If you're looking to take the study of your chosen subject to the next level following your undergraduate degree you may be considering undertaking a postgraduate course.
There are many different types of postgraduate course available, which you will have to consider depending on your plans and the entry requirements needed to start the course.
Taught Courses
These will be most similar to your undergraduate degree, in that you will be 'taught' a subject and then assessed on what you have learned. There may also be other aspects to the course including practical projects, placements, research projects or dissertations.They can usually last from a third of a year to a whole year (if studied full-time), but may last two or three years if studies part-time.
Postgraduate Certificate
Programmes for a postgraduate certificate are designed to provide students with specialised knowledge that is less extensive than a postgraduate diploma or Master's degree. These tend to last around a third of a year.
Postgraduate Diploma
Works much in the same way as a postgraduate certificate but is a more intense course lasting for a longer period. They normally take 9 to 12 months to complete full-time. The number of lectures and seminars you attend, and projects and research papers you produce will vary depending on the type of course and the college or university you attend.
Research degrees
The main aim of a research course is to produce one (or more) pieces of original research. The format can vary widely depending on what subject you study. The length of the course can also vary from a year to three or more years of full-time study.
You may have to attend certain undergraduate or taught postgraduate courses, but you will not usually be assessed on them and any grades will not count towards your masters qualification.
Masters
A Masters degree is awarded to thosewho have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.
A Masters degrees can be research based, a taught course or a mixture of both and will take at least 12 months of full time study to complete.
The number of lectures, seminars, projects and research papers will vary depending on the type of course and the institution. You may also have to submit a dissertation at the end of your course.
The types of masters degrees available include:
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MA: master of arts
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MSc: master of science
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MBA: master of business administration
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LLM: master of law
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MEd: master of education
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MPhil: master of philosophy
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MRes: master of research
Specialist Courses
As well as the main postgraduate degree types which covers most subjects, it is also possible to study on specialist postgraduate courses. These are often aimed at people looking to enter in to specific careers.
Many will be similar to a taught masters course, but often they will contain theoretical, taught aspects alongside lengthy on the job placements. Often some aspect of research may also be incorporated.
MBA
The Masters in Business Adminstration (MBA) is an international postgraduate qualification that is respected by employers all over the world.
PGCE/PGDE
The PGCE (postgraduate certificate in Education) is a postgraduate qualification for those wanting to train to be a teacher. These usually last a year. Funding is similar to that for undergraduate degrees in addition to various levels of training bursaries.
Law Courses
The Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) - occasionally referred to as the Common Professional Examination (CPE) - is a one-year course for graduates of subjects other than law who then want to go on to train so they can practise law.
The Legal Practice Course (LPC) is a one-year course which all intending solicitors must take (whether they did an undergraduate law degree or the GDL) before they start work as trainee solicitors. The Bar Vocational Course (BVC) is the equivalent course for intending barristers.
The GDL, LPC, and BVC are all available part-time spread over two years.
