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POST GRADUATE

Postgraduate degree is a degree which you study for once you have finished a bachelor’s degree.

Some postgraduate degrees require the completion of particular bachelor’s degree, others don’t. Currently, approximately 540,000 students are enrolled on postgraduate programs in the UK.

As a general rule, you need to have completed a bachelor’s degree before doing a postgraduate degree (although there are some exceptions).

There are four main types of postgraduate degrees: taught courses, research degrees, conversion courses and professional qualifications. Many postgraduate courses are studied at university, but some courses are taught in a commercial environment.

    Taught courses

  • There are two main types of taught courses: master’s degrees and postgraduate diplomas (or certificates). A taught master’s degree usually takes place over one or two years and mostly involves the completion of a dissertation or project. You can do a Master of the Arts (MA), a Master of Science (MSc), a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or a Master of Engineering (MEng) degree. You can also study integrated master’s degrees, which form part of your undergraduate degree. Bear in mind though, that not all master’s degrees are taught courses in their entirety. For example you can do a Master of Research degree, which is more focused around independent research. A Master of Research degree is still a taught course, but 60% of it has to focus on an individual research project. Postgraduate diplomas or certificates are academic or vocational qualifications. A postgraduate certificate normally takes around four months, whereas diplomas usually last around nine months. You could study a subject which is completely new to you, or you could choose a course which builds on what you learned in your bachelor’s degree. Postgraduate certificates or diplomas can provide a route to particular careers, or they can work as a stepping stone towards studying a master’s degree. However, sometimes they are awarded to those who did not fully complete a master’s degree.

    Research degrees

  • A huge part of postgraduate study revolves around independent research. Research degrees are often referred to as doctorates. The main types of doctorates are: PhDs, DPhils, integrated PhDs and professional doctorates. Doctorates can be taken after a master’s degree or, in some cases, after a bachelor’s degree, during which the master’s is usually earned along the way. Doctorates are generally completed over two to four years. The main component of a PhD is the doctoral thesis. This is a research project on a specialist topic and can be between 40,000 and (wait for it) 120,000 words. It should be worthy of publication and add something new to your field of study. Of course, there is another reason to do a doctorate (aside from immersing yourself in a subject you love): you get to put ‘Dr’ in front of your name! An MPhil is similar to a PhD, but lower in the academic pecking order. Instead of completing that mammoth 120,000 word research project, you’ll be conducting an individual research project of around 30,000 to 35,000 words. It is still well respected, but you won’t get to call yourself ‘The Doctor’. If you want something a little less traditional, you could look into doing a ‘New Route PhD’ or a professional doctorate. Professional doctorates combine professional skills with academic knowledge in a PhD. These degrees are more vocationally-minded than traditional PhDs and are often taken to further people’s professional careers. You’ll still be completing an original piece of research, but there’s also a taught or directed study element to the doctorate.

    Conversion courses

  • Postgraduate degrees aren’t all about academia and shimmying up the academic career ladder. Further postgraduate study is sometimes needed for certain careers. Postgraduate conversion courses give you that vital lifeline if you haven’t studied a relevant undergraduate degree for the profession you want to pursue. They give you the option to transfer to a different subject area. Conversion courses are usually one year taught courses and are often heavily vocational. There are different levels of conversion courses: certificate, diploma and master’s. A law conversion course (or a Graduate Diploma in Law [GDL] for those in the know) offers people who didn’t study law at undergraduate level to get a foot in the door of their chosen career in law. Equally, you can do conversion courses in other subjects, including psychology, social work, business and I.T. If you’ve come to the end of a three-year undergraduate degree course and suddenly realised medicine is your calling then there is a Graduate Entry Medicine course, which takes four years to complete; this is a fast track for people who have not studied medicine as their first degree. And of course, let’s not forget the PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate of Education) — a hugely popular conversion course for graduates who want to teach.

    Professional qualifications

  • There are also a number of professional qualifications offered by professional bodies, which are essential entry qualifications for various careers. For example, if you want to be a solicitor, you will have to take the Legal Practice Course (LPC). These qualifications offer practical training and are mainly focused on providing entry into a profession, or allowing you to develop your career further once you’ve already made it halfway up the career ladder. So whether you want to make yourself stand out from the crowd when applying for jobs, pursue a career in academia, train for a career or simply continue to study a subject you love, make sure you pick the right postgraduate course for you.

    Summer Camp

  • Summer camp is like giving your child a whole week to dive into an interest or passion. Every student has an interest (yes, every student… here’s how you can help kids find their passions), from sports to music, coding, video games, and more. Unfortunately (for the development of those interests) they also have lives to live, which include school, after school curricula, homework, family time, and much more. So, think about giving your kid or teen a week to basically explore their interest, and that interest alone. They’ll have breaks and free time, but the primary goal of any type of summer camp is to give them the bulk of the day to focus on their selected activity. Just like a baseball camp would have kids on the field and playing or doing drills all day, a coding camp would take the same approach. And, while in a sports camp your child might be building toward a very specific skill, a STEM summer program does the same by having campers work towards completing a project in a particular skill area.
    Summer camp is like having a week without parents, where kids are left to problem-solve and make decisions on their own (under the guidance of camp staff, of course).For many, summer camp is the first time kids are spending an extended period of time away from their parents. Even if you think your kids are relatively independent compared to their friends, the only true way to put them to the test is to give them actual time away from you. I mean, if mom isn’t present, who is going to tell them to brush their teeth? Without dad around, how will they remember to make their bed? Camp gives kids the opportunity to figure it all out for themselves, and they’re often faced with decisions and tasks tougher than simply having to keep up with personal hygiene. It’s one of the many summer camp benefits and life skills learned at camp. Want to know what summer camp isn’t like? It’s not like school—thanks to a constant buzz, bursting laughter, and a flexible, collaborative environment, where students receive personalized instruction and the freedom to work on the things they want to work on. To go along with the above, some camps might sound a lot like school—with terms like “students,” “courses,” and “instructors” often used in marketing materials. Thus, there is no denying the similarities. But, any good camp takes the structure of the real world and more or less “breaks” it for a more fulfilling experience.
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    Undergraduate Programs

    A degree may open the door to a variety of opportunities and diverse career paths. The degree programs offered at AIU will not necessarily lead to the featured careers. This collection of articles is intended to help inform and guide you through the process of determining which level of degree and types of certifications align with your desired career path.

    If you're considering attending a college or university after high school, or are looking to return to school to pursue a degree, you have several options to consider. Even after you've settled on a subject or area of study, you may still have choices to make between traditional, online, and hybrid programs, or between the types of undergraduate degrees you can earn. So what is an undergraduate degree and how do you pursue one?




      Types of Undergraduate Degrees

    • The term "undergraduate degree" may lead you to think of a traditional four-year bachelor's program. However, there are two categories of undergraduate degrees that can be distinguished by the amount and level of coursework required to complete each.

      Associate Degree Programs

    • Pursuing an associate degree may be the next educational step taken following a high school diploma for those looking to further their education but desire a shorter time commitment than a four-year bachelor's program. An online associate degree typically requires two years of full-time study at the undergraduate level. 

      Bachelor's Degree Programs

    • Bachelor's degree programs may be thought of when discussing traditional four-year degrees; however, coursework completion can take longer than four years. An online bachelor's program involves more extensive and advanced study in one's area of concentration than an associate program requires. Furthermore, holding a bachelor's degree may enable job candidates to qualify for more positions than those who only hold an associate degree or high school diploma. Data from a Bureau of Labor Statistics 2017 Population Survey shows that the unemployment rate is lower among those with a bachelor's degree than those without one.2
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      Foundation Year

      Foundation years are year-long introductory programs designed to help students develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence for a fully-fledged three-year undergraduate degree. Also referred to as gateway degrees or 'year zero' programs, foundation years are usually integrated into degree programs. However, unlike foundation degrees, where the students can often skip ahead to the second year of study, students who complete a foundation year are required to start from the beginning of their chosen degree.




        Why go for a foundation year?

      • For international students, foundation years are a great way to get yourself settled into a totally new environment. In a sense, they make sure that when it comes time to start the actual degree, you are ready to hit the ground running, allowing you to fulfill your maximum potential.
      • But some international students might be impatient to start their academic careers as soon as possible. After all, a foundation year means delaying long term career goals for another 12 months. It also means another year away from your home country. However, taking that extra year to prepare yourself for studying abroad might turn out to best decision you can make.
      • Feeling as prepared as possible means you can dedicate more time and energy to your studies, which inevitably leads to better grades. And considering some of the large expenses involved in studying abroad, taking an extra year to make sure you get real value for your money is an excellent investment of your time.
      • We all mature at different rates. Some people are lucky enough to know what they want to do from a young age, while others have a natural ability to focus on whatever task is in front of them. However, for many young people, things aren't this straight forward. And if you don't really know what you want to be when you 'grow up', making the right academic choices in high school is by no means an easy task!
      • For example, some young people need a few years of real-world experience before they can begin to understand who they are and what they want to do. Others might want to travel or simply enjoy a few years without the added pressure of academic expectations. Either way, foundation years are an excellent way for those late bloomers to get into higher education.

          Where will I have to study?

        • For international students, foundation years are a great way to get yourself settled into a totally new environment. In a sense, they make sure that when it comes time to start the actual degree, you are ready to hit the ground running, allowing you to fulfill your maximum potential.
        • As a general rule, foundation courses lead directly to an undergraduate degree, which means you will be studying at the same university that administers the degree program. However, some foundation programs, especially in art and other creative subjects, are taught from specialist colleges. In such programs, you will then move onto a more formal university setting at the beginning of the next academic year. And remember, one of the best things about a foundation program is that it gives you a taster of what's to follow. So if you feel like you've picked the wrong subject or the wrong university, speak to the admissions board. They can help you find a more suitable path.

          Entry requirements

        • The entry requirements for foundation years vary depending on where you study and your personal circumstances. For UK students who have not lived up to their full academic potential, a willingness to learn and to make the most of this big opportunity is usually more important than any formal qualifications.
        • Even if you have missed large parts of your schooling for health and other personal reasons, speak to somebody from the university or college. Many institutions have disrupted studies schemes to help young people get back on track. You may need to provide some medical certificates or attend an interview, but again, this is a great chance to show off your untapped potential.
        • Mature students (generally considered as anyone over 21) can draw from their real-world experience during the application process. You may have opened yourself up to new experiences by traveling the world, served your local community with volunteer work, or supported yourself financially since leaving education. You might think these have very little to do with formal education, but all the examples show that you have the personal skills to succeed at university. Namely, independence, open-mindedness, and a willingness to take on a challenge -- and qualities like this are often much harder to teach than many of the formulas or theories you will learn in academia.

          Do I have to pay fees?

          This depends. If the foundation year is part of a degree, you'll have to pay an additional year of tuition fees which will be included in your overall student loan payments. However, some universities charge lower fees for foundation years, while others offer additional bursary payments.

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          Language Courses

          Why take a language course?

          If you are still wondering if and why you should take a language course, you are in the right place.

           




            Motivation

          • You decide that you want to learn a foreign language – there are many options. But if you lack motivation a language course is the way to go. You will feel motivation by your declaration to attend the classes and most likely by the people there. Going to classes will feel like a leisure activity rather than a duty, which makes the process fun and it will be easier for you to keep going.

            People

          • The greatest thing about language courses is the opportunity to meet other people with the same passion as you – languages. You can make new friends and build relationships on the basis of shared interests. The presence of the teacher is very valuable for the process of learning languages. He will be there to guide and help you as well as provide materials and teach lessons in an organized manner.

            Resources

          • The definite benefit of taking a language course is that the materials are prepared for you. This saves you time and the inconvenience of having to look for resources by yourself. The provided material is chosen carefully and according to the level of the group so you will not feel that something is too easy or too hard

            Study abroad

          • When taking a language course you have the opportunity to study abroad. This is a great opportunity to learn the language in the country where it is spoken. You will be able to sightsee, explore new places and enjoy a foreign culture. You can make international friendships and continue to practice the language when you are back home.
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            Summer Camp

            Summer camp is like giving your child a whole week to dive into an interest or passion. Every student has an interest (yes, every student… here’s how you can help kids find their passions), from sports to music, coding, video games, and more. Unfortunately (for the development of those interests) they also have lives to live, which include school, after school curricula, homework, family time, and much more. So, think about giving your kid or teen a week to basically explore their interest, and that interest alone.

            They’ll have breaks and free time, but the primary goal of any type of summer camp is to give them the bulk of the day to focus on their selected activity. Just like a baseball camp would have kids on the field and playing or doing drills all day, a coding camp would take the same approach. And, while in a sports camp your child might be building toward a very specific skill, a STEM summer program does the same by having campers work towards completing a project in a particular skill area.

             




            • Summer camp is like having a week without parents, where kids are left to problem-solve and make decisions on their own (under the guidance of camp staff, of course).For many, summer camp is the first time kids are spending an extended period of time away from their parents. Even if you think your kids are relatively independent compared to their friends, the only true way to put them to the test is to give them actual time away from you.
            • I mean, if mom isn’t present, who is going to tell them to brush their teeth? Without dad around, how will they remember to make their bed?
            • Camp gives kids the opportunity to figure it all out for themselves, and they’re often faced with decisions and tasks tougher than simply having to keep up with personal hygiene. It’s one of the many summer camp benefits and life skills learned at camp.
            • Want to know what summer camp isn’t like? It’s not like school—thanks to a constant buzz, bursting laughter, and a flexible, collaborative environment, where students receive personalized instruction and the freedom to work on the things they want to work on.
            • To go along with the above, some camps might sound a lot like school—with terms like “students,” “courses,” and “instructors” often used in marketing materials. Thus, there is no denying the similarities.
            • But, any good camp takes the structure of the real world and more or less “breaks” it for a more fulfilling experience.
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