So, you want to do a Postgraduate Degree?
So, you want to do a Postgraduate Degree?
There are many ways to enter the realms of Postgraduate study. The fortunate few will fall into projects through successful final year placements whilst others will compete for one of a handful of funded spots on structured programmes across the UK. Others may be eager to work with specific experts in their chosen fields. Some may dream of academic accolades and prizes while others aim to cure the incurable, better the bad or build networks to make their millions. Whatever your reasons for gaining a few more letters after your name, it is never a small undertaking and there are many things to think about beforehand. Here are a few for starters.
Is a Graduate Degree really for me?
Many of us follow our feet into University degrees as teenagers as we have no better ideas and it is simply expected of us. We then find ourselves in packed-out lecture theatres with hundreds of people in the same boat, at the same stage of life and who were probably also towards the top of their class at School. All of a sudden, you’re no longer the star pupil and getting ahead requires some serious graft. The leap from secondary to tertiary education is definitely a big one. The cramming of A-level syllabuses leaves us unprepared for the extensive reading lists for multiple courses and at risk of developing many essay crises. The jump from Bachelor’s to beyond, however, can be even steeper. Even reading lists may not save you now, as you move into the league of those who write the books.
It is worth being really honest with yourself from the outset. You don’t want to follow your feet this time. Try to identify your strengths and what you want to achieve from another degree. Not everyone can be a beacon of original thought and academia is not the only setting where ‘blue sky’ thinking is embraced. It may also not be the fastest and most efficient way to see your ideas come to fruition. That said, it is one of the few arenas in which collaboration rather than competition drives progress. Consequently, Universities and postgraduate communities in particular are furtive grounds for making lasting networks that bridge multiple sectors. Further study also opens many doors whilst closing very few.
What is the right course for me?
So, you have a bounty of original thoughts and the gusto to give your ideas substance, or you think that this next degree will equip you with the network you need to build your empire. The next decision is what kind of course is for you. If you already know exactly where to focus your academic brain, a direct line of enquiry to an established PI (principal investigator) may be all that is needed to secure your dream PhD. If, however, you are still unsure whether you want to help mankind by curing cancer or by developing more efficient healthcare management strategies, for example, perhaps a more structured, shorter course that offers more exposure or focussed training is a better fit. There are many courses available across the UK: taught, module-based programmes and purely research ones, so take your time in finding the right one for you and don’t narrow yourself down too quickly if you aren’t sure. There is often the temptation in the UK to start a PhD straight from graduation (perhaps because this is one of the few countries in the world where this is a possibility) but committing to a course that takes years of graft without due consideration can lead to early burnout. Making a significant contribution to the ‘global body of knowledge’, as is required for a Doctorate, is a huge undertaking. Finding the right project with the right Supervisor, when you are ready for this level of research autonomy, is key to a successful PhD.
Will it help me get to where I want to be?
This point is even more relevant with the increasing costs of postgraduate degrees. In some fields and courses, funding is simpler to come by, whilst others are very expensive. Now that you are (going to be) a highly eligible Bachelor’s degree holder, many entry-level jobs are already open to you. Unless your reasons for pursuing more letters are that you really like being at University and fancy another year as captain of your sports club or society, you probably want those extra letters to give you a competitive edge in the job market. But you may already be competitive enough for the job you want. Academia can be a tricky career path to navigate. Few people make it to the ‘top’ and the bottleneck of progression may push you out of the game and into a job market where your extra letters add little value to an employer who would have gladly recruited you with a BSc/BA. That said, having more academic qualifications is unlikely to ever put you at a disadvantage in the job market, so it’s worth bearing in mind that entry-level jobs will always be open to you, you may just be a little older (and wiser!) than your colleagues if you get one down the line.
Author: Megan - Oxford
DPhil Medicine
I am currently in my penultimate year of reading Medicine at the University of Oxford on the Graduate Entry course. Prior to this I spent five years in medical research and gained my Doctorate, also from the University of Oxford, in the field of cardiovascular regenerative medicine.
