Is Postgraduate Study right for you?
There are various reasons for wanting to do postgraduate (or other further) study including:
- Your interest in the subject
- It may be compulsory for entry into your chosen career e.g. if you are interested in Social Work and don't already have a Social Work degree.
- A postgraduate course in a vocational subject may help you to position yourself into a particular career sector
- Providing "currency" in some jobs, e.g. scientific research and development and enhancing your future Career development
These may all be perfectly valid reasons but it’s important to consider how postgraduate study would support your career plans and avoid choosing this option in the absence of any better ideas.
As with any other option – do the research!
When investigating courses consider the following:
- What does the course cover and how is it organised (courses in the same subject area can vary in terms of approach, content etc)
- If vocationally-oriented, does it involve work experience or other ‘practical’ aspects?
- What are the entry requirements (including others beyond academic ones)?
- Course quality eg teaching/research quality, graduate destinations
- Is funding available? - see our page on Funding postgraduate study
- Is this course the best option for moving forward your career plans?
The Prospects Postgraduate Study Guide provides useful advice and guidance on postgraduate study options.
You can book an appointment with a Careers Consultant to discuss any of this further.