Postgrad versus Undergrad: Things to Know
So you did it. You forgot about the pain you endured during you undergrad and opted to go again. Well done and welcome to the club of – just couldn’t get enough and wanted more. So is it really that bad? Have I made the wrong choice? Should I really just brave the world of work? Well the truth is – it’s not. Things are different, but it is possible! Just ask any of the people who have completed their master’s programmes. The truth is, the next stage is always designed to be a challenge above the previous one – you wouldn’t have made it to university if you stopped studying at 11! So here, I will let you know some of the ways in which postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study and some advice on how you can gain some easy wins.
- Time
The time factor is one of the biggest differences between undergraduate and postgraduate study. Most UK masters courses are between 12-24 months* depending on whether you opt for full time or part time study. This makes for a much more accelerated learning experience as you cover a lot of content in a relatively shorter amount of time. This means you need to be organised with your studying – the idea of catching up at the end of term before exams/assessment should be avoided.
Easy Win: Stay on top of your weekly readings/tasks. Once the first few weeks have gone by and you know what is expected, make a realistic timetable that will allow you to cover key readings. It’s so much easier revising content before exams, than learning it for the first time around.
*Note: If you complete your postgraduate degree outside of the UK, programme lengths differ and in some countries 24 months is the minimum amount of time for a full-time masters.
- People
You may have had some mature students on your course during UG, but these were few and far between. In fact, you’ll tend to find the reverse is true if you begin your master’s straight after undergrad. Many of your classmates will have years of work experience under their belt. Does this make studying challenging? Of course not! Being able to draw on a wide array of experiences and some practical applications of your chosen subject makes PG a very unique experience – and makes for a very interesting cohort of students on your course.
Easy Win: Make friends with all ages. They can benefit from somebody with fresh university studying skills (as you have) and you can benefit from the diverse perspectives on your course.
- Summer
What is this? Well for Master’s students – the idea of a summer holiday/recess of 3 months over June/July/August does not exist. Masters programmes last a full calendar year (rather than an academic year). Typically the programme will have the majority of courses, examined in June as with UG programmes, followed by project work/dissertation over the summer, handed in in September.
Easy Win: Motivate yourself to go to the library in the summer season – and go with coursemates and study buddies! Take a short break post summer assessment season before you head back to working on your dissertation/final project. Treat it like a full time job and give yourself the weekend off.
- Independence
Greater emphasis is placed on your ability to undertake independent, self-directed study at postgraduate level. This isn’t just true of the dissertation project that concludes a typical Masters programme; it’s also the case for taught units, which will expect you to prepare more comprehensively for timetabled classes and may also ask you to identify your own assessment topics and questions. A good Masters programme won’t just leave you with a greater level of subject knowledge; it will also guide the development of your own critical voice.
Easy Win: When preparing for classes think about how you might challenge the author and be prepared to have your own ideas challenged.
- Courses
You can study for a Master’s degree in a huge range of subjects, including all of those offered at undergraduate level, plus many new specialisms that may not have been available to you before. This is where postgraduate study becomes really exciting as you’ll have the opportunity to pursue entire degree courses focused on your particular interests. For example, whilst you might study a general undergraduate programme in Literature, an equivalent postgraduate course may allow you to explore writing associated with very specific genres of cultural contexts.
Easy Win: Don’t be afraid of taking modules outside of your course or even your own department. It can lead to a varied and interesting programme for you.
So there you have it. These are just some of the ways in which Master’s programmes differ to undergraduate degrees and some ways in which you can prepare yourself for the challenge ahead. You can do it!