Why do postgraduate study?
The first thing to ask yourself is why you want to enter the world of postgraduate study. Good reasons to pursue a course include a thirst for knowledge, gaining a qualification to enable you to change or pursue a different career path and the need to improve your skills.
You should not pursue a course because you don’t know what to do, or because you are encouraged by staff or by the desire to stay with friends. There are many constraints placed on postgraduate students, including financial, so you will need to give it some consideration.
When it comes to making your decision, start as early as you can and make use of Open Days and postgraduate fairs where you can gather ‘off the Prospectus’ information.
You will be able to meet staff and maybe even some current students who will be able to tell you what to expect. It will also give you a chance to check out the facilities.
Josie Grindulis, Career Consultant, Cardiff University
Sources of information
There are many factors you should consider when choosing a course. You need to think about tuition fees, course structure and content, the institution’s reputation and what the career prospects are.
The internet is a good place to start when researching a particular course or institution, as most universities offer an online prospectus. There are a number of independent websites that produce UK course listings.
You can check an institution’s reputation on www.rae.ac.uk and on www.hero.ac.uk, both of which give information on the course and the institution’s research rating.
It’s also worth speaking to your tutors to see if they recommend a particular course or institution. In terms of how well previous students have got on, you should contact your prospective course organiser and find out the employment rate.
Joanne Cooper, Admissions Officer, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Keep your social life
Postgraduate study means a lot more work than your undergraduate days, and the chances are, the price of a pint in the students’ union will not be the deciding factor. That doesn’t mean that you won’t want to have some sort of social life when you finally resurface from the library!
Check out the social side of an institution, especially if you are going to a different university from where you studied your first degree or are returning to education after a break, as you won’t have the same network of friends to fall back.
It is important that you study at a university that provides a way for postgraduates to integrate fully into university life. Consider universities with a range of activities for you to get involved in - not only because these are a great way to make friends, but also because such activities provide valuable CV material.
Victoria Bartholomew, Graduate Recruitment and Publications Officer, University of Essex.
