A Guide to Postgraduate Study 2017: Newcastle University

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Do your research...
Alongside information on the
award type and delivery mode,
it’s also important to carefully
consider the course content when
making your decision. Although
some courses may have a similar-
sounding title and share some
core modules, the focus will
nevertheless be subject-specific,
so you need to know it’s right
for you.
We have lots of information on
our website to help you compare
courses and make an informed
choice:
Course profile: Information about
the course structure, the facilities
on offer, delivery methods, student
and graduate profiles, and
employment data including:
• average salary
• a sample of job titles
• examples of companies our
graduates now work for
Fees and funding: Find out what
your course will cost and if there
are any funding opportunities you
could apply for.
Entry requirements: Provides a
breakdown of what the minimum
academic entry requirements
are for each course. Information
is also included about the
international degree equivalencies
and our English language
requirements.
Modules: Detailed information
is given on academic credits,
assessment methods, aims
and objectives, learning
outcomes, teaching methods
and reading lists.
How to apply: Find out who
to contact and how to apply,
if you have any questions.
Newcastle University
Postgraduate Study 2017
Studying with us
59 58 Choosing a postgraduate course is personal and understanding
which route is right for you will depend on a number of factors
including your specialist subject of interest, future career
ambitions and your current level of study.
There are a number of Masters’ awards and study routes to choose
from and the tables below provide an overview of what’s involved.
Choosing your
taught course
Master of Science
(MSc) and Master
of Arts (MA)
What’s involved:
Enables you to develop specialist
subject knowledge and expertise
Combines taught modules with
independent research, normally
in the form of a project and
dissertation which may be up to
15,000–18,000 words in length
Usually studied 12 months full
time/24 months part time
These two degree types are equally
challenging and academically
demanding. They are valued in the
same way by employers
Normally 180 credits
Master of Business
Administration
(MBA)
What’s involved:
For those who have been working
three years or more in a demanding
role and are looking to progress
or change their careers
It’s also a great option if you want
to start your own business, become
an entrepreneur or accelerate your
general management, leadership,
business and finance skills
MBA is 12 months full time
180 credits
Postgraduate
Diplomas (PGDip)
and Postgraduate
Certificates (PGCert)
What’s involved:
PG Diplomas and PG Certificates
are postgraduate-level courses
and structured in a similar way to
Masters’ courses but don’t normally
involve a written dissertation
These courses are often accredited
and can be used to build credit
towards a Master’s qualification
Courses can cover general areas
of study, or be more specialised
or vocational
PG Diplomas are normally
studied over 9 months full time/
18 months part time
PG Certificates are normally
studied 6–9 months full time/
12 months part time
PG Diplomas 120 credits
PG Certificates 60 credits
Other Masters’
qualifications
(MMedEd,MClinRes
MEd, MFA, LLM,
MPH)
What’s involved:
More specialised courses, which
combine taught modules with
independent research, normally
in the form of a project and
dissertation
Often more vocational eg MMedEd
for medical educators, MPH for
those wanting to pursue a career in
public health, MClinRes for health
professionals and clinical research
staff wanting to become clinical
academics
Typically 12 months full time/
24–36 months part time
180 credits
Flexible study options
(online/modular)
Some of our courses are delivered
online, meaning you can study a
Newcastle degree from anywhere
A number of our courses can also
be studied on a modular basis
for those who don’t necessarily
want to commit to a full-time
programme, or who want to gain
additional skills for their current
job, future career, or simply for
general interest. These courses are
known as Continuing Professional
Development, or CPD for short
Some of our short courses are
credit bearing and can be used
to build credits towards a formal
degree. Our CPD provision is
managed by the Centre for
Professional and Executive
Development
Find out more: