Why do a postgraduate degree?

Postgraduate study develops your skills, supports your career progression and allows for rich personal development – and it's more affordable than ever.

The government offers postgraduate loans of up to £12,471 for students in all subject areas starting a masters on or after 1 August 2024, as long as you are under 60 and a UK or EU national living in England.

At Brighton we have 120+ postgraduate courses, many of which offer flexible study options and a strong graduate employment record. We also offer a variety of scholarships and bursaries for UK, EU and international students alike.

Still not convinced? Here are three reasons why you should consider a postgraduate degree.

Find out how to apply for a postgraduate degree

Read about postgraduate fees and funding

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1. Freedom to explore your interests

If there was a part of your undergraduate degree that really interested or inspired you, a postgrad degree is the perfect opportunity to explore it in greater detail. Typically, you will complete an extended research project or dissertation towards the end of your course, giving you a chance to contribute to the knowledge base of your chosen field.

If you are interested in pursuing an academic career, a postgraduate degree provides the perfect stepping stone between bachelor's and PhD level. MRes programmes – as opposed to MA or MSc programmes – are specially designed to improve your research skills in view of doctoral study.

2. Career-changing possibilities

A postgrad degree is an opportunity to build on your undergraduate degree and become an expert in a particular discipline. Psychology could lead to community psychology, marketing to digital marketing, computing to user experience design, and so on. Progressing in this way allows you to develop a specialist skillset and fine-tune your career path.

Alternatively, you could use one of our popular postgraduate conversion courses to change career direction altogether – not every programme requires you to have studied the subject before.

3. Enhanced employability

Whilst a master’s degree doesn’t guarantee you a job, it certainly improves your chances as more and more people are taking undergraduate courses. A postgraduate degree is your chance to gain an advantage over other graduates and show your commitment to your field of interest. It also demonstrates advanced, transferable skills in communication, project management, critical thinking, data analysis and problem solving.

But it won't just help you to get a job after university – it will also help you to earn more money in the long term. According to a report by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), postgraduates earn on average 18% more than first degree holders, six months after graduation.

Why Brighton?

Professional networks and accreditations

We have links with hundreds of large companies and small–medium enterprises, helping you to build a professional network while still at university. Some of our postgraduate courses are also recognised and accredited by leading professional bodies, so you can be confident that your studies are relevant to your chosen career.

Flexible study

We offer a range of flexible study options to help you balance work and life commitments. Many of our courses are available to study part-time, including some on a distance-learning basis. We also have two intakes a year meaning that you can join at a time more convenient to you. You can also choose to take a break from study – exiting with a PGCert or PGDip – or take certain modules as stand-alone short courses.

World-leading research impact

Our pioneering research addresses global challenges and has a positive impact on people’s lives and communities, with 98% of our research rated as world-leading, internationally excellent or internationally recognised in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF2021). As a postgraduate student, you will gain expert insight from the same inspiring lecturers behind our research success.