Part-time Masters whilst working?

Has anyone else done/ is anyone else doing a part-time masters degree whilst working full-time? Do you recommend it? Did you have any spare time? Any tips?
Thanks :smile:

OP

Aaaaanyone?

Working whilst doing a full time masters is hard. If doing a part time masters degree, working should be manageable with good time management if it's a course that does not require too much attendance. I've studied with lots of part time masters students who are doing the course over two to three years whilst working.

Reply 3

Klix88

17

Original post by Mad Cat Lady

Has anyone else done/ is anyone else doing a part-time masters degree whilst working full-time? Do you recommend it? Did you have any spare time? Any tips?
Thanks :smile:

Depends on the indivual Masters and your employer, I suspect.

I did a taught Masters which would have been very difficult to work around. There were set contact hours each week between 9-5 Mon-Fri for lectures and seminars, but the times used to change pretty regularly. One of my colleagues tried to work part-time, but had to give the job up when her boss refused to let her swap shifts for changing lecture times. I could be on campus anything between 2 and 5 days a week. Whilst attendance wasn't mandatory, it was made clear that it was expected at postgrad level. You'd need an understanding employer or a strange working pattern which allowed this, but it might be possible if you could work before 9am or after 5pm and weekends, or if your job was based close to the uni so you could nip out for a couple of hours at a time.

In addition, I had independent lab work to complete. This was done in small specialist labs which were locked outside Mon-Fri 8-18. So check whether you will be expected to use any uni facilities which have limited availability.

Apart from those factors, I spent a lot of time in libraries. If you don't mind long days, then you could fit research around work. Many uni libraries are open early morning and into the night, plus weekends and through holidays - and some stay open 24 hours. Again, check with your target uni.

A friend of mine did a full-time Masters at a uni a two hour commute away whilst working full-time, but the course was aimed at working people and organised to minimise disruption. Lectures/seminars were concentrated on one or two days per week. His job was such that he could work through weekends to make up any time lost to uni attendance during the week, and he concentrated library time on days when he was in for lectures. He did a lot of days where he'd catch the earliest (5am) train to uni and come home on the last one (1am). He was in a bit of a state by the end of the eyear and didn't get the result he wanted, but he did get the Masters,

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 4

jelly1000

21

Original post by Mad Cat Lady

Has anyone else done/ is anyone else doing a part-time masters degree whilst working full-time? Do you recommend it? Did you have any spare time? Any tips?
Thanks :smile:

A couple of people did the Masters course I did full time, part time. This was an Arts course so most of the work had to be done in your own time, this may have made it easier for the part timers. They had to be very organised when it came to deadlines- starting work as soon as it was set. A couple of issues they faced though were lecturers only giving a week to turn around a piece of work when they worked most of the week, and one particularly difficult lecturer moving a lot of classes around at short notice so they clashed with working hours and initially trying to expect people to move their work to follow suit. Not sure exactly how much spare time they had although one of them was able to make the most of having two summers to think about her dissertation rather than just one. So it is possible. Just requires being organised.

Reply 5

smileyx123x

1

Yes I am currently doing so!
I'd definitely say it's possible - however, I'd say it's possible for me because I have a very understanding manager, a nice timetable at uni (not very many days in) and time to breathe during my weekends
I'd say avoid working weekends if you can? You can use this time to catch up and have a breather!

But i'd say go for it if you can see gaps in your weeks where you can do your reading, essays etc
Otherwise I wouldn't add pressure to yourself. Unless of course it's a job you love/great pay etc and it's helping your development some how??
:smile:

Reply 6

Jantaculum

10

I did a part-time Masters (over three years) that was designed for people working full time - teaching was during the evening at a local hub. It was hard, especially if deadlines clashed with busy periods at work, but manageable.

My top recommendations would be:

take the maximum time allowed (even with the best intentions, you'll need more time than you think)
find a course that is actually designed for people who work
book a week's holiday just before deadlines
long library opening hours, like Klix says, makes such a difference
let your tutor know your situation - sometimes they don't realise why you can't do things at a moment's notice
a course that fits your needs is more important than university reputation
be very organised - if you leave things until the last minute, there will invariably be a crisis at work
if you think there is a chance that you won't finish, look for a course that will offer a Diploma or a Certificate at exit points
accept from the beginning that the work/study compromise may reduce your chances of a distinction/merit

Reply 7

She-Ra

Universities Forum Helper

21

Hey, I did a part time MSc & worked full time :smile:

I'll reply properly tomorrow :h:

Reply 8

Mad Cat Lady

OP

10

Original post by beautifulbigmacs

Original post by Klix88

Original post by jelly1000

Original post by smileyx123x

Original post by Jantaculum

Original post by She-Ra

Thank you all for your replies :smile:

I'm planning on doing this because I can't afford to save up for a full-time masters what with all my expenses before and during the year (and I have tried every loan under the sun and been rejected and/or decided it was a really bad idea financially).
I also emailed the uni and asked whether the course is suitable for those working full-time, and the response was "the course requires you to attend university for just one full weekday every week" so I'd need to find a job that will allow me an entire weekday off every week... :/
Hopefully that answers some of your questions

Reply 9

jelly1000

21

Original post by Mad Cat Lady

Thank you all for your replies :smile:

I'm planning on doing this because I can't afford to save up for a full-time masters what with all my expenses before and during the year (and I have tried every loan under the sun and been rejected and/or decided it was a really bad idea financially).
I also emailed the uni and asked whether the course is suitable for those working full-time, and the response was "the course requires you to attend university for just one full weekday every week" so I'd need to find a job that will allow me an entire weekday off every week... :/
Hopefully that answers some of your questions

I should have said that both the people I knew who did the course part time worked part time, not full time.

Reply 10

Howard

5

I am working FT and working on a MSc in my spare time with Robert Gordon University (via distance learning) It's doable if you are determined enough but not a lot of fun. I'm in my third year now and hope to have my dissertation submitted in the Spring.

Reply 11

keena89

1

I'm currently working full time and doing full time Masters which can be difficult but I'm coping. My course is MA journalism so a lot of the work is to do short news pieces. The longest bit of writing I've got to do is a 3,000 word essay (provided I don't choose to do a dissertation). It's only hard because I work so late and get home at 1am so I'm basically out the whole day, leaving me with no free time to catch up on work. But I'm managing so far. The library has become my favourite place. I've swapped my personal life for constantly catching up on work but most MA students cut back on social life anyway so it's not too strange.

Reply 12

beautifulbigmacs

19

I think you can get student loans for a masters starting sept16. Definitely google this.

Original post by Mad Cat Lady

Thank you all for your replies :smile:

I'm planning on doing this because I can't afford to save up for a full-time masters what with all my expenses before and during the year (and I have tried every loan under the sun and been rejected and/or decided it was a really bad idea financially).
I also emailed the uni and asked whether the course is suitable for those working full-time, and the response was "the course requires you to attend university for just one full weekday every week" so I'd need to find a job that will allow me an entire weekday off every week... :/
Hopefully that answers some of your questions

Reply 13

Klix88

17

Original post by beautifulbigmacs

I think you can get student loans for a masters starting sept16. Definitely google this.

The government keeps talking about them, but there's still no confirmation that they will definitely start in 2016. That's the plan, but it's still no more than a plan. Nobody yet knows how they will work, exactly who will be eligible, when you can apply or the repayment terms & conditions.

Reply 14

beautifulbigmacs

19

http://www.findamasters.com/funding/guides/new-uk-postgraduate-loans-scheme.aspx

Reply 15

Klix88

17

Original post by beautifulbigmacs

http://www.findamasters.com/funding/guides/new-uk-postgraduate-loans-scheme.aspx

Thanks for the link, which helpfully details what was said at the last budget.

Call me paranoid, but I'd still be happier if that info was available from the official government webpage on the subject and not from a third party. The official webpage hasn't been updated since Nov 14:
https://www.gov.uk/funding-for-postgraduate-study

Hopefully for those affected, it's just a case of "watch this space" and something concrete will happen soon.

Reply 16

keena89

1

I got a career development loan to help with my masters. You can get it with the co op bank or Barclays. When it comes to Barclays you need to be a customer for at least 3 months. Co op doesn't require that. I don't have to repay until my masters is completely over ie dissertation deadline which gives me a full year. And interest is relatively low

Reply 17

Mad Cat Lady

OP

10

Original post by beautifulbigmacs

I think you can get student loans for a masters starting sept16. Definitely google this.

Original post by Klix88

The government keeps talking about them, but there's still no confirmation that they will definitely start in 2016. That's the plan, but it's still no more than a plan. Nobody yet knows how they will work, exactly who will be eligible, when you can apply or the repayment terms & conditions.

I'm pretty sure I heard somewhere that this only applies to people who paid the £9,000 for their undergrad, which I didn't since I started mine in 2011.

Original post by keena89

I got a career development loan to help with my masters. You can get it with the co op bank or Barclays. When it comes to Barclays you need to be a customer for at least 3 months. Co op doesn't require that. I don't have to repay until my masters is completely over ie dissertation deadline which gives me a full year. And interest is relatively low

Thanks for the advice, but unfortunately I looked into this last year and a) you had to have paid the £9,000 tuition fees for your undergrad (which I did not) and b) you have to start paying it back a month after you finish, when I would have no money whatsoever left, not to mention the maximum amount it offered to pay didn't even nearly cover my expenses so I would already be in debt at this point. It works for some people (such as those living rent-free or going directly into a career) but it was not a good idea for me.

Reply 18

beautifulbigmacs

19

Personally i wouldn't touch a career development loan with a bargepole. Too much pressure in terms of how the paying back is arranged. Would rather be very part time than this.

Part-time Masters whilst working?

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you