By Rachel Measures, Masters in PR.
Postgraduate study is slowly becoming more popular as more people achieve undergraduate degrees and hope to stand out. I currently study on a one-year masters at Sheffield Hallam in Public Relations, and I’m genuinely so happy I’m doing it. These are my top 5 reasons why I think postgraduate study can benefit you:
- It can make you stand out from the crowd
I was once told that only 8% of people in the UK have a masters, so no matter what grade we got, we could revel in that. Whether that figure is correct, it’s hard to find out, but the point still stands – very few people do postgraduate study so you will stand out simply by doing it.
- It can advance your career
By furthering your education, you are furthering your skills and knowledge in your chosen field, and for some fields, it is necessary. A masters can help to narrow your thinking. I went from doing a general media undergraduate course to a public relations masters to help me gain specific skills for PR-related graduate roles. Postgraduates may also begin on a higher salary than their undergraduate counterparts.
- To change career path
Similarly to advancing your career, some people choose postgraduate study as a way into a different career. Many of my course mates come from English Literature courses, or Journalism, some have worked a few years in one job and are now wanting a change. Postgraduate study can allow for this by giving people a place to learn and gain the basics that their new chosen career desires.
- You can get financial help
Education can be expensive, but there are loans out there just like your undergraduate student loan. I’m currently receiving a £10,000 postgraduate loan which pays for my tuition fee, my rent and some of my living.
Depending on how much your outgoings are, or if you do not have savings, it may be necessary to supplement this with a part-time job, but in a student city like Sheffield, there are endless opportunities.
Additionally, as Sheffield Hallam alumni, I was able to receive £1,000 off my tuition fee so if you are thinking about postgraduate study, it may be worth sticking to Hallam.
- Because you want to
Ultimately, you can only be motivated if you want to continue studying. If you enjoy your chosen specialism and want to learn more, then go for it. This is an equally valid reason for going on to do further study.
If you are interested in finding out more about postgraduate study at Sheffield Hallam University, I would recommend considering a Postgraduate Open Day.
