Taught Courses:

Most taught programmes are offered in modular form with course works designed to provide a high level of knowledge and understanding of the discipline concerned, bringing the student  to the frontiers of the topic ( and so many provide a suitable basis for a subsequent research). Methods of assessment vary between programms. A taught Master’s degree consists of a programme of lectures and structured study which will be formally examined, and some investigative work presented by dissertation. Most full-time courses take twelve months.  

Many programms include a written dissertation where the author is not require to make an original contribution. Students may be require to demonstrate a throughout understanding of some chosen topic by presenting a clear and coherent account based on material from various sources such as research papers, article, books, etc). 

 MAs and MScs may include some training in research methods. Most involve a dissertation, some may include research projects, others course and oral work. The MRes is a relatively new qualification which stands alone, but which is also good preparation for PhD work. There is an element of this that is taught. In common with Doctorates, research-based Master's are self-directed.

Both MA and MSc have been the fastest growing areas in postgraduate study in recent years. Along with the well-established MBA (Master in Business Administration) there are courses such as MSc in Built Environment or Biotechnology as well as conversion courses such as MSc in Information Technology. They mostly follow the pattern you will be used to from your time as an undergraduate - a mixture of seminars and lectures with practical lab work or project work as appropriate.

The balance between these can vary considerably, so care must be taken when choosing a course. Check the content and how it is delivered. Is it purely taught?

Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas

These fall into two main types - conversion courses or those which serve as vocational training for a professional career and those which, whilst being stand alone qualifications, offer the opportunity to study a subject in greater detail, with the possibility to progressing onto a Masters Conversion courses are those such as the Common Professional Exam (CPE) for those wishing to go on to a career in law or postgraduate diplomas in IT for those wishing to pursue a career in computing. Vocational courses are those such as the PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) for those wishing to go into teaching, postgraduate diplomas in journalism, the Diploma in Careers Guidance (DipCG). Other courses cover library and information management, town planning, transport, housing, and many more. Entry to most of these courses is open to graduates of any discipline. They are mostly one-year full-time.

Postgraduate Certificates or Diplomas in other subjects often combine final year undergraduate modules and /or advanced taught courses as taken by master's students. The latter enables those who perform well to progress to a master's degree. They also enable those without normal entry requirements to move on to a higher degree. Generally, certificate courses are shorter and of a slightly lower level entry - upper second or above.