you the competitive edge to negotiate a higher salary.

3. Develop your skills and build career confidence

While an undergraduate degree provides a great foundation to launch your career, a postgraduate degree will allow you to dive deeper in your area of interest or develop new skills.

Whether you choose to specialise or diversify, a postgraduate degree can set you apart through the acquisition of additional skills, deeper knowledge and industry learning and networking opportunities. This can make a significant difference to your career.

By equipping yourself with a versatile skillset, you increase your value as a professional. Your efforts in study and at work can teach you about building and nurturing connections, allowing you to strengthen your professional and personal confidence.

4. Stay industry relevant

With workforce needs and demands constantly changing, a postgraduate degree can help get you the career you want by setting yourself up to meet industry demands. This is particularly relevant if you’re hoping to gain hands-on experience in order to become more attractive to employers. Practical experience includes onsite placements and working directly with industry experts while studying.

If you have been out of the industry for a while or are returning to study after a longer break, then this could also be your way of refreshing yourself with the latest skills, trends, tools and knowledge. Not only will you stay up to date with trends, but you might be able to spot them, too.

Whether you’re looking to upskill, reskill or gain totally new skills, studying a postgraduate degree will enable you to gain new career opportunities and expand your professional network.

5. Take advantage of flexible study options

La Trobe University puts the student experience at the heart of all that we do.

That’s why many of our courses allow you to choose between full-time or part-time study, with evening classes or intensive ‘block learning’ available in many courses. We also offer more flexible options. Through our StudyFlex program, you can study online or on-campus at one of our many metro and regional campuses.

So, if you have a busy career or you’re juggling family commitments, a flexible postgraduate course can be your win-win solution to gaining a qualification that works around your life.

If your personal circumstances change, you may be able to exit early. Most of our Master's degree programs let you graduate with a graduate certificate or diploma if you've completed the minimum requirements.

You’ll also gain more opportunities and connections, so you can spend more time growing your skills, knowledge and networks before you start your career.

6. Incentives and assistance

Whether you’re looking for extra help to enter an industry or are looking to shift into a more in-demand or secure career, there’s a lot of additional support available for La Trobe postgraduate students.

There are a variety of scholarships available to support you financially while you study. To see if you’re eligible for a scholarship, visit our Scholarships page.

Some La Trobe postgraduate courses offer government subsidised places, called Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs). Securing a CSP can save you money on course fees. To find out if you’re eligible, take a look at Commonwealth Supported Places.

You can also take advantage of many of our student services. From dedicated career services to on-campus childcare, we provide a range of support services to help you thrive. If you’re facing personal challenges while studying, our professionally trained counsellors can help you in person or online.

Take the next step

¹ Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT), 2024, 2024 Graduate Outcomes Survey.