Skills Boost North East Discount
The Skills Boost North East Discount is a new initiative from the University of Sunderland which aims to support the North East region in its response to Covid-19, through the provision of affordable opportunities for individuals to upskill and boost their career opportunities.
We are offering a fee waiver of 20% on the full cost of course fees for all postgraduate taught Masters programmes of study (subject to terms and conditions: Skills Boost North East Discount guidance notes 2021/22 (.pdf)), to any worker who has been furloughed or made redundant, or is likely to be made redundant, is self employed and/or a small business owner, and who has a local connection to the North East region.
The discount is also available to anyone with a connection to the North East who graduated in academic year 2019/20 or 2020/21 with an undergraduate degree from any university, or who has graduated with an undergraduate degree from a university in the North East in academic year 2019/20 or 2020/21 and has been unable to secure full-time graduate employment due to Covid-19 pressures, and anyone who has been self-employed or has been a small business owner, whose business has been severely impacted due to Covid-19 pressures.
For further information please contact scholarships@sunderland.ac.uk / 0191 515 2865
Why postgraduate study?
If you’re looking to further your skills and knowledge in your field, progress more quickly in your chosen career, earn a higher salary or choose a new career path, postgraduate study could be for you.
By embarking on your postgraduate journey at Sunderland, you're making a fundamental investment in your future. You can be sure of a high quality of teaching across our postgraduate courses, as well as access to excellent facilities, including state-of-the-art teaching and learning spaces, the Living Lab, the nationally-recognised National Glass Centre and the professionally-supervised Law Clinic.
Join the University of Sunderland, and join a friendly community of like-minded staff and fellow students.
- Free parking for permit holders from 5pm – 8am the next day during the week and the weekend
Browse our subjects to find the right course for you, or sign up for more information below.
Three ways to study a postgraduate degree
Did you know that at the University of Sunderland we offer a range of flexible learning opportunities? We know how hard it is trying to strike the balance between work and personal commitments, so we want to make student life at Sunderland as straightforward as possible. So, if you’re considering a postgraduate degree but are concerned about fitting your studies in with your busy lifestyle, look no further. Here are three ways to study a postgraduate degree:
1. Full-time or part-time
Many of our postgraduate courses are offered on both a full-time and part-time basis. You might wish to balance your job and family life alongside your studies, in which case part-time study may suit you best. If you’ve taken the leap and decided to fully immerse yourself in university life, a full-time course could work for you. Whichever mode of study you choose, part-time students usually study alongside full-time students, so you can be sure you’ll receive the same high level of teaching and excellent student experience.
2. Independent Distance Learning (IDL)
Our online and distance learning courses enable you to learn from anywhere in the world that has internet access.
We have a strong reputation for our international and independent distance learning (IIDL) education courses. These include PGCE Early Years Teaching (IDL) and PGCE Education (IDL), both of which lead to direct entry onto year 2 of our MA Education (IDL) and MA International Education (IDL) courses.
Eleanor Sweeney enrolled onto the PGCE Early Years Teaching (IDL) course at Sunderland as she’d heard good things about it from her fellow teachers in Hong Kong. She says, “There is a lot of support from your personal tutor, who is very personable and easy to communicate with when you are struggling and need a little extra guidance.”
3. Hybrid learning
As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, most of our teaching and learning moved online in 2020 and 2021. While this was initially challenging, we are proud of what we have accomplished with a hybrid of online and safe, on-campus teaching and learning sessions. You can hear from our students to learn about their experiences of hybrid learning.
Although it is impossible to predict the status of the pandemic in September, the University aims to combine online lectures, seminars and workshops with timetabled teaching and other activities on campus. So, if you’re looking at postgraduate study at Sunderland from September 2021, it’s likely your chosen course will offer this hybrid approach, providing that extra flexibility you might need to return to university.
Postgraduate loans
Postgraduate students can apply for non-means-tested Postgraduate Masters Loans of up to £11,570.
Make your comeback
Are you currently working in a profession that doesn’t fit you the way it used to? Do you want to make a complete career change but don’t know how or where to get started? Embark on a new path with a conversion course at the University of Sunderland.
