Undergraduates of every discipline have the option of studying further after successful completion of a first degree and embarking upon some form of post-graduate study. To study at post graduate level is no mean feat. It will be academically and intellectually more demanding than the degree and will require the ability to study independently with little, or in some cases, no tuition. For this reason many institutions will stipulate that a good first degree (minimum second class) is required as well as evidence of a strong interest in the subject.

Courses are at least one year in duration, can be studied full or part time and unlike degree and HNDs, do not attract local authority funding or student loans. Choosing to study at post-graduate level does require careful consideration because the majority of students end up paying for the course themselves if they have not been successful in gaining a bursary or scholarship.

What is Postgraduate Study?

Study at postgraduate level will normally take place at a validated UK university or Higher Education Institution and can be broken down into two main categories:

Research based
involving a supervised programme of original research, though the student spends most of their time working independently, and the writing of a thesis. Research based courses can lead to the award of a master degree after one, or more usually, two years study or a doctorate after three years of full-time study
Taught courses
usually involving full-time study for one year or part-time study for two years. Taught courses include lectures, seminars and a project or dissertation. Some courses lead to the award of a master’s and some to a diploma or certificate.

Types of post graduate courses available

Broadly speaking there are three kinds of postgraduate qualification in the UK:

Postgraduate Certificates or Diplomas:

Are often vocational and provide the required training for entry to certain occupations, for example, the PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) for teaching and the DipSW (Diploma in Social Work) for social work. They can also be awarded for successful completion of the first year, or part of a master’s degree.

Master Degrees (sometimes called higher degrees):

MA and MSc – are the most available programmes of study at       this level and offer a broad choice of subjects specialising in the Arts       or Sciences. Duration is one year full-time or two years part-time. Courses       may be taught or research based.

MBA – the Master in Business Administration has great prestige       in both academia and industry, nationally and internationally. Aimed at       graduates who have at least 2/3 years experience of employment in industry       or in a professional role, and who might hold the ambition of progressing       to senior management within business. Courses are usually taught and command       the highest tuition fees.

MPhil – a master degree in Philosophy, awarded for a thesis       written after two years of research and can be used as a precursor to the       completion of a PhD.

MRes – a relatively new qualification that involves training       in research methods for one year and involvement in a research project and       can be awarded on completion of the first year of a PhD

Other and infrequent Master Degrees include the following:

MEd (Education), MMus (Music), LLM (Law) and the       MPhil (Philosophy)

Doctorates (PhD or DPhil – Doctor of Philosophy):

Doctorates are probably the most exacting form of post-graduate study it is possible to take and are awarded as a result of completion of an extensive original piece of research which usually takes three years to complete. Rather than structured lectures, the graduate works with a supervisor who helps direct the course of the research. To gain a doctorate, supervisors and other experts in the field assess the quality of the research undertaken, detailed in a 100,000 word thesis and discussed at length in an interview, to be of the recommended standard and significant enough to make a contribution to knowledge in that field. Doctorates are internationally recognised and are often a pre-requisite for a career as a university lecturer. PhDs or DPhil’s can be awarded for any subject.

Why go on to further study?

Graduates have a variety of reasons for wanting to go on to postgraduate study and it really does require careful consideration if you want to be sure of making a sound choice. Some of the most popular reasons given for undertaking further study are:

To take a vocational course and gain specific skills, with a particular career in mind which may either build on their first degree or be a complete change of direction.
That it increases their chances of a career in research.
To continue studying and specialising in an aspect of their first degree that particularly interests them.
To gain more qualifications in order to be more employable.
To put off making the big decision about embarking upon a career and finding a job!

Points to help you decide:

Have a clear idea of what you are hoping to achieve by undertaking further study. An additional qualification does not necessarily guarantee you a job.
Research the course you are considering carefully in order to determine whether it is likely to improve your career prospects.
Identify the sort of skills you can hope to gain and assess how relevant they will be to a future employer.

Make sure you can answer these questions positively:

Will the particular course in which you are interested make you more employable?
Check out the job prospects for students completing that course – you can contact the institution running the course and ask them if they have any information about the destinations of students?

Do you have a real interest in the subject, enough to motivate you to complete the required research and undertake the level of personal academic study required?

Will the course offer you the opportunity to develop and practice the transferable skills valued by many employers, such as team work, problem solving and time management?
It is not just qualifications that make you employable, but the whole package of academic and personal skills and experience you can offer.

Graduate Prospects Guide to Postgraduate Study and Research is a good general guide to postgraduate study and contains detailed information about the issues you will need to consider.

Choosing a course

Postgraduate courses are available covering a very wide range of subjects and include both vocational areas such as teaching, social work and information technology and academic subjects like economics, laser engineering, Victorian studies and molecular pharmacology.

Before you start researching into courses, you should have a good idea of the range of subjects you are interested in studying and where you might like to study.

Once you know which institutions are running the courses in which you are interested in studying and where you might like to study, you should contact their Admissions or Course Enquiry Unit or ask for a copy of their postgraduate prospectus and application form. Explain which course(s) you are interested in because departments often produce more detailed information and publicity on specific courses.

You might find it helpful to discuss you plans with a tutor, especially if the course you wish to study follows on from an area which you have studied as part of your first degree. The tutor may be able to suggest centres of excellence in their subject.

How to apply for your course

You need to start planning early in the autumn term of your final year. Find out as much as you can about different courses before you decide where to apply. In most cases you will need to make a separate application to each institution. Exceptions are primary and secondary school teaching, social work, clinical psychology, educational psychology, the CPE (the Common Professional Examination for non-law graduates who wish to go into law), the LPC (Legal Practice Course) and nursing and midwifery. Applications for these courses are processed through a clearing house and some have closing dates as early as the December prior to the start of the course in September.

For all other courses, contact each university for a copy of their postgraduate prospectus and an application form, and be prepared to spend some time filling in your application form thoughtfully. Many courses are heavily oversubscribed so you will need to make a strong case for yourself. Come and ask a careers adviser for help with this if necessary. You will also need to provide an academic reference with your application, so it will be useful to make an appointment to see a tutor with whom you can discuss your ideas.

It is essential to check entrance requirements. There may be a minimum academic standard and some vocational courses look for relevant experience too. For MBA (Masters in Business Administration) courses at Business Schools you are usually required to pass the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) and are likely to need relevant work experience as well. It is worth remembering that MBAs have proliferated over the past few years – courses vary widely in content, quality and cost and should be investigated thoroughly.

If you are uncertain about going on to postgraduate study, it is probably better to go ahead and get an application in – you can always withdraw your application later if you change your mind. If you delay, you may find you are too late to get a place or too late to apply for funding.

Funding your studies

Finance for postgraduate study is by no means automatic or easily obtainable and requires careful planning. There are several research councils and awarding bodies who provide funding dependant upon the nature of the course. Competition for funding is fierce. Not all courses attract funding and not all students on recognised courses will receive funding. Arts and humanities courses tend not to attract as much funding as science and technology courses.

The main sources of awards for an academic higher degree are the research councils and board:

Residents of Scotland and Northern Ireland are eligible for these sources of funding and may also apply to:

Each research council/board operates slightly different policies for allocating awards.

Research councils tend to allocate a certain amount of funding to a university department who nominate their applicants for it. Therefore it is always worth seeking advice about funding from the course organisers as soon as you begin making an application for the course. It is also possible to apply directly to the research council for funding. Check the closing dates for applications for awards – most are in April and May.

Eligibility for finance in many cases depends upon the class of your first degree. In most cases a first or upper second class is required, though with engineering, physical science and natural environment courses a lower second class may be considered. Awards are only given to home students i.e. those considered to be ordinarily resident in the UK.

For some courses, finance may be available from other sources, for example European Social Fund (ESF), UK trusts, charities and foundations (look for the Directory of Grant Making Trusts), or possibly company sponsorship. The only course for which LEA funding is possible is the Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGCE) for those pursuing a career in teaching. Typically, the majority of students fund their postgraduate study themselves often through a Career Development Loan available from most High Street Banks.

Studentships/ Research Assistants

Taking a studentship can be another way of funding your studies. Research assistants are usually expected to register for a higher degree but are also employed by an institution for a specific period and paid a salary, usually for helping with a particular piece of research. However, they are also often involved in teaching or supervising project work on undergraduate courses. Research assistantships are advertised throughout the year in the educational press and specialist journals, for example The Guardian, The Times, The Times Higher Education Supplement and New Scientist. It is also worth asking academic contacts if they know of any likely opportunities. Most advertisements appear in the spring and summer terms. Salaries for research assistants can vary considerably.

Knowledge Transfer Partnership

KTP is a scheme run jointly by universities/ research organisations and partner companies. They offer ambitious graduates with a good degree or higher degree the chance to contribute to the developmental needs of a business, and develop a career as a KTP associate. KTP associates are given the responsibility for the completion of a two year company project and the time and funding to complete relevant postgraduate training and study.

Part-time Study

Many postgraduate qualifications can be obtained by part-time study. This route has gained in popularity, as funding for full time courses has become very scarce. Fees are usually lower for part-time courses and they offer the possibility of combining study with working and earning. The combination, however, is not necessarily an easy option. Forward planning and effective time management are needed (both useful transferable skills).

Studying abroad

If you are considering studying overseas it is essential to start researching your options much earlier than for study in the UK. You should start investigating courses, entry requirements and funding during your second year of undergraduate study.

The United States

The Fulbright Commission provides comprehensive information and advice about studying in the USA.

Commonwealth countries

The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), 36 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PF is the primary source of information about postgraduate study in Commonwealth countries. It has a reference library which is open to the public and enquiries can be made by telephone on 020 7380 6700.

Further Information

Graduate Prospects Guide to Postgraduate Study

Student Information

Careers Advice

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Postgraduate Study

Introduction