The graduate degree programs we hear about most are, of course, the ones that are most commonly pursued. Those programs, such as those in the business and health fields, are often pursued because there are many types of jobs that utilize or require those degrees. Understandably, we hear more about the degrees that are in demand but you may be looking for information on not-so-common, but interesting, graduate program options.

At the University of Adelaide in Australia you can study topics like intelligence and counter-intelligence as part of their Master of Arts degree in International Studies. If you have always been intrigued by stories of spies, this may be the program for you. If you are interested in the topic but not the prospect of pursuing a full graduate degree, you might want to explore the Graduate Certificate in Competitive Intelligence from the American Military University. In this one year program you get take courses such as Counterintelligence, Threat Analysis, Computer Crimes and Industrial Espionage.

Maybe love Kathy Reich’s books and the show Bones. If you do and you excel in science you might want to check out the Master’s Degree in Forensic Science available at Arcadia University in Pennsylvania. Their program is accredited by the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission and the school partners with the Center for Forensic Science Research & Education to educate students. Another option is the Master of Science degree in Forensic Anthropology at Boston University School of Medicine.

Then there is my personal favorite discovery: the Master of Fine Arts degree in Puppetry at the University of Connecticut. It is the only master’s degree in Puppetry in the United States and in this graduate program you would participate in courses such as Studies in Theatre History, Advanced Rod Puppet Theatre, Advanced Hand Puppet Theatre, Scriptwriting and Technical Design. I feel pretty confident in saying that getting a master’s degree in puppetry and then getting a job as a puppeteer for The Jim Henson Company would make you one of the coolest people on the planet.

If you are looking for the road less traveled for your graduate school path, counterintelligence, forensic anthropology or puppetry might be just what you’re looking for!