How to Get a Master’s Degree While Working Full-Time: 10 Essential Tips

Deciding to pursue a master’s degree while working a full-time job is a major commitment. But with careful planning, strong time management skills, and commitment to your education, juggling work, life, and graduate school is completely doable.

As someone who earned my master’s degree online while working 50+ hours a week I can vouch for the fact that it’s challenging but rewarding. If you strategically schedule study time, stay organized, use resources, and develop habits you can successfully balance working full-time with higher education.

Follow these 10 tips to earn your master’s degree while maintaining a career:

1. Explore Various Graduate Program Options

First, research all of your program options:

• Online vs. campus programs – Online master’s offer flexibility for working professionals. No commuting or set class times.

• Part-time vs full-time – Part-time programs allow you to work while studying Take 1-2 classes per term,

• Accelerated vs. traditional – Accelerated master’s compress courses into 5-12 week terms, allowing you to graduate faster.

• Thesis vs. non-thesis – Non-thesis options remove the lengthy thesis paper requirement. More coursework instead.

• Subject specialties – Ensure the program offers your desired specialization. Example: MBA in marketing.

Choose the format that best fits your schedule and goals.

2. Schedule Consistent Study Time

• Identify windows in your workweek when you can block off 2-3 hours for coursework. This might be morning, lunch break, after work, weekends.

• Add these class times to your calendar and treat them as seriously as you would a meeting. Never skip them except in emergencies.

• Schedule study sessions right after work when your mind is still fresh. You retain more.

• Give evening classes your full focus. Turn off phones, close email, eliminate distractions.

3. Diligently Track Your Progress

• Break bigger assignments down into smaller tasks to complete week-by-week in your study sessions.

• Use a planner to record due dates. Check off tasks as you complete them so you can visually track progress.

• Set milestones for finishing sections of big projects. Meet with professor if falling behind.

• Celebrate successes! Reward yourself when reaching goals.

4. Maintain Immaculate Organization

• Get a planner and use it religiously to map out all class assignments, due dates, tests, etc. Refer to it daily.

• Create digital folders for each class. Save notes, slides, readings here for quick access.

• Back up important docs in the cloud. Use apps like Evernote to access course materials anywhere.

• Keep notebooks, textbooks, supplies neatly organized and close at hand for study sessions.

5. Make Time for Other Life Activities

• Schedule exercise, socializing, hobbies around schoolwork. Never sacrifice sleep for studying.

• Say yes to plans strategically. Know when you have bandwidth for activities and when academics must take priority.

• Communicate challenges to loved ones so they understand if you can’t attend every event. Don’t isolate yourself.

• Set aside designated family time. Share mealtimes, movie nights, game nights when possible.

6. Create a Dedicated Study Space

• Set up an office, desk, or corner of a room solely for schoolwork. Never do anything else here.

• Minimize distractions in this space. No TV. Put phone in another room while studying.

• Ensure proper lighting. Get a comfortable chair. Gather supplies – computer, notebooks, textbooks, snacks.

• Studying in this consistent environment trains your brain it’s class time when here.

7. Fully Utilize School and Work Resources

• Connect with professors, advisors early on. Go to office hours; ask for help managing academics and work.

• Use tutoring services for challenging courses. Many schools offer free tutoring centers or peer-to-peer tutoring programs.

• If permitted, study or do readings during downtime at work. Always prioritize your job first.

• Speak to supervisors about adjusting your schedule if needed. Negotiate remote work, flex schedules.

8. Develop Consistent Habits and Rituals

• Establish set routines around school, work, other responsibilities. Follow this routine every single day, even weekends.

• Standard processes for recurring tasks like reviewing notes, prep for papers, etc. streamline study sessions.

• Create pre-class rituals like reviewing last class’s notes to prime your mind for learning.

• Identify what study strategies work effectively for you and standardize them.

9. Leverage Technology for Efficiency

• Use apps like Evernote to record lectures and take notes you can access anywhere.

• Enable text, email notifications for course updates so you never miss an announcement.

• Download readings instead of printing. Search digital docs for keywords to find info fast.

• Use calendars, to-do lists, reminders, other tools to stay on track with due dates. Set up alerts.

10. Prepare Mentally for the Long Haul

• Acknowledge that balancing full-time work and graduate school will be draining at times. Accept the challenge.

• Practice self-care like exercise, good nutrition, sleep hygiene to manage stress and avoid burnout.

• When frustrated, remember why you started the program. Revisit long-term goals for motivation.

• Share challenges with a mentor or fellow working student who can relate. Find your community.

Earning a master’s degree while working full-time requires sacrifice and diligence. But implementing these tips will help you succeed in graduate school while still excelling at your job. The investment of your time, energy, and mental stamina will pay off when you earn your diploma and doors open to new job opportunities. You can do it! Just adopt strategies to nurture productivity and maintain self-care.