31/01/2006 | Newsletter, QS Research

QS Research - the postgraduate world in 2005

By: Tim Rogers

Figure Four - Preferred Subject & Level Choice

So what are the choices facing a potential postgraduate student? Well, in this day and age, it is true to say that the choices are quite literally endless. Most local systems of university-level education offer some form of postgraduate education, whether a short diploma, an award-bearing masters degree or a much longer period of research resulting in a PhD. Internationally, postgraduate education is booming, with over a million students studying outside of their home country. Australian, Canadian, French, UK and US institutions are currently recruiting ever-increasing numbers of students on masters and PhD programmes and leading global institutions like the London School of Economics & Political Science and the University of Chicago are expanding their capacity to teach these types of programmes by adding dozens of new degrees every academic year to meet both demand and interest in new academic areas.

Primarily, choosing a postgraduate degree comes down to personal preferences, but key factors are common to making that crucial decision. Firstly, the length of time you are willing to spend away from employment. Many European and US masters degrees require you to study for between 18 months and two years, whilst Australian and UK equivalents tend to be one year or less in duration. The time spent to complete a PhD programme can vary enormously from three years in the UK to five years in the US and Canada. Postgraduate degrees are often now available on a part-time basis, to allow for those students wishing to continue in employment at the same time as enhancing their intellectual or practical skills.

Secondly, the mode of study can vary from institution to institution, and country to country. Most masters degrees are primarily taught programmes in the UK, US and Europe, with significant amounts of contact with academic members of staff in lectures, classes and tutorials. However, some programmes allow for a period of independent research related to an area within your degree. Related to mode of study is who teaches the academic content. The very best degrees will be taught by leading figures in their fields, active in research
and often consultancy, actively influencing their particular academic area.

Thirdly, the choice of physically where you study. Each country and indeed national system of education offers advantages and disadvantages. The choice comes down to a balance of personal preferences � where will I feel most comfortable? Where will I enjoy living the most? And academic ones � where is the best programme for what I am interested in? How internationally respected is the institution I want to study in? Some may consider the ease of remaining in a particular country after their period of study to work as the most significant factor in their choice of destination country. Respondents to the QS Research/QS World Grad School Tour survey underline just how international the range of choices for countries in which to study a postgraduate qualification actually is � a staggering 42 countries were cited as being potential destinations. Though there is no surprise that Australia, Canada, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, UK and the USA were all cited as preferred study destinations, the likes of Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Singapore and Switzerland also featured.