Description
Considering a graduate degree
What area, subject, topic interests you?
- When considering an application to a graduate programme you should identify the area(s) in which you would like to pursue your degree.
How long do you want to take to complete your degree?
- In Irish universities, a master’s degree normally takes either one or two years depending on the programme.
- A doctorate involves a greater commitment. Doctorates normally take between three and five years.
Do you like research?
- Masters degrees normally involve the completion of a significant dissertation in conjunction with a number of taught modules. The dissertation often constitutes a student’s first foray into original research.
- The PhD is a research degree. This involves a significant degree of self-directed and autonomous learning to understand and explore a research question or phenomenon that will result in an original contribution to new knowledge in a narrowly defined area. The resulting research is usually presented in the form of a thesis, which is worthy of publication either in whole or part. The successful doctoral graduate is an expert in their field of learning.
How will you finance your studies?
- Undertaking a graduate degree programme involves a number of expenses including fees, potential loss of income, materials, travel and living costs. You should have a clear idea of how you intend to fund your studies.
- The most common way to source funding is through the university, research centre etc. in which you are carrying out the graduate degree.
- Irish funding bodies such as the Irish Research Council, Health Research Board and Science Foundation Ireland are also good sources of funding.
What do you want to do upon completion of your degree?
- While it is not always practical or even perhaps appropriate to have an explicit career orientated output, you should consider exploring this issue. An ability to provide an answer to this question is often complementary to your motivation to commence graduate studies.
Applying for a graduate degree programme/project
If you have committed to undertaking a graduate degree you are advised to consider the following:
- Determine what taught and/or research degree programmes/projects universities provide in your area of interest. This information is generally available on the university website and/or by consulting the relevant graduate studies office. Links to all Irish university graduate studies offices including application details are available on this website and through www.i-studentadvisor.com/iua
- Establish what supervisor’s research interest would align with your own and whether the programme is relevant to your interests.
- Make contact with the department and/or potential supervisor outlining your interest in the taught or research degree programme, requesting further information on the programme and/or application procedures not available from the website or documentation. Do not approach people with spurious enquiries or information requests, where that information is already available.
- Complete the application procedure supplying the university will all information requested. Often, individual departments are working to university application procedures and do not have discretion to determine what is or not required in an application so you should endeavour to provide any information requested.