Studying further

One option when you graduate is to study further. This could either be in the same field, or in an entirely different field. The benefit of studying further depends on your chosen career path and what you want to achieve.

Why do I want to study further?

Consider your motivation for studying further. If it is simply to buy yourself more time to think about your future plans, you could be wasting time and money and may struggle with the course. Working could be a better option than studying to help you decide on a career.

To move onto a different career path?

You might want to study further to change your career path or gain entry into a particular sector. For example; the Common Professional Examination (CPE)/Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), is a one-year postgraduate programme that includes all the core elements of a law degree; the Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) is an intensive one-year course for those wishing to train as a teacher.

To gain necessary skills?

Postgraduate courses, both taught and research based, can widen your skills base, extend your knowledge in your chosen field and improve your job prospects.

In competitive sectors that attract a lot of job applicants, further study may enhance your chances and help you stand out from the crowd.

Some professions insist on postgraduate qualifications. However, in some sectors employers value relevant work experience or short, industry-specific courses over academic postgraduate courses or prefer. Do your research and speak to people in your chosen industry to find out which would be the better option for you.

Do I enjoy my subject?

It is important that you enjoy your course of study. This should be a major consideration when deciding whether to go on to do postgraduate study. Although all postgraduate courses will enable you to develop skills that you could market to an employer, some may not fit into your long-term career plans. You should be aware that some may be of more use to you than others.

Can I afford it now?

Postgraduate study can be expensive. Many students opt to work full or part-time while studying. If you are considering doing this, discuss it with the course leader first so that you can assess the feasibility of balancing your academic and professional workloads. 

Some employers sponsor employees to take a relevant course, but often you will need to fund yourself. 

You could opt to work for a time first to save for your course. This will allow you to pick up valuable work experience and begin developing contacts, as well as assess exactly what course would benefit you most.

For more information see funding further study.