8 October 2024
Are you thinking about postgraduate study, but aren't sure where to begin? It’s important to do your research to work out which course you want to study and where you want to study it. To help you get started, here are some great reasons to study a postgraduate degree:
Enhance your career and boost your earnings
Postgraduate study is a great way to progress in your career. Holding a master's degree can help you gain more senior roles and earn higher salaries as you become more knowledgeable in your chosen field. Employers will also recognise the skills you’ve gained from your master's degree, so if you’re just starting out, you could begin higher up the ladder or progress more quickly in your current role.
What's more, according to the 2024 Graduate Labour Market Statistics(opens in new tab), you could also benefit from a higher salary than undergraduates and non-graduates.
Embark on a new career
What you studied at undergraduate level doesn’t have to define your entire career – you could start again with a postgraduate conversion course in a completely new subject.
Gain more from opportunities
As well as being an excellent qualification that can help develop your career, consider what else you could gain from studying for a postgraduate degree. For example, we offer opportunities that can add to your student experience, such as work experience, volunteering, and the chance to gain extra qualifications alongside your degree.
If you study MA Visual Practice, you’ll be encouraged to gain creative industry experience, such as working on live commissions, entering competitions, and exhibiting work in public exhibitions.
MSc Leadership in Criminal Justice and Policing offers you a unique opportunity to volunteer as an appropriate adult during your studies, through the Local Appropriate Adult Scheme, founded and ran by our Criminology academic team in collaboration with the Police and Crime Commissioner and Northumbria Police. Through this, you could achieve an additional professional qualification – a Level 2 QCF accredited gateway qualification, in working as an appropriate adult for vulnerable adults and juveniles.
Our Applied MSc courses, such as MSc Applied Project Management or MSc Applied Cybersecurity, enable you to undertake a placement (subject to availability) and put your new skills into practice.
Finally, are you interested in running your own business or freelance practice? Our student and graduate start-up support can help get you started.
Applying for a master's degree
How to choose a course
Learn more about the postgraduate degrees we offer by exploring our subject areas and course pages. To delve even deeper, join us on campus at our next postgraduate Open Day and see for yourself what Sunderland has to offer.
How to apply
To apply to study your master's with us, head to the course page of your choice and click the ‘Apply now’ button at the top of the page. This will take you to our online form where you can make your application. Even better – if you’ve studied your undergraduate degree with us, you can complete our short form to speed up the process. Read more about how to apply for a master's degree.
How to fund your degree
You may be entitled to a government-backed postgraduate loan from the Student Loans Company if you're applying for a master's or PhD. Read our postgraduate student finance guide for more information.
You could also benefit from our range of postgraduate scholarships and bursaries, including tuition fee discounts and subject-specific cash scholarships.