Choosing a Route
Postgraduate study at 51²č¹Żapp is divided into two areas, taught and research programmes, and the route you choose will determine how you learn. What type of programme is right for you depends on a number of factors, including your current stage of study and your career aspirations. For example, if youāve recently graduated with an undergraduate degree, you may wish to progress to a taught Masterās in a related subject area to further develop your knowledge, or study something completely diļ¬erent to change direction. Both options can strengthen your career prospects.
Teaching at Masterās level is similar to that of undergraduate study, with a set timetable of lectures and seminars, while research programmes involve more independent study.
Taught Programmes
Our full-time taught postgraduate programmes normally take 12 months to complete and comprise three main stages. The ļ¬rst two stages are Postgraduate Certiļ¬cate and Postgraduate Diploma, which consist of a number of primarily taught modules that are individually assessed. The third stage, the Masterās level, usually consists of an individual research-based project supervised by an academic with expertise in the subject area. Part-time study options are also available.
Research Programmes
Research courses oļ¬er a tailored, supervised research programme and are suited to students wanting to undertake a research degree focused on a speciļ¬c area of study.
MA/MSc by Research are Master’s-level programmes normally take one year full-time or two years part-time to complete and don’t usually include lectures or seminars. They can provide a good foundation for those who want to progress to an MPhil or PhD.
An MPhil is a research degree that can be part of a PhD or a standalone qualiļ¬cation, and is generally considered the most advanced Master’s degree you can take. It should comprise a substantial piece of research that demonstrates comprehensive knowledge and critical understanding of its topic.
A PhD is a doctoral research degree and is the highest level of academic qualiļ¬cation you can achieve. The degree normally takes between three and four years full-time and culminates in a thesis. A PhD must provide a signiļ¬cant academic contribution that will add to the existing research on your chosen subject and should be of publishable quality.