Postgraduate taught courses / masters

Getting started

There are different types of further study. These include:

• Masters degrees, which exist in the full range of academic subjects
• Vocational or professional diplomas/masters degrees, for example in teaching, law and nursing
• Research degrees such as PhDs

If you really enjoy studying your subject, postgraduate study or research will allow you to deepen your knowledge and specialise in certain aspects of it. Meanwhile, gaining a postgraduate qualification may help you get into the career you have in mind although this is not automatically the case.

For example, in some careers having a masters or PhD may be required or desirable, while some employers may relax their entry requirements for masters students. However, in many cases, a postgraduate qualification does not automatically give you an advantage over an undergraduate degree in the job market, or necessarily lead to a higher starting salary.

Before applying for further study, make sure to research the possible routes into the careers that interest you, so that you understand how postgraduate study might fit in with your career plans as well as how you can fund your studies.

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Postgraduate taught courses

A typical masters degree includes a mixture of teaching through lectures and seminars, a research project, a thesis or dissertation plus examinations.

In some cases, you can study a subject as a conversion course which can open up a wide range of careers not related to your undergraduate degree. Additionally, some masters courses offer a fast-track into a profession for those with a relevant undergraduate degree, for example, a bioscience graduate could undertake a two-year masters course in physiotherapy or dietetics rather than completing another 3 year bachelor’s degree.

To help find and apply for a course:

• Do your research. Find out as much as you can about the course, the institution and its staff. Make sure to confirm the entry requirements, as these vary between courses and universities.
• Contact the admissions tutors if you have questions but avoid asking anything that is clearly covered in the course literature, or on the departmental website.
• Check the closing date and application method with the institutions. Courses in law, teaching, medicine and dentistry have central clearing houses but for most courses, you can apply directly to the institution concerned. Popular courses can fill up quickly and some subjects may have early closing dates. Generally speaking, it is advisable to apply nine to twelve months before the intended starting date, especially as this may improve your chances to obtain funding.

Studying outside your home country

Choose your course carefully if you plan to study a professional or vocational qualification in one country but want to work in a different one. Do not assume qualifications awarded in some countries will automatically be recognised in others.