How can a liberal arts graduate get an edge in today’s highly competitive job market? Complement the liberal arts education with a master’s degree in a business specialty, advises Chris Kinsella, director of marketing and admissions for DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business in Chicago, one of the largest and most respected graduate business programs in the country.

“Liberal arts graduates who want to improve their marketability by adding business skills to their portfolio may be surprised to learn that they have a lot of options beyond the traditional MBA,” Kinsella said. “A master’s degree allows liberal arts grads to quickly gain an in-depth knowledge of one business area that will help them reach their career goals. And unlike MBAs, these programs don’t require prior work experience.” For some, business master’s degrees can be the next step toward earning a doctoral degree, he added.

Business master’s degrees also can increase career opportunities for liberal arts graduates who are already in the workforce. Polly Skutta, who is studying for a master’s degree in accountancy at DePaul, said her bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences got her through the door of her employer, chemical company Akzo Nobel. “But I realized that if I want to climb the ladder, I needed a master’s degree,” she said. “Everyone has a bachelor’s degree, and the market is very competitive. To qualify for better positions, you need a master’s degree.”

Business master of science (MS) programs vary with regard to required courses. However, generally fewer classes are required for an MS degree than for an MBA, Kinsella said. MS degrees at DePaul range from 11 to 15 classes, depending upon the program. Students can choose from among programs offered in accountancy, e-business, finance, human resources, business information technology, marketing analysis and taxation. The part-time evening course schedule allows students the flexibility of working while in school, and many students are able to complete any of the above programs in approximately two years, depending on how frequently they take courses. Kinsella said students are encouraged to meet with an advisor regularly to best maximize their time as a graduate student.

DePaul’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business offers respected, practical and flexible programs of business study tailored to the needs of working professionals. The school’s part-time MBA program has been ranked among the top 10 in the nation in U.S. News & World Report’s graduate school rankings for the last decade. For more information about the programs offered by DePaul’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, call 312/362-8810 or visit the Web site http://kellstadt.depaul.edu/. For a schedule of open houses, go to the Web site: http://kellstadt.depaul.edu/About/OpenHouse/index.asp.