PG study checklist - 10 things to consider

For some students, doing a postgraduate course is an easy decision, because you need to have a postgraduate qualification to progress. For others, it’s the prospect of being more employable and ultimately earning more money. However, it can be a complex decision with many factors to consider. In this article, we share some of our thoughts and a range of useful resources for you to explore your options.

1. Your choice of postgraduate course does not necessarily need to be linked to your undergraduate degree.

Some courses are labelled as “conversion courses” and many others are open to all graduates. If you want a change of direction, a postgraduate qualification might be worth considering. This blog from Find A Masters discusses Changing Subjects for Postgraduate Study and you can find out more about conversion courses from the Prospects website. Here’s a list of LBU postgraduate courses that do not require a subject-specific undergraduate degree.

2. Does the postgraduate course lead to a guaranteed job?

Nothing is guaranteed, but some courses will qualify you for a specific job and if that job is in demand, you will have a much higher chance of securing a role.

Check out this page from Find A Masters which lists the Most Employable Master’s degrees and the Highest Paying Master's degrees in the UK.

The more time you spend developing transferable skills and gaining work experience while you are studying, the more employable you will be. Check out the employer perspective on the value of a Master's degree.

3. Does it have to be a Master’s degree?

A taught Master’s degree is the most popular choice for postgraduate study in the UK. However, there a several different types of Master’s degrees and other postgraduate qualifications that you can take, as explained on Prospects - postgraduate study.

4. Does your course need to be accredited by a professional body for you to progress? 

In other words, if you want to go into marketing, is it accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)? If you aspire to be a chartered Psychologist, you’ll need BPS or HCPC accreditation. This may all sound like a lot of acronyms and jargon, but it’s really important.

How to find out? Prospects.ac.uk – look at the  Qualifications under individual job roles

5. Choosing where to study.

If you stay at the same university as your undergraduate degree, you may benefit from a reduced rate of fees and you may be familiar with the academic staff. For example, if you stay at LBU for your Master’s degree, you will benefit from a 20% discount. However, exploring other options before you commit is always recommended as other institutions may offer a different range of courses, may be closer to home, and may have a strong reputation and industry links in your subject area.

The cost of postgraduate study varies wildly but take a closer look to see what you will get for your money. This list from UK Uni provides more information.

6. Is institutional reputation important?

This may not be important if your chosen course is accredited, as the content of the course will have been approved by the accrediting body. Instead, consider industry links or placement opportunities. 

7. What about funding? 

• This is the really big question. UK residents can apply for a Master’s loan for most Master’s degrees – all the information is on the Government website. If you are eligible, you can apply for one Master’s degree loan – so don’t waste it!
• There are, however, many exceptions to this standard loan. If your postgraduate course is a PGCE, Social Work, Medicine, Dentistry or any pre-registration health-related course, then you can apply for a different loan or bursary.
• It's worth checking with individual universities if they offer postgraduate scholarships and bursaries. Here's the link to the Leeds Beckett page. 
• Some qualifications are postgraduate certificates or postgraduate diplomas. These are usually still a Level 7 qualification but do not include a dissertation or research project. This qualification can be enough to get the job that you want but it may not be eligible for a Master’s degree loan.

8. Are any Master’s degrees fully funded? 

Yes. Currently, there is funding available for eligible students studying for a Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data science. This is to try to address a huge skills gap in this area. You can find out more and see a list of courses on the Office for Students website. You can search for other funded Master’s degrees on the Find A Masters website.

9. Doing a funded Master’s degree through work. There are three main ways that you can do a Master’s degree while you’re working:

• Graduate schemes or programmes. Many graduate schemes include a funded qualification and offer dedicated study time. However, this is usually on top of a challenging role and getting onto these programmes can be very competitive. For graduate opportunities in the health sector, take a look at the NHS website. Elsewhere in the public sector, there are also graduate programmes for teaching, the police, the prison service, children’s social work and adults’ mental health social work that pay a salary and include a relevant qualification.
  In the private sector, many graduate schemes in accounting will include qualifications specific to the profession.

• Degree apprenticeships offer an alternative route to qualify, usually in a different subject area than your undergraduate degree. Because degree apprenticeships are only offered in vocational subjects that require a high level of academic study, the subjects available are much more limited than undergraduate or Master’s degrees. Prospects has a great resource that explains them in more detail. You can search and apply for degree apprenticeships at GOV.UK - Find an apprenticeship

• Wait until you are in a job that can fund qualifications for you! There is no list or website for this but when you are interviewing for a job, always ask about progression and if other people in that role or team have done relevant qualifications. 

10. Who can help me make a decision? 

If you want to stay in the same subject area as your undergraduate degree, then speaking to your academic staff is a good starting point. All of the websites linked in this article are credible, up-to-date sources of information.

Call into our postgraduate advice drop-in in the new careers centre opposite the Sheila Silver Library at City campus on Thursday 7 March at 1pm or  click here to access Beckett Careers online

You can speak with Beckett Careers for free, impartial advice – for up to five years after graduation!