A Checklist for Your First Month of a Masters

A month into a Masters you’ll (hopefully) start to feel a little more settled and have a better idea of what the next year is going to look like. We have an easy checklist of things to get ticked off around this time to set yourself up for a smooth postgraduate journey.

#1 Settle into a routine

After a few weeks of lectures, you’ll have got a sense of your course material and how much time you want to spend working on it. This is your opportunity to get into a routine, decide what study methods work for you and whether you like to study at home or the university library or even a coffee shop. Don’t forget to factor in the time you need to make for student societies, extra-curriculars, nights out and yourself!

#2 Get acquainted with your assessments

You should have received your assessment calendar by now (and maybe even submitted your first one!). Take some time to analyse it and work out what kinds of assessments you need to complete, how they’re divided through the year and if participation in seminars count towards your final grade. Make sure you know what your deadlines are and you have a plan for them.

#3 Start thinking about your dissertation

Along with your assessments, this is also the time you’ll also want to start thinking about your dissertation. The first few weeks will give you a sense of what you’re most interested in and what you’d like to explore in your dissertation. It may seem like your dissertation submission is far away, but universities often ask Masters students to submit an initial proposal about their topic in the first few weeks. Don’t worry, this is just to get you thinking and you can change your topic as you go along.

#4 Identify if you need extra help

By now you’ll have spent some time with your course material, attended a few seminars and maybe even submitted your first assessment. If you’ve come across some concepts you don’t fully understand, assessments that you need help with, or general areas that you’re struggling with, this is the time to address them. If you have concerns related to your course, raise them with your professors and mentors. There is also a lot of help available at university if you’re struggling with your studies in general.

#5 Apply to on-campus jobs

A lot of on-campus jobs will have vacancies around this time. So, if you’re looking to work part-time and want to apply for a job on campus, do it! You could be working at cafés or bars on the campus, at receptions or even in your department. However, your priority should be your studies so make sure you only take on what you can realistically manage.

#6 Explore the city

We’ve talked about what you need to have sorted for your course, but what about outside the classroom? This is also your time to discover a new city, make friends and find hobbies that make you happy. So go out for walks, try the different café’s and restaurants and take a short trip on a day off! So much of your Masters life will happen outside the classroom and you should be soaking it all in.