How to choose the right postgrad degree

A postgraduate degree, also known as a master’s degree is completed after an undergraduate degree and is usually one year full-time or two years part-time or with a placement. They can be taught or research-based and can be completely different to your undergraduate degree. Additionally, the funding works a little differently as it isn’t based off of your parent’s income and you pay for your fees out of the full loan as opposed to a separate one like in the undergrad. Therefore, it is crucial to work out which postgrad degree is right for you.

Learning Style

First of all, you need to look back on your undergraduate degree and decide which areas you found the most enjoyable. For example, did you enjoy attending lectures and learning through in-person teaching sessions? Or did you prefer independent research as part of the dissertation? Figuring out which learning style suits you best can then help you find which style of master’s you should look into. Master’s can be taught, like in modules in an undergraduate degree or research-based, similar to the style of a dissertation or group project. Therefore it’s crucial to reflect on how you learn best as this can help narrow down the style of postgraduate degree you should look into.

Previous Studies

The next step is to look back over your modules and find out which ones you enjoyed the most. For example, if you preferred doing maths and data analysis as opposed to learning about other published research, you could benefit more from a course that incorporates this. Looking into how you are learning, how’ll be tested and the module titles can help you to decide what you’re interested in and choose a course that incorporates it. Finding out what aspects of your degree you enjoyed can go a long way in helping you choose a degree where you can flourish.

Your Career Choice

If you already know or have an idea of where you’re wanting to go after your postgraduate degree, you could then backtrack and choose a postgraduate degree that will give you the skills to make you a more desirable candidate. For example, this could be choosing a postgraduate degree that offers work experience. Moreover, you could look into possible career options if you’re still unsure about which sector you’re thinking of going into, choose a postgraduate degree that will widen your job opportunities or widen your skillset. For example, if you’ve chosen a degree and realised it’s not what you want to do, look instead at what subject areas overlap and explore a different sector.

You can do this all via the university website to see which courses are offered at Lincoln, or looking at websites such as Prospectus that can give you an idea of the different jobs you could go into based on your current degree, and where a postgraduate degree could enhance your current skillset.