The Student Room Group

Postgraduate Certificate or a Masters?

As I'm considering a career in psychotherapy/counselling I found out about a Postgraduate Certificate in Psychotherapy and Counselling which I plan to do next year. However, I'm not sure whether to go down this route or to maybe do a Master's instead... I've received so much conflicting information, some people tell me that Masters is a waste of time unless I want to go into research whereas a PG Certificate is more hands-on, but then I don't know whether a Masters would look more desirable to employers...

Can anyone provide me with more information?
Not sure about your field but if the master's is in the same field, of course a master's holds more water.
Reply 2
Original post by Little Toy Gun
Not sure about your field but if the master's is in the same field, of course a master's holds more water.


But isn't a Masters more research/theory-based whereas a PGCert + Diploma is more practical/hands-on?

I'm just not sure what to do and I'm getting so much conflicting advice; some people are telling me that a Masters is pointless whereas other people are telling me it's much better to do etc.
A masters is such a money sink unless its integrated or funded. You're paying 4.5k to do a research project.
Reply 4
Original post by TunaTunnel
A masters is such a money sink unless its integrated or funded. You're paying 4.5k to do a research project.


That's exactly what I thought... though the PGCert isn't cheap either...
Original post by Jabberwox
But isn't a Masters more research/theory-based whereas a PGCert + Diploma is more practical/hands-on?

I'm just not sure what to do and I'm getting so much conflicting advice; some people are telling me that a Masters is pointless whereas other people are telling me it's much better to do etc.


Ever if you are to do a research master's, master's degrees are still more appealing to universities and employers. It's a higher qualification. It's like bachelor's degree to a higher diploma.

And it certainly depends on the actual master's course whether it's practical.

Or are you suggesting that someone who holds a PGDE would be sought-after, but once s/he upgrades it to a Master of Teaching, employers will desert him/her? This is not just in education either - lots of fields let people do a PG cert/dip then allow them to upgrade upon satisfactory performance in the cert/dip plus additional studies. A master's, in the same field, is clearly superior. The only thing that a PG cert/dip could be better is if it gives you a professional qualification/license,
Reply 6
Original post by Jabberwox
But isn't a Masters more research/theory-based whereas a PGCert + Diploma is more practical/hands-on?



Very often the coursework for both is identical and the masters just means you did a dissertation as well. Not every university offers both options but for those that do this is usually what you see.
Reply 7
Original post by Little Toy Gun
Ever if you are to do a research master's, master's degrees are still more appealing to universities and employers. It's a higher qualification. It's like bachelor's degree to a higher diploma.

And it certainly depends on the actual master's course whether it's practical.

Or are you suggesting that someone who holds a PGDE would be sought-after, but once s/he upgrades it to a Master of Teaching, employers will desert him/her? This is not just in education either - lots of fields let people do a PG cert/dip then allow them to upgrade upon satisfactory performance in the cert/dip plus additional studies. A master's, in the same field, is clearly superior. The only thing that a PG cert/dip could be better is if it gives you a professional qualification/license,


I'm not suggesting that at all. I am simply wondering which would be the better qualification in the field of counselling and psychotherapy, in which practical experience is essential, as I am wondering what to do next year. I've also received conflicting advice on this thread. I just want to know if doing a Masters would really be worth it if I could get the same opportunities with a PGCert/Diploma.
Original post by Jabberwox
I'm not suggesting that at all. I am simply wondering which would be the better qualification in the field of counselling and psychotherapy, in which practical experience is essential, as I am wondering what to do next year. I've also received conflicting advice on this thread. I just want to know if doing a Masters would really be worth it if I could get the same opportunities with a PGCert/Diploma.


It would definitely depend on what the master's actually is, and whether you already hold a professional qualification (and whether the PG cert/dip you're going for gives you one).

For example, if someone already holds a BEd, going for a PGCE would be meaningless. If someone holds only a BA, then going for an MEd would be useful but s/he would still not be considered a qualified teacher.

Between a PCLL (that makes you a lawyer) or an LLB/BCL, you don't get to become a lawyer with the latter, but it does still help, if you quality as a lawyer later.

For psychology, I believe to be a psychologist you'd need to at least have a master's degree, and some two-year masters can potentially give you the professional qualification especially if you had some modules in the field during your undergraduate years. For counselling, it's more difficult to tell because it's not exactly a professionalised field, yet. But this I think means a master's is still better.
Reply 9
Original post by Little Toy Gun
It would definitely depend on what the master's actually is, and whether you already hold a professional qualification (and whether the PG cert/dip you're going for gives you one).

For example, if someone already holds a BEd, going for a PGCE would be meaningless. If someone holds only a BA, then going for an MEd would be useful but s/he would still not be considered a qualified teacher.

Between a PCLL (that makes you a lawyer) or an LLB/BCL, you don't get to become a lawyer with the latter, but it does still help, if you quality as a lawyer later.

For psychology, I believe to be a psychologist you'd need to at least have a master's degree, and some two-year masters can potentially give you the professional qualification especially if you had some modules in the field during your undergraduate years. For counselling, it's more difficult to tell because it's not exactly a professionalised field, yet. But this I think means a master's is still better.


A clinical psychologist requires a PHD. A counsellor or psychotherapist I'm not too sure about.
Reply 10
Original post by Jabberwox
As I'm considering a career in psychotherapy/counselling I found out about a Postgraduate Certificate in Psychotherapy and Counselling which I plan to do next year. However, I'm not sure whether to go down this route or to maybe do a Master's instead... I've received so much conflicting information, some people tell me that Masters is a waste of time unless I want to go into research whereas a PG Certificate is more hands-on, but then I don't know whether a Masters would look more desirable to employers...

Can anyone provide me with more information?


For most courses, a PGCert will just be taught modules/assessment from one term/semester of the standard Masters syllabus minus the dissertation/independent research. It will therefore have less research content than a full Masters, but the same content otherwise. The proportion of practical vs academic content will depend on the individual syllabus, rather than whether you're doing a PGCert or full Masters.
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 11
I have a PGDip which is basically a MSc without doing the dissertation. PGCerts and PGDips are normally milestones (or step off points) on the way to an MSc.
Reply 12
Original post by Klix88
For most courses, a PGCert will just be taught modules/assessment from one term/semester of the standard Masters syllabus minus the dissertation/independent research. It will therefore have less research content than a full Masters, but the same content otherwise. The proportion of practical vs academic content will depend on the individual syllabus, rather than whether you're doing a PGCert or full Masters.


Is it a waste of time though? :frown: I'm just worried about making the wrong decision and investing time/money into something which won't even be beneficial...
Reply 13
Original post by Jabberwox
Is it a waste of time though? :frown: I'm just worried about making the wrong decision and investing time/money into something which won't even be beneficial...


Surely that's a question only you can answer. How valuable is a PGCert in psychotherapy/counselling in that profession? A bit of research should tell you that.
Reply 14
Original post by Jabberwox
Is it a waste of time though? :frown: I'm just worried about making the wrong decision and investing time/money into something which won't even be beneficial...


I think you need to ask some people in the profession rather than TSR ....
Reply 15
Ask on the TSR psychology board maybe?

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