CONSIDERING A POSTGRADUATE DEGREE IN STEM CONSIDERING A POSTGRADUATE DEGREE IN STEM

Completing postgraduate studies can open up a plethora of new opportunities, but what are some of the things that you have to consider before making your decision?

While a postgraduate degree doesn’t automatically lead to employment opportunities, it has the potential to greatly impact your career direction.

It’s highly advisable, however, to spend some time gaining experience in your field of choice before pursuing a postgrad, so that you’ll know for certain which area to specialise in over

Master’s courses

Most master’s courses typically take no more than a year for a full-time student, so this will give you the allowance you need to specialise in a specific area of interest.

There are many types of courses available, and include options such as Master of Science (MSc), Master of Research (MRes), and Master of Philosophy (MPhil). Each degree provides you with in-depth knowledge of a specific subject, but also has very different course structures.

For instance, MSc is course-based and may sometimes require the submission of a short dissertation. On the other hand, MRes and MPhil are usually research-oriented. These two degrees are better suited for you if you’re planning to continue with a doctorate, as they will help you build a foundation in research skills.

your course of study. In addition, years of dedication to an employer might also lead to some form of support from the company.

Here’s a brief outline of some of the certifications that STEM students may consider for their postgraduate studies, whether locally or overseas.

Working adults may opt for parttime courses instead, although they may take up to two or three years to complete as a trade-off.

However, if you already hold a job, you may want to speak to your employer before applying for your course of choice to gauge the level of support they can provide you with – for example, allowing you to adopt a more flexible schedule to accommodate both work and school, or any form of financial backing.

Doctorate courses

While all can pursue a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), engineering graduates have the option of looking at a Doctor of Engineering (EngD) as well, and each caters to different needs.

A PhD is the highest degree in STEM, and usually takes about three to four years to complete. Because there’s much intensive coursework, it also involves a lot of groundbreaking inquiries, and generally results in dissertations and academic publications.

Because of this, though, it’s typically recommended for those drawn to a career in academia. You’ll primarily be guided by a supervisor as you conduct your research, although there’ll also be plenty of opportunities to work alongside other PhD students and researchers, too.

While some may opt to do a purely academic PhD, many others incorporate industry-related training from an industry partner for a more practical and hands-on experience instead. On top of that, depending on university requirements, you may have to commit at least three months to working on the industry partner’s premises.

An EngD course, on the other hand, usually focuses on researching contemporary industrial issues in the sector, and finding solutions to them. This can take up to four years to complete.

While EngD students are required to go for external courses on specialist technical and professional development subjects related to the area of research, onsite industrial training will take up nearly 75 per cent of their time.

Those who have graduated with an EngD also typically go on to become highly-specialised experts in their own fields, and guide others interested in their areas of expertise in turn.

Funding

In Singapore, there are scholarships offered by universities, government bodies and companies to help postgraduate students. However, you’ll need to communicate with the respective departments for more information.

For instance, the NUS Graduate School offers the Commonwealth Scholarship for Integrative Sciences and Engineering for students from any of the Commonwealth countries, whereas A*STAR has the National Science Scholarship and various collaborations with international universities around the globe.

You may also want to keep an eye out for international scholarships offered by various third-party funding organisations.

Location

Opting to study locally or at your alma mater is a good idea given that you’ll be familiar with the culture and staff in the university, and may also get special waivers or access to additional sources of funds. But don’t completely reject the idea of furthering your studies in a different institution, or even country.