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Posted Oct. 20, 2012

Is doing a masters as part of your undergrad a good idea?

There are many undergraduate courses that allow you to study for an extra year, meaning that you can receive a master's qualification as part of your undergraduate degree. Although the idea of studying for an extra year is not the most appealing idea for many students, a high percentage of students still choose to do it for a number of different reasons. This post will discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of studying for four years instead of three and answer the question - is it really a good idea?



The Advantages

  • One of the most tempting reasons for doing an extra year at your undergraduate university instead of doing a master's elsewhere is that you can still use your student loan to fund your master's course. Although there are many methods of funding a postgraduate course , securing funding for postgraduate level study is often extremely difficult. This is due to the lack of a student loan type scheme. Most students wishing to study a postgraduate degree will have to pay out of their own pocket. Being able to pay for your master's via a student loan is a massive tick for many students and is a good reason for opting for a four-year course.
     
  • Another reason that it is a good idea is that you are near enough guaranteed a place on a master's programme if you have already been accepted on a four-year course. Sure you have to achieve certain marks in your other three years but as long as you put the work in you are most likely going to be able to stay that extra year. Even if you are on a three-year course there is also the possibility to convert to a four-year course if you wish. But to do this you will need to check with your university first.
     
  • Last but not least doing a four-year course reduces a large amount of stress. There is no need to look at endless university league tables for your course, you won’t have to write a personal statement again and you won’t have the stress of being rejected. Staying on a four-year course just seems like a bit of a breeze.
     

However there are some big disadvantages that you need to consider.
 

  • During the three years you are studying as an undergraduate degree there may be huge fluctuations in what university is best for your course. When studying a master's you really want to study at the best place possible in order to achieve the best postgraduate degree. If the university you are at suffers from a reduction in rankings , as something changes, then you will be stuck studying a master's at a place that may not be the best option for you. This may mean that the quality of postgraduate degree that you leave with may be poor compared to other universities.
     
  • After studying for three years at undergraduate level you may realise that you would like to live elsewhere. The place where you are studying may not be for you anymore, other friends on different courses may have left and you could be in need of a change of scenery. Being committed to a four-year course means that you won’t be able to move elsewhere and you will be stuck there for another year. You could move to a different part of the town/city but you are still going to be in the same place for an extra year.
     

 

  • Also doing a four-year course over a three-year one rather than doing a master's elsewhere may seriously limit your choice. When studying at undergraduate level you may realise that you have a real interest in a certain area of your subject. The problem is there may not be the necessary staff with the right expertise for you to pursue that area of study at postgraduate level. There may be other limitations when it comes to choice such as whether you will be able to do a research or taught master's course.
     

So before deciding to do a four-year course you need to figure out whether it is the right option for you. It’s a good idea if you know it will be difficult for you to secure funding and you know you won’t have enough to pay for your postgraduate programme out of your own pocket. But it is a bad idea if you a person that needs to relocate every once in a while and if you have a real passion for a subject area that your current university cannot cater for.
 

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