Around 20% of UK undergraduates move on to further study after finishing their first degree. This figure is likely to rise in the current economic climate with more graduates looking to boost their employability while the recession bites.
You may be passionate about your subject, further study might be essential for your chosen career or perhaps you’re just delaying the moment when you’ve got to go out to work for a living.
Whatever your motivation, if you’re thinking about continuing with your studies you need to make sure that the extra commitment of time and money is going to be worth the investment, and that a course will really benefit your future career.
Be clear about why you want to carry on studying and make certain that it fits into your career plan.
Postgraduate courses can range from pure academic research to highly specialist vocational courses. Decide which is going to suit you best.
If you know what career you want find out whether a further qualification is essential, or whether it will give you an advantage over other applicants.
Explore early on whether potential employers are more likely to value another qualification or a year or two of relevant work experience.
MMU has a wide-range of postgraduate courses or professional qualifications, many with a strong professional bias. We can also help you to find out about courses at other institutions in the UK and beyond.
Check that the course you’re considering is recognised and valued in your field. Is it accredited by the relevant professional bodies?
Have you got the academic qualifications or work experience necessary to get on to the course?
How are you going to fund it? Funding is available for some courses, and we can help with finding that, but bear in mind that you will usually need to find fees as well as living expenses.
Book an appointment with a careers and employability adviser, talk to relevant academic staff and admissions tutors. Speak to any contacts you can find in the areas you’re interested in, including current postgraduates and contact graduate recruiters either directly or at our postgraduate events and fairs.
Once you’ve identified courses that you are interested we can help you with your applications and with advice on how to get funding.
Pay a visit to a careers information room at the University. We’ve got postgraduate directories listing courses and postgraduate prospectuses to browse. The AGCAS booklet on postgraduate study and a Prospects booklet on funding are also available.
The brochure and online guide Postgraduate Study and Research provides helpful background reading on the structure of postgraduate study in the UK and abroad, and how additional qualifications may be of use to you.
The Prospects website provides a comprehensive list of courses and research in the UK and includes details of funding. It also has an email service for postgraduates.
Hobsons also holds a database of postgraduate courses.
You could also try findaphd.com or findamasters.com
Learndirect offers a course search facility for courses at all levels including short skills-based courses and basic skills courses.