The main thing you need to know is that pretty much all master’s degrees can be divided into two general camps: taught and research. Although these distinctions are not absolute and many courses will involve both, the course description for any master’s program at any university will make it clear which one is dominant. Once you’re armed with this information, and a healthy amount of self knowledge, you should be able to make the initial call about which is your type. But just to be even more obliging we’ve compiled some helpful pointers to get you on your way.


Taught Master’s


As the name suggests, much of your course will be based around lectures, seminars and tutorials. Unlike studying at undergraduate level, it’s common for master’s students to be expected to present and lead group seminars, which may sound horrifying but is a skill that improves with each time you do it, trust us! Assessment-wise you’re likely to have exams during/at the end of the year. Also you may have to complete work during the year that is not assessed to show you’re on top of things (ie not spending too much time sleeping!).


The majority of taught master’s programs include a research element as well, a dissertation or extended essay or some such piece of work. Some universities also offer a Research Methods course, sometimes compulsory, that is taken alongside


the master’s. It is advisable to check if this is the case at the places you are applying to, as it is an extra workload consideration. However it can also be a positive addition to your master’s experience; for example if you plump for a taught master’s and then decide you want to do a PhD you will still have the necessary research skills from this course.


The advantage of this type of course is that it can be a useful transition period if you are thinking about a career in academia but haven’t yet decided on an area of research, and for those with less experience of self study it’s a way to ease in to a more independent way of learning. If you intend to end your academic career with your master’s the structured timetable of a taught master’s is more reminiscent of undergrad studies, and so is arguably less of a gear change if you only have a year or two to spare on your postgrad degree.


Research Master’s


Again, self-explanatory would be the word to describe this type of course. Assessment takes the form of a dissertation and/or marked essays throughout the year, and the number of exams will be limited if any.


Evaluation is generally more continuous than on a taught master’s, so would suit those who prefer to get their grades as they go along to having to wait until the end of the year. Of course there is also the principal consideration of whether you are self-motivated enough to drive your own work; research master’s often have seminars and lectures as well but they do not form the structure of assessment in the same way as they do in taught master’s.


However if you already have a research proposal in mind and are champing at the bit to develop original ideas of your own, have a go at it! The discipline of time management and digging up sources from all over the place will also provide an excellent training for those hoping to progress to the next stage of academia: the PhD.


In Conclusion


Deciding which kind of master’s program you want to pursue is half the battle; once this choice is made you start whittling down the potential field of courses on the road to finding The One. Add the choice of subject area and university into the mix and you’ll find a match that’s compatible.


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