Postgrad possibilities
Where can your academic career take you? Your academic career does not have to stop at an undergraduate degree! Here’s an overview of the different types of postgraduate degrees offered at UCT. Honours degree An honours degree is the gateway to postgraduate studies in South Africa (unless you hold a four-year bachelor’s or equivalent degree). It is usually a one-year postgraduate degree with a specialisation, preparing you for further research-based postgraduate studies. It usually involves a combination of coursework and a short research dissertation. Requirements: To gain entry into an honours course, you will usually need an undergraduate qualification in the same or a related discipline.
Why do it? For various career paths, you will need a specific honours degree to gain entry. Especially if you are thinking of working in another country, an honours degree can only bolster your chances of getting a job.
Postgraduate diplomas Postgraduate diplomas give you the chance for advanced reflection and development in a particular discipline or profession. They are similar to some honours and master’s programmes, but do not include dissertations or significant research projects. Requirements: Whilst some postgraduate diplomas require students to have an undergraduate degree from the same discipline, others are available to students with any undergraduate degree and act as conversion courses – allowing entry to vocational or professional work. For example, the Postgraduate Diploma in Management Practice is a pre-Masters business programme that packs a powerful punch of vital business skills for success in uncertain economic times.
Why do it? A formal postgraduate qualification can set you apart in the job market, and most can be done part-time.
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