have a bit of a dilema and some questions

I've been playing with the idea of doing some postgrad study latley but there are a few things holding me back.

1) how is a Masters course assesed is it all exams or is it more based on a project?

2) can I afford it

3) what options do I have that is does it have to be a Msc or are there other options?

4) what if it's too hard?

5) is it worth it

if you guys could help answering my questions that would be a big help

sorry about any spelling this os from a mobile
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(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 1

Tasha1986

Original post by jonathanemptage

1. This depends entirely on the actual course, but most Masters degrees in the arts, humanities and social sciences are based on coursework throughout the year, exams at the end of the year (or each semester), and a dissertation written over the summer months.

2. I have no idea. Each course has different fees and I have no idea what your personal financial situation is. Funding for stand alone Masters degrees is becoming rarer and the competition is fierce. If you are a UK resident you might be able to get a Career Development Loan of up to £10,000 but this is NOT a student loan like you get at undergrad. The loan must be paid back after you finish your course regardless of whether or not you have a job.

3. There are other options: MSc, MA, MPhil, MRes, MLitt..... You need to do the research!

4. How have you been performing so far with your degree? If you are struggling with undergrad level work then a Masters might be too much of a stretch for you, but again this depends entirely on your own personal circumstances. No one here can tell you.

5. Once again, it depends on your own situation. What subject are you interested in? What do you want to do in the future? Is a Masters degree necessary to get there?

I think you need to do a lot more research and invest some time actually thinking about what you want to do.

Reply 2

Klix88

Here are my thoughts/experiences - hope they help!

1) how is a Masters course assesed is it all exams or is it more based on a project?

Depends on the individual course. My taught Masters was partly assessed on coursework with one formal lab test, which formed two-thirds of my final mark. The independent research project (dissertation) was one-third of the final mark. I had no formal written exams. The coursework was a mixture of conventional essays, reports, assessed presentations, book/lecture reviews and small supervised projects. You'll usually find a summary of the assessment methods in the online course prospectus.

2) can I afford it

Only you can know that. How much money do you have?

There's precious little funding available for a Masters and what there is, is insanely competitive. Masters course fees can range from £3,000 to £25,000 per year, so it depends what you want to do. Most are only one year but some are two. Plus you'll have to cover your living expenses.

You can get a Career Development Loan from Barclays or the Cooperative Bank. However these are commercial-style loans. They're subject to credit checks (meaning that you're not guaranteed to be given one) and repayments have to begin at a set time after your course ends, regardless of whether you're in a position to pay them or not. Also, the maximum loan is £10,000 which won't cover fees + living costs for most Masters courses.

3) what options do I have that is does it have to be a Msc or are there other options?

MSc or MA are the usual taught Masters-level qualifications. There's also the MRes; a research Masters, which is mainly an independent research project usually with a minimal number of taught units (mostly around research skills). Depends on what field you're looking at.

Be aware that an MPhil is a higher qualification than a Masters. It's generally the first year (or equivalent) of a PhD although it can also be taken as a stand-alone qualification. In the Humanities you would be likely to need a Masters before progressing to an MPhil.

4) what if it's too hard?

Pretty much the same consequences as for an undergrad degree. Either you'll decide to drop out befre the end of the year, or get marks so low that you'll reach the end of your course and not reach a Pass mark overall (50% for many unis), or you'll be asked to leave before you get to that stage. There's help and support available from academic staff - I found mine very approachable when I needed a little extra coaching on a particular specialist skill. However at Masters level you're expected to be more self-sufficient, so there won't be any outright hand-holding.

5) is it worth it

It depends why you're doing it and your field.

Academically, in the Humanities a Masters is generally a prerequisite for continuing to a PhD, but this doesn't tend to be the case with many STEM PhDs. There are some "1+3" funded STEM PhD courses available, where the first year is effectively your Masters.

In terms of employment, there are few vacancies which will specify a Masters as a pre-requisite. In some cases, an undergrad degree + professional experience, may get your further than an undergrad degree + Masters and no professional experience. If you're looking for a qualification which will give you a competitive edge in a particular career, you need to do some very careful research before committing time and money to a Masters. It could be that there are professional or vocational qualifications which would serve you better.

have a bit of a dilema and some questions

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