how to choose a postgraduate course

How To Choose A Good Postgraduate Course And Study

• To seek an academic challenge
• Will increase in knowledge, professional expertise and skills
• To develop research skills (MRes courses or an eventual PhD)
• Will gain a qualification that will progress her desired career
• To increase the chances of employment in a chosen field
• To experience life at a university abroad in a different country

Full Answer

How do I choose a postgraduate program?

If you’re looking to study a postgraduate degree, deciding on a program isn’t always easy. There are numerous factors to consider, from the university and its location, to the costs and funding involved, to what career your postgraduate degree could lead to, and that’s barely scraping the surface.

Where can I apply for postgraduate courses in the UK?

Postgraduate Scottish teacher education courses – these are located in the UCAS Undergraduate application service. MA/MSc courses in social work, nursing, medicine, LLB accelerated programmes – these are located in the UCAS Undergraduate application service. UCAS Postgraduate provides an application service for a number of UK course providers.

How do I search for a postgraduate course?

Find out about different postgraduate course types and subject areas, then search for a course using our course search tool. After getting started with what type of course to study, you might still find a lot of relevant courses to choose from around the country.

Are you doing a postgraduate degree for the right reasons?

Make sure you’re doing a postgraduate degree for the right reasons For example, while many students simply enjoy university life, using grad school as a way to avoid joining the working world isn’t the best idea.

What is the best postgraduate course to do?

Top ten postgraduate subjects for employabilityEducation. Postgraduate employability: 90.3%Veterinary Science. Postgraduate employability: 80.7% ... Medicine-related degrees. Postgraduate employability: 80.5% ... Architecture, Building and Planning. ... Social Studies. ... Physical Sciences. ... Computer Science. ... Medicine and Dentistry. ... More items...

How do I choose a PG course?

DoThink about what you want, and why. ... Make sure you're doing a postgraduate degree for the right reasons. ... Attend university event days. ... Talk to past students. ... Rush into any decisions. ... Just rely on university rankings. ... Forget to think about funding. ... Underestimate the effort required for your postgraduate degree.More items...

How do I choose the right course for me?

10 steps to choosing a course you are truly interested in1) Identify which category you fall under. ... 2) Ask yourself why you want to study. ... 3) Decide on what career you want. ... 4) Study Destination. ... 5) Mode of study. ... 6) Identify the most important factors you are considering. ... 7) Research. ... 8) Narrow down your options.More items...

Which masters degree is most in demand?

Most in-demand master's degreesBusiness administration. A Master of Business Administration degree, or MBA, is the most popular graduate degree available. ... Healthcare administration. ... Engineering. ... Computer and information sciences. ... Nurse anesthesia. ... Human resources management. ... Physician assistant. ... Math.

Why you shouldn't do a Masters?

Masters degrees are notoriously difficult. If you waltzed through your undergrad, you may still find a masters degree a shock to the system. They require a lot more independent work, a thesis (a more tricky dissertation) and a lot of independent research.

Is a postgraduate degree expensive?

Depending on where you study, postgraduate degrees can be expensive as well as time-consuming. So, take a step back, and as mentioned earlier, evaluate what your wants and needs are from your postgraduate degree. Whatever you do, don’t pick a course or a university without thoroughly researching it first.

Is it easy to get a postgraduate degree?

If you’re looking to study a postgraduate degree, deciding on a program isn’t always easy. There are numerous factors to consider, from the university and its location, to the costs and funding involved, to what career your postgraduate degree could lead to, and that’s barely scraping the surface. To help make your decision a little easier, here ...

What is a Postgraduate Course?

A postgraduate course usually lasts one year if taken full-time, or two years if taken part-time. A postgraduate course provides students with additional training in their field of study.

What are the Full-Time Postgraduate Courses?

A taught master’s degree usually takes one year to finish full-time, but some are two-year full-time programs, such as the MBA at the London Business School, which is modeled on the American model. Research-based programs may take longer; for example, certain master’s degrees can take up to four years, and a Ph.D. can take three to six years.

The Application Process for Postgraduate Courses

Applying for a master’s degree isn’t always the same as applying for a bachelor’s degree. Although there are some parallels – you’ll almost certainly need to compose a personal statement — the application procedure reflects the Masters’ post-graduate character.

Research and taught courses

Research-based postgraduate courses are almost all masters and doctorate programmes. Typically they last longer than one year, normally between one and two years (full time).

Modes of study

There are postgraduate courses in almost every discipline available in almost every mode of study – full time, part time and distance learning. Deciding which format you want really depends on your personal circumstances. Questions you should ask yourself include:

Job prospects

The postgraduate student has more specialist knowledge, thus they are differentiating themselves. Employers may target graduates with a postgrad qualification and, relatively, there are fewer students with the equivalent qualification.

Other issues

To pursue any further study, you should have a natural aptitude for the subject. Ideally, you should also be quite sure you want to work in a related field after the course. Remember, completing a postgraduate qualification isn't a carte blanche into a given area – there will still be a lot of competition after you've finished.

What is postgraduate study?

Any postgraduate study means a dedicated investment of time and money, so it’s essential to investigate the job landscape before taking a deep dive into any postgraduate study. Find out if there’s employer demand for the additional skills you’ll have when you graduate. Have a look at the Australian Government’s Occupational skills shortage information that can provide you with the information you need to make a sound decision about which type of postgraduate study is right for you.

What is postgrad education?

A postgrad is just a postgrad, except when it offers something unique or different that you can leverage in job interviews and on letters of application. For example, ECU has one of the best cyber security research and education teams in Australia and is the only university with an Australian Federal Government recognised Academic Centre of Cyber Security Excellence currently offering cyber security degrees. ECU also has a strong reputation for excellence in teaching and has been rated a maximum five stars for teaching quality for 12 years in a row. Beginning in 1902 as Claremont Teachers’ College, ECU has been at the forefront of teacher education for over 100 years and our Master of Education is designed to help you advance your career.

Is a postgraduate degree a good investment?

Considering a postgraduate degree is a decent investment , and while you may be able to access FEE-HELP or a student loan, it’s always preferable to keep your course fee outlay to a minimum. FEE-HELP loans assist eligible full-fee paying students with the cost of a university course. This Government loan scheme helps to pay for all or part of their tuition.

Taught programmes (M.A, M.Sc, LL.M etc)

Most Master degrees are taught programmes. The most common of taught Masters programmes are the MA (‘Master of Arts’) and the MSc (‘Master of Science’). As their names show, they are similar to undergraduate BA and BSc.

Research programmes (MPhil, MRes)

Other Masters degrees focus much more on a student’s ability to undertake independent research tasks. The most common are the MRes (‘Master of Research’) and the MPhil (‘Master of Philosophy’).

1. Do you have natural affinity for a particular course?

To pursue any further study, you should have a natural aptitude for the subject. Ideally, you should also be quite sure you want to work in a related field after the course. Pursuing a second degree for a talent you possess greatly stands you out.

2. Do you possess the necessary prerequisites?

If you managed to gain a Bachelor’s degree at your university, it does not mean that you will be automatically accepted to their Master’s programme. Be aware of the prerequisites. Most institutions take into consideration the grade of your first degree, so be sure to put a lot of work and time into it.

3. Will it qualify you for a desired job or career?

If you are going to study in order to become a qualified professional, then check that the course is recognised by the relevant professional body or that it’s one an organisation recognises. If it is not recognised, then this is not the qualification for you.

4. What happened to previous students?

Do not choose a course for its fancy name. Many students often get carried away with the Rosey description of a course that they often wonder halfway into the program why they are studying that course.

5. Do you have adequate finances to fund studies?

Students who are still dependent on the family purse may find it hard to pick the most suitable course. However, should these students change universities, or even faculties, there is still the possibility of finding a fitting course. Your destiny to succeed does not lie in the hand of one university.

Personal satisfaction - what are you generally looking to achieve?

This is the crux of this issue. Whether it’s enjoyment, competition, a thrill, curiosity or anything else, there must have been something drawing you to the prospect of postgraduate study. Only you can define this, but doing so will make the entire process easier.

Course costs - time commitment, delivery mode, fees and more

How and where you study could set you back significantly, but the cost doesn’t have to strictly mean fees. Here are the specifics to consider.

A few recommendations..

These are just guidelines for choosing postgraduate degrees, but ultimately it’s up to you to examine your own priorities. We don’t know your circumstances, but assuming a few things, we can make a few recommendations. Take these with a grain of salt and determine if they apply to you.

Research and Taught Courses

Modes of Study

• There are postgraduate courses in almost every discipline available in almost every mode of study – full time, part time and distance learning. Deciding which format you want really depends on your personal circumstances. Questions you should ask yourself include: 1. Do I want to work while studying? A part-time course will facilitate this and if y...

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Reasons For Study

Job Prospects

Other Issues