8 Questions You’re Afraid to Ask About a Masters

If you’re considering a Masters, it’s understandable to have plenty of questions. It’s a significant commitment, after all: a considerable investment of time, money and effort. You’ll want to make sure you’re doing the right thing.

And yet there are probably a few questions you’d be anxious about asking a personal tutor or a university representative at a (virtual) study fair. Don’t worry, we’re not ones to judge! We know that you might not want to give away the fact that you’re a little nervous about salary prospects, or that you don’t know if you actually need a Masters.

Well, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to address some of these issues head-on, saving your potential blushes. Hopefully the answers won’t be as scary as the questions themselves.

#1 How will I cope with the dissertation?

A Masters dissertation is a serious piece of work and not one to be taken lightly. At the same time, it’s important not to let yourself feel overawed by it – the thesis is a chance to research and produce a lengthy piece of work on a topic that you’re (hopefully!) passionate about.

While a Masters thesis is rather longer than an undergraduate one – usually between 10,000 and 20,000 words – the actual content shouldn’t be wildly different to what you’re used to. You simply have more scope to delve into your subject.

Speaking from personal experience, I didn’t actually write a dissertation during my Bachelors degree and managed to write a 17,000-word Masters thesis without too many problems.* The trick was not to think of it as a single, monolithic piece of work but instead a few interlinked essays that logically followed on from each other. If I can do it, you can too.

Perhaps most importantly, you’ll eventually have a substantial piece of work that you can look back on with pride (and a few shudders).

*I only suffer from flashbacks and night terrors a couple of times a month now.

#2 Will I earn more with a Masters?

This is a tricky one. Official data from several sources indicates that people with a postgraduate qualification are more likely to earn a higher salary than those without.

Results from the UK Government’s Longitudinal Education Outcomes study suggest that Masters graduates earn on average £5,400 per year more than Bachelors graduates.

We’ve actually written a guide that looks at the most employable Masters degree subjects (as well as the subjects that offer the highest earnings potential).

The data comes from official, reliable sources but you shouldn’t assume that the same conclusions will be true for a particular course at a particular institution. In other words, you won’t automatically earn a higher salary once you have a Masters.

For more information on Masters and earnings, take a look at our guide to postgraduate employability.

#3 Will I become overqualified?

If you already have a Bachelors degree, it’s unlikely that a prospective employer will think that a subsequent Masters makes you overqualified for a position. After all, a Masters course builds on the skills that you develop at undergraduate level – it’s not always so radically different.

In fact, with more jobs than ever requiring a degree, it could make sense to set yourself apart with a postgraduate qualification like a Masters.

#4 Will I have enough contact hours?

During 'normal', non-COVID times, contact hours vary widely from programme to programme. As a general rule, you can expect to have relatively few – around four or five a week – if you’re studying a Master of Arts (MA) in the Humanities or Social Sciences. If you’re enrolled on a Master of Science (MSc) course, meanwhile, you’re likely to have a busy 9 to 5 schedule of lectures and laboratory sessions.

Humanities and Social Sciences students might wonder what exactly they’re supposed to do with the rest of their week when they’re not attending lectures or seminars. Well, the answer is independent study! At Masters level, you’re expected to be much more self-reliant, pursuing your own research interests outside of the classroom.

In fact, most MAs are structured with the intention that students will study for 40 hours a week. Now, I’m not going to pretend that I spent 40 hours a week in the library during my Masters. But I will say that it’s a good idea to try and keep a regular schedule during your programme – especially when you don’t have any lectures or seminars to attend.

This means establishing a solid sleeping pattern and setting aside a certain number of hours each day to study and read course materials, spreading your workload over the week. Essentially, don’t do what some of my friends did and try to cram five days of work into the night before your seminar!

#5 Can I apply for a Masters with a 2.2 (or a third)?

Entry requirements vary from university to university (and from course to course). Most programmes ask for a 2.1 in your Bachelors, although others will only need a 2.2.

If you don’t meet the academic requirements for a Masters, there’s still a chance that you could be accepted onto the course. You’ll usually need to demonstrate significant professional or extracurricular experience relating to the subject, or show that there were extenuating circumstances (illness or bereavement, for example) that affected your academic performance.

In any case, it’s always a good idea to get in touch with the admissions department in advance of your application and ask for their guidance.

For more information, take a look at our guide to applying for a Masters with a lower class degree.

#6 Is it okay to work during a Masters?

Yes, and plenty of people do! There are two ways of approaching it: part-time work during a full-time Masters, or full-time work during a part-time Masters.

We’ve blogged previously on what it’s actually like to hold down a part-time job (or three!) during a Masters, as well as the best places to look for part-time work as a postgraduate.

If you want to carry on working full-time during a Masters, there are lots of flexible study options:

• Part-time study
• Distance learning
• Blended learning
• Online study

These kinds of courses are designed for people with busy professional and personal commitments, allowing them to fit the qualification around the rest of their life. Depending on the mode of study, this usually means evening classes, the availability of online learning resources or being able to study at a less intense pace than usual.

#7 Is a Masters actually necessary?

Okay, this is another difficult one to answer. In truth, it depends on several factors to do with your motivations and career plans.

In certain professions, a Masters (or another postgraduate qualification) is a requirement. If you studied an unrelated subject at undergraduate level, you’ll need to take a postgraduate conversion course to become a teacher, psychologist, social worker or lawyer. Similarly, if you want to enter academia or study a PhD, you may need to have a Masters degree.

And, as I mentioned above, you might be more likely to earn a higher salary with a Masters than without. You’ll also gain a worthy qualification and a host of transferrable skills.

But it’s not always a good idea to dive into a Masters for the sake of it. If your main motivation is to use a Masters to extend your student life for another year – rather than because of a genuine interest in your subject – perhaps reconsider. When faced with the prospect of a 17,000-word dissertation on a topic you don’t care for, you might come to regret your decision.

#8 Am I smart enough?

Yes, don’t be silly.

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