When Canadian PhD student Katelynn Perrault first set foot on Australian soil, she was convinced she made the right decision. Upon completing her first year of the applied bioscience master's program at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Perrault decided to embark on an even bigger journey by following her research supervisor to the Centre for Forensic Science at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). There, she partook in a candidacy upgrade examination that allowed her to advance to a PhD, saving her valuable time and money.

This was easily the best decision that I've ever made for my career and myself, says Perrault. I really enjoy my research that I'm doing here, the people are amazing, and I have developed a passion for travel that I never knew I really had before. I have gotten to see so many places and meet people that I never even dreamed of.  

Increasingly, employers are seeking students with an international scope'an awareness of and interaction with various cultures and an enhanced skill set that appeal to employers, stakeholders, and customers around the world. If you're considering a master's degree, there are several institutions and programs to consider beyond North America. We'll give you a few to absorb for now:

MSc/PhD in forensic science (research)

University of Technology Sydney invests millions of dollars in forensic and analytical equipment, which Perrault has benefited from and embraced while conducting her research.

My research field is forensic science and I specifically study decomposition chemistry or, in other words, the chemical breakdown of the human body after death, says Perrault.

Forensic science graduates may find jobs in police forensic laboratories, federal law enforcement agencies, government and private forensic or drug detection laboratories, and environmental protection agencies. Students can expect to pay upwards of $40,000 for tuition; however, there are several scholarship opportunities.

International MBA

China's oldest post-secondary institution, Peking University, boasts a two-year international MBA program that is taught in English and directed at professionals aspiring to become international business leaders. Located in Beijing, the school teaches core business practices that promise to enhance students' abilities as leaders and entrepreneurs.

Deborah Grayson Riegel, communication and presentation skills expert and managing director of Engineers Are People Too, often travels to Beijing from the US to pass on her expertise to international students. I think the recognition that China is a superpower and that understanding Chinese culture, Chinese business practices, and how to do business with and for China are invaluable for international students, says Riegel. I think they recognize and anticipate that this will give them a leg-up in business.

Students will also receive high-quality business Chinese language training, so it may be wise to start learning Mandarin if you plan to stay in China long term. Tuition costs approximately $40,000. 

International MSc in fire safety engineering

Engineering students leaning towards a European dwelling may be wooed by the MSc in fire safety engineering program, coordinated by Belgium's Ghent University, Sweden's University of Lund, and UK's University of Edinburgh. Students spend at least one semester in each location over the course of four semesters, learning structural engineering as it relates to fire safety, enclosure fire dynamics, risk analysis, and human behaviour.

Graduates of this program will soon find themselves fulfilling a broad range of duties in the context of fire safety, such as designing fire protection for space stations and ensuring proper safety protocols are being followed in highrise residential buildings. These engineers are in high demand by corporations, consulting firms, educational institutions, and governments across the globe. Tuition fees fall far below the international standard for international master's programs at approximately $10,000 CAD per year.

This experience was really worth it, says Joshua Reichert, a student of the program. In total, I visited about 25 different countries, used about a dozen different currencies, got to travel by train, bus, boats, etc. into different countries, stayed in hostels for two months straight, and got to meet a ton of people, both as friends and professionally.

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