You might have heard the word ‘postgraduate’ if you’re coming to the end of your undergraduate degree, but what does it mean? We’ve put together all the key terms that you might come across when researching postgraduate study.
Postgraduate/ Master’s degree
First thing first, what actually is a postgraduate degree? You may have heard of a Master’s degree, which is another way to refer to a postgraduate degree.
A postgraduate or Master’s degree comes after an undergraduate (first) degree. It’s further study for students who may want to explore their degree subject further, gain more skills to work in a specific sector or explore a different subject to the one they chose at undergraduate level.
Find out more about what a Master’s degree is and what it entails.
PhD
A PhD follows a Master’s degree for students who want to pursue further study. If you complete a Master’s and really enjoy academic research and would like to progress further, you could apply to a PhD.
There are some courses that offer the option for you to go straight from undergraduate study to studying for your PhD. This will be specified when you apply for the course.
Check out our PhD blog to find out more about further study and the opportunities it presents.
Viva Voce
A Viva (or Viva Voce) is an oral examination of your work and defence of your thesis at the end of a PhD, where you are questioned on your research.
Supervisor
A postgraduate supervisor is an academic member of staff assigned to guide and support a student during their Master’s or doctoral research. Supervisors support with project planning, research methods, writing and progress, while providing regular feedback.
Thesis
A postgraduate thesis is a substantial piece of independent research a Master’s or doctoral student writes to demonstrate their knowledge and contribution on their subject area. The thesis is then submitted and assessed by academic experts in your subject.
Taught Master’s vs Master’s by Research (MA/MSc/MRes)
A taught Master’s (such as an MA or MSc) focuses on structured coursework (lectures, exams, assignments) with a dissertation at the end. An MA (Master of Arts) and MSc (Master of Science) are postgraduate degrees, with MAs typically focused on humanities and social sciences and MScs on science, technology and quantitative subjects.
A Master’s by Research (MRes) is a flexible research training course designed to provide graduates with a foundation for a career in research, business, third-sector, government or academia. It is designed as a research-led programme that bridges the gap between taught Master’s qualifications and doctoral study, such as PhD.
Integrated Master’s
An integrated master’s is a combined undergraduate and postgraduate degree (usually lasting 4–5 years) where you enter an undergraduate course and graduate with a Master’s qualification, without applying separately for a standalone Master’s degree.
PGCE
A Postgraduate Certificate of Education, or PGCE, is a teacher training course that will give you the qualifications you need to become a teacher. You can study to teach at primary or secondary level and for lots of different subject specialisms.
It’s a great option if you’ve finished your undergraduate degree and feel like sharing the knowledge you’ve learned.
Postgraduate Open Days
Join us for an on-campus Open Day where you'll be able to learn about our postgraduate courses in detail, explore our campus and chat with current postgraduate students.
Scholarships
Postgraduate funding is a little different to undergraduate funding because it’s usually made up of a few different funding sources. One of these sources is scholarships.
A scholarship is a non-repayable amount of money that students pursuing postgraduate study can apply for. Normally, a scholarship is awarded to those who have done well in their undergraduate degree, are researching a topic that a company want to fund or are in a specific socio-economic group.
The Graduate Scholarship is a 20% fee reduction available to all BCU graduates (BA, BSc, LLB, MA, MSc, LLM, PGCE) enrolling onto an eligible Master’s or PhD qualification, whether you’re continuing your studies or returning to BCU.
A studentship is a form of financial support or funding award for postgraduate students (especially PhD candidates) covering some or all of your tuition fees. They also often include a regular maintenance payment (stipend) to help with living costs while you carry out your research.
Conversion courses
A conversion course is a way to study a completely new subject for your postgraduate degree. These courses do not require you to have studied your undergraduate degree in the same subject as the course you are applying for.
The conversion course teaches you the skills and knowledge you might not have had the chance to explore in your undergraduate degree or in your career and explores how you can apply the skills you’ve learned to this new subject.
So, if you studied psychology at undergraduate level but now want a career in video game design, a conversion course can help you get there. Find out more about changing direction at postgraduate level.
