After you proudly receive your diploma and move the tassel on your graduation cap, the big question on your mind may be, “What’s next?”
Ball State University’s Graduate School has more than 100 possible answers, including nationally ranked master’s, doctoral, and specialist degree programs and advanced certificates in a wide variety of high-demand fields.
Whether you want to address society’s most pressing needs, gain skills for a fulfilling career, or enhance your life through work in the arts and sciences, a world-class graduate education at Ball State will empower you to achieve your goals and elevate your future.
“My master of public administration (MPA) degree has really propelled my career advancement in the nonprofit sector,” said Carly Acree-King, ’17. “I wanted a degree that would set me apart from other nonprofit professionals while also challenging me to think about the larger role the public service sector plays in society.”
As a graduate student at Ball State, you’ll continue to benefit from collaborative, hands-on learning experiences and world-class faculty who treat students as learning partners, spark intellectual curiosity, and inspire them to excel and “fly.”
Ball State also provides flexibility—offering on-campus, online, and hybrid options so students can begin a career and pursue an advanced degree at the same time.
“The flexible, blended schedule and course load allowed me to complete my MPA while working full-time, which was my top priority,” Acree-King said. “I enhanced my classroom work with real-world experience inspired by accomplished faculty and innovative projects.”
Likewise, the athletic training program’s curriculum and clinical experience with actual patients made it easy for recent Ball State graduate Kyleigh Johnson to transition into a career as a Licensed Athletic Trainer.
“The course load was challenging but taught me how to evaluate injuries, perform therapeutic interventions, execute rehabilitations, document correctly, and so much more,” Johnson said. “This, along with immersive clinicals, gave me experience with a vast range of injuries and patients.”
Johnson’s education was about more than completing a degree.
“Once you graduate, you join the alumni and immediately have so many connections and opportunities for networking and jobs and to further your education/clinical expertise,” she said.
Whichever graduate program meets your needs, Ball State provides exceptional support and resources to help you succeed. Students thrive with personalized advising and degree planning, research funding opportunities, the Graduate Student Wellness Initiative, and inclusive mentoring through the Pathways Project.
Jaylyn Graham was eager to start his graduate studies after earning a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Ball State in 2021. He immediately began working on a master’s degree in information and communication sciences and a graduate certificate in emerging media design and development. He’s completing both this Fall.
Graham has benefited from the strong alumni base and social learning emphasis of the master’s program.
“That social learning has been one of the best assets for me,” he said. “It’s helping me get a lot of connections while also providing vital fundamental knowledge of tech, business, and management.”
Discover what Ball State’s Graduate School can offer you at bsu.edu/discovergradschool and apply for a program today!
