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Career Development Denise Alexander
For most professionals, a lengthy and rewarding career requires lifelong learning. While working in your field, you gain a lot of experience and insight that is invaluable for both your professional and personal enrichment. While you can learn a lot on the job, some things need to be taught in the classroom – for regulatory or other reasons.
Some professionals decide to go back to school to continue their education. For some people, advancing their career means completing their undergraduate or master’s degree, but for others, even after earning both degrees, the learning isn’t done! There are some options for learning in your field. Some choose to complete continuing education courses, while others specialize in new technologies or processes that can help them become more efficient through free resources and self-taught learning. Another option is to earn a post-master’s certificate (PMC) from a university.
A PMC is sometimes also known as a post-graduate degree. It is designed for professionals who hold a master’s degree and are interested in pursuing supplementary certifications that can provide them with additional training and experience to take the next step in their career.
Earning a PMC could enable someone to further specialize in an aspect of their field or move into a more senior position, or perhaps even a leadership position. Unlike an undergraduate degree, a PMC program concentrates on developing specific competencies for a particular specialty.
Others may choose to pursue a PMC as a way to change specialties or pivot their career without having to complete a second master’s degree. Earning a PMC is generally a faster alternative to completing another master’s degree.
A PMC requires a master’s degree in a related field of study although it doesn’t need to be exact. For example, a nurse who has a Master of Science in Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN-FNP) degree could pursue a certification to become Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) or a Nurse Educator.
Before deciding on a school and a PMC to pursue, do your research. PMC programs vary by state, so it is important to know if the school you’re interested in is authorized to offer your program in the state where you wish to work.
While every school and industry is different, more PMC options are continuously being introduced across the country to keep up with our ever-changing and fast-paced society. At Herzing University, we offer PMCs for MSN graduates.
MSN nurses can pick from these PMC specializations:
The coursework for all of Herzing’s nursing PMC programs is completed online, giving working professionals more opportunities to earn the certification even with a busy schedule. Students can enroll in full-time or part-time programs for even greater flexibility. Additionally, through our Clinical Placement Pledge, Herzing is dedicated to helping students secure their required clinical experiences.
Although some professionals were relieved to finish their master’s degree, continuing for a PMC could be worth the investment and even help them advance their careers.
Other benefits to earning your PMC include:
While a PMC might not be best for everyone, it is an opportunity for many professionals to learn more about their field and potentially grow in a career field that they love.
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics 2023 / Occupational Outlook Handbook 2022. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.
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