A master’s degree is usually achieved within 2 years of starting the program, but can take longer or shorter depending on the individual student and the program that they are enrolled in. Some universities offer options for college students to enroll in programs that offer dual degrees where students can get a secondary degree along with their master’s degree without taking a break in between programs. These programs can take anywhere from 4 to 10 years.
The length of time that is required to get a master’s degree is not preset and is often heavily dependent on the individual student. Students who participate in distance learning will often take around the same amount of time at getting their master’s degree as students who participate in on-campus learning. Students should recognize that they will complete their degree faster if they participate in a full time schedule. Students who go to college only part time will take longer to get their master’s degree. Sometimes, they will have to wait as long as 5 years to achieve their degree. Students who are achieving a master’s degree can expect to have intern and externships within the course outline of the master’s degree program they are participating in.