Transitioning from Undergraduate to Postgraduate Education

By Olivia Simmonds

If you are thinking about applying for postgraduate study, I’d highly recommend it as it’s an invaluable experience that enables you to gain a deep understanding of a specialised area. Furthermore, if the course is a follow on from your undergraduate studies, it will likely build upon a number of undergraduate topics, deepening your knowledge further. It is also a great opportunity to develop your essay writing skills and ability to work independently and abstractly.

Below are the main differences and some tips based on my experience of transitioning from an undergraduate degree in Psychology to a master’s in Occupational Psychology. The key to making the transition from undergraduate to postgraduate study is planning, time management and hard work.

The main differences between undergraduate and postgraduate study and how to overcome them:

Essay structure and length

It is likely that essays in postgraduate studies will be longer and will require more research. The structuring of essays also may change (and sadly get harder). At master’s level, although it is great for developing independent and abstract thinking, there is often no ‘right’ or clear way to structure your essays. This can make it hard to trust that what you are doing is right. To adapt to these changes, it’s important to plan ahead so try to start writing your assignment 4-5 weeks ahead of its due date.

Time management

Furthermore, time management is important to manage the simultaneous work demands of postgraduate work. You are likely to be working on many tasks at the same time and it’s up to you to manage and plan when you should be completing them. To help with this, use a diary and plan your daily tasks to stay on top of your work and deadlines. Even though I managed with no diary throughout undergraduate studies, it’s been an absolute must for my master’s!

Volume of work

Although the content being learnt may not necessarily be more difficult, the volume of work that is required is likely to increase. You will be expected to undertake more reading, tasks, essays etc. so be prepared to put the work to stay on top of your workload.

Tips for postgraduate study:

Read, read, read

You may be fed of hearing this during your undergraduate studies, but this is where it really counts. Try to make sure that you complete the essential reading to fully understand the lecture content, especially if it’s hard.

Reading the latest literature

Try to use some ‘hot off the press’ literature (e.g., from the past 2-3 years) that isn’t mentioned in lectures. This extra research will show your interest in the topic and by finding new ideas and points, you will really ‘wow’ the reader and you may even teach them something they didn’t already know!

Evaluate your sources

When critically evaluating your points, it is also important to evaluate your sources. For example, you may critique the methods of papers mentioned or the credibility of their author(s) and/or where they were published. Being able to evaluate in the two ways mentioned will increase your marks even further!

Originality

In addition to discussing new literature, you need to be original with your points to get top marks. When writing about a certain topic, try and think of points outside of the immediate literature for that topic. For example, if you can apply research from other areas to your essay, this shows that you are able to apply your knowledge to new situations and synthesise information to form your argument. Similarly, when evaluating your points, be creative and come up with your own idea and then see if you can find research to back this up. Although it’s common to let the research guide your points, if you can come up with something that’s abstract and not obvious, this will show the reader your skill and will get you those top marks.

Trust yourself! You have got the grades in your undergraduate studies to get onto the master’s course so you are more than capable and can do really well. It might be stressful at times, but you can do it! Lastly, try to remember that a master’s is only 12 months. It may be a hard 12 months, but once it’s done you have a new qualification, so try and see it as a development opportunity!