Mayor of London | Helping graduates into work

Postgraduate degrees – taught

Taught postgraduate degrees cover a wide range of subjects
Typically, they’re studied over one year or more (full-time) or two years or more (part-time)
They are usually made up of a series of taught modules and a dissertation. The qualification is usually Masters degree –an MA (Master of Arts), MSc (Master of Science) or MBA (Masters of Business Administration)
But there are many other specialist Masters including the MPA (Master of Public Administration) and the LLM (Master of Laws)

It may give you an advantage in securing related employment
However, some employers prefer work experience to an additional degree
Postgraduate study does not guarantee a job afterwards
So research your intended job market thoroughly before committing to yourself to an expensive course
Don’t forget that many students study for the pure joy of learning! That’s still a perfectly good reason.
To find specific Masters courses, look at www.findamasters.com

Fees vary widely between subject and institution
£3,000 to £6,000 is fairly typical for a Masters course, though popular courses such as the MBA can be particularly costly
Obtaining full funding can be extremely difficult, particular in arts, humanities and social sciences
The majority of students are self-funded from a variety of sources including part-time work, savings, loans and bursaries
Individual institutions will know if any scholarships or studentships are available, so check with the department before you apply
www.prospects.ac.uk/links/fundstudy is a useful guide to funding your course

Are evening, weekend or online study options are available? This could make working during the course a very viable option
What kind of careers support is available to me during and after the course?
Who are the tutors on this course and how often will I see them?
What are the compulsory elements in the course, the optional elements and the teaching methods?
Is a project or dissertation required, and what does it involve?