Post Graduate Study

1. Post Graduate Study Is it right for you? Types of PG Study Potential career benefits Funding Tips for applying and interviews. Presented by The Careers & Counselling Service at CIT

2. Common Reasons for pursuing PG Study Enjoyment of subject at undergraduate level Specialise further in your degree area or new area Require PG study to pursue a chosen profession (Teaching, Speech & Language Therapist, Psychologist). Specific Masters or PG Diplomas required. Require PG study to pursue a career in academia- Lecturing/Research roles. PhD required for Universities. Masters for Institutes of Technology to be on a �Lecturer Career �Grade. Want to convert to a new career area ( Business, IT , Law�) A Lecturer suggested this option An opportunity to study / work abroad

3. Benefits of doing PG Study Opportunity to specialise at a higher academic level-attractive to some employers, not important to others as you�ll be trained by company. Gain more specialised knowledge/ relevant work related transferable and technical skills � e.g. project management skills, research & analytical skills � attractive skills to potential employers. May gain relevant work experience-very important to employers (e.g. Higher Diploma in Marketing Practise-NUI Galway) Increased Salary possibility(but many employers don�t offer extra on graduate entry to a job) Good networking opportunity ( class mates can be from various backgrounds/attendance at conferences)

4. Reasons NOT to do Postgrad Study! Not sure what you want to do yet-you just see PG study as a stop-gap...PG study doesn�t necessarily give you the answers! To �see out� the recession especially if it�s the only reason for doing PG. Family/friends/ staff think you should-encouragement can be great but YOU need to make the right decision for yourself-alot of time, effort & money involved. Study overload- maybe take a year out first

5. Types of Post Graduate Study Masters Taught (9-12 months on average) or Research (18-24 months normally but sometimes converted to a PhD) PhD- Research (3yrs minimum up to 5 years) necessary for an academic career in Universities. Conversion Courses �( e.g. your degree is in IT and you want to add a specialisation in Business).Often called Higher/Graduate Diplomas. Special Qualification Courses ( e.g. Teaching-Post Graduate Diploma in Education) Higher Diplomas/Graduate Diplomas Full time. Part time, distance/e learning, modular.

6. How to find Post Graduate Taught Courses Ireland www.postgradireland.com www.cit.ie Several taught PG programmes in the areas of Music, Electronics, Business Studies, Public Relations with New Media, Computing, Biomedical Science, and Art. Full and Part time. Irish Colleges� Websites Europe www.eurydice.org UK http://egide.as.so.fr (France) www.hobsons.com www.daad.de Germany) www.targetcourses.co.uk www.eurograduate.com USA Australia/NZ/China/Hong Kong/Europe www.petersons.org www.degreesahead.co.uk www.gre.org www.gmat.org www.fulbright.co.uk www.studyusa.com

7. HEA Funded courses Higher Education Authority fund a wide range of postgraduate Diplomas and Masters in identified skills shortage sectors of high employment growth. The Graduate Skills Conversion Programme (GSCP) was set up in response to the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) skills needs, identified by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs and the mid-term evaluation of the ATS programme.� The aim of the programme is to provide graduates with the opportunity to acquire qualifications for employment in the ICT area.�Full and part time courses included. Institutions -UCC, UCD NUI Galway, NUI Maynooth, Trinity, UL, DCU, NCAD Sample courses -Masters in Water & Environmental Engineering, MBS Business Information Systems, MSc in Multimedia Technology, PGDip in Applied Sciences (Applied Physics). Entry 2011-standard fee of 2,500 Euro www.hea.ie/en/skills+funding for full list of the funded postgrad courses.

8. Research Masters/ PhDs If you are interested in doing a Research Masters then contacting your department- Head or a lecturer is the first step to check out the possibilities. Funding and a lecturer willing to supervise your Masters is required. Some Lecturers/Heads of Departments apply for government and other funding each year CIT- http://www.cit.ie/researchdegrees ( department contacts listed for Research Masters queries) Postgraduate study by research and thesis (21 months for a Masters and a minimum of 3 years for a Ph.D. degree) is available in most departments. In many cases funding is available for research projects where a stipend and fees would be paid. For full list of funding possibilities see- http://www.cit.ie/fees_grantsandscholarships1 Check out other College websites for information on applying for Research Masters and funding. NB-Are you suited to doing a Research Masters ? A high level of self-discipline, self motivation and ability to work alone/minimum supervision required. Patience, perseverance and to be not materially motivated are also important. Some tutoring to undergraduate students may also be required.

9. Choosing a Post Graduate Course What course(s) interests you and where are they available? Match your self knowledge to the course demands. PG study can be intense especially when combined with work/family commitments. Methods of study-full/part-time/distance learning Selection Procedures Job Prospects/ Career benefits

10. Courses of interest and availability Research your options and apply in time! Closing Dates vary from November to Summer. Application forms often require a good deal of time to complete and competition for places is high. Where are the courses that interest you and are you prepared to relocate? Cork only / Nationwide UK / Europe / Rest of world

11. Match your self-knowledge to the course demands Think about your academic interests, degree of motivation to study alone/ in a class, your available time, costs involved. Other commitments. Consider the demands of Taught (class based/assignments /exams) Vs. Research Masters(need to be highly self motivated and like working alone) You want to convert to a new area (e.g. from engineering to business) or specialise (e.g. international marketing for Business Students)

12. Methods of Study-Taught Courses Full time ( 9-12 months for Taught Courses usually) Part time �popular amongst individuals who are also working. Distance Learning ( e.g. Hibernia online Primary Teaching ) Modular ( single or a number of subjects taken over time)

13. Application & Selection Procedures Application procedures and selection criteria vary amongst colleges. Check college websites. UCC, NUI Galway, NUI Maynooth, DCU, WIT and Trinity use a common application system called PAC (www.pac.ie) College results- 2.1 Honours ( merit 1) normally required. 2.2 Honours (merit 2) sometimes accepted. Previous year(s) results also sought (exam transcripts on headed paper sometimes required) A CV is sometimes required. Interview (Group and /or Individual) is sometimes required Skills Assessment (practical- e.g. short essay)

14. Consider carefully how PG study could enhance your career/ job prospects.  If you are considering a Taught Masters/Higher Diploma/Graduate Diploma ask the course co-ordinator what are the typical jobs that may be gained from the course / what types of jobs have previous graduates obtained? There are graduate destination statistics available on some college websites- check careers service section. (these stats usually show what percentage of a class are working/types of jobs, salaries, sample employers)

15. Further Considerations How many hours per week/no. of assignments/thesis or dissertation? PG study can be intense �it requires a �step up� in effort from undergraduate degree. Will I be able to hold down a part-time job? Financially feasible vs. Investment in your Future? Committed? Financial/Time/Effort Time out for a year before PG study?

16. Benefits from an Employer�s Perspective Value the advanced knowledge and skills developed (e.g. research skills, analytical & critical thinking, project management ) Demonstrates determination to succeed Some employers will fund further study professional qualifications ( part- time)

17. Course Fees Check college websites/Fees Office- the following is only a guideline : Graduate Skills Conversion Programme �2,500 Research degrees ~ �2,500 + per year Taught degree programmes ~ �3,000 to �12,000

18. Funding www.postgradireland.com/funding Funding Resources for various types of PG study in Ireland/UK/abroad If you already received a maintenance grant for Under Graduate study check with your VEC/HEA- to see if they will cover fees and extend your maintenance grant. Check College and relevant Department for any available funding/bursaries Scholarships-www.education.ie. Select �Students and Trainees�

19. Are you a suitable applicant? You may be Shortlisted from Application Form/Online Application 1.Have you the desired entry requirements e.g. results/modules? 2. Have you a genuine interest in the course? 3. How have you gone about confirming this interest to yourself and selection committee? e.g. work experience, shadow work, contact with professionals working in this field, knowledge of course content, spoken to past students etc. 4. Can you demonstrate the skills/abilities required that make you a suitable candidate for this postgraduate course? 5.Can you demonstrate how this postgraduate course fits into your bigger career objective ? * Use these questions to structure personal statement

20. Give Evidence in your application Have you researched this course fully? Are you clear on what skills, qualities and experience are essential for this course and ultimately for this career? Your past is evidence of your future potential. Essential to draw on your past experiences (college/work/relevant hobbies/work shadowing) to demonstrate your skills/experience in this field Are you using the right language (key words can often be found in the college/course prospectus or web site) Use the language of your degree - business e.g. Evaluated� Analysed� Reconciled�.Designed�..

21. Further Resources www.kent.ac.uk/careers/postgradmenu.htm -for further information on post graduate application forms/personal statements and interviews