Studying in the UK is a rewarding experience with rich opportunities for postgraduate work as the country is well known for its academic excellence and quality of research.
Most master’s degrees can be completed within 12 months, helping you progress with your career choices faster. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer.
You are able to take this up after you have completed your undergraduate course and is considered as a second-level qualification. By doing a Master’s Degree, you have the opportunity to expand your knowledge from the topics studied at undergraduate levels. Subjects will be covered in more depth, and extensive work is required. You are likely to produce a longer piece of original content to complete your Master’s course. This is called a dissertation or thesis.
Assessments are conducted by coursework or research, so always have a think about what preferred mode of study you choose. There could be plenty of group work, or projects, presentation and much more independence expected from you. Some courses may require you to undertake short surveys or studies, to help gather data for your final dissertation.
A master’s by research trains you in research methods, before you carry out your own substantial research project. Some research courses may last 18 months full-time, but can take up to three years.
A typical master’s degree includes:
This is the highest academic level you can achieve. Spending time on a PhD requires commitment, discipline and dedication to the field as it can be a demanding endeavour. This is usually opted by those who want to work in academia – either as a lecturer or researcher. In most cases, universities require you to have a master’s degree to work as a lecturer or research assistant, and then offer you a platform to start your PhD journey. What that offers you is an opportunity to complete your research hours and teaching commitments in one institution. That gives you access to their research facilities, exposure to working with other students and colleagues in enriching your doctorate journey.
Research at this level is supervised by experts in the field, and requires work such as quantitative or qualitative studies, literature reviews, presentations and in-depth research. Most students usually finish a master’s degree before thinking about a PhD, but there may be exceptions depending on the university’s requirements.
There are options for students who want to switch fields, so say they can practice as a lawyer if they did their first degree in another field like History. It is a vocational postgraduate qualification usually taken by graduates who want to change subject areas after their first degree. Often students do this to develop more professional skills.
Perhaps you’re not terribly interested in continuing your field and want to learn something new altogether. That is also welcomed! There are many options of post grad diplomas or certificates and may build on certain skill sets you choose to improve on. Typically, no dissertation or thesis is involved. Some of them can include vocational certification which equips you with industry-ready skill sets to embark on a career or job of your choice. These may also include practical workshops or training.
There may be options for you to boost your knowledge or language skills before embarking on a postgraduate qualification. There are programmes that offer pre-MBA or pre-Law expertise, or even other foundation programmes. If you can spare the time and finances, and feel you need some support, feel free to try them out.
It depends on what you choose to do post-graduation. Are you keen on resuming the role of a full-time student, or are you interested in getting some work while you study?
If you’re embarking on full time study, a typical day may consist of six to seven hours of work. Usually international students opt for this mode, as it enables them to complete the course quicker.
Part-time study gives you the chance to do some paid work while balancing your postgraduate option. It will take longer to complete this, and you may be working with different cohorts at a time. Some more mature professionals opt for this option so they can keep their day job while studying in the evenings.
Scholarships may also be available depending on the course you choose, and as a reminder, always check your visa requirements and conditions before signing up for a new course.
You can discover the latest scholarship information in one place by heading over to the MABECS website: https://mabecs.com/scholarships/
We would love to help you in your PG journey. If you are not sure where to begin, start by reaching out to us at 017-339 7453 (call / WhatsApp).