A study delineated patterns of degree study and subsequent career development of master's degree recipients in education from the University of Michigan. Preliminary answers were sought on: (1) students' decisions to pursue a master's degree in education; (2) work and study patterns students followed since receiving the master's degree; (3) career patterns students have pursued since receiving the master's degree; (4) students' perceptions of the impact of the master's degree on their career progress; and (5) differences in patterns of study, career progress, reasons for pursuing the degree, or extent of perceived degree impact when graduates are grouped by sex, decade of graduation, or pursuit of career inside or outside of education. Survey respondents (N=1,669 students) are described in detail. After reporting demographics and characteristics of the sample, results obtained from the study participants are reported in part I. In part II, participants responding to the survey are compared by gender. In part III, comparisons are made of respondents by decade of graduation, and in part IV by type of career (education or non-education) pursued subsequent to the master's degree. (JD)