[HelloTori]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently on BEng Computer Engineering at Portsmouth, and I've got a quick question for any one who might be/has been in a similar situation.

Our department offers an Undergraduate Masters for the same course, and if you achieve a 2:1 in year 2 they'll offer you a place on the Masters course.

I thought I'd made up my mind that I was going to decline the offer, but now I'm not so sure.

My original reasoning was: I can't afford it, I'll be under-experienced and I'll be overqualified. But, on the other hand, that does give the job market another year to pick up.

If anyone has any insight/advice or just opinions it would be great to hear them!

I'm just so indecisive.

Thanks
Tori

[corpuscallosum]

I'm planning on getting my undergrad masters. Just because I know I'm going to do further study afterwards anyway (PhD) and doing it as part of an undergrad course is easier than having to reapply later on for a masters course which would just take longer and be a lot more hassle. Also it might just help to stand out from the crowd.

[Dmon1Unlimited]

It would be worth noting that to my knowledge undergrad masters differ from postgrad in that you are not going into anything specialised, so you don't have to worry about trapping yourself down one route (you may need confirmation of this, could be bullcrap for all I know).

In terms of me, I'm signed up to do an undergrad masters in physics at Nottingham (just finished first year), I'm contemplating whether I should quit masters and go to bachelor

[HelloTori]

You are right, at least in my case. The masters course is just like an extended Bachelor's one. We do mostly the same units, only difference is they don't have to do their project in year 3.
To be honest, I only just scraped my 2:1 this year, so I don't know if I'd even be able to cope with the extra work load in year 4, and I can't just drop out in year 4, because I'll have nothing to show for it.

[NoCommentMan]

I am not sure how it works in England but in Scotland, doing an undergraduate Master means that you only have to pay undergradaute tuition fees. I think no one should leave such an opportunity to others if you can get it.

Apart from that, in Scotland (again), the Bachelor and the Master are taught togther til last year. Bachelor students will leave uni and the other continue for one year.

[pheonix254]

It is up to you.

Advantages:

• You gain all the necessary academic qualifications to be able to become chartered whilst at university if it is accredited. (there are still work-related competencies that you'll need to do to get the chartership later)
• Some employers only take Masters students
• Whilst you pay an extra years tuition, it is the cheapest you'll get a masters unless you persuade your employer to pay for you to do one at a later date
• Masters students are sometimes paid slightly better than Bachelors - not always though
• Masters year is often one of the interesting ones including a project and hence engineering experience
• If you want to go into research/ PhD / EngD, then you'll need the masters qualification first
• You get the university lifestyle for an extra year
• If you're a BEng up against an MEng at interview, you'll have to work harder to convince them to take you

Disadvantages:

• 1 year of extra fees and not being paid a proper salary
• Many engineering employers do not require a masters, or are not interested in you getting chartered
• Some employers will not pay any extra because you have an MEng (MSc) rather than a BEng (BSc)
• If the course is not accredited by a suitable institution (IET or BCS for computer engineering), then the benefits are far less as you'll still have to do extra academic work for chartership

The extra year can cost a lot. Weigh up the consequences of not doing so - for instance, are you likely to want to go into engineering? Are you paying the £3 grand fees, or the £9 grand fees? If you plan to go into engineering, the CEng qualification is particularly valuable when you're looking for promotion or a better salary. If you don't, then it isn't that relevant.
Are you wanting to be working for a large multinational, or a start-up? If the former, go for the masters and get chartered. If the latter, they really don't care, so go for the BEng and get working.

Talk to your tutor about it if you want more advice - A masters is often not useful to many people, however it opens doors for others. The university is a business and they want your fees, so bear that in mind. Are you going to get a 2:1 or above? Masters years are often easier than your 3rd year (mine was, anyway) but a 2:2 Masters qualification is as useless as a 2:2 Bachelors - don't do it if you think you're only going to scrape it.
That said, if you were going to graduate with a 2:2 bachelors and you buck your ideas up, you can get a 2:1 masters and save your career.

Best of luck,

Stu Haynes, MEng MIET MIEEE

[HelloTori]

@NoCommentMan - Yeah, that's how it works here.

@pheonix254 - Thanks. The degree is IET accredited, but I've managed to secure myself a very last minute placement for the coming year at a small company in the area. That gives me a couple more options now, I can just wait for the year and make up my mind later. I can imagine it will have a lot to do with the job and how much I enjoy it, and if they want me back again!