About postgraduate taught courses
Postgraduate taught courses involve completing a series of assessed modules throughout your course.
Courses are delivered through a mix of lectures and seminars and you may be required to produce a dissertation. Most postgraduate taught courses start in September.
Overview
| Qualification | Credits | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Master of Arts (MA) | 180 credits | Full-time: One year Part-time: Two years |
| Master of Science (MSc) | 180 credits | Full-time: One year Part-time: Two years |
| Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) | 120 credits | Full-time: Nine months |
| Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) | 60 credits | Full-time: Six months |
Types of course
Master of Arts (MA) and Master of Science (MSc)
Studying a Masters degree will develop and build upon the skills and knowledge learned at undergraduate level or enable you to study a new subject at a higher level. If you're already building a career, a Masters degree will add academic theory to professional experience.
Our MA and MSc courses can be studied full-time over one year or part-time over two years (or longer). A Masters course is made up of 180 academic credits. Taught modules are typically worth 20 credits each, and most courses culminate in a 60- or 80-credit independent project - often a dissertation.
On a full-time course, you'll normally attend lectures and produce coursework for the first six to eight months. Your performance will be assessed by means of assignments or examinations. You'll then have up to six months to produce a dissertation. This will be on a topic you choose with advice from your tutors. Dissertations are normally 15,000 to 20,000 words. Study times are usually doubled if taken part-time.
Masters by research
Most Masters-level programmes are taught courses. However, you can also earn a Masters by completing a Masters by research. This will involve a focused research project and is normally assessed by an extended written piece of work known as a thesis and often an oral examination. You'll have more independence than on a taught course and can choose your own research topic.
A Masters by research takes one year to complete while studying full-time and two years while studying part-time.
Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip) and Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert)
Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas allow you to specialise at Masters-level without the dissertation. They are often vocational in nature. They can allow you to progress further and faster in your chosen sector or open the door to a new career path.
They may be offered as a stand-alone course, or as an exit point from a longer degree. If for whatever reason you can't complete a full Masters course, you could still walk away with a qualification.
Postgraduate Diplomas normally last nine months. Postgraduate Certificates normally last six months. A small number of these certificates are available as stand-alone qualifications.
Graduate Diplomas
We also offer several stand-alone Graduate Diplomas, which last between nine months and one year.
Professional training courses
Our professional development courses are designed for those working in or with public services, or who wish to enter certain professions. They include:
- Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE): for entry into teaching.
- Social Work (MA): enables you to apply to register as a social worker
- MSc Nursing (Mental Health): for experienced public services managers who want to develop their understanding and skills.
- MA/PGDip/PGCert in Health Professions Education: designed for professionals from all health backgrounds who are interested in teaching.
- Masters of Public Administration (MPA): study for a professional qualification designed to enrich your knowledge of international service delivery in government and non-profit organisations
- MSc Nursing (Adult): an accelerated pre-registration route to convert your undergraduate degree into a career in care.
Contact hours and self-directed study
Contact time is the amount of time you will spend in lectures, seminars, etc.
Self-directed study is the amount of time you'll need to dedicate to learning outside of formal teaching sessions.
The time you'll spend doing either is different on each course. Contact the relevant academic department for specific information about the course you're interested in.
Online and distance learning
Some of our courses have been specially designed to be studied from anywhere, by online or distance learning. These courses offer the same high-quality education you'd get from studying with us on campus, but with more flexibility.