Education UK postgraduate brochure

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Structuring your career Studying in the UK for postgraduate qualifications www.educationuk.org/burma

Why study postgraduate courses in the UK?

UK postgraduate courses are acknowledged the world over.

A research degree at master’s or PHD level is the ultimate opportunity to pursue your specialist interest.

Like all UK education, UK postgraduate qualifications are respected and valued all over the world. A master's degree, PhD or MBA from a UK university will give you an edge over the competition.

It will prove to employers that you're capable of independent thought and self-discipline, used to conducting and analysing your own research and will let them know that you can make a real contribution to their company or organisation.

Most UK master’s programmes can be completed in one calendar year, making a top postgraduate qualification more affordable.

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Many subjects are available at all postgraduate levels, diploma, master’s and doctorate and you can choose from tens of thousands of taught or research programmes in the arts, sciences, social sciences and humanities. The wide range of postgraduate courses on offer gives you more flexibility than you're likely to find in another country's education system. For example, you can start by enrolling on a postgraduate diploma course (PG Dip), then transfer to a master's degree, or start by taking an MRes master of research - which could lead on to a PhD. It's up to you!

UK postgraduate qualifications let employers know at a glance that you've got the skills they're looking for, putting you on the right track for a great job and a great salary.

It's estimated that female postgraduates earn as much as 34 per cent more than female colleagues who have only a first degree and male postgraduates earn as much as 20 per cent more than male first degree graduates.

The latest figures available show that one year after finishing their course, less than three per cent of UK postgraduate qualifiers are unemployed.

In the UK, there are three main levels of postgraduate study: postgraduate certificates and diplomas, master’s degrees, and doctorates. Like many international students, you might be attracted to one of the intensive master’s programmes available at UK universities and colleges. Some of these take one academic year to complete, compared with two years in many other countries.

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Research courses Research courses involve the in-depth study of a specific field, usually related to your first-degree subject. The results are presented as a written report known as a thesis or dissertation. This forms the subject of an oral examination usually conducted by two specialists in your field or research. Most research degrees involve working closely with one or more experienced researchers who supervise your study.

What can I study?

There are two types of programmes available at postgraduate level: taught (diplomas, certificates and taught master’s) and research (research master’s and doctorates).

Full-time postgraduate courses in the UK vary from one year to four years depending on the type of course you choose. The broad range and flexible approach of the UK higher education system means that you're free to choose exactly what you want to study.

Taught courses Some taught courses are designed to deepen your knowledge of your undergraduate subject, others are ‘conversion’ courses that will 3

introduce you to a new subject and bring you up to speed quickly.

Taught courses usually consist of a number of modules which are assessed by a mixture of continuous assessment and exams. There will be a set amount of contact time with staff through seminars, tutorials, lectures and one to one contact.

Taught courses generally result in the award of Diplomas, Certificates and certain master’s degrees. The final assessment for a master’s degree is often based on the submission of a dissertation, usually of between 10,000 – 20,000 words.

To be successful you will need to demonstrate intellectual independence and, as you have to set and keep to your own schedule, time-management skills and self-discipline. Research courses generally result in the award of master’s degrees and doctorates.

Postgraduate foundation programmes These access/foundation programmes take six months to one academic year and are aimed at international students who did their first degree outside the UK and now wish to pursue a postgraduate course in the UK. They include a large English language component along with training in study/research skills and a range of optional subjects.

Successful completion of a postgraduate foundation programme usually guarantees entry to a master’s programme at the same university. Some programmes are specially designed to prepare you for entry to an MBA.

Access and pre-master’s courses There will probably be differences between the education system in your home country and the system in the UK. Undergraduate degrees from overseas often equate to an ordinary degree rather than an honours degree from a UK university. Because of this, you might find that your qualifications don’t quite match those required to enrol on your chosen course in the UK. Or you might need to improve your English language skills and familiarise yourself with study methods before you begin postgraduate study. If any of these is the case for you, you may need to take an access or foundation course first.

Pre-master's courses can last from one term to a complete academic year and cover academic study, cultural instruction and language training. Many courses will guarantee progression onto a master's course at a particular university.

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Postgraduate certificate or diploma (PG Cert/Dip) Postgraduate certificates and diplomas are ‘bridging’ courses at postgraduate level and are designed to give access to students who do not qualify for direct entry to master’s courses. They last one academic year and are offered in a huge variety of subjects, from education to management to network engineering. These are often accepted as professional qualifications in their field. You’ll find that some postgraduate diplomas are similar to a master’s degree, although you will not be required to write a dissertation.

Master’s degree There are two kinds of master’s course: taught and research. In addition to these, you can choose to do a conversion master’s if you want to move into a new subject area. These are most common in career-related areas such as computer science, information studies, teaching and law.

Taught master’s (MA, MSc, LLM, Med etc.)

During a taught master’s course, you’ll complete a number of modules and write a dissertation.

The modules will involve attending lectures and seminars, writing essays for each module and

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possibly sitting examinations. You might also have sessions on research methodology or academic writing skills. Later, you’ll research and write a dissertation under the guidance of a supervisor, normally a specialist in the field. Taught master's courses generally last for one year and upon completing the course you’ll be entitled to have letters after your name depending on the subject – MA for arts courses, MSc for science courses, MEng for Engineering courses and so on.

Research master’s (MRes, MPhil) The MRes and MPhil are two year and two to three year full time postgraduate courses and they consist of research into a single topic and the submission of a longer dissertation or thesis than for a taught master’s. These are especially suitable for students with a specific interest in a narrow area of academic study and a high level of prior academic achievement.

The MRes is specifically designed to give students training in research, as a preparation for a PhD or for a research-related career in industry.

MBAs

Doctorate (PhD or DPhil)

An MBA is a specialist business taught master's course that will give you a real step up the managerial ladder. It's the best-known and most popular postgraduate qualification.

A research degree at master’s or PhD level is the ultimate opportunity to pursue your specialist interest. You’ll be expected to identify and develop your topic under the supervision of one or possibly two tutors. To be successful, you’ll need to demonstrate strong commitment and intellectual independence. There are a number of routes to gaining a doctorate.

You can choose from hundreds of MBA programmes in the UK. Most commonly found MBAs are the general MBAs which cover all aspects of business administration and the different functional specialisms – finance, accounting, marketing, organisational behaviour, and strategic management.

There are some MBAs that are highly specialised programmes tailored to particular careers, such as agribusiness, business and finance, oil and gas, construction, health, hospitality, transport and technology. Many MBAs have links with industry to ensure they are relevant to the world of work.

A PhD or DPhil, also known as a doctorate, is a research programme which lasts three to four years to complete, during which you'll be working on a single research project. In your final year, you'll be asked to present a dissertation of approximately 100,000 words. The PhD by research is the most common route to gaining a doctorate but professional doctorates and New Route PhDs are becoming increasingly popular.

The association of MBAs provides a list of accredited providers in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Some of these are based in universities that offer a wide range of academic programmes, while others are specialist business colleges. Visit the Association of MBAs’ website at www.mbaworld.com for more details.

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PhD by research

New Route PhD

You would usually be expected to have completed a master’s degree before you progress to a PhD programme. It might be possible for you to start a PhD directly, however, if you have a first-class degree or a significant amount of relevant work experience. In this case, you would usually enrol as an MPhil student, and then demonstrate your department that you are capable of transferring to a PhD programme.

New Route PhDs have a more formal structure than a PhD by research, and includes taught modules and an advanced research project. This gives you the opportunity to broaden and deepen your subject knowledge, and you’ll often have the opportunity for interdisciplinary study. This qualification is available in 13 core subject areas.

For more information please visit: www.newroutetophd.ac.uk

A PhD programme takes at least three or four years of full-time study to complete. At first, you’ll engage primarily in research, and then in your final year you’ll write your thesis. This is an essay or report, typically 100,000 words long, which is based on an original idea and explains the methods, results and conclusion of your original research. You’ll be assigned a supervisor with whom you agree your project title or research area.

Professional doctorates Professional doctorate programmes usually lead to the award of a doctorate that has a named subject area within the title of the award (e.g. Doctor of Education, EdD; Doctor of Clinical Psychology, ClinPsyD; Doctor of Business Administration, DBA). These are essentially vocational doctorates that focus on professional subject areas and are often a blend of coursework and research; the research component may even be part of your professional work.

These doctorates are relatively new qualifications, but are increasing in popularity and availability.

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What qualifications will I need?

Entrance requirements for postgraduate programmes vary greatly, so you need to check with the specific institutions you would like to attend. As a rough guide, for a taught programme you will usually need: • An outstanding academic record, with proven academic achievement.

• Usually, a first degree in the same subject as the postgraduate degree you intend to take.

For a research programme you will need: • An outstanding academic record, with proven academic achievement.

• Usually, a first degree in the same subject as the postgraduate degree you intend to take.

• Generally, a master’s degree (a taught master’s), an MPhil (Master of Philosophy) or MRes (Master of Research).

• Evidence that you know something about research procedures.

• Some experience of working alone on a research project is very useful.

• Evidence of good writing and communication skills, especially with humanities and social science doctorates.

Please refer to the course profiles on www.educationuk.org/burma or contact the institutions you would like to attend to find out the specific requirements. The following table will give you an idea of the sort of academic qualifications and English language ability you'll need: Pre-master's

undergraduate degree plus IELTS 5.0-5.5

PG Cert/PG Dip

undergraduate degree plus IELTS 6.5-7.0 or a pre-master's course

Master's degree

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Arts courses

£7,000-£10,000 per year

Science courses

£7,500-£13,000 per year

Clinical courses

£10,000-£21,000 per year

MBA

£7,000 to more than £30,000+ per year

How do I choose the right course?

first degree, 2-3 year's business experience, IELTS 6.5-7.0

PhD

Course fees can vary considerably between institutions, but the figures below show approximately what you will need to pay. Costs for individual courses can be found in the course profiles on www.educationuk.org/burma

first or upper second class undergraduate degree plus IELTS 7.0, or a pre-master's course

MBA

How much will it cost?

master's degree, IELTS 6.5-7.0

There are many postgraduate programmes available and it can be difficult to choose the one that is right for you. Therefore, your decision making factors should include three main areas, academic quality, personal factors and resources and support when comparing postgraduate programmes.

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Academic quality The power to award degrees is regulated by law. It is illegal for an institution to offer to award a UK degree without proper authorisation.

To see which universities and colleges offer courses leading to recognised UK degrees go to www.dfes.gov.uk/recognisedukdegrees/

The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) is responsible for regulating standards and quality for UK higher education. It produces a Code of Practice which provides the institutions with guidelines on how they should manage academic standards and quality. As well as setting standard guidelines the QAA also carries out inspections of institutions to see if they are reaching these targets. These QAA inspections are called ‘Institutional Audits’ and the reports are published on their website at www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews/ In addition to QAA audits and reviews, the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) evaluates the quality of research in universities and colleges. Its main purpose is to distribute public funds for research selectively on the basis of quality.

The RAE is conducted every four to five years and uses a process of ‘peer review’ where distinguished academics in a particular subject review the quality of work of their 11

fellow researchers. The last exercise was conducted in 2008 and the results of RAE 2008 are available at www.rae.ac.uk You can also find information about the quality of higher education in the UK universities and colleges at www.unistats.ac.uk. Unistats brings together key sources of official information about the provision of higher education in the UK, including the results of the National Student Survey (NSS). This survey is the result of final year students rating the institution at which they are studying on a number of different criteria, such as the level of academic support they received and the learning resources available to them.

Personal factors Generally personal factors like locations, types of accommodation, teaching methods, class size, course tuition fees and entry requirements are important parameters you should take into consideration when choosing a course or an institution.

If you are looking for a research based postgraduate course you should find out as much as possible about your future supervisor, including the research they are conducting themselves, where their work has been published, if they are widely respected in your field of interest and if they have an international profile.

The staff profile and size of department are also important factors for research students: some students prefer a small department, while others would rather be in a department with a wider range of interests. Some students also wish to work with a particular academic supervisor or research team.

Therefore, reading recent staff publications before you make a final decision is advisable.

Resources and support For both taught and research programmes, the availability and quality of the institution’s academic facilities and resources are also important decision making factors.

When choosing an institution, therefore you need to find out what appropriate facilities and resources are provided for your chosen subject and course.

Relevant information can be obtained form the institution’s website, prospectus and departmental brochures.

How do I apply?

for postgraduate courses in the UK so you should apply directly to the institution. Each institution will have different application procedures so you need to check with them directly.

It is important to allow yourself lots of time when applying for a course as it may take some time for the institution to process the application and get back to you with a decision.

There is no restriction on the number of different courses you can apply for in any one year, but student advisers recommend that you draw up a shortlist of six to eight universities.

What goes into the application will vary but you will be expected to highlight your academic record and possibly mention you proposed research interests. Work experience is valuable when applying for postgraduate courses so think about skills you have developed whilst working. Your personal statement will be a key part of the application so think carefully about your motivation and relevant experience for your chosen programme.

Apart from applications for postgraduate degree or diploma in social work which are made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), there is no centralised admissions system

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Where can I find more information?

New Route PhDs www.newroutephd.ac.uk Postgrad: The directory of graduate studies www.postgrad.hobsons.com Prospects: Postgraduate directory www.prospects.ac.uk UK Grad Programme www.grad.ac.uk National Academic Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC) www.naric.org.uk British Academy (Humanities and Social Sciences) www.britac.ac.uk Research Councils UK www.rcuk.ac.uk Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) www.bbsrc.ac.uk Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) www.ahrc.ac.uk Science & Technology Facilities Council www.scitech.ac.uk Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) www.esrc.ac.uk

Medical Research Council (MRC) www.mrc.ac.uk National Environment Research Council (NERC) www.nerc.ac.uk 13

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Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) www.epsrc.ac.uk

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