Further Study

Further Study

If after completing your undergraduate degree you decide to continue your studies then maybe a Masters or a Doctorate (PhD) is the right option for you. 

There are two different types of courses that you can take when you finish your undergraduate degree and they are Taught or Research based. 

Taught 

A Masters taught course is similar to an undergraduate degree and you attend lectures, perform practicals and have either the option of exams or producing a thesis at the end to gain an MSc (Masters of Science). They normally last between 1-2 years full time or up to 3 years part time.

Research 

Students interested in research can advance into either a Doctorate (PhD) or a Research Masters (MRes). A Masters research includes a small proportion of lectures but the majority of your time is spent on your independent research project(s).  Instead of exams you prepare a thesis on your independent research which is then submitted at the end of your course.  These courses last 1-2 years full time or 2-4 years part time and they are often seen as a preparatory course for a PhD.  At the end you gain an MRes (Masters of Research).

There are many masters courses on offer at academic institutions across the country, you can explore the different Masters courses on offer here.  

Some students go straight from an undergraduate degree into a PhD.  A lot of PhDs are partially or fully funded by research councils associated with the UK Research Council who award grants to university departments. The departments then advertise these funded places to students as studentships on a competitive basis. 

More information and PhD courses can be found here.  

Further information on UK Postgraduate Courses and UK PhDs and Jobs in universities. 

Research Councils

These are useful as they coordinate research projects across the country and can be a source of further information and possibly funding.  The home of the research councils can be found online at Research Councils UK. Other Research Councils Include the:

• Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council
• Economic and Social Research Council 
• Engineering and Physical Science Research Council  
• Medical Research Council                                         
• Natural Environment Research Council   

• Science and Technolog Facilities Council 

Other Sources of Further Study Funding can be found here

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