Why Are Online Upskilling Courses the Best Alternative to a Masters in Architecture?

Here’s a double-edged question:

To do or not to do a master's in architecture?

Every year, 25,000+ students in India graduate from architecture schools with varied career aspirations. After working on an elaborate thesis project in the final year of the undergraduate degree, students look forward to exploring new career avenues. While some want to dive straight into the profession, others want to pursue a Master's degree in Architecture.

Why do Architects Pursue a Master's Degree?

The primary reason why architecture graduates pursue a master's degree is to upskill and gain expertise in the field. Achieving specialisation helps them become more knowledgeable and improves their chances of bagging a job in top global architecture companies. This enables students to be future-ready and lay the foundation for a formidable career.

Downsides of a Masters Degree that No One Talks About

While gaining a master's degree is lucrative, students are often unsure about whether it is really worth it! While achieving proficiency is the intent - the effort that goes into selecting a university, managing finances, and finalising the course is immense. Hence, deciding to pursue a Master's is a  difficult one.

New-Age Alternatives to a Master’s Degree in Architecture

Any Master's course in architecture is demanding in terms of time, money, and effort. Similar to the undergraduate architecture degree, the curriculum of a master's course is also very intense. The amount of stress, anxiety, and burnout associated with a master's degree discourages students from pursuing the course.

E-learning offers an alternative to address these concerns. Online workshops, boot camps, and apprenticeships offered by alternative architecture schools allow students to upskill through digital resources. Online learning presents the best of both worlds by providing the opportunity for convenient upskilling. With technological growth, digital courses are becoming more structured, disciplined, and focused. Research by We Forum states that online learning enrolments have increased by 32% in 2021. This indicates that upskilling through e-learning is becoming more popular among students and professionals.

7 Reasons Why Online Upskilling Courses are Better Than a Masters Degree

The biggest advantage in the battle of online learning v/s traditional learning is that it enables students to develop self-discipline and time management skills. It empowers students to be more independent. In addition to these below are the most lucrative benefits provided by online learning.

Affordable 

Most online courses are budget-friendly because they have a limited requirement for physical infrastructure. The primary resources required for online courses are a laptop and an Internet connection. Further, digital courses offer a range of payment options that allow you to pay the fee in instalments. Apart from being affordable, e-courses are highly value-driven and provide complete value for money.

Shorter Duration

The curriculum of e-learning courses is developed with the intent of being precise and compact. Online courses do not hit around the bush because they are aimed at delivering practical insights. Curriculums that get completed in a shorter time span are good at retaining the attention of people and have a better completion rate because they are focus-driven.

In Line with Industry Trends  

University curriculums are often outdated which is not the case with online learning. Digital courses are more relevant to industry practices and technological advancements. They are skill-oriented and empower students to be profession-ready. Further, online courses have a highly inclusive teaching module that speaks about real-time applications and case studies. So, investing in digital courses as opposed to a master’s in architecture is more profitable for students.

Industry Is Seeking Skill, Not Degree

In a 2021 survey by the Economic Times, research states that 67% of recruiters today prioritise experience and skills over the educational qualifications of a potential employee. This indicates that organisations want to hire people who are well-versed in real-time professional skills. Such an approach to hiring helps companies attract talent that can lead their organization in the future. Hiring people who are already skilled also reduces the demand for the company's resources invested in training.

Less Intensive

The syllabus of any major similar to architecture is physically and mentally draining. Working through the weekends, all-nighters, and multiple assignment redos make traditional courses very tough. On the contrary, digital courses are very knowledgeable and practice-based yet less demanding. This enables students to make the most of their time and upskill even while working in an organisation.

Global Exposure

A significant benefit of online learning is that students can learn from global industry experts from the comfort of their homes. This enables students to learn about global architecture design and construction practices. It expands a learner's horizon and boosts their confidence in dealing with international projects. Interactions with global leaders impact the interpersonal skills of the student and make them more polished in the process. 

Better Earning Opportunities

Skill-based hiring in the AECO industry is becoming more prevalent. As digitalization becomes widely accepted, the demand for professionals who are technologically trained is increasing. New-age skills such as BIM and Computational Design are helping companies generate good quality designs with the investment of lesser resources.

Organizations are happy to pay competitive salaries to employees who can lead the tech revolution in their company. According to Glassdoor, the average salary of a candidate in India with masters in architecture is INR 40,000. In comparison to this, a trained BIM professional in India can earn up to INR 60,000 per month.

Discover:

How Is Novatr Offering Alternatives to Masters?

Novatr is a digital education platform meant for architects, engineers, and designers, providing real-world exposure and industry-relevant skills. The major courses offered are:

BIM Professional Course: Learn about BIM theory from scratch and understand its applications in the global AEC industry. Decode how to incorporate BIM into the entire lifecycle of a project.

Computational Design Course: Discover the various fields of computational design and how to use them to design and build architectural projects. Master advanced computational tools and industry workflows.

The platform promotes cohort-based learning because it believes that community engagements are the best way to seek knowledge. Novatr is developing an upskilling ecosystem for innovators so that they do not have to invest much time, money, and effort in a master's degree.

Courses offered by Novatr cost 1/10th of an M.Arch course. They span a shorter duration and provide a higher Return On Investment (ROI). Novatr’s courses are mentored by an international panel of experts and provide an immersive gamified learning experience. What makes the courses even more interesting is that they provide practical training with capstone projects. This empowers students with tech-focused and industry-relevant knowledge. Additionally, they provide career guidance and placement support to help all participants secure the best job opportunities

Check them out to exponentially grow your career!

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