Postgraduate Study - Investing in You
Recent studies confirm the advantages of having a postgraduate qualification
The benefits of university level study are now widely recognised - improved employment prospects, higher average lifetime earning potential, and a greater sense of personal fulfilment. Recent studies though have highlighted the added value that postgraduate study can bring and, in particular, the improved prospects that those holding a postgraduate degree enjoy over those holding a first degree only.
Investing in Your Future
"Postgraduate study can be a route to advancing in an existing career as well as opening up new employment opportunities" (BIS, 2010)
In a number of recent reports the economic advantages that come from a postgraduate degree have been highlighted. The Sutton Trust found that average lifetime earnings of those holding a postgraduate degree were significantly higher than those with a first degree only - 15% higher for those with a masters degree and up to 23% higher for those with a research degree1.
What's surprising is that these economic advantages are not more widely recognised - in particular there's been little notice until now of the clear advantages that those with a postgraduate degree enjoy over those with a first degree only.
"A postgraduate degree confers a clear economic advantage, with postgraduates attaining significantly higher salaries than those with only first degrees"
(HEPI, 2010)
This was backed up by a report from the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) which found those holding a postgraduate degree not only enjoyed higher salaries, they also found it easier to enter a professional career after graduation2. Less than four years after graduation, HEPI found that 94% of postgraduates had obtained work in the three highest occupational categories compared with 78% of first degree graduates.
Compared to those holding a first degree only, those with a postgraduate degree were also much more likely to be in employment six months from graduating. In 2007/2008 the unemployment rate for those graduating with a first degree was 8.1% - compared with 4.3% for those with a masters degree and just 3.1% for those with a research degree3.
Investing in Your Employability
At the University of Leicester, we recognise that employability is about more than just what letters you have after your name - it's about having the skills and attributes that employers want and that allow you to make the most of your potential.
"A distinct advantage of postgraduate over first degree graduate recruits is the discipline-specific specialist knowledge they are likely to possess and which can be applied directly to help businesses develop.
(CIHE, 2010)
A March 2010 report for the Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE) found there was a strong demand for postgraduate students and that employers were keen to make use of the advanced specialist knowledge and proven abilities in problem solving and critical thinking that postgraduate students bring4.
CIHE also found that employers particularly valued those postgraduates who could demonstrate broader employability. The Graduate School provides a University-wide framework for training, study support, and career preparation – helping postgraduate students achieve their potential and develop the skills that employers look for.
As an integral part of our postgraduate programmes and through a comprehensive programme of training events and self-help resources, postgraduates are supported in developing skills in leadership, commercial awareness and enterprise, team working, and more.
Flexible Learning
The University of Leicester is also an acknowledged leader in the provision of flexible postgraduate studies. Our part-time and distance learning programmes allow students to benefit from the same high quality education and facilities as full-time students while having the flexibility to balance the demands of their course with career and other commitments.
Studying part-time or by distance learning also lets you develop your career without having to leave employment and means you can apply new knowledge and insights to your working life while you are still studying, with many students choosing to tackle work-related topics in their dissertations/doctoral theses.
Find Out More
The University of Leicester is one of the UK's leading providers of postgraduate education with a winning combination based on an international research record, high standards of teaching, and the accumulated expertise and range of programmes that can be offered by one of the country’s largest Graduate Schools.
The knowledge, expertise, and sense of innovation and discovery in our academic departments create an excellent environment in which to undertake postgraduate study.
Learn more using the links below:
