A The entry requirements for postgraduate master’s courses may slightly vary course to course and university to university. The common requirements are given below -

Academic requirements

A UK equivalent bachelor honours degree with 2.2 grades though some courses may require a 2.1. Students with bachelor degree without honours and third class grade may qualify for a pre-master’s or an extended master’s course.

English proficiency requirements

IELTS overall band score of minimum 6.0 with minimum 5.5 across all components (Pre-sessional English course with master’s will require IELTS for UKVI with no component below 5.0). There could be higher IELTS score requirements for some courses and by some universities. Other UKVI SELTs with equivalent IELTS scores are accepted too.

A The difference between postgraduate taught master’s and postgraduate research master’s largely comes down to the level of independence you have during your studies.

Postgraduate taught master’s involve a mixture of lectures, seminars and coursework in tutor contact time much like undergraduate programmes while postgraduate research master’s require students to undertake extensive independent research training under a supervisor. In postgraduate research master’s course, you will rarely have tutor contact time. Instead you will do your own research independently on your research project with support and guidance from an expert supervisor as and when needed.

A A PGCert, a PGDip and a Master's – all these are postgraduate and RQF level 7 courses in the UK. But these courses differ when it comes to course duration, number of credits awarded and the qualification awarded as set out below –

• A PGCert (Postgraduate Certificate) is made up of minimum 60 credits of taught modules – usually three 20-credit modules. The course duration is 6-9 months and on completion you will receive a Postgraduate Certificate award
• A PGDip (Postgraduate Diploma) is made up of minimum 120 credits of taught modules – usually six 20-credit modules. The course duration is 9 months and on completion you will receive a Postgraduate Diploma award
• A Master’s is made up of minimum 180 credits: usually six 20-credit modules and a 60-credit dissertation/major project. The course duration is 12 months and on completion you will receive a Master’s degree award

A Conversion courses allow graduates of one discipline to convert and qualify in a different discipline – conversion courses offer students an opportunity to enter a new area of academic knowledge. Students who have made change of career plan but do not have relevant knowledge and qualifications are benefited from master’s conversion courses.

A An MA, an MSc and an MBA, all 3 are postgraduate master’s degree courses at RQF level 7 in the UK. However, these courses differ from each other in features and by nature as identified below -

• The term MA stands for Master of Arts and this is a postgraduate master’s degree qualification for subjects within the arts, humanities and social sciences. An MA can also cover business, consulting and management subjects, although these often come under the term MSc – the science-based equivalent of the MA
• The term MSc stands for Master of Science. MSc degrees focus more on scientific, curriculum-based STEM subjects such as mathematics, engineering, medicine or technology, although they can include some social sciences. Students choose to study an MSc degree to expand their knowledge in a specialised area which can help prepare students for work in a particular field and fine-tune their knowledge and skills as well as raise their professional profile
• The term MBA stands for Master of Business Administration. Syllabus developed with the business landscape, the MBA teaches students all the core elements to manage a business, from finance and marketing to strategic and operational management. An MBA is a good option for those attracted to leadership roles and who wish to get a good overall understanding of business administration

A Both the MEng and the postgraduate MSc are professional master’s degrees in Engineering. If your aim is to become an Engineer than a postgraduate Engineering Masters could help you qualify at an advanced level. Find difference between and an MEng and and MSc Engineering below –

• An MEng course is an integrated master’s degree course of 4 years full-time duration. Students need to obtain 480 credits to get an MEng degree award
• An MSc is a stand-alone master’s degree course of 1 year full-time duration. Students need to obtain 180 credits to get an MSc Engineering degree award

A An integrated Master’s combines or integrates undergraduate and postgraduate study into a single four-year long course (3 year of bachelor followed by 1 year of master’s) - instead of studying two separate degree courses, in an integrated master’s course you will study a single, longer, programme. Normally, after completion of the course, you will be awarded a master’s degree rather than two separate degrees.

Most of the integrated master’s courses are in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects with focus applied knowledge and practical training, with close links to specific vocations or career paths.

A The MSci is an integrated Master of Science postgraduate degree course in applied branches of science subjects i.e. Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Pharmacology etc. or vocational subjects including regulated professional fields like Psychology

A Scotland is one of the four countries of UK (United Kingdom) and Scotland has its own unique education systems which differ slightly from that in the rest of the UK.

The Scottish MA, Master of Arts is a 4 year bachelor degree course at undergraduate level. It is a level 10 (Honours degree) qualification on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF), equivalent to RQF level 6 on the Regulated Qualifications Framework.

A Yes, you can do a second Master's degree in the UK after completing one from the UK or elsewhere i.e. in your home country or in another country. There is no specific restriction on the number of Master's degrees that an individual can pursue. To study a second master’s course, you will need to justify to the admissions office that your new course is connected to your previous one, shows deeper specialisation, or that both courses combine together will support your career aspirations.

A Currently, there is no centralised university application system for postgraduate master’s courses. You can submit your application directly via university website application link or use services of an authorised education agent of the university.

However, for some specific postgraduate courses you should apply through external application systems provided on the course page of the university website. Postgraduate courses that may require applications via different application systems –

• Performance-based courses at conservatoire: normally require application via UCAS. You will find the relevant link on the course page of the university website
• Postgraduate teacher training in England: normally require application via DfE (Department for Education). You will find the relevant link on the course page of the university website
• Postgraduate teacher training in Wales or Scotland: normally require application via UCAS. You will find the relevant link on the course page of the university website
• MA/MSc courses in social work, nursing or medicine, or LLB accelerated programmes: normally require application via UCAS. You will find the relevant link on the course page of the university website

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