Post-Graduate Diploma Or MSc?

"I do not believe in the education system, and I never will."

My issue is the following:

I have finished all 8 modules of my MSc with a Distinction grade; I have started doing my Project for MSc at the beginning of May.

I had enough of this Project for a variety of reasons, but mostly due to the bad organization and support by my supervisor.
My supervisor approach annoys me too much. I am 30 years old, It was a struggle to do a Master at this age for both time and money, and I would like to be treated as a working man; instead I am treated as if I was a lazy schoolboy.
My project is very hard, the help I have received for my supervisor is minimum. If I am stuck on something she rather point out how easy it is to solve that problem rather than helping me.
I paid to be taught, not be tested; If doing a Project means doing it completely independently and not receive help by you surpervisor when you are stuck; then why I am paying? I could have learned by myself.
Supervisor making this Project a very hard and stressful time, when it should be a smooth learning experience. I constantly feel tested; I f i ask for something I am reminded that I will have a higher grade if I don'task. This is ridicolous imo, Professor over estimate their job; just help another human being, not asking to be lazy and get a good mark but help , be understanding.

Anyway, I can't live like this unti the 25th of August, I also have bills to pay and I quit my job for this project.
I am considering to finish it here and get my Post grad Diploma, because I had enough.

I wanted to know if anybody knows more about Post grad Diploma, and how they are seen in the job market.
I have no intention of doing PHD or being anywhere close a University.

Cheers

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 1

facelark123

The difference between a PGDip and an MSc is the project/dissertation aspect, right? I'm not an expert but I suspect that it'll have little impact when coming to find a job. It could mean you are less competitive as a PhD applicant, though you say you aren't interested in it.
I know a few people who have done the same as you this year to be honest (taken their 120 credits and ran with it) so I have seen first hand that it's a relatively common route to take.

Bottom line is, if it's making you miserable and you won't regret this decision in 5 years time, go for it.

Reply 2

Klix88

Original post by GSWE

"I do not believe in the education system, and I never will."

You've gone through it to Masters level, so what you "believe" is clearly negotiable. You just need to keep it up for nine more weeks.

I have finished all 8 modules of my MSc with a Distinction grade

That's amazing! I worked at Distinction level myself and I know what that takes. Congratulations for getting this far.

My supervisor approach annoys me too much. I am 30 years old, It was a struggle to do a Master at this age for both time and money, and I would like to be treated as a working man; instead I am treated as if I was a lazy schoolboy.

I started my undergrad degree when I was 44 and gave up a very well-paid job. I felt your pain when it comes to interacting with staff. However the reality is that we were/are students - we *aren't* working people. We're novices in the staff's speciality fields. Our decades of professional experience count for nothing in an academic environment and we are working at the same level as all the other students of a more "traditional" age. We aren't owed any more respect or consideration than they are.

My project is very hard, the help I have received for my supervisor is minimum. If I am stuck on something she rather point out how easy it is to solve that problem rather than helping me.

It's not helpful that your supervisor isn't more useful, so see if you can find other members of staff who can help with practicalities. Most won't mind you asking as long as you don't take up a lot of time (this is marking and research season).

Bear in mind that your supervisor isn't supposed to tell you how to do things at this point - you should be working independently and just keeping them up to date with your progress so they can do things like stop you going off down a dead end. Ultimately it's your project. If you feel that you can't achieve it in the time allowed, then you need to consider changing the parameters.

I paid to be taught, not be tested; If doing a Project means doing it completely independently and not receive help by you surpervisor when you are stuck; then why I am paying? I could have learned by myself.

Any higher education course will require testing and you knew that before you started. You can't just be given a qualification because you turned up, or the uni would lose any kind of credibility. You could indeed have learned by yourself, but you chose not to. You signed up for the Masters, testing and all. And you aren't paying for your supervisor to tell you how to do your research.

The dissertation is designed to test your ability as a researcher - it isn't about teaching you to research, it's about seeing how competently you are able to carry out research, document and communicate it. Think of it in terms of a modern driving test. The first two terms of teaching were like your driving theory and the dissertation is the equivalent of the actual driving test - seeing how well you do it.

Supervisor making this Project a very hard and stressful time, when it should be a smooth learning experience. I constantly feel tested; I f i ask for something I am reminded that I will have a higher grade if I don'task. This is ridicolous imo, Professor over estimate their job; just help another human being, not asking to be lazy and get a good mark but help , be understanding.

They're not a parent and they really don't have to be understanding. It's an inherently stressful, testing and difficult process. You aren't different to anyone else who's gone through it. Your supervisor isn't seeing anyhting in you that they haven't seen dozens - maybe hundreds - of times before. You can't expect to be treated in ways they wouldn't treat other students.

Anyway, I can't live like this unti the 25th of August

Yes you can. Of course you can. Just to give you some perspective, that's only 9 weeks away. Nine weeks more work, for the sake of which you will sacrifice a Masters. Stay focussed.

I wanted to know if anybody knows more about Post grad Diploma, and how they are seen in the job market.

The problem is that employers really don't know what a Postgrad Diploma actually is. You'd most likely have to explain it every time. On the other hand, few jobs actually need or request a Masters, so having a PGDip on your CV is unlikely to make much difference one way or the other. You just won't get the credit/respect that a more familiar Masters might bring.

You need to keep your eyes on the prize. You're very stressed and youg're getting angry and derailed by factors you can't change. It's your attitude which is in danger of costing you a Masters and you can deal with that. Everyone feels like you do about their Masters diss to some extent - and if they say they don't, they're lying! I wanted to scoop my eyes out with a rusty spoon by this point in the process (I came out with a Distinction after ditching my first supervisor and original project at Easter). You just have to get through it. It will only be a few more weeks of effort.

You wanted the Masters when you signed up to it, so you have to try and reconnect with that part of yourself.

Reply 3

Pariah

Good advice ^^.

I do know what a Postgraduate Diploma is and if I saw one on a CV in an area where a masters would be more usual I would assume (rightly or wrongly) that you failed your dissertation - which would raise questions about your ability to work independently. You could go on about how your taught modules were all distinctions but it would sound like excuses.

Reply 4

Pixie*

Hi, what did you decide? I'm in a similar situation but plan to submit my disso this year to get the full MSc...I totally understand your pressures as I deferred the disso for a year for a similar reason. It's been crap but there's no way I've put myself through the last three years to only come out with a diploma.

Reply 5

GSWE

Original post by Pixie*

At the end I decided to hold on and care a bit less, just relax and not worry too much; I was stressed cos I am a perfectionist and If I do something I like to do it good; but this was driving me crazy, also because everything I did alone was being shredded to pieces, and I was doing things I don t really care about, so was hard for me. I have to submit in a couple of weeks.

This has definitely been the worst 3 months of my life. So much unnecessary stress.

I do not think I will achieve an high grade but should be above 60 to get me a merit. The work itself came out quite good, could deserve even more than 70; but I will be graded on motivation and initiative too, and at some point i just let my supervisor drive the boat. I do not really care to graduate with merit or distinction, even a pass is fine. anything above 50, I don't care. I am a simple man.

I still think there is an overestimation of this process, so much wasted time. Not saying to give free good marks; but this whole process has been an intimidation campaign till the moment they introduced the Project module. I have been squeezed like a damn orange.
If i could go back in time I would have spent the money I spent on masters on courses and certificates on the stuff I am interested in. Very archaic way of doing things, this thesis seems to be too much of a big deal for me.

Positive thing now I know I need to stay as far away from research as possible.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 6

Redhotmoon

That's funny I'm in a similar situation, however mine dissertation is at a company. I have gone for the screw it I'll get a diploma route, not sure how it'll pay (definitely badly) but I know I definitely cannot deal with my current dissertation situation.