What is postgraduate study?

Narender Ramnani, Professor of Neuroscience in the Department of Psychology uses functional neuroimaging methods to investigate the mechanisms in the human brain that underly higher cognition, learning and the control of action, and contributes to our new MSc in Applied Neuroscience.

Taught courses

Taught courses include a set amount of contact time with a tutor and vary greatly in terms of content. Topics are not always confined to departmental boundaries, so taught courses offer an ideal opportunity for interdisciplinary work. Some taught courses integrate university study with professional, commercial or industrial applications, such as the MSc in Information Security.

Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates

A limited number of departments offer Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates. Upon successful completion of a Postgraduate Diploma, you may be able to progress to a Masters course by completing a dissertation. A Postgraduate Certificate is awarded to students who complete specific modules.

Graduate Diplomas

A Graduate Diploma is usually thought of as a conversion course for graduates of different disciplines or for those with non-standard qualifications, but they are also qualifications in their own right. If you successfully complete a Graduate Diploma, you may be able to go on to study for a taught Masters or a Masters by Research.

Duration of study

Most Masters degrees can be taken over one year full-time or between two and five years part-time but there are some exceptions. Please refer to each department’s pages for full details on duration of individual courses. Year in business or industry

Some of our Masters level courses offer an option of taking a year in business or industry. We have strong links with companies in the local area plus you can take advantage of wider opportunities; there are 50,000 businesses based in Surrey, 300 of them premier blue-chip multinationals. You will need to source the placement, with support from us.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching methods for postgraduate taught degrees and diplomas are as varied as the courses themselves. Significant emphasis is placed on private study and assessed work. Full-time students might only be required to attend two or three timetabled sessions per week. Assessment is also varied. Some courses and diplomas have a mixture of coursework and unseen examinations, while others rely solely on assessed coursework. A dissertation or project based on independent research is a feature of most Masters degrees.

Masters by Research

These research degrees involve writing an extended dissertation of up to 40,000 words demonstrating your ability to design and carry out an independent research project. Some courses also include a taught component which must be passed. The Masters by Research provides a good preparation for study at PhD level.

Find the right course

Visit our website for the latest information about courses, teaching and assessment and entry requirements: royalholloway.ac.uk/courses