Mel Poluck

I'd like to hear from higher education / labour market specialists and students but would also welcome views from tutors, recruiters and employers about whether a Master's degree is 'worth it'. It would be great to hear from those who have chosen to study a Master's and it has been successful and others for whom it was not worthwhile. I'm looking for a global view, but the client has requested a focus on UK and US. More specifically I'd like to find out about: - a simple, transparent calculation students showing outgoings/lost income while studying, and the salary difference compared to bachelor’s graduates with an estimated break-even timeline - the perspectives of career switchers, career accelerators, regulated professions and international students, to show how whether it is “worth it” depends on goals, context and circumstances. - what the alternatives are and if they're as effective, like employer-funded study, part-time versus full-time formats, online versus on-campus options, and microcredentials or bootcamps. - when is a Master’s not worth it for example, when there are weak salary premiums, high debt-to-earnings ratios, low placement transparency or saturated markets? - how does the picture vary across disciplines? - what are the main challenges to studying for s Master's and to what extent do AI, skills-based hiring, demographic shifts and alternative credentials impact these? Thank you.