Studying a Taught Masters – Expectations vs Reality

If you think your taught Masters is going to look and feel similar to your Bachelors, I'm here to tell you it won't!

Even though I studied both in the same subject (Journalism), my experience was worlds apart.

Be prepared for more independent learning, deadlines arriving thick and fast, and juggling work while studying.

Here’s what to expect and what not to expect based on my personal experience…

Expectation – A lot of teaching

Reality – Independent learning is the new routine

I was expecting a lot of teaching for my Masters, given it was a taught course, but the first semester quickly removed this expectation. We only had a few weeks of teaching within each module. The rest of the weeks were dedicated to independent learning time, doing the assignments, and only meeting with the lecturer for feedback and advice.

Even though I quite liked this style of learning, I wasn’t expecting it. Masters really is a step up.

If you are thinking about doing a taught Masters, remember you are becoming an expert in your field, so you need to do your own independent learning and be your own teacher.

That doesn’t mean you’re on your own though. From lecturers and student services to your peers, everyone is there to help you.

Expectation – Time will be on my side

Reality – One year of full-time study will feel like six months

A full-time taught Masters usually takes up to one (in the UK ) or two years to complete. This will be longer if you choose to go part-time.

My course was a one-year full-time Masters. As the taught modules made up the first and second semesters with the third semester reserved for the dissertation, it felt as though time flew by.

It’s important to keep on top of your deadlines. I started off the year well but by the second semester, I was starting to struggle with time management and getting everything done. My top tip to beat the clock is to get organised and avoid doing things last minute.

Expectation – University will be my sole focus

Reality – You might end up working while studying your Masters

For a Masters course, taught or research-based, funding works a bit differently. Depending on what student finance scheme you’re under,  you might not get a separate maintenance loan so you find the money you have for yourself is less than you may have had for your undergraduate degree. The English postgraduate loan  covered my tuition fees but not all my monthly expenses.

Within my course, there was a work experience module which required us to work alongside our studies. This was great news for me as I needed a part-time job, and I found a paid journalism trainee programme.

I’ll admit, it wasn’t easy juggling the two at the same time, but the extra money earned and the wealth of experience I gained from the job was worth it. I could support myself financially during the course and after graduating, I had more experience, professional connections, and new skills to boost my job prospects. Since the organisation knew I was a student, they also gave me time out to finish assignments which was a big plus!

Expectation – Commuting will be easy

Reality – It’s tiring and takes longer than you think

With a taught Masters, the hours of teaching can be late in the evening, and I hadn’t planned for that. For the first semester, I had lectures that started at 6pm and finished around 8pm, so by the time I got home, it was late.

The distance from Sheffield (where I live) to Derby is about 30 minutes on a train. Great! But once I added the travel from home and the journey to the university itself, and the bus timetable, that 30-minute journey became two hours.

 Luckily, this was only for the first semester. If I had known this would be the reality of commuting, I may have found temporary accommodation in Derby for those few months to help me not feel as tired as I did from the long travel. 

I would recommend trialling your commute journey before you decide on your course. Your Masters degree will already be shorter than you expect, and if you’re spending most of that time commuting, saving money might not be enough of a trade-off for commuting.

Not sure if a taught Masters is right for you? Our guides can help you compare the types of Masters you can study and help you decide if a Masters is for you.

We hope you found this blog insightful. If you have not started a Masters and want to know what courses are out there? Check out our list of over 23,000 Master courses in the UK and worldwide.

You may also like...