Choosing a Masters Degree: An Interview with Sarah Jones from the TCD Career Services

By Demilade Adeniran, SF Law

How should a student decide on which country/university to pick for their master’s? Does studying somewhere abroad matter? Well, studying abroad matters if it is something you want to do, for yourself and your future career!

Researching options and making applications for postgrad study is a process and we would recommend everyone goes through that process when choosing a taught or research masters abroad.

To start with we would encourage everyone to use a few search engines like findamasters.com or mastersportal.eu to get a broad overview of what is out there and to create your WISHLIST. You can search by subject or country. These websites are heavily advertised but a good place to start. Also, talk to your academics and people in your network to see if people who are in the field have any personal recommendations. Also look at the Erasmus Mundus website to see if there are any masters that might interest you there. Keep an eye on MyCareer (https://mycareerconnect.tcd.ie/) too to see events where representatives will talk you through particular initiatives further afield, like the Fulbright Scholarships.

When you have a few masters courses on your wishlist, I would recommend you ask the following questions of each of them to lead you towards your favourites.

Does the content of the master’s really interest me, and if so, why? You can find this out by looking at the individual modules as well as the title of the masters, drill down into what each part would be like. You have an undergrad experience under your belt now so you know the terminology; course handbooks, module descriptors, assignments, course delivery… picture how it will be delivered and understand the focus and demands of the course. Also, have a look at the academics who are teaching on the course. What are their areas of interest? What have they published on recently? Will the day to day research and the assignments and group work of this masters interest you and if so why? Can you get excited about doing a piece of research/a dissertation in this environment and with these academics? There is usually a Course Coordinator listed on the master’s webpage so email them to ask any questions you might have. Don’t worry about sounding unsure, you are doing research and need to ask questions!

Does the environment suit me as a person and a student? You can find this out by looking at the general university webpages and by looking at some external chatrooms like thestudentroom.co.uk. Do you prefer small classes or big? Do you work better in a problem based learning group environment or do you like independent learning? Most universities will offer a blended approach but the balance can vary, so see what they say in their documentation. Also, what about the clubs and societies of the university? Does it have a reputation both in the social sphere and in the academic sphere? You will be investing a lot in this master’s so also check out where the university ranks to get a better insight into the perceived accomplishments and offerings you could work towards as a graduate.

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/ Don’t forget to also check the individual department ranking, as often this can be different from the university’s overall ranking, so there could be a really highly ranked law department in a university with a lower overall ranking, and vice versa.

Would I like to spend a year in this city or town? This is an important factor, as if you are happy you are more likely to succeed and have an engaging and fruitful experience. Do I know anyone who already lives here? Could I see how I would build a network of friends in this environment? Will choosing this location add to my language skills? Have a look online to see if there are organisations doing things that you would like to get involved in, voluntary work perhaps or hobbies and interests, clubs… what you do here to make yourself happy will need to be done there… get researching!

Can I see this master’s acting as a good next step in my career planning? Sometimes, people are unsure of what to do next and so they decide to do a masters….of course, a master’s can offer you so much, but it is important to choose one that you will look back on and be able to join the dots. There is no “perfect” or “best” master’s out there for the masses. It is totally up to you – it can be another layer of learning in a consistent field with your undergrad to give you a boost as a fresh graduate or it can be a change in tack from your undergraduate if you want to broaden your scope. We’re all individuals so If you’re not sure about your motivations or how best a masters can play a role in your career planning, consider logging on to MyCareer and booking in for a chat with your careers consultant.

Can I afford this? It is important not to put yourself under financial pressure because you feel a master’s is necessary right away. Lots of successful graduates work first and gain experience before embarking on choosing a masters and arguably they get even more from the experience because they understand more what is best for them. Be reflective and draw up a budget in advance. Consider living expenses as well as the tuition fees and make sure to look at all the information out there on funding and supports.

How much do grades and/or work experience matter? For masters that are competitive or there is a limit on the amount they can take in, of course the admissions team will look at the applicant’s undergraduate grades, research and sometimes if applicable, their work experiences or extra curricular activities. As well as high academic ability they usually want students who can contribute to a rich conversation and dialogue within the classes, so they will often value evidence of students who get stuck in. For example, being involved and passionate about particular things, engaged in group initiatives… this all shows you are not passive in your nature and that you would contribute to the overall learning of the class. I would encourage you to just focus on doing your best within your Trinity experience, focus on getting the best grades you can get and blending that with other experiences, be that working to pay your rent or volunteering within the community, so that you are learning and developing in many ways. Try and think about you and your needs, your appetite for growth and learning, rather than trying to jump through anyone else’s hoops. If you follow that philosophy you usually end up with an excellent and varied undergraduate experience and a good level of self-awareness – two things that will lead you to a good graduate opportunity.

How do you write an excellent personal statement? If you have researched the master’s market well and understand why this particular masters is a good fit for you, you might find that the personal statement is not that hard! Be clear and methodical in your approach and show why this masters in particular is on your wishlist, point to academics that you would love to be taught by, give