Should I Stay or Should I Go? - Where to Study Your Masters

You may be looking at your postgraduate options and wondering whether you should study at the same place as before or go somewhere new.

For my Masters, I returned to the University of Derby, where I'd studied Magazine Journalism for my Bachelors, to take up MA Journalism.

The University of Derby was not my only option when choosing where to go, so how did I narrow down my choices and decide to return?

Here are the five questions I asked myself to help you decide whether to stick to a place you know or to move universities for your Masters:

1. What do I want to study?

Two things were calling me back to do a Masters.

The first was wanting to explore which part of journalism I was actually interested in. The second was wanting to expand on the research I started during my undergraduate degree.

When my previous supervisor mentioned the new Masters in Journalism, I was drawn to the different modules that hadn't been in my Bachelors course such as Journalism and Politics and Newsletters for Journalists. I was intrigued by these and the chance to find my niche. When I checked the modules on offer at universities closer to my home in Sheffield, they didn’t have as many that caught my eye.

Knowing I wanted to expand my undergraduate research, I could’ve gone down the route of a research-based Masters, but doing a taught Masters course was better for me as I wanted to expand my practical skills and knowledge of journalism to boost my job prospects after graduating. This was an important part of the learning experience I was looking for while finding my niche.

Having a clear idea of what you want to study and need out of your Masters degree will help to shape your hunt for the right course and university.

2.Where do I want to study?

This question is all about your location needs. Ask yourself if you want to be close to home or further away. Do you want to live on campus in student accommodation or off campus in private? Is commuting an option?

As a University of Derby alumnus, I knew what travelling looked like and the expenses involved. Living in Sheffield, I made sure to have the local institutions on my list to compare against (I would recommend comparing three universities which meet some or most of your needs so that you can narrow down the best one for you without being overwhelmed with too many choices).

Wanting to be close to home and save money on accommodation meant that whichever university I went to had to be nearby or easy to commute to.

As you weigh up your options, keep a tally of points for each university you are considering. It's all about what works for your needs. Research travel expenses, distance and accommodation options and prices for each university.

3. Who do I want to study with?

I’m not talking about rankings or brands here; I’m talking about actual people. One thing that your previous place of study offers you that a new institution can’t is the familiarity of the people and the support you have.

Ask yourself if this is important to you and if it’s not, then focus on the course, location of the university and the costs to make your decision.

I had the best supervisor while studying for my undergraduate degree and she became the course lead for the new Masters course at Derby. Her encouragement and our existing relationship gave the University of Derby an advantage over the other universities. Because my need was to have the familiarity of people for research purposes and comfort, the choice of university began to narrow down quickly.

4. What will my Masters cost me?

Tuition fees are a key factor when deciding which university to study at.

Although the fees didn’t differ much for journalism courses in Derby and Sheffield for me, the alumni discount made the price difference a lot bigger, placing the University of Derby as the winner.

If you’re at a stalemate with the previous questions and just can’t choose, then maybe let the price of the course be the deciding factor. This is particularly important for anyone wanting to study internationally as the fees will differ more for UK courses. Use our UK and international funding guides to find out all the important information you need.

5. Am I ready to study?

I have this as the last question, but really, it’s the first and last question you should ask yourself.

Are you ready to step back into the world of studying, deadlines, and being a student again? You already know the drill, but Masters is a step up, so ask yourself if you are ready for that and go for it with confidence.

When I was considering a PhD to expand my Masters dissertation, as much as I wanted to continue my postgraduate journey, I knew I wasn’t ready yet. And ‘yet’ is the important word here, it’s still a possibility for my future self! So, if your answer is “not yet” to a Masters then there is no need to rush, take your time and try again when you are.

Enjoy the journey!

Thinking of starting your postgraduate journey but you have no idea what courses are out there currently, have a look at our list of over 23,000 Master courses in the UK and worldwide.

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