[Rybee]

Hi Peeps,

Just done my undergraduate degree (LL.B Law) and looking at studying a MA/MS.c in Human Resource Management.

I'm wanting to know what to expect in terms of work before I jump straight in... Obviously for me I'm jumping from one area to another but how have people found studying from undergraduate to postgraduate?

My concern is that this year I'll be living at home and commuting (1 hour each way into London) as opposed to rocking out of bed and being at uni in 10 minutes like last year.

Just to make it easy, if anyone has studied the same subject, for example LL.B Law to LL.M Law or BS.c Economics to MS.c Economics etc... how much more difficult have they found it? And was the difficulty in workload or understanding?

I just want to get an idea how postgraduate study will differ to undergraduate study before I commit to anything.

Any help/tips I'd be really thankful for!

Rybee

[Okkervil]

Going from an LLB to LLM is very different from changing subjects altogether as in your case. LLM is basically deepening and developing your understanding of your chosen legal area.

I don't know what HRM courses are like but I would expect the workload to be slightly different from the LLB. Certainly my LLB course involved huge periods of independent study and research, in my honours years I only had 4 hours of class per week and about 30-40 hours of independent study.

I think generally if you didn't struggle with the LLB you will be okay at postgraduate level. However, if your MA/MSc requires skills and courses you didn't take at undergraduate level (e.g. quantitative/qualitative research methods / statistics) I would do some research to make sure it's something you are prepared to get on board with before committing to an expensive year.


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[Norton1]

(Original post by Okkervil)
Going from an LLB to LLM is very different from changing subjects altogether as in your case. LLM is basically deepening and developing your understanding of your chosen legal area.

Not necessarily, it's possible to do an LL.M in a very different area to the one on which you've focused to that point, and that makes it almost like studying a totally new subject.

(Original post by Rybee)
Hi Peeps,

Just done my undergraduate degree (LL.B Law) and looking at studying a MA/MS.c in Human Resource Management.

I'm wanting to know what to expect in terms of work before I jump straight in... Obviously for me I'm jumping from one area to another but how have people found studying from undergraduate to postgraduate?

My concern is that this year I'll be living at home and commuting (1 hour each way into London) as opposed to rocking out of bed and being at uni in 10 minutes like last year.

Just to make it easy, if anyone has studied the same subject, for example LL.B Law to LL.M Law or BS.c Economics to MS.c Economics etc... how much more difficult have they found it? And was the difficulty in workload or understanding?

I just want to get an idea how postgraduate study will differ to undergraduate study before I commit to anything.

Any help/tips I'd be really thankful for!

Rybee

I was in quite a similar situation and I would say that the biggest change for me was not the workload (which was maybe 10 -15% greater because there was no dissertation till the summer so quite manageable) but actually living commuting distance away from the University. Obviously studying a new area made it more difficult but that was the main challenge; getting in and being motivated to get in early. If you have any questions or whatever feel free to PM me.

[Rybee]

(Original post by Okkervil)
Going from an LLB to LLM is very different from changing subjects altogether as in your case. LLM is basically deepening and developing your understanding of your chosen legal area.

I don't know what HRM courses are like but I would expect the workload to be slightly different from the LLB. Certainly my LLB course involved huge periods of independent study and research, in my honours years I only had 4 hours of class per week and about 30-40 hours of independent study.

I think generally if you didn't struggle with the LLB you will be okay at postgraduate level. However, if your MA/MSc requires skills and courses you didn't take at undergraduate level (e.g. quantitative/qualitative research methods / statistics) I would do some research to make sure it's something you are prepared to get on board with before committing to an expensive year.


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Thanks for the reply. I've tried to find out as much as possible online but do need to call up tomorrow for a few queries. Personally I did prefer doing my own research and work... I'd rather just be told what needed doing so I could crack on and do it.

The thing that appeals to me is that this HR course is titled 'MA Human Resource Management (Employment Law)'. It's pretty much 60% HR and 40% Employment Law. I thoroughly enjoyed studying 2 years of contract law, and employment law was an optional choice in my final year which I thoroughly thoroughly enjoyed. I'm 90% sure that I want to go into HR, particularly the employment side of it, so this degree in particular would suit me far better than any of the other courses I've found. It's either that, or a straight up LL.M Employment Law. I've also studied the compulsory employment law modules of the degree in my undergraduate LL.B so from that side, I know exactly what I'm getting myself into and would have an advantage, firstly over anybody that hasn't studied law previously, and also anyone that hasn't studied employment law in particular.


I just don't know in general whether people found the step up from undergraduate to postgraduate was hell-ish and a year of working 24/7, or actually pretty reasonable.

[Rybee]

(Original post by Norton1)
I was in quite a similar situation and I would say that the biggest change for me was not the workload (which was maybe 10 -15% greater because there was no dissertation till the summer so quite manageable) but actually living commuting distance away from the University. Obviously studying a new area made it more difficult but that was the main challenge; getting in and being motivated to get in early. If you have any questions or whatever feel free to PM me.

See I think this is my main concern... I have no doubt that if I lived on campus I'd cope just fine. But last year my brother commuted to London for his work placement year and he just came home knackered and did very little in the evenings because he was too tired.

I guess I'd have to treat it as more of a full time 9-6 job, instead of a *work whenever the hell you want* job like my undergraduate degree...

I'm trying to find out how much contact time there is, at least 1 day off per week would be excellent, would mean I could wake up a little later and work from home for the day.

[Norton1]

(Original post by Rybee)
See I think this is my main concern... I have no doubt that if I lived on campus I'd cope just fine. But last year my brother commuted to London for his work placement year and he just came home knackered and did very little in the evenings because he was too tired.

I guess I'd have to treat it as more of a full time 9-6 job, instead of a *work whenever the hell you want* job like my undergraduate degree...

I'm trying to find out how much contact time there is, at least 1 day off per week would be excellent, would mean I could wake up a little later and work from home for the day.

Could well be as little as the undergrad, you know one seminar a week per course. Mine was certainly like that but as it was within the same faculty that's to be expected I suppose.

[Okkervil]

(Original post by Norton1)
Not necessarily, it's possible to do an LL.M in a very different area to the one on which you've focused to that point, and that makes it almost like studying a totally new subject.

I suppose that's true, though I don't see the benefit of studying something you didn't touch on at undergraduate level in Law.

OP in terms of motivating yourself at PG level, I just remind myself that I'm paying a s***load of money to do this course when I could be earning money. So just try to keep your eyes on the prize: a good job at the end.

And I also loved employment law, always changing and always topical... Good luck!


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[The_Lonely_Goatherd]

It takes me just over an hour to get to Goldsmiths, one-way. Tiz tiresome but not as bad as I thought it would be. Just means you have to be a bit more organised about things like getting books out of the library, etc

As for the move from undergrad to postgrad, there wasn't much of a jump for me

[Rybee]

Thanks for the replies guys, really appreciate it.

Anyone have any other advice?

[nulli tertius]

(Original post by Rybee)
Thanks for the replies guys, really appreciate it.

Anyone have any other advice?

Rehearse the journey. See if it is actually an hour each way (front door to seminar room) at the times you are likely to be travelling.

[Inkerman]

The difference? I'm paid to be here. I feel obligated to do some real work.

[Aeschylus]

(Original post by Inkerman)
The difference? I'm paid to be here. I feel obligated to do some real work.

+1

[*Corinna*]

(Original post by Inkerman)
The difference? I'm paid to be here. I feel obligated to do some real work.

haha I never felt that...I was always trying for me, but not once did I think ah well they pay me so I might as well work now... Maybe I will for my PhD....hopefully.

[Jake22]

(Original post by Inkerman)
The difference? I'm paid to be here. I feel obligated to do some real work.

I find that a strange way to look at it. I mean, it wasn't as much money but I was also 'paid to be there' for my undergraduate... Anything that comes out of my PhD is basically to my own benefit so I can't really make myself feel obligated to do real work that is being paid for in that sense.