Postgraduate conversion courses for a career change

If you're looking for a job in a field that's different from your degree, you can change direction using a postgraduate conversion course.

These courses can help you use your degree to move on to something different, or better suited to the evolving job market, and increase your employability.

How to apply for a postgraduate degree

Postgraduate career change – why now and how do I get started?

The pandemic changed the world of work – and perhaps your priorities. Maybe you've expanded your digital skills, or discovered new interests?

Whatever the reason for wanting to change career, you may benefit from a period of re-training.

The first thing to do is to research the career you're interested in: you'll need to know if any formal qualifications are required and from there you can start looking at courses that deliver them.

Perhaps consider how you might transition from one career to another? Could you begin a career conversion course that's part-time, or runs alongside your current role?

Next step: come to a postgraduate open evening or get in touch with our enquiries team who will be happy to help with any questions you might have.

What is a conversion course?

A conversion course is a university qualification which gives you knowledge and skills specific for employment in a field you’re not yet qualified for. These conversion courses include postgraduate certificates or diplomas, masters-level degrees and they can include professional qualifications you might need to change career.

Types of conversion course include:

Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert and PGCE)
Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip)
Masters degree (MA and MSc)
Specific courses such as Law LLM

Postgraduate conversion courses 2025

Business, management and marketing

Design

Computing

Construction and building

Construction Project Management MSc

Health professions

Journalism

Teaching

Are conversion courses worth it?

University conversion courses are designed specifically to help you transition to a new career. How you value this change is subjective.

As a university graduate looking to change profession, their value may be more personal than financial, so ultimately this depends on what you want to achieve.

Take a look at this video where Dr Ioannis Pantelidis from the Doctoral College explains the six benefits to postgraduate study and provides help and advice about what you might experience when converting your degree.

Please enable targeting cookies in order to view this video content on our website, or you can watch the video on YouTube.

Why study your masters at Brighton?

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Professional accreditation

Many of our conversion courses are recognised and accredited by professional bodies including National Council for the Training of Journalists, Solicitors Regulation Authority, Health and Care Professions Council, and Chartered Institute of Building.

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Flexible study

We understand it's a challenge to make a postgraduate career change so we've flexible study options to help you balance work and life commitments.

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Scholarships