What is postgraduate study?
Postgraduate degrees are a qualification taken after completing an undergraduate degree. They start from the equivalent to a Level 7 in the UK and include a range of qualifications such as master’s degrees, diplomas, certificates and PhDs. They allow you to dive deeper and gain more specialised knowledge in your chosen field, enhance your career prospects, or change your career path.
What are the benefits of doing a postgraduate degree?
Studying a postgraduate degree is a real investment in your future for many reasons:
- They provide you with the deeper, specialised knowledge and skills in your chosen field, giving you a competitive edge in the job market and higher earning potential.
- You can change your career by gaining skills and knowledge in entirely new fields, allowing you not only to change your career path but to diversify your experience and skills.
- You can benefit from enhanced career opportunities and progress further into more senior, managerial or specialist professional roles with higher salaries.
Types of postgraduate degrees
Whether you’re looking to enhance your understanding of your subject, gain expertise in a new area, or develop high level research skills, postgraduate study at DMU will equip you with the knowledge and competencies to unlock the next stage of your career.
- Postgraduate taught courses: Postgraduate taught courses are designed to teach you the expert knowledge or specialisation for your chosen field. They are taught in a similar way to undergraduate degrees with regular lectures, seminars and tutorials, coursework and exams, and usually require you to complete a dissertation. They usually take one year to complete full-time or two years to complete part-time.
- Research degrees: Research degrees focus primarily on independent research of your choice. They can include some taught components, but they are not structured around lectures, seminars and tutorials like taught courses. These are great for those who want to pursue a PhD or go into research as a career.
- Conversion courses: Conversion courses give a qualification that enables you to pursue a different career to the one you studied your undergraduate degree for. They allow you to start a new career and explore different subject areas.
- Certificates (PGCert) and Diplomas (PGDip): A postgraduate certificate is the first level of master’s education and is shorter than other qualifications. You are not required to complete a dissertation or final project. A postgraduate diploma is the second level of master’s education and is very similar to a postgraduate taught programme, without the dissertation.
- PhD degrees: These are the highest postgraduate qualification and take longer than others to complete. They are ideal for those who are wishing to specialise in academic research in a field of their choice or make a significant contribution to their field.