further education - courses funding and advice

You may be asking: Why would I want to study more? Well, there are various reasons: maybe just for interest and enjoyment, maybe to develop specialist expertise in one subject area, maybe to add a vocational qualification to a non-vocational first degree or perhaps to add something to a poor first degree.

Postgraduate study enables you to develop your skills and interests in a highly specialised area. The range of opportunity is vast: from taught courses with a group of other students who share your interests, to three or more years' independent study for a doctorate that will mark your own distinct contribution to knowledge.

You will develop your skills of analysis and independent thought, and gain access to the most up-to-date information in your chosen subject. Postgraduate study can also enhance your prospects, whatever your intended career.

Post-graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)

A large number of students fancy themselves as teachers now. If you want to become a teacher but haven't got a BEd first degree, you can enrol to study for a PGCE. You will need to decide whether you want to teach primary or secondary age, or even Further Education (16+) and then choose a university offering PGCE courses for your chosen age group and subject area (if you choose to teach 11+).

Masters Degree

Becoming more knowledgeable in your chosen subject is an exciting prospect and a Masters degree, which usually takes one year full-time, is a great way to gain this knowledge.

Many people believe that a Masters will make them more attractive to employers. Depending on the line of work you're interested in this can be true, but it is not always the case. This qualification may make little difference to whether you get a job or not. Some employers may even see you as over-qualified and would prefer to see work experience on your CV than further academic qualifications.

Masters degrees can also be quite expensive; you usually have to pay tuition fees. These will vary from course to course and will also depend on where you study. However, many universities offer schemes where you provide a particular service - lecturing for example - in exchange for your tuition fees being wavered. The great thing is you are also likely to be paid for this service, which provides an excellent addition to your CV.

PhD

PhD study is research-based; you very often choose your specialist area and then hope a university will be able to accommodate your requirements. A PhD can span a number of years and, again, is self-funded. Having said that, many universities provide grants for PhD students to gain a reputation as a research institution.

These are just some of the options available to you in Further Education. To find out more about these and other courses on offer, look in the library or make an appointment at your university careers office.