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Levels of study explained
There are different levels of study at postgraduate level. Your reasons for studying will help you choose one right for you.
Some students want to gain a further qualification to help them stand out in the employment market, whether they are continuing after their undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree) or returning to study after gaining industry experience. Others enjoy the academic challenges posed by postgraduate study, and welcome the chance to study a specific area of interest in greater detail. Alternatively, for those interested in an academic career as a researcher or lecturer, postgraduate study is seen as the logical next step in their career development.
Think about the reasons you are considering postgraduate study, and the type of student that you are, because knowing what you want to get out of postgraduate study can be a big help in selecting the right course.
Taught Master’s degrees
These courses are offered over one year fulltime or two years part-time, although that can vary from course to course, and most offer work placement opportunities for full-time students. If you have studied an Honours degree (Bachelor’s degree) in the UK, then you will broadly know what to expect, as the style of delivery is very similar, although you will be expected to attain a higher level of academic achievement in your work than an undergraduate student. Master’s degrees are delivered via a combination of lectures and seminars, with plenty of self-directed learning in between where you will be expected to dedicate your own time to studying your subject in depth.
Types of taught Master's degrees
Some postgraduate taught degrees are designed to build on your existing knowledge and understanding, but others also allow you to change career direction. That means you can study some of our courses without having any undergraduate experience in that area. Courses that build on existing knowledge are called progression courses while those that allow you to change direction are conversion courses – though these will still develop your existing knowledge in that area if you have existing qualifications in that subject. Check each course page to see which are which.
Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) and Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip)
A Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma are effectively earlier exit points from a taught Master’s degree. Some universities specifically offer these qualifications in their own right, but at BU, the majority of our courses are offered only as a full Master’s degree. It is still possible to leave most of our Master’s degrees with a Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma, but they are usually exit routes we would only consider during exceptional circumstances, unless otherwise stated on the course page in this prospectus.
If you are an education practitioner looking for a further teaching qualification, we offer a Postgraduate Certificate in Education Practice – contact us for more details.
Research qualifications
We also offer research-based postgraduate qualifications, such as MRes, as well as our taught courses. These courses will see you undertaking your own research under the supervision of experts in the field. Due to the very specific nature of research qualifications, we welcome discussions about your research ideas so if you are considering a research qualification and are looking for a university that can offer you outstanding support alongside a proven research track record, please contact us.
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