November 27, 2018, by Ryan Neal

Applying for postgraduate study at Nottingham

Guest post by final year Sociology student Harriet Badley.

The question on everyone’s lips at the minute is ‘what are you doing after uni?’ sending a panic ripple through third-year students across Nottingham. Over the last few months I’ve been considering my options and I’ve decided to stay on at Nottingham and study a postgraduate degree in marketing. For me, continuing on at Nottingham is a natural transition — it is a city and University that I have absolutely grown to love and has a thriving postgraduate student body. I am currently in my final year of a Sociology BA planning to go on and complete a Marketing MSc. Although I love sociology, I have decided to pursue a master’s degree in marketing as I would like to change the direction of my future.

Choosing a postgraduate degree can be a really difficult decision. Like choosing any degree, it is a commitment, and so it’s important you know you will love the subject area. Before applying, I had reservations about the value of a postgraduate degree for my chosen career path. For certain careers, postgraduate qualifications are invaluable and for others industry experience can be more important. If you are considering continuing your education, make sure that pursuing another degree will make a positive contribution. For me, moving subjects from sociology to marketing is a big step, but the beauty of studying a master’s degree is that it gives you the opportunity to go in a completely different direction and build on the skills that you’ve gained as an undergraduate. Plus, having a postgraduate degree can really give you the edge in employment situations, and recent research has shown that postgraduates have higher employability.

The first thing to look at when applying for a postgraduate degree is information about your chosen course, namely, the entry requirements and deadlines for applications. After deciding on your course you can start to apply for funding. The University website has a step-by-step guide to the funding application process. Applying for funding can sometimes seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t need to be. There are lots of options available whether you are a UK, EU or international student or whether you will be studying part or full-time — it doesn’t have to be a stressful process. After that, you can submit your application and then track it online! As a University of Nottingham student, you have a huge amount of fantastic resources at your fingertips — including career services, the Students’ Union and welfare support.

The application process does not need to be overwhelming. If you have any questions make sure you make full use of the Careers and Employability Service located in the Portland Building. Studying a postgraduate degree is an amazing opportunity to not only improve your CV but to expand your skills and focus your research on an area that you are really passionate about. If you are considering further study then why not do it at one of the UK’s leading universities?

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