Master’s Studies after a 10-Year Break: VU Alumni M. Velykis Applies His New Knowledge at Work

Should I choose to enter a Master’s programme immediately after completing my Bachelor’s studies? If you are asking yourself this question, chances are that you’ve reached a crossroads, where you need to decide whether you want to continue your studies or not. We have all heard that it’s best not to take a break in between studies, so that new knowledge is not forgotten and it is easier to learn. However, Mantas Velykis, an alumnus of Vilnius University (VU), who took a break between his Bachelor’s and Master’s study programmes, believes that this was useful.

“I have a hunch that people often choose to study for their Master’s degree out of inertia. By the time I graduated from my Bachelor’s studies, I was working a job I enjoyed that also matched my study field. I did not feel the need to expand my knowledge until later. I think this break (and it could have been a little shorter) helped me shape my own worldview, as well as evaluate what disciplines are important to me and how I could use them in my work,” said the VU alumni.

M. Velykis, former Creative Director of the CLINIC212 agency group, graduated from the VU Faculty of Communication with a Bachelor’s degree in Informology. He returned to the Faculty of Communication after a ten-year hiatus and opted for a Public Relations study programme. He explained that he had been considering this programme for a while.

“I feel that my professional path requires more and more knowledge in this field. Besides that, at the start of the quarantine, there was a lot more free time I wanted to make use of. That’s how I ended up studying for a Master’s degree,” revealed the alumni.

According to M. Velykis, in the last few years, he has noticed public relations becoming an increasingly important part of working in an advertising agency, so he chose this study programme for practical reasons.

“I wanted to be able to use this knowledge at work later. On a not-so-serious note, where else would I study? It seems to me that once you graduate from the Faculty of Communication, there’s nowhere else you would want to go,” said M. Velykis.

According to the alumni, the knowledge he acquired at the Faculty of Communication has helped at work. First of all, it helped him understand that the information should be viewed as widely as possible: “Fragmentation and inconsistency are part of the problems of modern communication, so our faculty is developing an approach focused on broadening your horizons and looking at things from different perspectives.”

Asked whether it is much easier for graduates with a Master’s degree to win in the competition for success, M. Velykis said the work you do speaks louder than a diploma.

“If a Master’s degree helps make my projects more significant, meaningful and visible, then it really facilitates my place in the competition. However, if you only study to get a diploma, I don’t think it’s worth your time at all,” he said.

Advantages of obtaining a Master’s degree after completing Bachelor’s studies

VU alumni Dovilė Čiurilovičiūtė, who graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, decided to continue her studies in the same field without taking a break. She explained that she made this decision very early on.

“I always wanted a Master’s degree, because I thought a Bachelor’s degree was not enough. A Master’s degree provides your with a little more solidity and is an advantage in the job market,” the alumni said.

D. Čiurilovičiūtė decided to continue her studies immediately after her Bachelor’s programme because “it seemed easier”: “I was already used to the rhythm and the lecturers, and some friends from my Bachelor’s programme were also applying for Master’s studies so I thought it would be more fun if there were familiar faces. I also thought that if I took a break, it would be very difficult to come back, so it seemed better to proceed with it now and not worry about it in the future.”

A Technical Project Manager at Levi Strauss & Co, D. Čiurilovičiūtė explained that the knowledge gained during her Master’s programme has been very useful at work, even if it has indirect applications.

“My job involves a lot of communication, such as writing summaries and conclusions. It involves bringing people together, analysing issues, asking questions to find out what to do and how to do it. All of this means logically assessing situations and making decisions. All of this was a big part of the knowledge about sociology I acquired, and I think these skills are really useful in my everyday work,” D. Čiurilovičiūtė said.

Enrolling in a Master’s degree programme after completing a Bachelor’s degree, or taking a break, is a very personal decision. However, the VU lecturers can help find the answers. They help future Master’s students choose the postgraduate studies that meet their professional aspirations and values, plan their long-term academic goals and understand the logic and purpose of the study programme. In addition, they introduce students to the research activities carried out in their preferred department and offer advice on how to get involved.

The VU Master’s students can have well-balanced work, personal life and studies. Most of the learning takes place in the evenings or on a session schedule. Future Master’s students can also choose to study at the world’s Top 100 universities via bilateral or Erasmus+ exchange programmes. In addition, both state-funded and self-funded VU students can apply for various types of scholarships.