5 Reasons Why You Should Listen to Podcasts While Earning Your Master’s Degree

Podcasts are on the rise: The most recent data for 2023 indicates there are over 2 million podcasts available and over 420 million regular podcast listeners. In the United States, 62% of all consumers listen to podcasts, and 38% of the population listens every single month. These numbers are growing as more and more influencers turn to podcasting to get their messages out to the world. For the master’s degree student, there are several benefits of podcasts that can help them maximize their studies and enjoy their learning experience a little bit more.

What Is a Podcast?

A podcast is a series of audio files that are sent out to listeners via an RSS feed. People listen to podcasts through their phones or computers via streaming services. Often, podcasts center on a theme or primary subject, such as mental health or sports. They may feature interviews with well-known celebrities and thought leaders.

Podcasts vary in length, but they average between 25 and 30 minutes, which happens to be the length of the average American commute. You can find shorter and longer podcasts on various topics, making this a versatile way to take in information.

What Are the Benefits of Listening to Podcasts While Earning Your Master’s Degree?

Earning a master’s degree is hard work and requires a significant amount of dedication. You can use podcasts to give yourself a mental break or to enhance your learning. In fact, the benefits of auditory learning and podcasts for enhancing college programs have caused many schools to turn to podcast platforms to deliver parts of their instruction, including supplements to lectures and even audio versions of class requirements.

What are the advantages of listening to podcasts? Podcasts can benefit you in several ways. They provide entertainment and stress relief, and they can supplement your education or make it easier to retain what you are learning. Here are five distinct benefits of listening to podcasts while you work toward your master’s degree.

1. You Can Listen to Podcasts Anywhere

One of the great things about podcasts is that they don’t require any special equipment. You can listen to them anywhere, including on your phone in the middle of nowhere if you have a data plan. If you need to, you can even download podcasts to listen without using data or Wi-Fi. Connect to your car radio to listen while you drive, or use earbuds to listen as you walk to class or prepare to do homework. This can help you maximize your time because you can take advantage of podcasts whenever you have a few minutes of downtime.

2. There’s a Ton of Them

You can find podcasts on just about any topic imaginable, meaning you can use them to help you learn more about your master’s degree field or purely for entertainment. As a study enhancement technique, podcasts give insight into what is relevant in your field of study, potentially improving your classroom engagement. You will not run out of interesting podcasts to listen to because most podcasters publish new content weekly to maintain interest in what they have to say.

Similarly, if you are using podcasts for entertainment, you’ll find something to suit almost any set of interests. From comedy to parenting to sports, if you can think of a topic, you can find a podcast on it. Most are free, too, and available on your favorite streaming platform, such as Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

3. Sometimes It’s Easier to Absorb Information Through Podcasts Rather Than Reading

Listening to podcasts can make your master’s degree training even more beneficial. You may find that your brain can only take in so much information through reading, something you will need to do a significant amount of throughout your master’s program. With podcasts, you can absorb information in an audio format, and for students with additional challenges, like dyslexia or visual impairments, this is crucial. 

Studies have shown that the modern learner gets more mental stimulation through sound-based content than visual content and that listening can improve comprehension of the material. It’s theorized that the vast amount of visual media you are constantly inundated with on a daily basis may make it difficult to retain what you take in through printed text. Therefore, when you listen to a podcast, your brain may retain more information.

4. Improves Your Active Listening

When you are listening to podcasts, you must engage actively with what you’re hearing. Unlike when you read, you can’t flip back and reread a missed concept, so you have to actively listen to glean all you can from the podcast.

Active listening is a skill that will help you in your classes as well. When you become an adept active listener, you will benefit more from lectures and class discussions. Thus, active listening will help you significantly in your master’s program.

5. Fun Hobby to Help You Escape from Your Studies

Everything can’t be about school, or you will miss out on the joys of life. One of the best podcast benefits is the opportunity to take a break from your studies and listen to something entertaining or in an area of interest outside of your master’s degree focus.

Is it okay to listen to podcasts while you study? When you are actively studying, you should limit what you take in through your auditory senses, as you may not be able to absorb the items you are studying quite as well with noise in your ears. However, when you take breaks from your studies, listening to a fun podcast can help reduce stress and give you a needed escape.

Start Pursuing a Master’s Degree Today

To enjoy these podcast benefits while studying for your master’s degree, you must find a program that fits your needs. Carson-Newman University has a wide range of graduate degree programs to help students pursue additional education while enjoying a healthy work-life balance. With a Christian focus, our programs will teach you to stay strong in your faith while pursuing academic excellence. Learn more about our programs today, and contact our admissions team to start your education at Carson-Newman University.