Why take a Masters
degree?
There are a variety of reasons a student may choose
to take a Masters degree:
A Masters qualification is required/preferred for entry in
their chosen profession
To facilitate a change of career or specialisation
To improve on a poor first degree performance (for example
to qualify for a PhD studentship)
To obtain a qualification from a UK university to help enter
the international job market
One reason not to take a Masters degree is to delay entering
the work force, or because you can’t decide what to
do next. Masters courses are expensive and scholarships are
rare.
How long does a Masters Degree take?
Most Masters courses in the UK last a full calendar
year, starting in September or October. Many are also available
as part time courses and can take between 2 and 6 years to
complete.
What’s do the Masters degrees
abbreviations stand for?
In general a Masters degree is named after the broad subject
area, but some universities or departments will use more specific
titles.
LLM – Master of Laws
MA – Master of Arts
MArch – Master of Architecture
MBA – Master of Business Administration
MEd – Master of Education
MEng - Master of Engineering
MFA – Master of Fine Art
MLitt – Master of Letters
MMus – Master of Music
MPharm – Master of Pharmacy
MPhil – Master of Philosophy
MRes – Master of Research
MSc – Master of Science
MSt – Master of Studies
MTh – Master of Theology
What are the Entrance Requirements?
All applicants should have a first degree (many courses require
at least a 2(ii) and sometimes even a 2(i)). Other courses (e.g.
most MBA’s) also require some years of work experience.
Specific requirements differ from institution to institution
and from course to course.
What Issues Do International Students
Need to Consider?
There are many decisions a student from outside the UK needs
to consider before starting a degree here. The main thing
to remember is to plan well in advance, particularly if you
want to apply for funding. Information on living in the UK,
immigration, scholarships, cost of living, etc can be found
in the UKCOSA
Guidance Notes for Students. The funding section of this
site also gives some guidance, as do the questions and answers
below.
Are my Qualifications Equivalent
to a British 2(i) or 2(ii)?
Because of the wide variety of qualifications from
each country it can be difficult to find out what level of
British degree your qualification is equivalent to. To give
you a rough idea a British 2(i) degree (referred to as an
'Upper Second Class Honours Degree' or a 'Two-One') is the
second highest mark available for a British Honours Degree
(a 2(ii) is the third highest).
The British
Council in your home country will be able to help you.
Before you apply you could try asking your former course tutors
or alternatively you can visit The
National Academic Recognition Information Centre for the
United Kingdom. They will give informal advice free of charge.
An official 'letter of comparability', which will be accepted
by employers, costs £30 (+VAT), but should not be necessary
for most universities, who will assess you themselves.
We have not been able to find a web site that gives a guide
for entrance to all UK universities, but the University
of Sheffield web site summarises their own requirements,
which will be similar for most UK universities.
Do I need an English Language qualification
Candidates from non-English speaking nations will require
an English language qualification for entry to a UK university. Many universities offer pre-Masters language training
courses for students whose language skills need improvement.
Our article English Language Qualifications for International Students has more details.
Any of the following qualifications in English will be accepted
by most UK universities (providing your grade is high enough)
IELTS
(International English Language Testing System)
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
CPE (Cambridge Proficiency in English)
The UKCOSA
Guidance Notes for Students provide advice on choosing
an English Language course. Further help and advice on English
Language exams can be found at www.LearnEnglish.org.uk
which is run by the British
Council.
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