When pursuing a master’s degree as a working professional, there is plenty to consider. From balancing work and education to managing time and financing, taking the leap may take a lot of courage, but it can offer many advantages for professional growth and move your career forward. While it’s a decision only you can make, understanding the numerous benefits and opportunities that come with pursuing a graduate degree from American University’s School of International Service (SIS) is an important first step.

Flexible Scheduling

For working professionals pursuing a master’s degree at the same time, flexibility isn’t only a benefit—it’s a necessity. Between long workdays, classes and responsibilities at home, it’s important to know you can find a healthy work-life balance while expanding your intellectual growth and advancing your career.

As a school that deeply cares about the needs of its working students, SIS has intentionally designed our course schedules to be working-professional friendly. About 40%-50% of our on-campus graduate students enroll part time at some point during their degree. This flexibility is crucial to students who don’t want to give up a job that is meaningfully related to their degree or need a stable source of income to help pay for school. SIS offers over 90% of our classes at 5:30 p.m. or later (with some on weekends), and part-time students can take one or two 2.5-hour classes per semester. A select number of summer classes are also available if you wish to make degree progress at a consistent, year-round pace.

SIS faculty and staff are always available to listen to your specific needs and help brainstorm ways to support you. If you have an upcoming work trip, event or family obligation, professors can work with you to make alternative arrangements if you communicate your needs well in advance (the importance of planning and communication cannot be overstated when it comes to keeping up with your classes).

Elevate Your Career

Pursuing a master’s degree while working may seem daunting at first, but it provides the skills, knowledge and experience that could put you ahead of other professionals in your field. In fact, 91% of employers say they prefer candidates with relevant work experience, so enrolling in a working-professional-friendly degree will ensure that there’s no disruption to your experience.

Working while in school gives you the ability to learn in the classroom and immediately apply skills to real-world situations. SIS students must fulfill a professional experience requirement, which can be met through an internship, current employment or previous employment (within the past two years). Students using current employment to fulfill the requirement must have completed 260 hours of work, and the work should be relevant to your degree.

AU/SIS is in Washington, DC, the heart of countless federal, nonprofit and global agencies. Not only do higher-level jobs in international affairs usually require a master’s degree, but having that degree often equates to a higher salary—especially in federal hiring. Pursuing a graduate degree from SIS allows you to grow your professional network and build long-lasting connections through every phase of your career. Our graduates go on to work in a wide range of organizations including the US State Department, the Department of Defense, World Resources Institute, Oceana, Chemonics, Booz Allen Hamilton and Google, just to name a few.

Strategic and Financial Planning

Pursuing a graduate degree requires more than time spent in the classroom. Your workload, career, personal obligations and financial commitments are all critical elements that must be considered and managed in your grad school journey. At SIS, we take all of these factors into account to set you up for success in your personal and professional life.

We know that future leaders in international affairs come from all academic, social and economic backgrounds, and we understand that financing your education can be a tough challenge. That’s why we offer a wide range of scholarships and teaching or research assistantships to eligible graduate students. In addition, SIS partners with a number of organizations to offer special funding to our partnership students. These include the Coverdell Fellowship for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and matching funds for AmeriCorps volunteers receiving the Segal Education Award. AU is also a Yellow Ribbon matching institution, which means eligible members of the US Military will have the majority—if not all—of their tuition covered.In support of working professionals in particular, SIS has an employer matching program whereby on-campus master’s students can apply to have their employer educational benefits matched by SIS for up to $5,000 each year for a maximum of two years. While the availability and amount are budget contingent for each year, this creative initiative has helped ease the financial burden for many of our students. For working students who need to enroll part time and have been awarded a scholarship, SIS’s door is always open to work out an individualized plan that has zero to minimal impact on your scholarship.

At SIS, we take great pride in our efforts supporting students across all academic, professional and lived experiences. It is perhaps not surprising to find that for the on-campus graduate cohort begun in Fall 2023, over 90% were offered some type of scholarship funding based on their achievements and potential.

With the added flexibility of our class schedule and support from SIS faculty and staff you can have a proactive plan in place for managing your time and finances. Ultimately, at SIS we believe that in today’s world, a student should not have to choose between grad school and their professional commitment. We must do everything we can to prepare our students to serve the global community as an emerging leader, waging peace and creating positive change in our neighborhood and world.

Imagine Yourself at American University

AU’s School of International Service is a top-10 school of international affairs. With world-renowned faculty, professional opportunities and an active international network of more than 25,000 alumni, you’ll gain knowledge and real-world experience to help prepare you to lead through service.

Is pursuing a master’s degree the right decision for you? Learn more about American University’s School of International Service degrees or apply today.