Don&#x27;t know much about post grads, few questions!

Taught masters degrees are ones where you have lectures and seminars; research masters degrees focus on the completion of a thesis, with the emphasis being on self study.

Studying a research masters is usually needed in order to progress onto a PhD. Taught masters can benefit specific careers, but people do also study them for enjoyment.

Masters degrees are very different to undergraduate degrees, it's hard to compare the two. But from my experience so far, it's a lot more intense and the standard expected of you is much higher.

You normally need a 2:1 or higher to study a masters.

Reply 2

sokissme18

OP

11

tigermoth99

Taught masters degrees are ones where you have lectures and seminars; research masters degrees focus on the completion of a thesis, with the emphasis being on self study.

Studying a research masters is usually needed in order to progress onto a PhD. Taught masters can benefit specific careers, but people do also study them for enjoyment.

Masters degrees are very different to undergraduate degrees, it's hard to compare the two. But from my experience so far, it's a lot more intense and the standard expected of you is much higher.

You normally need a 2:1 or higher to study a masters.

Thankyou, very helpful! :smile:

Reply 3

tigermoth99

Taught masters degrees are ones where you have lectures and seminars; research masters degrees focus on the completion of a thesis, with the emphasis being on self study.

Just to add - there are STILL taught modules on a Research Master's. Just link far more to research and research skills than a taught MA would.

A taught MA tends to be more like a 4th year but STILL has a research element. Bar two, all my assignments for my MA were research based! Also some Research Master's will be 2 years instead of one depending on university and subject.

Studying a research masters is usually needed in order to progress onto a PhD. Taught masters can benefit specific careers, but people do also study them for enjoyment.

Not necessarily. I did a taught MA and I'm not having issues with not being able to apply for PhDs. My MA was technically a Research Preparation MA (haha, such a joke but that's what it is counted as by the AHRC!)

In terms of difficulty - all depends on the university, the course and the individual. My seminars were definitely NOT a step up! Actually felt like I'd gone back a year, it was basic and very slow going if I'm honest. I did notice the step up in what was required writing wise though. There's much more on independent study and research so they're quite lonely as few very have set essays or anything - it's all up to you.

Most MAs whether taught or research will require a 2:1 at least. Some will require marks of 67+ (you're looking at Oxford, Cambridge, the odd London uni and elsewhere).

The BIG question you need to answer is how you fund it. Mine cost £12 000 which I self-funded. MA funding in the Arts is VERY hard to get hold of - highly competitive and very little of it - you're looking at one person per MA course having funding if that. Also not all universities have funding.

Are you an Arts or Science student as that'll sway decisions and funding somewhat? :smile:

Reply 4

Angelil

sokissme18

Hiya

I'm in my third year at uni and considering doing a post grad (masters). I see you can do taught and research.. it might seem obvious, but can someone explain the differences, like why would you choose one over the other?

I did a taught master's at Oxford. My reasons for choosing it over the research master's were numerous, but possibly superficial. The taught master's was only one year, while the research master's was two years; doing the taught master's therefore entailed one year less of debt and one year less for me to wait for me to finally live with my long-term partner (we used to live in different countries). The pass threshold for the taught master's was also lower (50 instead of 60) and I figured that since we were all going to do the same exams and our dissertations would be the same length and to the average Joe it was essentially the same degree (General Linguistics and Comparative Philology - most people outside of academia won't know the difference between an MSt and an MPhil), I should just do the taught master's.
Reasons to do the research master's instead could include the fact that you'd have longer to work on your dissertation, and time to attend classes for certain modules again in year 2 for further revision. The research master's is also, I think, more widely respected than the MSt if you're wanting to go onto a PhD (I could be wrong on this, though).

What do they usuallt involve.. like is it a lot harder than a normal degree?

I certainly found that I had to work much harder than for my undergraduate degree, but I know that others here have reported the opposite experience. And yet while the work was difficult I still really enjoyed it and in retrospect am glad I did it.

If you've done one, was it worth it? Just seems a lot of money, got some thinking to do.

To be brutally honest, my initial plan was to remain in the UK for another year after my master's was over so that I could work and build up savings before moving overseas. However, despite having two good degrees and plenty of solid work experience and extra-curriculars (or 'soft skills' as employers might see them), I ended up on JSA for the entire summer after finishing. That got pretty old pretty fast. I did get a few interviews, but they were for mostly menial jobs that I could have been in with a shout at even without a master's. However, in France it was a totally different story: they seem to have more respect for postgraduate study and perhaps also for Oxford (arguably the Oxford brand doesn't carry as much weight as it used to in the UK) and I was hired immediately on both occasions that I was looking for work (in graduate roles).
But then I did do a useless arts degree :tongue:

Oh and are they hard to get onto? Hopefully I will have a 2:1, will this potentially be a problem?

I also have a 2.1 and it quite obviously wasn't a problem. However, I had also attended several postgraduate conferences and had had a couple of minor pîeces published, so...swings and roundabouts perhaps. My course was also more niche (it's not like applying for postgrad English or History) and I was also not seeking external funding (in the arts you're basically screwed if you're applying for funding without a first, as I understand it).

Hope this helps a little :smile:

Reply 5

Angelil

in the arts you're basically screwed if you're applying for funding without a first, as I understand it

Less so now because of how they pick who gets funding. A first still helps though :wink:

Reply 6

I think I might have been lucky, going by what you and angelil are saying

:wink:

Reply 7

Angelil

Don't forget, though, that I finished my master's 18 months ago (nearly), when Britain was nowhere near climbing out of its recession. People finishing a master's in 2010 or 2011 will hopefully have more luck.

Reply 8

Angelil

Don't forget, though, that I finished my master's 18 months ago (nearly), when Britain was nowhere near climbing out of its recession. People finishing a master's in 2010 or 2011 will hopefully have more luck.

What with less funding available and more applicants spread over about 30 institutions (if you take out the specialist unis)? MA funding (and indeed doctoral) is shocking from the AHRC for the next 4 years - the quota figures show it. It's a fixed amount and won't be changing until the next BGP application for students starting in 2015.

Sucks big time to be in the Humanities at the moment.

Reply 9

Tell me about it. I'm thinking about studying a PhD in my subject after my MA but the funding scene is making me a little apprehensive.

Whilst I've been successful getting funding for my MA, PhD's are a whole different ball game (pardon the cliche)

Reply 10

tigermoth99

Tell me about it. I'm thinking about studying a PhD in my subject after my MA but the funding scene is making me a little apprehensive.

It's depressing. See here: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=21831423#post21831423

Reply 11

sokissme18

OP

11

apotoftea

The BIG question you need to answer is how you fund it. Mine cost £12 000 which I self-funded. MA funding in the Arts is VERY hard to get hold of - highly competitive and very little of it - you're looking at one person per MA course having funding if that. Also not all universities have funding.

Are you an Arts or Science student as that'll sway decisions and funding somewhat? :smile:

Wow! that's a lot.. I was thinking it would be more around £4000? Or was yours three years? Did you work beforehand to save up for it?
The main thing that's putting me off is the money, and whether I'll have the discipline, as I don't want to spend that much then not do very well..
How do the grades work for a masters? Or do you just pass it?

Reply 12

rmn002

sokissme18

Wow! that's a lot.. I was thinking it would be more around £4000?

That would be about right for the course fee itself, but you'll need to include cost of living expenses (unless you plan on living at home), travel for school and research, and entertainment. Apotoftea did her Masters at Royal Holloway in London, so cost of living expenses probably account for much of the £12,000.

Reply 13

sokissme18

OP

11

rmn002

That would be about right for the course fee itself, but you'll need to include cost of living expenses (unless you plan on living at home), travel for school and research, and entertainment. Apotoftea did her Masters at Royal Holloway in London, so cost of living expenses probably account for much of the £12,000.

Ah right... you have to pay your course fees all in one go up front don't you? If you did your masters full time in a year does that mean you wouldn't have time for a part time job too? Sorry if I sound clueless!

Reply 14

rmn002

sokissme18

Ah right... you have to pay your course fees all in one go up front don't you? If you did your masters full time in a year does that mean you wouldn't have time for a part time job too? Sorry if I sound clueless!

I think you can pay course fees in installments (split between semesters/terms). According to my adviser (here in the US), if you are a full-time graduate student you won't have time for a job because of the workload that you will be expected to complete in order to pass the course.

Reply 15

Angelil

apotoftea

What with less funding available and more applicants spread over about 30 institutions (if you take out the specialist unis)? MA funding (and indeed doctoral) is shocking from the AHRC for the next 4 years - the quota figures show it. It's a fixed amount and won't be changing until the next BGP application for students starting in 2015.

Sucks big time to be in the Humanities at the moment.

I meant in terms of jobhunting outside of academia, as I was doing.

As for part-time jobs during master's study, I was able to secure work in a jeweller's over the runup to Christmas, but that was all. Not because I didn't have time to work but more because I think employers in the area are too scared of Oxford University to hire any of its students, even graduates.

Reply 16