Undergraduate VS Postgraduate Study

Big Differences Between Undergraduate and Postgraduate Study

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Postgraduate study is a big step up from an undergraduate degree and it requires students to be more engaged in research methods and independent study in a particular subject specialism.

This guide will explain some of the differences between undergraduate and postgraduate study. It’s worth bearing in mind this guide relates to UK programmes. Masters in other countries can overall be quite varied.

The transition from undergraduate to postgraduate study can be daunting at first, especially if you are joining after years of professional work. But it’s important to not feel intimidated; a master’s helps hone your skills, not demand new abilities.

So what are the differences between undergraduate and postgraduate study?

The number of credits

In the undergraduate course, you’ll need a total of 360 credit points to gain a bachelor’s degree¹. Each year is 120 credits. To gain a master’s, you’ll need to attain 180 credits in a one-year full-time course.

Class sizes

You will most likely be in a class of at least 20-30 in an undergraduate degree. In a master’s, you will be in a significantly smaller class. Because of this, contact hours are not always consistent. However, you may be able to receive more assistance from your dissertation supervisors.

Emphasis on research skills

During your undergraduate studies, your course encourages you to undertake a certain level of research. A master’s will typically include components designed to meet the training needs and research methods to prepare students for their dissertation and possibly PhD studies.

Course duration

A majority of Bachelor’s lasts for 3 years, but each year finishes between May and July. You may have to undertake a summer course if you fail or need to catch up on any additional tasks. During a master’s, you’ll be spending more time studying during the academic year. Typically, you’ll spend writing your dissertation over the summer period.

Reading materials

You’ll get a reading list that’s much more extensive than the one undergrads receive.

Specialism

In an undergraduate course, you’ll most likely be studying a broader subject while a master’s in the same field may focus on a more specialist section. Depending on the level of similarity between the two subjects, you could be studying one degree at a bachelor’s level and studying a completely unrelated subject during your master’s.

Dissertation length

You’re typically looking at a 10,000-word dissertation (or physical project) at an undergraduate level. At a master’s level, the length differs from course to course. Some require a project alongside a smaller-worded essay or you may see some between 15-25,000 words. MRes typically require a much larger length.

[Postgraduate] Self Study

One of the first things you’ll notice about Masters when doing your research is that they tend to include fewer units or modules than undergraduate courses. You may expect to study two modules per semester for a total of four across the course. You’ll also have dedicated time each week or two for formal contact with your tutor or peers.

In your undergraduate degree, it’s expected for students to complete all their modules. However, there is a level of autonomy to choose from several modules. This choice can significantly influence your end-of-year project or dissertation. While self-study outside of class is expected, the majority of your day will be spent in class.

Each semester is worth 60 credits, and you may wonder where exactly are those credits coming from. These come from a self-directed study in which you’ll be expected to undertake various research tasks to read around highlighted materials and identify key themes where you’ll have to show arguments for and against in scheduled meetings with your tutors and peers.

Most courses are delivered as taught programmes where you’ll be expected to attend seminars or workshop sessions having already engaged in the subject in discussion and ready to demonstrate your views and be a critique to others.

Assessments

The focus of the assessment is widely different between master’s and bachelor’s. In the bachelor’s, you are expected to do your assessment by researching topics in addition to using your learning materials from class².

Your assessment will then be marked and you’ll be given a grade. Whether this is your final grade or just a test assessment, you’ll typically be given feedback and depending on the circumstances it will shape what you do next.

In postgraduate, the focus of self-study means you will be frequently required to present and justify your ideas in front of your peers in group discussions or seminars. Assessment and feedback will typically take different forms depending on your subject and master’s;

You may be asked to maintain a record of independent study activity or present short written reports.
Your tutor would record your progress based on your contributions to class and in addition, may offer guidance.
Some modules will be examined via coursework produced once the module has been completed. This can provide an opportunity for you to dig deeper into an interest you have developed and ideas you may have come across during the course.

Courses which are not specialised may also test you on specific areas of your chosen subject. They can only ask you to identify an area you would like to focus your attention on. This is also another part that defines your postgraduate study and it draws self-directed in smaller-scale research and writing assignments to undertake your master’s dissertation.

Dissertation

Taught courses tends to end with an extended research project. This is similar to the final dissertation of your undergraduate degree but involves much more complex and extensive research work. To complete a successful master’s dissertation you will need to;

Identify a specific topic you are interested in
Create a methodology to research your topic
Offer convincing analysis that collectively develops and supports a broader argument
Make a convincing argument for the value of your contribution to the ongoing debates

While this may seem like a daunting task to undertake, it’s exactly what your masters is preparing you to do. The dissertation is an opportunity to demonstrate your ability for self-research and critical thinking with the knowledge you have received during class. This could be the first time you have had the opportunity to showcase yourself as an academic scholar and that is an achievement you should be proud of taking.

New Skills

During your master’s, you will be gaining newer skills you would otherwise not have. This differs from course to course, but generally, the more proactive the course is, the more skills you will be gaining.

Accessing different materials

Different subject areas will be needing different skills and training, for example, specialist data collection and laboratory equipment – but all disciplines will require you to access published materials in your subject field. At the postgraduate level, this means you will require to do more thorough engagement by simply searching journal or article collections in your institution’s library.

Additionally, you may receive guidance to access these materials through specialist databases or repositories. While you gather these materials, you will also be required to assess and critique the material you are collecting as well as keep accurate records of your research findings. For this, you may be tasked to produce an annotated research bibliography or write a review essay.

Transferable skills

Research training is designed to help support you during your master’s (and PhD if you want to continue) to ultimately prepare for your dissertation. The ability to identify, source, and record data is an extremely valuable transferable skill that will be helpful beyond your academic years. This is also in line with the actual knowledge and any work experience skills you’ll learn during your course that you can take forward to a practical environment.

Lendwise

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