To become a clinical social worker, you must first be licensed or certified by your state of residence and earn your master of social work (MSW) degree. This degree, which traditionally takes two years to complete, trains you both in a theoretical way--that is, in the classroom--and by facilitating field instruction opportunities. By developing your skills in the classroom and giving you firsthand experience alongside actual social workers, an MSW program gives you both the knowledge and the personal discipline required to become an effective social worker.
A Master of Fine Arts, or M.F.A., is a degree awarded to students in artistic fields such as writing or theater. These programs, which are generally two to three years in length, may qualify you to teach at a college level. They are designed to teach students in their art by fostering close relationships with each other and their instructors; M.F.A. programs are typically smaller than other programs, so that students and teachers can work more closely. In some cases, the program gives students time to work on a professional project. For example, creative writing programs typically entail working on a personal project of publishable length and quality that can then be submitted to publishers upon graduation.
An MBA is a master of business administration degree, which teaches students skills and strategies for the business world. Students in an MBA program study all aspects of business, such as business communication, writing, team-building, accounting, ethics and leadership. These programs, generally two years in length, may be taken by both younger students and current professionals hoping to become more effective business people. MBA programs also give students the opportunity to network with each other and industry professionals, cultivating a web of contacts in the business world that they can utilize after graduation.
Master of education degrees help prepare students who wish to become teachers and/or school administrators. Different schools offer different options for Ed.M. students. The Graduate School of Education at Harvard, for example, offers programs in areas such as Arts in Education, School Leadership and International Education Policy. The time it takes to earn a master of education degree varies depending on the school and the area of interest.