Online MSc Degree Courses

A Master of Science, or MSc, degree includes the study of sciences, engineering and medicine. An online MSc degree helps students wanting to make a career in science gain more skills and knowledge about a certain subject.  A lot of the universities offer different specializations also under an online MSc degree. These include MSc Mathematics, MSc Data Science and MSc Statistics. 

Online MSc courses are mostly popular with students of science and is a degree that is recognised globally. An MSC degree can open both the Indian as well as international job market for students. There is a need for MSc graduates in both the private and the public sectors today. 

Since the online MSc degree is 100% remote and 100% digital. Students can learn and grow from the convenience of their location if they aren't able to attend on-campus universities. 

The university’s placement program also helps students find work with some of the best companies in India post their graduation.

An online Master’s in Science is a postgraduate degree that students can pursue entirely through online learning platforms after graduating in any science discipline. The difference between a regular MSc and an online MSc is that the latter is a remote learning programme facilitated through the Internet, as opposed to traditional classroom education. 

The duration of the online course is the same as that of the on-campus degrees, lasting for two years. It is a full-time programme. Several leading educational institutes offer online MSc degrees to cater to the diverse needs of Indian students and professionals.

These online MSc programs are offered in a variety of subjects, such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Statistics, Data Science, Information Technology, Healthcare, Computing, and more.

The other types of MSc programs apart from the online ones are: 

• On-campus MSc: Traditional classroom learning
• Distance learning MSc: Students don’t need to be present at the learning centre. The study materials will be delivered by mail or post. Students have to take exams at the designated centres.
• Hybrid MSc: Hybrid learning combines offline and online modes of education. These courses require the student to attend a fixed number of offline classes and workshops at a learning centre.
• Part-time MSc: Tailored for working professionals, these courses offer more flexibility and are a combination of distance and on-campus learning. They are typically offered as evening college programs.

If you are someone who is looking to further your education and pursue an online MSc degree but is still a little unsure whether it would be the right choice for you, then there are quite a few benefits that you can experience when you pursue this degree. Here is a list of some of them:

Study from any location: The best part about pursuing an online MSc degree from an online university is that a student can study from any location of their choice and still be able to complete their education seamlessly. If a student is someone who is unable to attend an on-campus university, for whatever reason, a degree such as the online MSc degree helps them grow their skills and their educational qualifications without any geographical barriers to withhold them.

Work-Study-Life Balance: Online universities understand that a lot of students who want to enrol in an online MSc degree are young professionals who are already working. To make sure that the jobs of these young professionals do not get disturbed, and they are able to maintain a balance between their work, studies and their life, online universities with their online degrees come in very handy.

Flexible Schedule: There are no timetables as far as online universities are concerned. Once a student has enrolled in an online MSc degree, they are free to study when from where and how they want to as per their convenience. There is no constant sitting down at a desk to study in one go. Such a flexible schedule offers a student greater chances to develop skills and gain knowledge at their own pace.

Learn when you can: An on-campus setting can sometimes be stressful for students as every stage of the learning process is dictated by the teacher, the syllabus or the management. However, when it comes to pursuing an online degree like an online MSc degree from a recognized online university, that is not a problem students have to worry about. As a part of the online MSc degree, students can learn whenever they want and however they want to. This helps students work through subjects at their own pace, helping them understand everything better.  

More Affordable: This might come as a surprise, but most online universities work out cheaper than on-campus universities. Not only do students not have to pay for the travel expenses that accompany attending an on-campus university, but the course fees themselves are cheaper upon comparison.   

Better Career Growth: An online university plays a wonderful builder role for young professionals who want to grow their skills and further their career path. Imagine a young professional wanting to pursue their studies while juggling their career. This is hardly feasible where an on-campus university is concerned. However, with the flexibility offered by an online university, a wonderful balance can be established between a student’s career and their studies.   

Virtual Classes: Apart from the flexibility that it provides, every online university also enables students to attend virtual classes. These classes are 100% digital in nature and are immersive and interactive to help students feel like they are part of an actual classroom setting.

Online Exams: Another main concern that students often are worried about, even when it comes to online universities, is that they would still have to visit an on-campus setting or an examination center to write their exams. This is far from the truth about online universities. Online universities provide students with the provision to write exams digitally from the comfort of their location.

Since we have already talked about how online university courses are cheaper than the courses offered by on-campus universities, here is a list of some of the universities offering online MSc courses and their fees:

The admission process for joining the online MSc program is fairly simple in most online universities. These steps are mostly common between all these universities and there might be very slight variations, if any. 

Step 1: Online Counselling  

Universities usually have online counsellors on board to help students through the admission process. These counsellors help guide potential students to pick the right online MSc course to help them advance their careers and upskill themselves.

Step 2: Registration to the admission portal.  

Once students, guided by the counsellors, have zeroed in on the online MSc course they want to opt for, they need to register themselves on the online portal after checking their eligibility for the said course. Upon registering themselves online, students will be able to gain access to the online admission portal. 

Step 3: Submission of the Application Form

Upon gaining access to the online admission portals, students need to fill out the online admission form and upload all the necessary documents asked for there. Though these documents might differ from one university to another include ID and address proofs, mark sheets etc. 

Step 4: Fees Payment 

After filling out the online admission form and uploading the documents, eligible students receive a fee payment link in their account. 

Step 5: Admission Confirmation

Once the fee is paid for the online MSc degree, the online admission team verify the documents uploaded by the student and sends a confirmation of admission in four days maximum. 

Step 6: Access to Learning Management System (LMS)

Upon successful fee payment and the confirmation of admission, eligible students are granted access to the LMS within 48 hours of the confirmation.

Step 7: In case of any doubt

Constant online support for students is always available in most universities when they pursue an online MSc course. This helps students have a seamless and convenient experience. 

To apply for an online MSc programme, you will need to meet the following admission criteria:

• You must have passed Grade 12 (10+2 or II PUC) from a well-known school or college with subjects like science and mathematics.
• You must have a bachelor’s degree in a science subject from a recognised university with at least 50% marks.

If you think you won’t have a choice regarding specialisations in online MSc courses like the traditional on-campus ones, it's a misunderstanding. Many leading Indian educational institutes offer a wide variety of course specialisations and electives. 

The online MSc syllabus covers vast topics that are up-to-date with the latest developments in the field. It also imparts practical knowledge relevant to emerging industry needs, equipping students with skills that are in demand in the job market. 

Here is a list of online MSc specialisations that are the preferred choices of the majority of students today. You can select one depending on your graduate degree and interests.

Many Indian universities (both open universities and traditional ones) offer online master’s degree programs. The table below lists the major universities that offer online MSc degree in the most demanded specilaisations.

Almost all the leading companies in India take into account an online MSc degree when they are looking to recruit new people. Some of these companies include:

• Ikea
• Godrej
• Asian Paints
• ABB
• Capgemini
• ACC
• Hindustan Unilever Limited
• TCS
• HCL
• Flipkart
• Amazon
• Microsoft
• JP Morgan Chase & Co

To provide students with more clarity regarding the kind of jobs they can land after the completion of their online MSc degree, here is a list of some of them, according to the specialization a student wishes to pursue. 

Online MSc Data Science:

• Data Scientist
• Data Analyst
• Data Manager
• Data Architect
• Data Engineer
• Business Analyst
• Machine Learning Engineer

Online MSc Mathematics:

• Mathematician
• Data Scientist
• Maths Professor
• Investment Analyst
• Statistician

Online MSc Statistics:

• Consultant
• Statistical Trainer
• Content Analyst
• Data Scientist
• Data Analyst
• Risk Analyst
• Professor
• Mathematician
• Business Analyst
• Statistician

Educational Loans for Online MSc

While most online MSc courses are affordable compared to regular on-campus programs, there may be instances when you need financial aid, such as educational loans or scholarships. Many universities offering online courses allow students to pay the course fee in instalments. That being said, taking an education load is a good idea if you have financial constraints. Many financial institutions in India offer education loans at attractive interest rates with easy payback options. The loan amount can cover 100% of your tuition fee. For loans up to 20 lakhs, many lenders don’t ask for any collateral. 

Scholarships

Scholarships are provided either by the university or by the Indian government to deserving students in different categories: meritorious students, students from economically weaker sections, and students who are differently abled. They are offered based on the student’s marks in their degree or senior secondary exams. Refer to the respective university websites for more details. 

Online MSC programs equip students with practical experience along with technical expertise. Since many universities also offer career support, landing well-paid jobs is easy. Typically, the average salaries for MSc graduates are in the range of 4-7 lakhs per year. 

Having an online MSc degree opens up several career paths, such as: Data Scientist, Mathematician, Statistician, Web Developer or Software Engineer, Data Engineer etc. 

While any science graduate can enrol for an online MSc degree, these programs are specifically targeted for (or beneficial to) these individuals:

• Recent science graduates who don’t have a campus admission at hand for a postgraduate degree or have missed the cutoff percentage.
• Junior or mid-level working professionals who want to further their careers in a relevant field. 
• Individuals who want to work while studying. 
• Parents who want to balance studies with family affairs and hence want flexibility.
• Anyone with financial or physical constraints

Even though you’re opting for an MSc degree online, you will need to demonstrate the following key skills to enhance your education in a particular field:

• Analytical capability - logic and reasoning
• Troubleshooting or problem-solving skills
• Communication skills - the ability to convey your thoughts and ideas effectively
• Team management ability - involves people management skills

Follow the below steps to apply for an online MSc course:

• Select your university and your course
• Log in to the university website and create/register your account
• Fill out the application form with all your details, such as name, contact, and other information as required.
• Upload digital copies of all the relevant documents - marks sheets, certificates, CV, etc. 
• Pay the application fees and registration costs
• Pay the tuition fee as instructed by the university to confirm your seat

Once you submit your application, the university will verify your documents and send you a confirmation email with your student number.