This article presents the results of a pilot study conducted by the author in 2024. The study involved interviews with graduates of the Master's program in Business Pedagogy at Moscow City University, aiming to assess their career expectations, opportunities, and learning conditions that facilitate career self-determination, career trajectories, and overall career development. The article discusses the conditions impacting graduates' career development, including the influence of motivation on career outcomes post-training, the organization of independent work by Master's students on educational products or services during their program, and the role of the academic supervisor as a career consultant.

Career development in contemporary society is vital for individuals’ professional self-esteem and self-realization. Two primary approaches to career development can be distinguished. The first views career development as a component of human resource management within large organizations and companies. In this context, career development is seen as a targeted, planned, and managed advancement of specialists within their roles, serving the interests of the organization. Here, the “careerist” must meet established criteria and adapt to the organizational, technological, and communicative environments of their workplace.The second approach defines career development as an integral aspect of personal development, encompassing both the goals and outcomes associated with the formulation and implementation of a personal career plan. This includes the professional, economic, social, and personal choices made, as well as satisfaction with one’s self-realization throughout their life journey.

We align ourselves with the second approach and, in this article, conceptualize career development as a form of personal growth within the context of productive human activity, including career self-determination and career design. By career self-determination, we refer to adopting a professional position, consciously selecting professional values and priorities, and establishing career goals along with strategies for achieving them. We define career design as the process of crafting an individual career trajectory, taking into account one's psychological capacities, interests, inclinations, ambitions, educational achievements, and opportunities, while also considering the evolving demands of the labor market influenced by social and technological changes.

From 2013 to 2024, a total of 201 individuals participated in the master's program, with 152 successfully completing the program and defending their theses. Throughout these years, the target audience for the program comprised one-third business trainers and industry representatives involved in employee training (both in the open market and corporate universities), one-third educators and teachers from the Moscow education system, and one-third individuals from supplemental education systems and heads of private schools.The age distribution of master's students from 2013 to 2024 was as follows: 180 working professionals aged 25 to 45, 18 graduates from pedagogical bachelor’s programs, and 3 retirees aged 50 and above. It is also worth noting that women predominated in the gender composition of the program participants—174 women to 27 men. Over the specified period, 5 PhD graduated persons were enrolled in the program. The interaction between students and scientific supervisors throughout the two years of study was directed towards facilitating the creation of educational products that aligned with the career development aspirations articulated in the motivational essays submitted during admission. 

The design of the study included a structured approach to assessing the impact of the master's program on career development. The purpose of the study was twofold: to analyze the outcomes of the master's program as a vehicle for career development for graduates and to conduct a pilot study examining the opportunities and limitations of career self-determination during the two years spent in the "Business Pedagogy" program at Moscow City University.

The design of the study included a structured approach to assessing the impact of the master's program on career development. The purpose of the study was twofold: to analyze the outcomes of the master's program as a vehicle for career development for graduates and to conduct a pilot study examining the opportunities and limitations of career self-determination during the two years spent in the "Business Pedagogy" program at Moscow City University. This study was carried out between November and December 2024 using semi-structured interviews, guided by a set of ten questions. Interviews were conducted both in-person and via video calls, lasting approximately 30 to 35 minutes each, and responses were documented in writing. The study involved 25 randomly selected graduates from each graduation year, with participant demographics reflecting the program's overall gender distribution: 21 women and 4 men. The average age of respondents was 42 years. Research Objectives: - To identify the primary motivations for enrolling in the Master's program in "Business Pedagogy" as it relates to career self-determination and development. - To explore the potential of the Master's program "Business Pedagogy" as a tool for graduates' career self-determination and development. - To identify the conditions necessary for implementing the opportunities afforded by the Master's program in support of graduates' career self-determination and development. The research methodology drew on "Career Construction Theory" developed by Mark Savikas [7]. A central tenet of Savikas's theory is the necessity for ongoing adaptability in careers, reflecting a person's ability to adjust to suitable job opportunities in a continually changing landscape shaped by factors such as globalization, labor market instability, digitalization, and the shift from permanent employment to more temporary arrangements. This perspective fundamentally alters conventional understandings of career paths, moving away from a singular, lifelong profession toward a framework that embraces multiple adaptive choices individuals can navigate throughout their lives [4,5,6]. The interview guide consisted of 10 questions. These questions addressed various aspects, including participants' career development prior to entering the Master's program, their main motivations for enrolling, learning difficulties encountered, consulting opportunities, support in creating educational products, interactions with scientific supervisors, and career development after graduation. Interviews were conducted both in person and via video link. Responses to the questions were recorded for analysis.

Career Self-Determination: The decision of adult, experienced specialists to enroll in a Master's program is primarily driven by career self-determination, with a conscious aim (in most cases) of exploring new opportunities for career advancement. Generally, career development is perceived in two ways: as vertical advancement within a single organization and as an expansion of professional skills and expertise in a specific domain. Role of the Master's Program: The Master's program is regarded by most respondents as a valuable tool for broadening personal and professional horizons, as well as for developing new research, pedagogical, and project competencies. Motivational Limitations: The effective use of this educational tool for addressing career self-determination and development is, however, constrained by several factors. Firstly, the motivational preferences and expectations of students themselves play a crucial role. Those who approached their studies merely as a means to obtain a diploma often reported no discernible changes in their career trajectories. Independent Research and Methodology: For most graduates, writing their dissertation represented both a challenge and a major achievement in their professional development. While the focus on independent work was unexpected for some, it ultimately provided valuable insights and resources for further career advancement. Role of Mentorship: The findings also underscore the critical role of ongoing consulting and mentoring support from academic supervisors, which functioned as a form of career counseling. This assistance helped many respondents navigate personal and organizational challenges throughout their studies, contributing to their successful completion of the program and the development of their educational products. In summary, the pilot study demonstrates that the master's program actively participates in the labor market, serving both as an educational platform and a consulting entity for issues related to career self-determination and development for its graduates.

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