GOING THE DISTANCE By Leigh Joslin


So you’ve graduated and are wondering what to do next… Postgraduate study, get a job… Why not both?


With the jobs market being so competitive and so many young people obtaining degrees, it’s easy to understand that more and more of them are looking at postgraduate options to help them further stand out from the rest.


Before I had officially graduated from my BA (Hons), my search into postgraduate study had already begun. I knew I wanted to further my qualifications and I’d started looking at various universities to do just that for the following September. However, I was concerned if it was the right move to make.


I was 21 years-old, had only just finished my degree and hadn’t ever had a “proper” job yet. I thought maybe I should focus first on getting a decent job before I take on the weight of a postgraduate course. I also knew I couldn’t afford to self- finance a PG course, not with the bank balance I had after doing three years of a degree...


It’s a tough call you face at the end of your degree – your entire career is ahead of you. For me though, it all


fell into place when I came across a Master’s course that offered part-time, distance learning study. After a satisfactory conversation with the course lecturers I enrolled immediately. Distance learning offered me the balance of working life and continuous study.


I financed the course via a Career Development Loan (www.gov. uk/career-development-loans/ overview) and found part-time work with a well-known high street shop in town. It was a start and I was content with having enough time to focus on coursework without too much pressure from my job. Not long after though, I interviewed successfully for a full-time role working for my university as a graduate intern. This role offered me course-related experience and a fair income, enough for me to live away from home. It was the “proper” job I had been looking for but I had to make sure I could complete my coursework efficiently without falling behind.


Distance learning is a viable study option for a new graduate to consider. You get the benefits of a


postgraduate degree plus it allows you to obtain employment or even continue with your current career. It may seem suitable for anybody with an Internet connection but in my experience, it takes self-discipline, motivation and good organisational skills. You have to be able to manage the demands of both your career and study. Having a place where you can cram, whether it is a spare bedroom, on the train or even at work, is vital and you need to be confident you can meet your deadlines.


It can be difficult and tough if you choose to pair full-time work with part-time study but distance-learning is certainly a valuable experience in terms of shaping your future if you can pull it off. I now sit on the brink of obtaining my masters and am currently permanently employed by the my university of which I did a year’s internship.


So perhaps it’s an option you can consider for yourself. You have to tackle both demands head on but it’s nice to finish your studies and also be gainfully employed.


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